Book Review: The Hollow Kingdom

 This book is utterly amazing. I have never had anything touch my imagination so much as The Hollow Kingdom has. Please, if you haven't read this, I strongly suggest you do. The author is Clare B. Dunkle.

I first heard about The Hollow Kingdom when my sister picked it out at the library in my high school. She was instantly hooked and nagged me every day that I “just have to read this book!”. She was constantly throwing books my way to read, so when I consented, it was with a large hesitation. However, I found that I instantly fell in love with the book myself and I couldn’t put it down.

                Clare D. Bunkle writes an amazing story of adventure, family and fierce romance. She shows the thoughts and views of her characters through several different viewpoints that still keep you guessing on what each character is going on about. Though the information tends to sweep by fast and you have to keep your mind in what you’re reading to get it all.

                Kate and her younger sister, Emily, are orphaned and forced to move into their inherited home on a faraway estate called Hallow Hill. They are grudgingly invited to live with their distant relatives at the mansion and have no other choice than to accept or live on the streets. It is here that they discover that there is a hidden Goblin Kingdom under the lake and lands that make up their newly gained estate, and that young women for centuries have been known to just disappear without a trace. The current Goblin King has for long kidnapped a girl to be taken as his Queen and consort; the girls are ALWAYS taken against their will, and brought to the hollow kingdom below ground, never to see the light of day again. The reigning Goblin King, Marak, sets his strangely beautiful mismatched colored eyes on Kate and tried to kidnap her, only to be thwarted by her time and time again by her determination not to be taken underground, to live a life of misery without the sun, paired with a beast. But, as all things in these seem to go, something terrible happens and Kate is forced to bargain for Marak’s help to save her sister and become his Queen.

                I love how Kate always happens to keeps fighting and never quits. She has a determination and mind that is to be desired by all. However, the naivetés of her partner in crime, Emily, is the exact opposite, with a mind of a child that is still wishing on stars. She loves the idea of living in a Goblin’s world and marrying one of the strange creatures, as she has often told Kate “I haven’t anyone but you. Would you leave me alone in this world?” The Goblin King, Marak, lets you see that in every man, there is a beast. “Humans,” he says, “lie very often. They are just good about it. See, we goblins, we don’t lie. We’ll go ahead and tell you as is. So if you think about it, we’re better natured than humans!”.

                I would recommend this book to any “Beauty and the Beast” fan, because that’s what this book is all about. Fantasy/romance readers will love the harshness and cold truth that there can be love between anyone and anything, if given time. Though I’m sad that most of Kate’s marriage with Marak is skimmed through with a few sentences, I have to say that I love this book and it’s my favorite out of a many that I have read. If you happen to enjoy this read, I suggest the other two books in Clare’s trilogy.  

Like I said, the story is really very beautiful. If you don't have the money to buy it, or get it online, never fear. I did some digging and found a website that lets you read it online for free. All you need is an internet connection (and not a very fast one!)

You can read the book here for free, or paste this link in your bookmarks for later: http://www.scribd.com/doc/102325026/The-Hollow-Kingdom-Clare-B-Dunkle


Thanks for reading!