Review Detail

THE KING IS DEAD is a YA suspense about James, who has just found out that he will be king sooner than anticipated due to his father's passing. James is 17 years old and struggling to hide his sexuality and romantic relationship from the press. However, the public has never particularly liked him or his mother, the queen, due to the color of their skin.

As he takes the throne and public spotlight, James will find himself and his personal life scrutinized in new and painful ways, while not knowing who on the inside is behind the leaks. When his romantic partner disappears and the stories in the press keep getting worse, James's rule will be tested just as it has begun, and he must question everyone around him - without knowing who he can trust.

What I loved: This was an interesting twist on the monarchy, analyzing how the public would view a Black heir, reflected by the press and opinions around Megan Markle. James is 17, and he often felt seventeen, even though he has been training basically his whole life to take the crown. He is grieving the loss of his father and struggling to decide who to listen to and who to trust, which is no easy task. Doing it all in the spotlight makes for a few stumbles, and he felt all the more genuine and raw for it. There was a light amount of suspense/mystery in terms of who was behind the leaks and the disappearance of his secret partner.

The themes around prejudice, the existence of the monarchy, paparazzi, being a public figure, and grief/loss were really fascinating. These would make for a good discussion in book groups and reflect current events in a way that will appeal to YA readers.

What left me wanting more: This was a really slow burn read, as very little happens in the early parts of the story. It felt a bit repetitive and did not build the characters or the suspense until later on, over halfway through. The person behind it was also really easy to guess, and I would have liked a few good twists and turns before arriving there, especially since it seemed there was a focus on the mystery. We lost a bit of the character development/coming-of-age aspects and the romance with the mystery along the way, so it did not feel as emotional or intense as it could have as well. Without context of the past, it was hard to understand how James really felt about his partner, as we basically meet him upon his disappearance. More context of character and their relationship would have also strengthened interest in the mystery.

Final verdict: Overall, THE KING IS DEAD is an intriguing YA suspense about the monarchy, being true to yourself, and trust.