Joan and Lincoln were leaving the zoo when it happened. Four-year-old Lincoln had been playing with his "guys," his superhero toys, in the sand when his mother said they should go. The zoo would be closing soon. She kept hearing popping noises, like fireworks. But she didn't realize what it really was until she saw the bodies on the ground near the exit. She ran when she saw the the gunmen. She carried Lincoln and they ran to a hiding place in an empty animal enclosure.

This story is very realistic right now. These kinds of shootings happen all too often. I think it would be especially scary in a zoo, because there are so many hiding places for both the shooters and the victims.

There were other people hidden in the zoo along with Joan and Lincoln, but I don't think they were as necessary to the story. I felt more of a connection to Joan because she was the main focus of the story. There was also the hint of the backstory of why the shooters did this. It would have been interesting to know the full story, but it was never told.
Lincoln added some comic relief to the story. He made jokes to make his mom laugh. But I would cringe when he would speak to loudly, possibly alerting the shooters to their position.

I was holding my breath for a lot of this book. It was very thrilling, but I wish there was some more explanation of why the situation happened.

Gripping, intense, and downright eerie!

This is an adrenaline-filled thriller that brings a mother’s worst nightmare to life and explores the anxiety and terror involved in protecting one’s child.

The characters are a mix of protective, determined and strong, and young, callous and ruthless. The writing is compelling and sharp. And the plot, which is told in real-time over a period of three hours is bursting with tension, angst, violence, fear, panic, instinct, and survival.

I have to say that overall this is an insightful, harrowing novel and even though I would have liked some of the subplots to be wrapped up just a little bit more it definitely kept me on tenterhooks from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading thrillers but this one in particular really intrigued me. Featuring a young mother and her toddler running for their lives among animal exhibits and snack stands at the zoo, this novel, rife with danger and tension, explores themes of humanity's self-preservation instinct and the extreme power of a mother's love.

Taking place over only a handful of hours, Phillips has delivered a riveting novel that will keep your eyes glued to the page, your heart pounding, and your moral compass spinning. It's a true page-turner that is not to be missed!

2.5/5 stars

Fierce Kingdom is a standalone suspense/thriller. This is my first book by this author.

The book is told in 3rd person narration mainly from the point of view of Joan (she is around 40 years old). She is visiting the zoo with her 4 year old son Lincoln. We also briefly get POVs from retired school teacher Margaret, zoo restaurant employee Kailynn and the gunman.

There is a man at the zoo with a gun.

I was expecting a lot more from this book. At 20% there was very little action and nothing much had happened. Even by 40% very little had happened. The premise was very intriguing. And this book should have been chilling. But unfortunately I didn't find the story to be exciting or thrilling.

The last part of the book was the strongest. At least there was some interaction between Joan and others. But the ending was a bit odd and too abrupt for me.

What I did like: I loved Lincoln. He was such a delightful and imaginative little boy. I really enjoyed Joan as a mom.

But unfortunately she did a lot of things that made no sense to me (there was something with her phone and something with crackers that had me scratching my head).

Overall, the premise was good. And there were some enjoyable aspects to the story. But I just didn't love it.

I absolutely loved this, and I think it's going to be the book of the summer. It reminded me a lot of The Room, without the cloying voice of the child. I loved everything about it. And I think it's the perfect book club book with a very open ending.

This didn't grab me instantly. I think the only reason I kept reading was that I knew the plot and I was curious to see how it played out. There were also sections that dragged. Too much inner monologue that bogged down the story.
Eventually, once Joan and her son try to move to another location in the zoo, searching for food, the tension picked up and the story moved much more quickly. I found myself immersed in the situation and wondering what would happen next, would someone else be killed, would she encounter the gunman?
I thought more could have been done with the teacher and the teen hiding out in the cafe. I can see that the purpose of the story was essentially to demonstrate a mother's love and determination to protect her child against anything but I think it could have been better if we had more of the other characters thoughts and motivations.
My biggest peeve was the ending. Nothing was resolved. We kind of got a picture of why the gunmen did what they did but not really. And what happened with that baby? Clearly it was important otherwise why include it? Was it just to show that in a situation of life or death how a mother will only protect her blood offspring?

Fierce Kingdom is an absolutely heart-pounding, nail-biting thriller. The author puts you right in the action with Joan and Lincoln and it is told in “real time” kind of like the TV show “24” making it super intense and suspenseful. Once you start reading you won’t want to put it down so you might want to clear your schedule in preparation! It’s especially chilling because it seems so possible in real life. We hear stories about this kind of rampage shooting way too often and it isn’t very difficult to imagine yourself in this exact situation.

