Actual rating: 3.5

I love Erika Johansen - her "Queen of the Tearling" series is one of my all-time favorites - but this book left a lot to be answered. I loved the main character, because in my opinion more female MCs need to be morally grey/anti-heroes/straight up villainous, and the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy was definitely fleshed out enough to be super creepy and frightening. However, since the book took place over many decades - most of their lifetimes, in fact - I felt there was too much left unsaid. For instance, Clara's "redemption," which we didn't see at all since it took place off-page. I didn't feel Clara deserved the ending she got; she was definitely an evil character, although of course not as out right as some of the other villains. This was a very unique retelling of the Nutcracker, and as usual the writing was fantastic.

If you came to this book expecting the strong heroine and the smart plotting of the Tearling trilogy, you will be disappointed. Nothing here is either smart or strong. The characters are cardboard, and the plot, other than the fantastical part cribbed from the Nutcracker, is so unoriginal that Jane Austen did it much better. Granted, I didn’t finish the book, but I did give it the first ten chapters. Unfortunately, not the book for me.

DNF @ 50%. Although the author’s prose is nice to read, there is simply too much going on here. I tried to keep pushing through to see if things eventually came together while suffering through 100% terrible and unlikable characters, but it never did. I couldn’t read anymore, unfortunately. I really wanted to like this book but it just didn’t turn out to be what I expected. I hope the author will thoroughly go back to the story’s literal and cultural for any retelling done in the future.

Loved this twisty take on a classic. It made holiday reading extra fun. Felt nostalgic while also new and exciting!

This was a very compelling and dark take on The Nutcracker. It was filled with jealously, love, betrayal, and the unspeakable horrors people are capable of. I really enjoyed the exploration of forgiveness and whether humanity is capable of doing better for ourselves. I'm not sure everyone will appreciate this interpretation of the classic ballet, but I enjoyed

This more a modern and darker take on the Nutcracker, which I enjoyed! It is about twins Clara and Natasha, who was cursed at birth to basically be one light one dark,
or good versus evil, but it’s not as simple as that! I thought the story was interesting and full of twists with a fascinating world. It has a little bit of a sweet romance. Overall I enjoyed this book, it is a great winter read. I look forward to reading more from this author!

I was back and forth on the rating for this one. I like it more than my typical 3 stars, but I just don't think it's a 4 star. I'm going with a 3.5 rounded down because some details (such as the time between places and the overall special twin thing) had muddled explanations that I didn't really get.

The good - this held my attention the whole time, it was a fun twisted take on The Nutcracker, and it was not a type of retelling that I've read before. I really liked the dynamic between the sisters and I was actually happy when Clara got what was coming to her.

The bad (or the confusing) - I didn't completely understand the deal with Sugar Plum Fairy and her son, not why she was driven by vengeance. I mean, you're the Sugar Plum Fairy. How did you get that way? I guess I also expected more from Natasha in terms of her choices. She started off as a strong character and then became increasingly unlikable. I wanted to root for her and I was frustrated that I couldn't.

The best thing about this book was the dynamic between the sisters. It does seem like a book that would make a cool movie with a little more explanation for the parts that confused me.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen is a dark retelling of The Nutcracker. The book follows two twin sisters Clara and Natasha who were cursed as babies by the mysteries Drosselmeyer. Clara was anointed "light" and Natasha as "dark." This affects their entire lives as they grow up and also how others (including their parents and society) treat them.

I enjoyed this story which felt like a great blend of the historical, fantasy, and horror genres. The story was dark and gritty and strange, which was at times confusing but also engrossing. Parts of the story did feel very holiday themed, and I enjoyed having a somewhat holiday-themed story that was not a cutesy romance. This book explores themes of greed, fate, and forgiveness.

If you enjoy fairytales and retellings, I would definitely give this one a try!

The Kingdom of Sweets is a dark twist on the classic Nutcracker story. It takes some of the familiar, nostalgic elements from the original Nutcracker tale and weaves them into a unique and compelling narrative about jealousy, greed, and family.

What I appreciate most about the Kingdom of Sweets is its commitment to being a dark retelling. Some elements feel really close to horror with the rotten land of sweets, the dark sugar plum fairy, and the haunting magic in the real world. This dark atmosphere creates a tense and engaging read.

Unfortunately, the story felt a bit inconsistent with its messaging. At times I thought it was going to be a villain origin story which would have worked very well. But then there would be half-hearted attempts to redeem Natasha. These attempted moments of growth were jarring and hollow because Natasha is a consistently awful person. Her “not like other girls” personality was grating and led to some girl-on-girl hate between the sisters that was really off-putting. Though these character traits are likely meant to make the characters complex and a bit unlikable I don't think they were always handled well.

Part of me thinks that The Kingdom of Sweets would have been stronger as a novella. The atmosphere and unique twist to the Nutcracker story were very engaging. But as Natasha’s character arc continued I became less and less interested in her story.

This is a *dark* retelling of The Nutcracker, but maybe not in the sense that you expect. I expected Clara to be a “good” character. She wasn’t, and I initially had a difficult time with that. However, I ended up finding the story really fascinating once I accepted the characterization of various characters as less than good.

