The King is Dead

Product Information

This deliciously dark and addictive YA thriller follows the lives of the young, rich and famous through relationships, loves lost alongside struggles to stay alive. The King is Dead is a book I have been anticipating since hearing about it. And it’s a book I liked on the whole, to be sure. But if I’m honest, it’s a book I didn’t love and I thought I would. That exploration of the relentless targeting of James in the media was sadly all too true to life and was one of the highlights of this book. It examines how people of colour are consistently held to much higher standards than their white counterparts, how tears shed in public are weakness on him but endearing and warranted on someone else, how people will use any perceived misstep as an opportunity to publicly channel their racism or homophobia under the guise of concern for the country’s wellbeing. James shares that he feels he could rule for 100 years and solve every problem the UK has and it still wouldn’t be enough to change the minds of those who will never wholly accept - let alone respect - him and his family. The first person narration served here to highlight just how oppressive the constant comparison to others can be, and how the mounting pressure of secrets, uncertainty and public scrutiny took its toll. Ultimately, though, this was a fun queer read exploring double standards and the treatment of people of colour in the public eye, with heaps of family secrets and drama. It’s out now in the UK so let me know what you think if you grab a copy! But, unfortunately, I really disliked every person in this book. Their motivations and reactions are all weak, including the very unrealistic and very uninteresting romances. James also makes terrible decisions that might have been entertaining had he been someone I could care about, or if they were truly chaotic, but instead just made me want to hit him.

The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean (Paperback) – Queer Lit The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean (Paperback) – Queer Lit

I think my main issue was with the writing style, which is funny because you would have thought I’d know the author’s style based on his previous books. But in this case, I think what it was, was the difference between MG and YA. This is going to sound harsh, but the writing here felt forced. As though Dean knew that YA needed to have more complex writing, but it ended up being a little purple-prosey. As I said, it sounds harsh, and I don’t mean it to be! But if I’m looking to explain why I didn’t love this book, this is one reason. A book about a gay modern prince, pitched with all the dark, shady vibes of Gossip Girl? You don’t need much more to gain my interest. I am a royalty fanatic at this point. However, overall, I had a lot of fun with this book and adored the way Benjamin Dean was unafraid to call out the British press on all their racist, homophobic, classist and sexist BS. There was a lot of greatness in this book, which, despite some odd pacing and a few questionable/unnecessary plot twists, is what ultimately stood out to me and made this a book I'd happily recommend, especially to a younger audience who may not find the 'big reveal' quite so predictable. In this YA romantic thriller, James— the shy, handsome, mixed-race heir to the British throne— must choose between love and duty amidst a dangerous scandal and a tabloid media desperate for his downfall. Perfect for fans of Ace of Spades. Cats: An incredible novel all round! Most probably a new favourite. I'll re-read and highly recommend.Imagine your boyfriend disappearing. Imagine another boy who you had a crush on for a long time, showing interest. Imagine being told that you can trust no one. Not even your twin, other family members, and dear friends. And you’re still seventeen. Ella Winter is becoming the lead actress of the show, but her inner life is in shambles, she’s fighting to have some autonomy between Omni trying to force her into a soul-selling contract, and with her abusive momager trying to control every decision, including who she’s seen as dating publicly. Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home > The book opens with the death of the King and the subsequent coronation of his son, James (the eldest of twins by eight minutes). Following the coronation, James finds himself the subject of a series of anonymous leaks to the press, not to mention the disappearance of his (secret) boyfriend.

The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean | Goodreads The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean | Goodreads

From award-winning author Benjamin Dean comes a deliciously dark and addictive YA thriller following the lives of Gen Z’s rich and famous through the lens of an undercover teen journalist. Perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One of Us is Lying. It focuses on four protagonists as they start production on the tv show Sunset High, a supposedly cursed television show currently on its second reboot: The original show caused the breakdown of the star and the 2010 reboot was followed by the star going missing and the death of a crew member from the top of a hotel, it seems destined that this 2023 reboot is doomed. Abel has to work with the other three, while also passing on information about them to get help with his own attempt to get justice for his brother. While this is a mystery book, it’s difficult to remember that in the beginning since the beginning focuses more on James’ relationship, his family, and his new found responsibilities all while dealing with the his grief. I definitely enjoyed this aspect, but it does make for quite the slow burn. ⁣⁣ Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - James was such a fascinating character. Getting his perspective was just so intriguing to me. It was awesome to get to see how his mind works.

THE KING IS DEAD | Kirkus Reviews

A scandalous peek behind the royal curtain, with more jaw-dropping, OMG-twists than even the most salacious tabloid journalist could create.' Erik J. Brown, author of All That's Left in the WorldThis was not a bad book, let me start with that. It’s a solid read and one that I did, on the whole, like reading. There were sympathetic characters and a good mystery. I found myself often questioning just where it was going and I was actually surprised by the twist at the end. It was a decent book. i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating. This book needs a Netflix adaptation and a sequel, like, yesterday, and it hasn’t even been released yet!!!!