4/5
I'd been seeing this cover all over bookstagram and I'm so glad I picked it up because I was 100% invested throughout this novel. Kingdom of the Wicked is a fun and exciting novel with a strong lead.
The novel begins with an annoying trope of two sisters, one "fun" and one "boring". It's okay though, because Vittoria dies soon and then we can get rid of the tiresome comparisons and just focus on Emilia. Emilia, spiraling from the horrible murder of her sister, does what she knows she's not supposed to do and summons a demon, which is when things start getting really interesting.
Kingdom of the Wicked takes the reader on fun ride watching Emilia battle with her own sense of self-preservation, her morals, and her determination to avenge her sister, all set in a lovely Italian town. Emilia's passion for cooking, such an earthly and domestic hobby, contrasts sharply with the horrors she uncovers in the underbelly of her world. Her inexperience with dark magic causes her to make a few mistakes but she always recovers quickly, and I much prefer that over the overpowered "specially talented" protagonists who are much more common in YA novels. I loved reading Emilia's wit, dedication, and passion; she really drove this novel forward.
I only have few small bones to pick with this novel. First is that Emilia's actions at the end of the novel felt a bit out-of-character. Throughout the entire novel she was adamant about not making any deals, so I didn't understand her sudden change of heart at the end. Next, while it was interesting to meet other princes, there really is only one prince I cared about (hello, Wrath?? I don't need any others). And last, we did not make as many discoveries in the first novel as we should have. I understand that the first novel must set up for the second, but I still felt that Maniscalco could and should have thrown us a few more bones than she did.
Overall, Kingdom of the Wicked deserves all the hype and I can't wait for the next.
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