To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo (review)

As a siren, Princess Lira is ruthless in her killing of humans at sea, literally ripping their hearts from their chests as trophies to prove to her mother she is worthy of someday being the Sea Queen. Meanwhile, Elian, prince of the golden (and landed) kingdom of Midas, often shirks his royal responsibilities to pilot his ship and slaughter the sirens, with whom his people are at war. After an act of betrayal, Lira is banished to the human world by the Sea Queen, and tasked with bringing Elian’s heart home if she wishes to return to the ocean. Elian is in search of the mythical weapon to destroy all sirens and is willing to take on Lira, scrappy and unintimidating in her human form and claiming to know the whereabouts of the rumored crystal. Unfortunately, he’s unaware that the same weapon can be used against humanity, and that it would be an even greater prize for Lira to bring to her mother than his heart. Arrogant and often merciless, Lira and Elian are not totally likable, especially in their careless disregard for life, human or otherwise, but there’s an appealing prickliness to their confidence, magnified by their quippy dialogue. As narrators, Lira and Elian have distinct voices, but for all their swagger, both characters are struggling under the expectations of their parents and in their role in war that started long before they were even born. The world building is deft, and the spectacular ending is a happy one for Lira and Elian, but it will leave readers blissfully wanting more.