Nutcracker retelling? I was so excited to dive in!

Short Synopsis:
Twin sisters, born on Christmas are cursed by their godfather/sorcerer. Clara is light. And Natasha is dark. When he brings Clara a nutcracker doll, it opens up a world that is deceptively beautiful and filled with bargains and death.

My Thoughts:
This book started off so strong. I loved the villainous and betrayal take on Clara. I was consumed in the first three acts as we got to know the sisters, and the Kingdom of Sweets. The book took a dark turn and then was entirely too long. It dragged. A lot.

Read if You Like:
🍬 The Nutcracker
🍬 Fairytale retellings
🍬 Gothic fantasy
🍬 Family drama
🍬 Unique stories

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton for the advance copy of this book.

While I do love both the Nutcracker and fantasy books, this one wasn't for me. I absolutely LOVE a dark take on a traditional topic, and also really like how this was organized into acts like a ballet. I don't think I'll be able to watch this ballet the same way again after reading this! Some of the ideas/topics were repeated too much (I think to drive the points home), none of the characters are likable, and overall I felt that it was too long. This one is for you if you're into sinister retellings and fantasy + mystery/thriller genres.

I received a gifted galley of THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS by Erika Johansen for an honest review. Thank you to Dutton, PRHAudio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

THE KINGDOM OF SWEETS is a twist on The Nutcracker following a pair of young twins. Clara and Natasha were born on Christmas and receive a birthright from their wizard godfather Drosselmeyer, Clara is given “bright” and Nutcracker is given “dark”. Though twins, Clara grows up the favored, beautiful, and happy child. Nat is plain and largely forgotten, living in her sister’s shadow.

One year, at the family’s annual Christmas Eve party, Drosselmeyer arrives with magical gifts, most notably a Nutcracker full of magic. This leads the twins into an alternate world, the Kingdom of Sweets. There they enter a world of sugar ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy, though not everything is quite as sweet as it may first appear.

I didn’t know much about this book going into it apart from the tie to The Nutcracker, but it wound up being a perfect read heading into the holiday season. I wound up really loving this book. The author did a fantastic job of blending the darkness of the story into the fairytale feel of the book. The descriptions of the sugary kingdom were so well done both the initial beautiful perceptions and also the darkness that exists under the surface. I really enjoyed the magic in this book and the lore that the characters explore related to twins and the world in general.

Having read the original story behind The Nutcracker ““The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffmann, I enjoyed picking up elements of the story. That said, I don’t think you need familiarity with the musical or the story to appreciate this novel. It has elements of the story while not being a direct retelling to my mind.

This dark re-telling of The Nutcracker was beautifully written. It was simultaneously easy to read, but also intricate with how the sentences were strung together. It was clear that a lot of time was invested into this book. The only thing that I would have liked to see done differently would be less monologue in the middle of the book. It got to be a bit monotonous and I had to take several breaks while reading this book due to it, which rarely ever happens.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

If you enjoy being in the head of someone who is hateful and bitter, then you likely won't have an issue with this one. The writing is great and I loved the atmosphere and how it mixed with the Russian lore that this story originated from. However, I hated each and every character. It didn't feel like they had any qualities that I could like. I don't mind reading from a villain's perspective, I don't mind reading from an unlikable person's perspective. But our MC was so engrained in a 'not like other girls' mentality. I simply was not fun and cut down on my enjoyment.

I’m a huge fan of the Nutcracker ballet. I have been since my mom took me to the theater to watch it as a little girl. So anytime I can get my hands on a retelling, it’s an automatic pick up for me.

So I’m really sad to say that I DNF’d this book.

In Johansen’s retelling Clara is a twin (at least for a little while?) and Drosslemeyer has marked her and her sister. Clara being light which means she is the beautiful lucky one and her sister Natasha is the dark one. Which leaves her looks plain and her mind sharp. Drosslemeyer is feared by all, so having marked Natasha as dark has turned everyone else away from her as well.

On the Christmas night the girls turn 17 they somehow enter into a gotchic version of the Nutcracker’s/Sugar Plum Fairy’s kingdom. It seemed to me they were just there. Upon meeting the fairy Natasha is given a chance to get back at her sister who had just taken the most important thing from her that night.

This is how far I got into the story before I DNF’d. I felt that it had a chance to be a great book, but it was just very repetitive. We get it there’s a difference between the sisters. The constant drilling of that point was driving me crazy. I also felt that if I wasn’t reading it on my kindle I would have needed a dictionary, because there were so many words I’d never even heard before. I get that this tale is set in a different time so of course the vocab is different from present day, but I felt the wording was obnoxious and took me out of the story even more when I had to pause every other paragraph to learn a new word.

All in all I just couldn’t get into the story. I felt the transitions were poor and the characters were lacking other than Anastasia the cook. She was a hoot.

I love the story of the Nutcracker, and I have always thought there's so much potential for a retelling. Through the years, I've read several different takes, but they've always been misses for me. So when I heard there was a new retelling I had to request for an ARC of it! (Thank you, NetGalley!)

For the most part, I did enjoy this! I think I enjoyed Midnight in Everwood more. Kingdom of Sweets is a dark retelling. It really leans into gothic, which I wasn't expecting.