While we spend most of the story with Joan and her son, there were a few short chapters from the point of view of the other characters so the reader receives a bit more information than Joan has access to herself. There were so many times where I was mentally trying to communicate with her to stay hidden. Of course, like in a horror movie when you are screaming “don’t go into the basement!!!” she usually did the opposite of what was wise. She made quite a few questionable decisions but I suppose that if she always did the right thing there wouldn’t be a good story to tell.
There were a few loose ends that were never tied up at the end and I really wonder about some of them because they are kind of important. Spoiler [What happened to the baby? If I were Joan that is the first thing I would be telling my rescuers! There's a baby in a trash can!!! I was shocked that she didn't say anything!]

I should give a warning that there are animal deaths in this story. Not surprisingly, gunmen in a zoo=dead animals. There is also a reference to animal abuse which involves cats that is very disturbing. I notice in the acknowledgements the author thanks Donny Phillips for “his cat escapades.” I am sincerely hoping that this isn’t referring to the form of cat torture that is detailed in the book! I would hardly term it “escapades!” This just reconfirms that people are horrible and animals are too good for this world. So says the cat lady!

Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips is a thriller.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Gin Phillips, and I enjoyed not only the story, but the writing. She writes very clearly, without gory details. Although it seemed to drag initially, once the book got going, the tension continued to build. Gin Phillips writes great suspense!

The story is about a mother and her 4-year old son Lincoln, who spend a little too much time enjoying the great outdoors, and have to race to get out of the Zoo before closing time. Unfortunately, today was not a good day for Joan to get lost in the world of her child’s vivid imagination of battles between the Gods and/or super heroes. And getting a 4-year old to get moving can be a challenge. She neglects the time, seems to let her child dictate their pace, and ignores the loud bangs which she shrugs off as balloons. As they approach the gates, she sees bodies on the ground, then a gunman. Apparently she should have got her butt in gear, and realized those were not balloons popping. With little time to think, she is running, carrying her 40-lb child through the zoo to find a hiding place. From this point right to the end, the book picks up speed. Eventually they do meet other survivors, a 68-year old teacher, and a 16-year old girl who works in one of the concession stands. They also meet the gunmen. Most of the story is told through Joan’s thoughts and memories.

I think the only real problem in the book is perhaps the saint-like quality of Joan. There is no way she would not have lost patience with Lincoln under these stressful circumstances. As wonderful as their relationship sounds, it’s a little too good to be true. It would be wonderful if every mother were as tuned into their son as Joan is to Lincoln, and responded so perfectly to his behavioural issues. Personally, I can’t see that happening in such a nerve-wracking situation. As well, although the constant chatter and questions from a 4-year-old is on target, the vocabulary and knowledge of that child is a little incredible.

All of that being said, I would still have liked the story to continue, to provide more information on what happened to some of the other characters. Because as far-fetched as I feel the relationship between mother and son is, the story was really good, and you quickly came to care for all the characters. It is a very suspenseful and compelling read.

The book really does beg the question, what will you do to save your child?

One more thing….not sure the title reflects the book.

I did a top five thrillers I can't wait to read this summer as part of my Sweet Summer Reads Series and Fierce Kingdom was absolutely a part of that! Thanks for the advanced copy!

Wow.

Joan and her son are enjoying an afternoon at her local zoo and right before closing time, gunmen enter the zoo and open fire on both people and animals. The novel takes place over the next couple of hours as Joan tries to keep herself and her son safe.

This is an intense novel – there was a part of me that hated it because I found it so stressful to read. Unlike other reviewers, I was only able to read it in parts, only because I found my heart pounding and contemplating what to do in the situations that Joan faces. Do you hide? Do you run? How do you manage a 4 year old, who gets tired and hungry?

The prose and occasional shifts of perspective are excellent. The writing is succinct and emotional. This book monopolized my mind similarly to We Need to Talk About Kevin – that is a rare find.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Viking for an advanced reading copy of this book.

Disappointing. This book did not fully capture my attention or interest.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise seemed exciting, but it just didn't hold me. I struggled to finish.

Some people go out to enjoy a day at the zoo and run into the most cold-hearted creature imaginable.

At first glance, you would think I'm talking about the protagonists of this novel. By the time you finish, you will discover that it could work just as well from the perspective of the "villain".

Gin Phillips does a fine job of playing with structure, suspense, expectations and character types in this book. The whole thing takes place in a short period of time, and to be frank, not a lot happens, but as an exploration of a microcosm of time and space the book succeeds in delivering complicated characters and a powerful story.

It's not perfect...some characters that seem important at first glance walk offstage abruptly, and certain key elements are not fully fleshed out. Still, I suppose it's a sign of the strength of the writing that you notice those omissions and want them more fully explored.

The novel's greatest strength is in the depth to which it explores its central characters and their reaction to their extreme circumstances, especially as they represent an allegory of the parent/child relationship. Phillips clearly understands the potential frightening intensity and single-mindedness of maternal care, and delivers that feeling well in this story.

