Read of the Week: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Poison is a new high fantasy release coming to us from Disney Hyperion, centering Kyra, a highly skilled teenage potion worker who decides to kill her best friend after having a less than pleasing vision of the kingdom’s future at her hands. The story picks up just after, as she’s running from the kingdom’s army and plotting her next assassination attempt.

Poison is great in the sense that it wasn’t completely serious despite being a high fantasy novel. I find that most high fantasies happen to be a bit too businesslike for my taste, but there was plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor here and unlike what some would think, it fit the story line seamlessly.

The action was new and the fact that Kyra was the one who took part in just about all of it was something I highly enjoyed. It isn’t often you come across high fantasy with poison dart throwing girls.

Characters were unique and well-rounded, and the unlikely pig sidekick was a cute final touch. The plot twist delivered towards the end of the novel was thought provoking  and I found it extremely unexpected. The journey in general took on a very unusual path and I liked how the synopsis did its best to keep things basic but informative so that as a reader not everything was spoiled. Romance was quirky and light, something distinctively odd for high fantasy, but again, good.

All these oddball elements combined worked together to help Bridget stand out among the genre and I think she achieved her goal in brightening up the usually glum crowd.

My only complaint about Poison would be that I found it too short. Pacing worked accordingly and nothing ever felt slow or dragged. Nothing necessarily felt too quick either, but for the story at hand I would have enjoyed a bit lengthier novel. A sequel did seem like it may be possible after Poison but after searching up Bridget and, sadly, finding that she passed away in 2011, the idea is now out of the question. The novel is left conclusive enough to be enjoyable as a stand alone, but the continuing of Kyra’s journey would have been something I’d love to have been able to experience.

Comparable to that of Ella Enchanted, Poison is a humorously adventurous high fantasy that can be enjoyed even by those reluctant of the genre.

Rating: 8.5/10