<I>They did not trust me, our friends and neighbors, for they knew I knew them, and people don’t wish to be known. They needs their secrets, just as they need their illusions.”</I>

This story is told from the viewpoint of Clara’s dark twin, Natasha. Natasha is the dark to Clara’s light, but that doesn’t mean good vs. bad. Natasha is cursed to see the darkness or flaws in (almost) everything around her except herself. She seems to only acknowledge that she is ugly, but otherwise seems to think herself superior to those around her. This, I think, is what later makes her susceptible to the dangers of the Kingdom of Sweets. She is unable to acknowledge her own flaws, and quickly identifies with a dark creature with a dim view of humanity that encourages her to seek “justice.”

<I> Vengeance was a seductive idea, so beautiful in its symmetry that it seemed utterly necessary, almost a moral imperative, a path without turnings. But if it was symmetrical, that symmetry was undeniably empty, and with the rotten land stretching in all directions beneath my feet, I could feel the contours of that emptiness, almost taste it with my tongue… a ruined taste like that of ancient dust.” </i>

Natasha chooses to seek vengeance and calls it justice. She believes she has been wronged and makes a terrible choice while convincing herself she is simply making things right and getting what she deserves. She gets everything she thinks she ever wanted, only to find out that these things don’t really make her happy at all.

<I> That there is no revolution for man, not really. I have observed your kind since the dawning. They mean well. They wish to slay monsters. But murder begets murder, and so your heroes invariably become monsters themselves.</I>

We see this with Natasha and we see it happening in the world around her. This terrible, never-ending cycle occurs over and over, according to the ruler of the Kingdom of Sweets. Natasha tries to be better, but it doesn’t erase the horrible act that she committed. Yet, there is hope. She decides to end this cycle of vengeance and violence in her own story when given the chance. While it isn’t a fix-all. It is a start. She ultimately finds peace in forgiveness and from receiving forgiveness.

In the end, I did really like what she chose to do with the story even though I thought I wasn’t going to like it in the beginning. I didn’t like the way Clara was painted as empty-headed, foolish, and cruel. It took me a good bit of time to get past that. Once I did, I thought it was a really interesting story.

Thank-you to Netgalley, Erika Johansen, and Penguin Group for this free arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I heard that The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen was a retelling of The Nutcracker, I didn’t need to know anything else. I love the ballet and try to see it every year. I have a thriving collection of nutcrackers too, as you can see.

This book is inspired by The Nutcracker but I would never call it a retelling. All the characters are here: Clara, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. But this story imagines Clara has a twin, Natasha, a dark antithesis to Clara’s beauty and privilege. The story only gets weirder and darker from there, as each of the familiar characters and places become something twisted or antagonistic. The author gets creative and explores some interesting ideas, especially about sisterhood. I’m not quite sure they all came together seamlessly but I did enjoy the story.

If you’re looking for a darker fairytale verging on light horror in the vein of King’s The Talisman, this one could be for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced reader copy.

The Kingdom of Sweets was released 11/28/23.

THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS is a darker re-imagining of THE NUTCRACKER tale brought to life by a ballet of the same name. Johansen brings into play the concept of twins decreed to be light and dark by their godfather, Drosselmeyer. This sets the tone for the whole story, but the path the author sends the reader down is anything but expected.

With hints of the original narrative in the beginning, Johansen quickly turns it on its head. There is a true darkness woven into this tale. The interaction of the characters, the underlying unrest of society, and the way the sisters are treated all bring in more of reality and a historical fiction feel. And yet, the whimsy, magic, and sorcery propels Clara and Natasha into a world they could never imagine.

If I am being honest, this book read as a young adult fantasy to me. I was expecting more layers and more depth to the civil unrest. It is in the last quarter of the book that this reader felt the author began to shine. All in all, this was a good book. It had the magic of THE NUTCRACKER but with a shadowy, sinister vibe.

Audiobook Note: Though Grace Gray was a wonderful narrator, she wasn’t able to save the beginning slowness of the story. When I went from print to audio, the book still came across as a young adult fantasy. However, as the tale became more interesting, the audiobook began to come alive.

While the premise of this book was promising, it ultimately fell flat for me and ended up being an incredibly frustrating book to slog through.

I love the idea of a Nutcracker retelling, but a lot of the meaning of the book was totally lost on me due to it's lack of fully fleshed out character and plot development.

This was a very interesting, modern and fantasy spin on the age old classic The Nutcracker. The story features twins, Clara and Natasha, who are cursed at a very young age by a rich man who is their Godfather and who runs their family's lives and livelihood due to his wealth and stature in their town. He is not a nice man, however, and the story takes quite a turn as the girls grow older.

Fairy tale, good and evil. Some parts reminded me of other tales. Twin sisters, divided by an evil magician into dark and light at birth Clara,, the light child was beautiful and spoiled with all she could want while her dark twin Natasha was all the opposite. It’s mostly the adventure of Natasha, starting with her love having to marry her sister and being expected to forgive her. Nat knows deep down Conrad would never choose her. Nat attempts to murder her sister upon an agreement with the evil Queen of Spades.

