The Kingdoms

The Kingdoms follows Joe Tournier, who finds himself in 1898 London with no memory of his past. The city he encounters is not the London he expects - instead, it's part of a French empire where English is forbidden and the streets bear unfamiliar names. After receiving a century-old postcard of a lighthouse in Scotland, Joe embarks on a journey north to uncover his connection to the mysterious building. His search leads him into a complex web of naval warfare, time displacement, and competing versions of history. The story moves between different time periods as Joe attempts to determine which reality is true and where he belongs. His quest becomes entangled with military conflicts, lighthouse operations, and the lives of people who may hold keys to his identity. The novel examines how memory shapes identity and explores the fluid nature of time, nationality, and loyalty. Through its alternate history framework, The Kingdoms raises questions about how the past influences both personal and national narratives.

Readers emphasize the complex, non-linear storytelling that requires close attention to follow the multiple timelines and alternate histories. Many note the slow build of the first third before the pace accelerates. Readers appreciated: - The atmospheric depiction of 19th century London and naval warfare - LGBTQ+ representation without making it the central focus - Detailed historical research - The emotional weight of the relationships Common criticisms: - Confusing timeline shifts that some found hard to track - Too many characters to keep straight - Pacing issues in the first section - Some found the ending unsatisfying Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (11,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (1,300+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (300+ ratings) Multiple reviewers compared it to "Cloud Atlas" and "The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" in terms of narrative complexity. Several noted it works better on a second reading once the structure becomes clear.

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✦ The book blends multiple genres, including historical fiction, science fiction, and romance, while exploring an alternate version of the Napoleonic Wars where France emerged victorious. ✦ Natasha Pulley meticulously researched 19th-century lighthouse engineering and maritime navigation to create authentic details for the Scottish lighthouse setting at Eilean Mor. ✦ The author drew inspiration from real-life historical mysteries, including the unexplained disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from the Flannan Isles in 1900. ✦ The novel's time-travel elements were influenced by the phenomenon of temporal dissonance, where lighthouse keepers sometimes reported experiencing unusual time distortions during long periods of isolation. ✦ Prior to becoming an author, Natasha Pulley worked as a bookseller at Waterstones and studied English Literature at Oxford University, where she specialized in the relationship between time and narrative in fiction.