Oh My. I read this book in 2 days and am contemplating devouring it again as soon as I finish this review. It's dark fairytale fantasy. There are three sisters destined to fight to the death. There can only be one queen. Each sister has a gift. Only the strongest will prevail.
Enough synopsis. The poisoner storyline was amazing. These were characters so dark and yet so alluring it was reminiscent of Anne Rices vampires!!! I couldn't get enough!! The descriptions of the poisoned food made me indeed ravenous while at the same time my stomach was twisting in knots. The poisoner queen is my pick to win the dark throne but either the elemental or the naturalist queen could easily win also. The author managed to create three strong queens that inspire devotion, love and sacrifice from their followers despite the fact that two of the three appear to HAVE NO GIFT. So this really isn't even a contest. Or is it?
*****Spoiler Alert*******
I was idly pondering the mystery of the giftless queens from the second they were introduced and my very first instinct was that they were switched. Despite a small pang of disappointment that I had guessed half of the big reveal early on in the novel the ending STILL left me on tenterhooks. Sure I guessed the twist......but how will that change things? Which animal did the poisoner queen (Katherine) call to save her from the pit? I'm dying to know what her familar is!! How does Arsinoe (naturalist queen) even stay in the GAME? She's a poisoner who knows nothing of POISONS. Strong personality but she's holding a very weak hand at this point. Mirabella (Elemental queen) is sort of the boring big sister/mother hen type but she can literally rain down hell on you. Strong gift. Boring girl. But her bond with her sisters and also now with Joseph is intriguing. Does her empathy and magnetism lose her a crown or does she change the entire GAME???
And speaking of changing the game this author just obliterated Anne Bishop's Dark Jewels trilogy with a single novel!!!! (Please don't cut off my hands) Blasphemous I know. Unbelievable really. But also true. Stay with us Ms. Blake. Please. This is your niche. And there are so few novels of this quality in this subset of the dark fantasy genre.
Back to the book review. The only weakness of the novel was the men. Largely forgettable and interchangeable.....even Joseph was a let down! The book sets you up for this fire brand alpha male who defies all in order to save Arsinoe. Mmmmmm not so much. Jules herself could take him down in her sleep. And seriously???? Two nights with Arabella completely unmanned you??? Boooo! Dude turns out to be a total cream puff. They all are really. I get the whole matriarchal society thing but the male characters need more personality and to grow a spine in order to be interesting and suitable mates for any of the women.
That's it folks. Fantastic novel. Immersive and fascinating world. Intriguing culture and lore. Three kick butt triplet queens. And a heck of a contest for the dark throne hunger games style but without the moralistic undertones.
Random Fangirl Sidenote:
Gooooooo team Katherine!!! A skilled poisoner nee' strong naturalist should be a force of nature right????And she's freaking pissed! Love IT!
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Popular Highlights in this book
One of her own triplets had showed an early gift as well. Mirabella. The great elemental.Highlighted by 294 Kindle readers- Jules is a Beltane Begot, a child conceived during the festival of Beltane, like the queens.Highlighted by 238 Kindle readers
- But if there is one thing Arsinoe has never had, it is plenty of time.Highlighted by 197 Kindle readers
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| Champion of Fate | All These Bodies | One Dark Throne | Two Dark Reigns | Five Dark Fates | |
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| Pulse-pounding, bestselling fiction from Kendare Blake! | #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake is back with an epic duology starter that’s equal parts thrilling fantasy and electric romance. | An edge-of-your-seat mystery from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake, where bodies are found mysteriously drained of blood, and the truth is as hard to believe as it is to find. | In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy novel Three Dark Crowns, the battle for the crown has begun, and unforgettable events have left a mark on each of the three sisters. | #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series! While the three sisters have their own scores to settle, there is another queen stirring things up on Fennbirn Island. | The thrilling final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns series. In this epic conclusion, an all-out war is brewing—one that will pit sister against sister and dead against undead. |
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A wonderfully twisted and brutal fantasy.