Fierce Kingdom is a quick and powerful read that will leave you (mostly) satisfied.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but I flew through it, unable to put it down. It's been a long time since I finished a book in a day! I do wish the ending had a bit more closure but other than that it was great. I will definitely be watching for more from this author!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joan and her four-year-old son, Lincoln, have just spent a leisurely day at their local zoo. Estimating that it is almost closing time, Joan gathers up her son and his toys, and starts their journey towards the exit. She quickly realizes that something is amiss—there is a shooter. She gathers Lincoln in her arms and runs back into the zoo. They are now trapped like the animals.

Keeping one step ahead, Joan relies on her instincts and previous zoo trips to keep her and her little boy safe. Her survival instincts kick into overdrive when she discovers there are others that are also trapped, and that there is more than one shooter. Joan is determined for her and Lincoln to walk out of this alive. The only communication she has with the outside world and her husband is via her cell phone and she realizes this same lifeline is also putting them at risk. In a rash, but clever decision, Joan uses her cell phone as a decoy and throws the glowing object into the bushes.

Phillips' primal and raw novel illustrates the powerful bond between a mother and her child and the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her child. This riveting novel pits a mother's love against fear, good against evil, and instinct against rationality. Spanning three hours, this incredible story will have you mesmerized and your heart pounding until the very last word.

The concept of this thriller was interesting and there were moments of suspense, giving a feel of viewing a movie. But....there were sentences and sometimes paragraphs that were not connected to the flow of the narrative. It was distracting to read about the kids fascination with this or that, his playing habits ( this reminded me of The Room and the precocious child), unbeleivable vocabulary for a 4 year old. Not much involvement of animals and the ending was a bit flat. An epilogue mentioning the motives of the killers, the lives of survivors after the ordeal would have added a completeness to the novel. Overall a good read that kept me hooked though irritated in some places by the repetitive nature of narration.

With a cover like that and especially after reading the blurb I desperately wanted to read it right away. As an animal lover it pains me to read about fictional animals being hurt and killed and since this takes place in a zoo I figured it would happen. (I skimmed over those parts and I'm pretending they didn't happen!) But this book is so good! I couldn't help but fall in love with little Lincoln. His imagination and the love he has for his mother - their bond - it was something special. I was totally absorbed in this and if life didn't get in the way I would've read it in one sitting. It was very intense. Never a dull moment.

"Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips starts off with a bang (no pun intended) and never lets up until the very last page. What would you do if you were having a leisurely day at the zoo with your young child and all of a sudden that bliss was interrupted by a gunman shooting people at random? That is exactly what Joan faces when she is trying to leave the zoo after spending a wonderful day with her young and very curious son. The novel works on so many levels. There is suspense, dread, and an emotional connection if you happen to be a mother. The vivid narration is so very precise and detailed as well with really makes the novel a very rich and enthralling read. I didn't want to put the book down as the suspense never let up at all. This is definitely going to be on my "best books of 2017 list". Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a free electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
“Fierce Kingdom” by Gin Phillips is an electric, suspense-fueled thrill ride with action and excitement on every page.
In “Kingdom”, Joan and her son are spending some time together at the zoo, a favourite spot they enjoy, with plans to soak up the sun and to help feed her son’s never-ending thirst for knowledge. Today though, it all changes when they hear gunshots and all of a sudden everyone is running for their lives. Joan and her son Lincoln are now as trapped as the animals- and Joan must decide what she will risk to save her son.
This is more than a mother-son novel. I was immediately captivated by this novel from the first chapter- right away I began thinking “this is going to be a five star review”. The suspense continued to build as Joan and her son travel through the zoo landscape to avoid the “bad men” and get to safety, and lasts all the way through the last pages when Joan is left staring down the barrel of a gun. The story was creatively told and is stocked to the brim with addictive plotlines and un-putdownable suspense. The relationship between Joan and Lincoln is incredible too; Lincoln with his overactive imagination and his constant questions- questions that Joan responds to without a second thought. She encourages his creativity and embraces his eccentricities and I love her even more for that.
The novel, however, dragged out in parts. As Joan and Lincoln made their way through various parts of the zoo enclosures, I found the plot to lose a bit of its edge. It would’ve been more fast-paced had these long travels through barren lands been summarized. Also, I would’ve loved to have seen more from the novel after the zoo. What happens to Joan’s husband? Where was the school teacher- did she make it out? How about Kailynn? Were the baby and its mother reunited? (The baby in the garbage can? Would never have thought of that- pure genius!) I felt disheartened that I had been introduced to these characters and then did not get to see their outcomes.
“Fierce Kingdom” was a firecracker of a novel that I recommend completely. It is anxiety-producing and crazy scary at times, but also bitter sweet and thought provoking. The entire novel was a masterpiece of suspense (there is a reason I have used the word “suspense” so much!) and I was blown away by how much I enjoyed it. This one will leave readers talking and it will stick with you- especially for anyone who likes to pay a visit to their local zoo!