The book is about twin sisters: Clara and Natasha. One was christened to be light and the other was christened to be dark. They have a "godfather" named Drosselmeier, who basically is the bankroller of their town. Everybody owes him money and he does favors for everyone. He has a crew of beautiful young men who he surrounds himself with. Drosselmeier is the one who christened the twins to be light and dark, and because of him Nat (the main character) is always cast in shadow while Clara can do no wrong.

In the beginning of the novel, we experience the familiar Nutcracker, but seen through Nat's eyes. I really loved this part of the book. We experience the other side of the Kingdom of Sweets while Nat's anger festers to a breaking point. But then we have the Sugar Plum Fairy, who just comes and mucks things up.

Honestly, I loved the gothic take of the Nutcracker. My biggest issue is that the plot gets lost halfway through. It's rare for me to say this, but I really do think the plot went above my head. Orlov is such an important character, who gets so little attention. Yet he's detrimental to the Russian Revolution, which becomes a big aspect of the end of the book. Is that why I got lost? How does the Nutcracker relate to this? It doesn't help that the book spans about 30-40 years. Couldn't this have been consolidated?

I really loved the Nutcracker portion. I wish the prophecy of the twins was isolated to the Nutcracker part. There was too much trying to be done with the plot, and I simply couldn't understand the importance of anything anymore. It even lost the wow-factor, so there was nothing to help amp up the stakes at the end. (This is really saying something, as there's killer toys...)

Sadly, I'm still on the hunt for an amazing Nutcracker retelling. I do have to say that I'm glad I read this. I've been reading a lot about that time in Russian history this year, so bring it on!

The helped to scratch the Nutcracker itch that I always have around this time of year. This is a darker adaptation of the story, but it's very well done.

This is a dark retelling of The Nutcracker that's really fun to read- especially if you've seen The Nutcracker a few times and are familiar with the plot. Overall, I thought the way the author set up the plot and included various characters was really clever.

Though this isn't necessarily a Christmas book, several of the main plot points take place at Christmas over the span of the main character's life.

A darkly magical reimagining of The Nutcracker filled with death and decay, revenge and forgiveness.

Natasha and Clara are twins, named "Dark" and "Light" by their godfather on Christmas, the day of their birth. Clara is the apple of everyone's eye, while Natasha builds her life in the shadow of her sister. On the eve of their 17th birthday, events plunge Natasha into despair but also set her on the track to obtain her vengeance as she and Clara are plunged into the Kingdom of Sweets. As Natasha follows her sister into the palace of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Natasha unwittingly makes a magical bargain, one that she won't be able to escape no matter how hard she tries.

Utterly descriptive and filled with magic, scary dolls, and vivid horrifying imagery, The Kingdom of Sweets takes you into a world parallel to our own. But, once you return, you'll find that everything you had hoped for isn't what it seems.

Thank you to NetGalley, Erika Johansen and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced e-copy of this book. Look for it on November 28th!

This gloriously transportive reimagining of The Nutcracker tells the tale of twin sisters, divided by envy and magic, set against each another one fateful Christmas Eve.

This is a tough book to review. On the one hand, it’s Erika Johansen to a T. The world is imaginative, the premise is interesting, and the magic works for the world.

On the other hand, this book fell flat for me in many places. The characters felt like caricatures of people, which could be attributed to their ages at the start of the book. When you’re a teen, everything is black and white, stark, and the worst possible thing / the best!

The story, too, felt like it moved too quick. There was far more telling than showing, to the point where what was shown seemed only to be there when the author was interested in talking more about it. So much of the book often felt like a slog because the author seemed uninterested in exploring the mundanities that surrounded the quiet parts of the story.

Which is fine, you don’t have to explore those. I think it would’ve worked better, in fact, if she didn’t. Give us the snapshots of the most important pieces and move on.

This is all juxtaposed by an interesting idea that greater forces are at work. If only we were told what the broader message was, that idea would’ve been clearer. Religion is touched on, but not enough to carry the story. Was the message about light vs dark? It would appear that way, but the values of each - as well as the negatives - got lost inside the characters’ inability to see beyond their own noses for most of the story.

This was a very different take on a classic, and I’m glad for it. I wish it had been executed more precisely.

Book Summary:

Natasha and Clara have lived charmed lives, thanks largely to their godfather, Drosselmeyer. With his love comes a destiny. Like many children born with a destiny, some learn to embrace it while others struggle. Clara is the former, while Natasha is the latter.

So, when Natasha is given a chance at power and revenge in one bundle, she knows what she needs to do. As it turns out, some children are willing to make dark bargains to get what they want.

My Review:

As a huge fan of The Nutcracker, I was curious to see this retelling. In truth, I feel like there are fewer Nutcracker retellings out there (at least in comparison to the countless other types of retellings). So I was excited about The Kingdom of Sweets.

Overall, I would say that The Kingdom of Sweets is a solid read. Maybe not the best, but certainly compelling and interesting. I enjoyed the dark and revenge-oriented focus, as it really leaned into the unexplored potential of the Nutcracker.