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake🌟🌟🌟🌟👑💍🌩💔Three Dark Crowns is a wonderfully twisted and brutal fantasy deeply rooted in bees despite bees never being involved in the book. No, seriously, read the story behind the novels, and it will explain a lot of the premise behind this wonderful novel. I read Blake’s explanation after I read her book, and it made the book all the more twisted for me. (http://www.mykindabook.com/…/kendare-blake-s-three-dark-cro…)That being said, I would also say that this book feels deeply rooted in Paganism. (What, with a female-centric cast and culture, familiars, Beltane, Goddesses, elements, and herbs, how could I not think of that?) However, I will add that it’s Hollywood’s version of Paganism—with more harm than good—but I thought it was addressed brilliantly by explaining how poisoners were also healers but had long since forgotten the skill.I loved that.I loved a lot about the book.If you don’t know, Three Dark Crowns is about triplet queens, but only one of them can live to rule. Separated during childhood, and living in three different lands, the three girls are raised with their unique powers to kill one another. There’s Katharine the poisoner, Arsinoe the naturalist, and Mirabella the elemental. Each girl has a unique personality and secrets they’re struggling to hide. They also have friendships, tutors, and suitors. So prepare yourself for a full cast of characters to sink your teeth into. The book itself has a female-centric cast, which was my favorite part. (There’s also a Queen Shannon. Or was a Queen Shannon. But still. I hardly ever see my name in a book, and I’m not going to lie, it makes me squeal every time.)That being said, it took me 170 pages to understand what was happening. There are so many places, so many characters, so many relationships and political intrigue happening all at once, that it’s difficult to keep up at first. So, I suggest to just let it all go and go for the ride. I did, and Three Dark Crowns fulfilled its promise of unraveling in a beautifully twisted way. My favorite part of the plot was definitely the end, but I will admit that I loved how my emotions changed throughout the book. An example? I loved Mirabella at the beginning. In fact, she was the ONLY one I liked at first, but by the end, all my feelings were twisted about and confuzzled and didn’t know what to do with themselves. And that is where the brilliance hides in Three Dark Crowns. It’s in the shifting sides, the ever-changing “loyalty” of the reader and the brutal betrayals of the characters. It’s in the love and hate and confusion and “if they only knew what actually happened” suspense. It’s truly magnificent.So who am I rooting for in the end? Arsinoe. I liked her the whole way through, because she felt the most real to me. She makes mistakes. She feels hope. She faces despair. She decides to try to overcome it. She fails again. She tries again. She fails more. But so did the other girls. What is comes down to, for me, is that her relationships felt the most natural and honest among the bunch. I liked that she seemed the least likely to succeed at all times, yet still carried on in whatever way she could. Even through hiding or running or lying or deception. I always believed in her.As for Katharine, I never really liked her, even with her suffering. Why? No clue. But I still enjoyed her story. I found her parts interesting, and her character was fascinating to read about. Probably the one to face the most pain out of the girls, and honestly, someone who deserves the most credit, but I never connected with her on a personal level. In regards to Mirabella, I LOVED her in the beginning. I was like, this is it; she’s my gal. But by the end, I just feel deeply, deeply out of love for her. If I explained, I would ruin half the book. So I won’t say anymore about this YA novel. You should choose your own side. It’s the best part....But wait, can I say one last thing?Hey, Joseph. You’re a jackass.Oh, and I can’t wait to read book 2.