The Kinder Poison (The Kinder Poison, #1)

by Natalie Mae

"A DELICIOUS HIGH-STAKES ADVENTURE." --PEOPLE MAGAZINE

Perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Holly Black, this enthralling fantasy adventure follows a teenage girl chosen to be the human sacrifice in a deadly game between three heirs who will do anything for the crown.

Zahru has long dreamed of leaving the kingdom of Orkena and having the kinds of adventures she's only ever heard about in stories. But as a lowly Whisperer, her power to commune with animals means that her place is serving in the royal stables until the day her magic runs dry.

All that changes when the ailing ruler invokes the Crossing. A death-defying race across the desert, in which the first of his heirs to finish--and take the life of a human sacrifice at the journey's end--will ascend to the throne. With all of the kingdom abuzz, Zahru leaps at the chance to change her fate if just for a night by sneaking into the palace for a taste of the revelry. But the minor indiscretion turns into a deadly mistake when she gets caught up in a feud between the heirs and is forced to become the Crossing's human sacrifice.
    
Now Zahru's only hope for survival hinges on the impossible: somehow figuring out how to overcome the most dangerous people in the world.

• ISBN10: 198483522X
• ISBN13: 9781984835222
• Publish Date: 8 June 2021 (first published 16 June 2020)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 25 June 2024
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Razorbill
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781984835222

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I revived a copy of The Kinder Poison in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Kinder Poison is the debut novel of Natalie Mae, and it is has been marketed as perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Holly Black. Being a fan of theirs, and having read this book; I can tell you that this is completely fair.

Zahru only wanted an adventure, is that too much to ask? Unfortunately, Whisperers like her don't get many opportunities for adventure. So when her best friend came up with a plan to get them both into the palace to witness a spectacular event, she was stupid enough to turn it down.

One thing led to another, and now Zahru is on that adventure she always hoped for, and it is nothing like what she expected. The stakes are high, and the cost even higher. Yet she is exactly where she needs to be.

“All good stories start with bad decisions.”

The Kinder Poison is every bit the thrilling adventure that I hoped it would be. It was fast-paced and intense, and completely unafraid to be exactly what it is. Zahru's tale has only just begun, and I can already see how she's going to change the world.

The kingdom of Orkena is a fascinating one – one that I sincerely cannot wait to see more of in future novels. Actually, the whole world that Mae has created here is brilliant and interesting, with lots of hints of more to come.

The characters are bold and bright, and not afraid to sass when needed, which is always fantastic if you ask me. Zahru is a shining light in both the novel and the world, and I cannot wait to see what future adventures she'll find herself in.

The secondary characters were just as impressive, which is vital for this particular novel and the many subplots that surrounded them. The impact would have been lost, if we hadn't been given so many reasons to care (or feel anything, for that matter) about the others.

In the future, when I think of debut novels worth diving into, I'm going to think of The Kinder Poison. This book is everything that I'd want from an adventure like this, and I really do believe that the marketing was on point. That's not always a given, so I'm relishing in that fact right now.

I think what I loved the most about The Kinder Poison is the message woven into the narrative. It's beautiful and simple, and yet so extremely powerful. That alone makes this book worth reading, and guarantees that it'll stick in our minds for quite some time.

I should probably mention that there are several potential ships to be found within The Kinder Poison, so if that is your thing, you really need to dive into this book. Seriously, the love/hate in this book is strong.

The ending still has me reeling, if I'm being truthful. Though at least it made certain that I'll be snatching up the sequel as soon as humanly possible. Until then!

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[bookishzelda]

I loved The Kinder Poison. I was addicted from the minute I started reading and I just could not put it down. I felt like I didn’t know what would happen to Zahru up until the end.

I loved everything about this story. The plot is so fast paced and a villain isn’t just a villain. The characters all have their moments where they balance the line. I loved how well we get time with each of the heirs as Zahru becomes a part of the race. It’s not just the race that is the focus of the story. We find that tensions are rising outside of the kingdom as well.

I like Zahru a lot because she doesn’t have all the answers. She has what is considered a lesser magic. By being a Whisperer she is able to talk to animals. I thought that's pretty cool magic personally. I don’t think she really gets to test its full limits in the story though but that’s just my assessment. Ha ha. I loved the undercurrent of the story that does center around Zahru and who she is besides her magic.

I loved their three heirs because they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Jet is kind but he also seems to have this complex that makes him often feel like he needs to step back and let others shine. Kasta is cruel but also has more to his story, more to him. Sakira is charismatic and seems reckless but also wants to help her people. That’s just the heirs, not counting their companions who all have varying personalities. They really pull the story together, we get to know them all and I loved how each one can make an impact on someone else.

I really loved The Kinder Poison and I can not wait to see what the next book has in store. There are a few different things that are going to be at play. I want to see where this journey for Zahru goes.