Three Dark Crowns & One Dark Throne, by: Kendare Blake (Two for One Review?!)

Three Dark Crowns

      In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella ​is a fierce elemental, able

One Dark Throne

     The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?
  With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once

​to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
       But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.
      The last queen standing gets the crown.

​the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

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Rating & Overall Thoughts

★★★★☆

       ​Okay, I’m going to be very honest: I didn’t go into this book thinking I was going to like it. I’ve never been a big fan of dark fantasy, but since I’d heard so many good things about it, I thought I’d give it a try. I think this book came into my life at just the right time for me to fall in love with it. 

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★★★★☆

      ​I can’t say this about most series, but the second book was just as good (if not better) than the first. The whole book seemed to expand on itself, each element was better than the last. This book made me even more excited for the next two books that are to come!

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Plot

      At first glance, I had no idea how Kendare Blake was going to make this plot happen. Three sisters trying to murder each other for a crown? I thought there were too many ways for this to go wrong in the eyes of the reader, but I think that’s what makes the story even better. Each event throughout the book was thought out in a way that flowed and wasn’t ever predictable or cheesy. The many plot twists were what made this book stand out in my mind among all other fantasy stories.

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     This second book had me gasping at every page turn, leaving me with only one thought: THE PLOT THICKENS! (I might have even said that out loud a time or two. #noshame) I had no idea going into this sequel that Kendare had so many more tricks up her sleeves. There are so many events throughout the book that occur at the same time, and I think without the author’s excellent writing, they could have fallen flat. Luckily, her ideas for the second part of this series were beautifully displayed throughout the novel, making it easy to understand and enjoy.

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Characters

   This series features a huge cast of characters; there are three queens, along with each of their separate friends, families, and communities in which they grew up. I’m not going to lie, I was a little overwhelmed in the beginning, but after a few chapters, I melted into the world. It would have been easy for Kendare to throw all of these characters at the readers at once, but she does an excellent job of bringing them in one or two at a time. I think what made them easy to keep straight was that they are all unique and have depth. There wasn’t a single character who was thrown in just for the heck of it. They all play an essential role in the queens’ lives in different times and circumstances.

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   If the first book presented the characters, the second book peeled back their layers. As the book went on and more was revealed, the characters continued to grow and show their true colors. There were so many character interactions that couldn’t have happened in the first book, but due to character development and growth, they played out nicely. In the second book, we even see the relationships grow between some of the queens (no spoilers, though :). My favorite character element was seeing relationships emerge across the boundaries of the elemental, naturalist, and poisoner groups. Seeing the separate worlds of each queen collide set this book apart from the first.

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Setting

       ​In both books, the story takes place on the island of Fennbirn. Fennbirn is a unique world because it is a small island set apart from the rest of the world (aka “the mainland”). The island is hidden from the mainlanders by a magical mist that isn’t ever discussed in the book, (I have a feeling it will become more important in the next two books...just a hunch.) and the people who live there are a part of long lines of families who have existed for generations. Since the entire world of these stories takes place on a fairly small island, we get to explore a majority of the land. We get to see the cities, the small towns, the forests, and even a few secret locations. *aggressive eyebrow wiggle*

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Mythology & Government 

       The structure of Fennbirn’s society is one of my favorite parts of the book. Their world is a “queendom,” where a set of triplet queens is born every generation. Once the sisters turn sixteen, they attempt to kill each other for the crown. (Kind of brutal if you ask me...) The last sister alive takes the throne and rules over Fennbirn until she gives birth to the next set of triplets. Up until recently, I hadn’t read very many books centered on queens ruling, but more and more “queendom” books are emerging and being highlighted in the book world, which I think is fantastic. I am all about seeing strong and independent women in literature, and these books are no exception. All three of the queens and their mentors in this novel are capable women, and their contributions to their society are valuable to all of the characters.
       Much of the government’s operation is centered around the island’s mythology. The people of Fennbirn believe that their Goddess’s will is at the core of everything. She is the one who brings the three queens into their world, and She is the being in control of what happens to the island’s residents. Her presence is prominent in the lives of our three queens and is referred to time and again throughout the series. I think this integration of mythology and government is the most fascinating civilization in a fantasy book that I have ever read. There are so many small details and pieces of information that Kendare Blake stitched together to make this book one of the best.

Format

      This series is set up in 3rd person limited and alternated every chapter between each queen. I really liked that the author chose to have different points of view without it being in the first person. I felt that the little bit of objectivity the 3rd person POV brings was vital for a cohesiveness throughout the book. If this book was told in 1st person, I think it would be hard for readers to separate the three different narrators every time it switched. I found it easier to keep all of the characters and settings straight with it being told in 3rd person; at the beginning of the first book, it was almost like we were getting three different stories in small sections. As readers, we got to see each queen’s emotions but didn’t have to commit to each girl’s full point of view.

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Final thoughts

       I am so glad I decided to give this series a try. This dark fantasy had everything from magic, to romance, to action, and I couldn't be happier with it. It made me remember that trying out new stories usually turns out for the better. Arsinoe, Katherine, and Mirabella snagged my heart, and I can’t wait to read their next tale in September. 

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       Have you read the Three Dark Crowns series, or are you planning to? Let me know in the comments your thoughts and what books I should read next!

Your self-proclaimed naturalist,
Ashton

(PS - Did you like this format for a review? I’m thinking about trying out some different review strategies, so let me know what you would like to see next!)

'I want revenge.' She whispers, and her fingers trail bloody streaks down Natalia's arms.
'And then I want my crown.'

― Kendare Blake, Three Dark Crowns