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Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2) by Rachel L. Demeter: A Book Review

Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2)

Author: Rachel L. Demeter

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Rachel L. Demeter

Book Release Date: 2024

Pages: 410

Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist. 


       Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.


      Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.


      United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.


      Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?


       Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.


      My Review: Red Kingdom is a fairytale retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood” set in the medieval era. Princess Blanchette is the daughter of a tyrant. One day, her father’s faithful soldier named Sir Rowan Dietrich (also known as the Black Wolf of Norland) launched a rebellion against the royal family. The rebellion leads to the slaughter of all of Princess Blanchette's family. Princess Blanchette becomes Rowan Dietrich’s prisoner. Could Princess Blanchette forgive Rowan Dietrich’s and learn to love him?


       I found Princess Blanchette to be a very admirable character. I thought that she was very strong. She endured a lot of tragedies and has experienced much pain. There were a few times that I thought that she was very reckless. However, I still found her to be very likable. As for her romance with Rowan, I did not care for it. I thought that Rowan did not deserve Princess Blanchette. He was very ruthless and had committed many evil deeds. He did not feel guilty for the crimes he committed. I did not think that the tragedies he suffered could justify his ruthless actions. Therefore, I was not a fan of the love story. I wished that Princess Blanchette would have left him and found a better love interest.


Overall, this novel is about love, loss, and redemption. Aside from Princess Blanchette, I did not feel like the other characters were fleshed out. I thought there needed to be more character development. There were also some graphic material and dark subject matter that I thought took away my enjoyment from the novel. However, I did love the medieval setting. I also thought the book moved at a very fast pace! I also thought that it was a very unique and creative retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood”. Red Kingdom was a very good read! However, I did not enjoy it as much as I did Beauty of the Beast! Nevertheless, Red Kingdom will be sure to please fans of fairytales! I recommend this book for fans of Cloak of Scarlet, The Fairytale Keeper, and The Ugly Duchess!


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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