How Does Kingdom Hearts Hold Up as a Novel?

I’m no stranger to video game novelizations, but I have to admit there’s something odd about reading a book where Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit Disney worlds.

Kingdom Hearts: The Novel is exactly what it sounds like, a novelization of the first game in the Kingdom Hearts series.

It follows the game faithfully, including content exclusive to the Final Mix, with its events and dialogue intact no matter how silly it looks on paper.

“It’s made of a particular material called Gummi blocks. And this material–”

“Quack!”

Not everything occurs 100% as it does in the game, but it doesn’t change anything earthshattering, either. For example, instead of Ansem’s Report being found in 13 pieces, it combines them into larger sections.

(It also presents them to the characters in order, so it skips my favorite Kingdom Hearts twist, but to be fair, finding the pages out of order would feel weirder in a book.)

The translation is slightly different from that used in the games. It refers to the area between worlds as the “Other Sky,” and some parts of Ansem’s Reports use a noticeably different translation, as well.

I’ve seen people say the novel’s translation is more accurate, which makes sense, since a few sections are clearer than they are with the game’s translation.

In particular, the start of Ansem’s Report 12 stands out to me:

Click for early Kingdom Hearts 1 spoiler

Existing only as a heart, I have returned to the Heartless, and yet there is no hint of a transformation.

The body is certainly gone. But its memories remain, and I have yet to take the form of a Heartless. Much is still unknown.

compared to the game’s

The body is gone; the heart should have returned to the Heartless. And yet, nothing.

This one is unlike any other. Its memories remain, and it has yet to take the form of a Heartless.

A close eye must be kept on the situation. Much is still unknown.

The game’s translation is a bit confusing. (I once thought he was talking about Kairi not becoming a Heartless, which in retrospect makes less sense.)

The novel’s version makes it much clearer that he is talking about himself, and that he is not technically a Heartless yet.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. Should you read it? I recommend it if you:

love the Kingdom Hearts story so much you want to re-experience it in any form you can
want to refresh your memory on the first Kingdom Hearts game’s story
want to know the story of the first Kingdom Hearts game without actually playing it.

Kingdom Hearts: The Novel faithfully retreads the entire story of the first Kingdom Hearts game. It’s a light and entertaining book, and I look forward to reading the rest.

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The post How Does Kingdom Hearts Hold Up as a Novel? appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.