This was kind of a let down. It grabbed my attention in the beginning with an interesting tale and premise, and then it went nowhere. Not really sure what the point in the end was of this story. Though I did love the dark plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very dark and gothic, darker than I anticipated for a book listed as a Christmas read. I would classify it as horror. There are morally gray characters, mostly unlikeable. There are dark shadows, twisted motivations, creepy magical creatures and dolls. There were times I could envision the hellscape that is The Land of Sweets and I definitely felt a chill tingling moment or two.

Twins Clara and Natasha are cursed on the day of their birth by Drosselmeyer, a dark wizard who lives in this village. One dark, one light and olive out the repercussions of this curse. The story unfolds as through a series of events, one twin is able to change her destiny, or at least she thinks so.

I would recommend this book to people who like spooky, magical dreamscapes in their stories along the lines of Seanan McGuire or T. Kingfisher.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I love a dark retelling and this one was so good. I enjoyed the little bit of historical fiction that was wove in as well. Erika Johansen writes so well and so descriptively. You can almost imagine you are actually in the Kingdom of Sweets. I'm not incredibly familiar with The Nutcracker, but I think she did a great job adapting it for her story. It was a fun read.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Penguin Group Dutton for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A darker twist on the story of the Nutcracker, focusing on toxic sister relationships.

I honestly didn’t know almost anything about the Nutcracker (my only exposure was literally Danny Gonzalez’s video on it, to be honest) so I can’t speak to any accuracy or where this story deviates from the original. However, I thought this story was easy to follow along, and even when things got significantly more fantastical - everything seemed to be set in reality to where it was believable.

Told from the perspective of one sister who was essentially “cursed” to be the dark twin (Natasha) to her sister’s “light,” (Clara) we follow as she grows up and see the cracks in her relationships due to the favoritism for her sister. Clara is seemingly able to float through life without a care in the world, while Natasha, as the “dark” sister, has to accept living in the shadows and being invisible.

This is the status quo that both live with, until one night, after the announcement of Clara’s betrothal where she is gifted a nutcracker. This nutcracker goes with Clara on a magical adventure to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, while Natasha is dragged along behind her into this world, and forced to follow in her sister’s footsteps. While Clara is dazzled by the light and beauty of this world, Natasha sees the facade of the illusion of the candy land, as well as the “fairy” that rules it.

Overcome by jealousy to her sister, Natasha makes a bargain with this false fairy - completely changing the trajectory of both sister’s lives in the process.

However, after causing ruin to each other’s lives, are the two sisters able to move past this and forgive one another? Or will they destroy both the real, and fantastical, worlds to take their revenge on one another?

I was surprised by the real-world historical fiction worldbuilding of this novel, as I wasn’t expecting such a real world connection to a seemingly fantastical story. However, I thought this book did a good job of combining the two, so that the magic of the Sugar Plum Fairy never seemed entirely impossible - even when in the “real” world.

This would be a good novel to read for anyone who likes darker fantasy retellings, as well as historical fiction and toxic sibling relationships. I was unsure until the very end how the story of the two sisters would conclude, and thought it was a very poignant ending with neither sister being truly innocent nor a true villain.

“The Kingdom of Sweets” was darker than I expected. In this reimagining of the Nutcracker, Clara has a twin sister, Natasha. At their christening, Drosselmeyer, a magician/wizard, blessed Clara as "light" and "cursed" Natasha as "dark." Clara was beautiful and enchanting, but also came across as rather vacuous. Natasha was plain and academic-minded, burying herself in books. She could also see the darkness in the people around her. The Sugar Plum Fairy is actually a demon who feeds on vengeance.

Clara and Natasha were born on Christmas Day, an especially auspicious day to have twins. On the eve of their seventeenth birthday, Drosselmeyer appears at the family's annual Christmas Eve party with a special gift for Clara -- a nutcracker figurine that can move on its own (and can harm you). His "gift" for Natasha is a killer clown. Drosselmeyer has made a special study of twins, and his interest in Clara and Natasha is not benevolent. This will become a major issue later in the story. However, before the reader learns why Drosselmeyer has paid so much attention to Clara and Natasha, we are treated to a visit to the Kingdom of Sweets via the power of the nutcracker. This visit will have profound consequences for Natasha and Clara, with Natasha presented with the opportunity to have the life she has missed out on by replacing Clara. However, getting the boy (Conrad) and Clara's life is not as wonderful as expected. And the price that will eventually have to be paid is a heavy one. Moreover, separating the twins is not as easy as anticipated.

In addition to the story of Clara and Natasha, there is also a broader story about social inequality, as the "commoners" and servants want more respect and freedom, which the king and nobility resist. Orlov, the toymaker who created the nutcracker, will play a pivotal role in the coming revolution. The story also features Lenin and Rasputin, before the world knows the power and influence these figures will wield in Russia and beyond, and features Bram Stoker's "Dracula."