When all of humanity depends on the actions of a single crow and a bloodhound. What could go wrong?

Set mostly in modern day Seattle, Hollow Kingdom is written in first person narrative through the eyes of animals, mostly S.T. – a domesticated crow. Hollow Kingdom is Kira’s debut novel and is a stand alone story. The themes are about conservation, family, and resilience.

This dystopian narration shows not only the fall of man-kind, but how the natural world rises up thereafter. Its main narrator, a crow named ShitTurd – S.T., is at times empathetic, comedic, and heroic. A close bond develops between S.T. and his room-mate, a bloodhound names Dennis. After eventually admitting they cannot help their human room-mate, they set off to understand what’s happening. This leads them on an adventure that transform the world they’re living in for the better. The book ends with a roller coaster of emotions that kept me up until midnight to finish the book.

Kira has a magical use of words. Many passages feel lyrical and poetic. Often I found that the book benefited from being read aloud to fully grasp the feel of the words. Occasionally this flowery prose ran on a little and lost its charm but not often. My only real issue was the conclusion. It was not the one I would have wanted, but it does complete the story.

I feel this book would be of interest to readers concerned about our natural world, anyone who enjoys seeing the world through fresh eyes, and readers looking for a masterful use of the English language.

Four out of five coffee beans from this reviewer

Click here for more information about Kira Jane Buxton

Published by Grand Central Publishing