You know that sick feeling you get when you've eaten too much sugar? That's the vibe The Kingdom of Sweets is going for. And for the most part, Erika Johansen nailed it. That said, I wouldn't recommend reading this one if you don't want to see a beloved tale change and wither, as that is certainly the result of this gothic take.

Highlights:
YA Fantasy
Christmas
Nutcracker Retelling

Be careful what you wish for is the basis of Erika Johansen's retelling of The Nutcracker. Throughout the book she explores other bits of life wisdom from the viewpoint of Natasha, the dark twin who is overshadowed by Clara, The Light. The story is dark and gruesome, and the ending won't appeal to some readers. The last part of the book felt rushed as if the author was trying to button up the pieces at a lower page count.

This was a perfect dark fairytale. It start's off so vivid with the nutcracker story I know mixed in with our twins and everyone in their life. Then it becomes very dark which I l0ved. It was a very messy tale that gave a new life to a familiar tale and wove in actual historical events.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen, a nutcracker retelling, was a great read for this time of year.

I'm not overly familiar with all the ins and outs of the original story, but The Kingdom of Sweets was definitely a grim read that dealt with the darker aspects of human nature: jealousy, greed, bitterness, selfishness, loathing, hate, etc. I actually enjoy having all these feelings (and the corresponding actions) be part of characters and stories, because everyone struggles with them. I just really, really could have used a little light with the dark. There were very few redeeming qualities in any of the characters.

The pacing of the story was tricky for me. We stayed in one time-frame for a good length of the book. Then we were hopping and jumping over the years. I understand how it worked with the story, but I also think we missed out on potential growth and better understanding of the character(s).

The addition of real world events and real people drew me out of the story as well. I just wanted to the story to remain the fairytale/fantasy it was.

The end was also very bittersweet, and I was really hoping for more closure and more joy and light.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen is a dark retelling of the Nutcracker. It is much darker than I noramlly read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I absolutely loved Johansen's writing style. The pacing was quick and addictive. The whole book is organized to match the movements of the ballet. There are also T.S. Elliot quotes which fit the story well. I found the whole premise of the novel hugely creative and well done. The fantasy world contains history, mythology, and elements of the Nutracker. You will also find sophisticated themes on class, gender, and morality. This would be the perfect novel for book club discussions as there is the story on the surface and a deeper level.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for this eARC! The opinions are my own.

I read "The Kingdom of Sweets" by Erika Johansen on NetGalley. This story is a retelling of the Nutcracker, with a more sinister take. Clara has a twin sister, Natasha. Their godfather placed a curse on them at birth, Clara as light and Natasha as dark. One Christmas Eve, Clara has the chance to enter the Kingdom of Sweets and Natasha follows her. The Sugar Plum Fairy resides there and Natasha bargains with her, without fully understanding the consequences.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen is a retelling of The Nutcracker. It is a very dark story about a twisted tale between cursed twin sisters: one light and one dark. At their birth on a Christmas, they are cursed by their godfather, Drosselmeyer. Clara is beautiful, everything light, and loved by all. Natasha is dark, not attractive, always living in the shadow of her sister. When they turn 17, Natasha is shattered when her boyfriend, Conrad is stolen by Clara to wed.

Natasha hatred for her sister becomes darker, especially with Clara’s betrayal. Drosselmeyer has brought the Nutcracker, an enchanted present that offers entry into a deceptively beautiful world: the Kingdom of Sweets. While in the Kingdom of Sweets, Natasha makes a deal with the Sugar Plum Fairy, to get her revenge on Clara, in return for the Fairy wanting to destroy Drosselmeyer. Natasha will take over Clara’s looks and light life, as she feels she deserves this life, as well as Conrad; she also kills Clara, or thinks she has.

Years pass, as Natasha finds herself not happy with her life as Clara, and she begins to see her evil decisions cause more harm than she ever imagined, with things of the past coming back to haunt her. The beautiful world in the Kingdom of Sweets is in reality a decaying world, and once Natasha realizes Clara is still alive, but living under terrible conditions, she knows she has to find a way to change everything back.

I was not a fan of most of the characters, including Natasha and Clara, as most of them were not really likeable. The ending was nice, with both sisters, though never close, managed to find a way to salvage their own lives.

The Kingdom of Sweets was a depressing kind of retelling on the Nutcracker theme. It was dark and gruesome throughout; with characters mostly evil. This was a gothic a gothic story filled with magic, curses, family twists, in a tangled world of evil, hatred, bitterness. The Kingdom of Sweets was well written by Erika Johansen.

The best way I could describe The Kingdom of Sweets is: cozy fairytale thriller. The stakes weren’t too high and nothing was very intense. I personally didn’t connect with any of the characters, but I could definitely see how someone could like this book. It felt like watching the sunset. Very calm, very quiet, the occasional unexpected coloring, just a slow burning experience.

The writing was fine but I could not get into the story. I didn't care for the characters, the sex shaming and holier than thou pick me girl vibes of Natasha were excruciating. I love a fairytale retelling but this was so Blah. There was nothing to make it stand out except for the negatives. I did not finish it because I could not bring myself to continue to care about the characters or what happens.