Review: Chloe's Kingdom by Gregory Michael
Blurb:
Six Motivated Thieves. One Deadly Heist.
Chloe Espinoza is a wild-haired petty thief aboard the Kingdom, a drifting city spaceship. Once rich but now poor, Chloe is determined to break free from the Honeycombs and return to her life in the Gardens. Only one problem: she hardly has enough koin for a burrito, making a lavish apartment seem as distant as the stars. All that might change, however, when Chloe is offered a heist that could make her unimaginably rich. But she can’t break into the impenetrable Koin Vault alone…
A young mastermind who can’t let go of her past.
A mathematical genius in desperate need of koin.
A privileged kid from the Gardens with a debt to pay.
A bartender who’s serving revenge.
A mischievous raccoon with a bottomless appetite.
A battered soul who’s been wronged by the council.
Gone are the days of stealing snacks. Chloe’s crew is aiming for the ultimate prize: the Koin Vault. Their plan? To rob the Treasury and bring down the corrupt council. But in a game where the stakes are jail or death, every move could be their last.
A thrilling Young Adult Science Fiction Heist novel set in the unforgiving void of outer space, perfect for fans of 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo and 'Artemis' by Andy Weir.
Review:
Overview
Chloe’s Kingdom was everything I expected from a space heist story and so much more! This was such a fun fast-paced read with short chapters and multiple points of view I flew through this story!
Chloe’s Kingdom follows a rag-tag crew of thieves who take the leap from robbing the local bodega for protein bars to tackling the mega city-sized space station's maximum security vault. With a dynamic YA cast and a raccoon animal sidekick, this story promises all of the fun!
Characters
I loved all of the characters, but if you made me choose, Dutch was my favorite! The upper-class “gardens boy” is something of a miss fit in the crew, but with a heart of gold and a major crush on Penny, he is desperate to prove himself. He also has a heart-crushing backstory and an excellent character arc.
Penny, Chloe’s best friend and numbers genius extraordinaire was a close second for me. I loved this smart girl and how she took on the technical tasks of the heist.
Now we can’t forget Chloe, who was also great. This form “garden’s girl” fell from grace with her parents' death. With a major chip on her shoulder and a mischievous raccoon companion Chole always has a plan, and a backup plan.
There is also a whole host of lovable side characters and I hope we get to know all of them more in book two! The dynamics between characters worked so well and added a fun twist to a classic style heist story.
Worldbuilding
The world-building was great, easy to grasp, and a ton of fun. I loved the crew's obsession with burritos and the little details like pouches instead of glasses for cola and beer. As a YA book I think that having a world that is fun to escape into but easy to keep straight is key and Micheal really nailed it with the Kingdom!
Plot
This classic-style heist story set in space has just enough of a twist to make it unique while keeping with what you would expect from a heist. One of the elements that really shines in this area is the well-developed characters, they are what makes this story a ton of fun. It was easy to escape into and hard to put down.
Enjoyment
If you can’t tell already, I loved this story. 10/10 for enjoyment. If a heist in space sounds like fun then pick this one up ASAP.
Romance
While this is not a romance I appreciate when there is a good romantic subplot and Chole’s Kingdom delivers. There is a sweet budding romance between Dutch and Penny and I also detect some jealousy from Chloe so we will see where everything goes in book two!