~SATRecommended to: YA fantasy readers looking for a female-centric cast, magic, and betrayal. Must enjoy romance and be okay with violence. (There are some scenes in this book that even made me cringe at the blood baths, but in a good way. Just a forewarning for the queasy readers out there.)Favorite Quote: N/A: Please do not get me wrong. The prose is wonderful. The story is riveting. But a standalone quote didn’t leap out at me. Maybe because of the present tense? Present tense isn’t normally something I enjoy, which actually speaks volumes of Blake, because I really enjoyed her novel and hardly noticed a tense that usually forces me to put a book down on the first page.Favorite Word: Since I didn’t have a favorite quote, here’s two favorite words used.Comeuppance: a punishment or fate that someone deserves: But any comeuppance Genevieve receives will be kept quiet and private. (pg. 57)Lacquered: a liquid made of shellac dissolved in alcohol, or of synthetic substances, that dries to form a hard protective coating for wood, metal, etc.: The mask is lacquered black, and stretches over her good cheek and the bridge of her nose to taper her chin on the right side. (pg 274)
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2017
🌟🌟🌟🌟👑💍🌩💔
Three Dark Crowns is a wonderfully twisted and brutal fantasy deeply rooted in bees despite bees never being involved in the book. No, seriously, read the story behind the novels, and it will explain a lot of the premise behind this wonderful novel. I read Blake’s explanation after I read her book, and it made the book all the more twisted for me. (http://www.mykindabook.com/…/kendare-blake-s-three-dark-cro…)
That being said, I would also say that this book feels deeply rooted in Paganism. (What, with a female-centric cast and culture, familiars, Beltane, Goddesses, elements, and herbs, how could I not think of that?) However, I will add that it’s Hollywood’s version of Paganism—with more harm than good—but I thought it was addressed brilliantly by explaining how poisoners were also healers but had long since forgotten the skill.
I loved that.
I loved a lot about the book.
If you don’t know, Three Dark Crowns is about triplet queens, but only one of them can live to rule. Separated during childhood, and living in three different lands, the three girls are raised with their unique powers to kill one another. There’s Katharine the poisoner, Arsinoe the naturalist, and Mirabella the elemental. Each girl has a unique personality and secrets they’re struggling to hide. They also have friendships, tutors, and suitors. So prepare yourself for a full cast of characters to sink your teeth into. The book itself has a female-centric cast, which was my favorite part. (There’s also a Queen Shannon. Or was a Queen Shannon. But still. I hardly ever see my name in a book, and I’m not going to lie, it makes me squeal every time.)
That being said, it took me 170 pages to understand what was happening. There are so many places, so many characters, so many relationships and political intrigue happening all at once, that it’s difficult to keep up at first. So, I suggest to just let it all go and go for the ride. I did, and Three Dark Crowns fulfilled its promise of unraveling in a beautifully twisted way. My favorite part of the plot was definitely the end, but I will admit that I loved how my emotions changed throughout the book. An example? I loved Mirabella at the beginning. In fact, she was the ONLY one I liked at first, but by the end, all my feelings were twisted about and confuzzled and didn’t know what to do with themselves. And that is where the brilliance hides in Three Dark Crowns. It’s in the shifting sides, the ever-changing “loyalty” of the reader and the brutal betrayals of the characters. It’s in the love and hate and confusion and “if they only knew what actually happened” suspense. It’s truly magnificent.
So who am I rooting for in the end? Arsinoe. I liked her the whole way through, because she felt the most real to me. She makes mistakes. She feels hope. She faces despair. She decides to try to overcome it. She fails again. She tries again. She fails more. But so did the other girls. What is comes down to, for me, is that her relationships felt the most natural and honest among the bunch. I liked that she seemed the least likely to succeed at all times, yet still carried on in whatever way she could. Even through hiding or running or lying or deception. I always believed in her.
As for Katharine, I never really liked her, even with her suffering. Why? No clue. But I still enjoyed her story. I found her parts interesting, and her character was fascinating to read about. Probably the one to face the most pain out of the girls, and honestly, someone who deserves the most credit, but I never connected with her on a personal level. In regards to Mirabella, I LOVED her in the beginning. I was like, this is it; she’s my gal. But by the end, I just feel deeply, deeply out of love for her. If I explained, I would ruin half the book. So I won’t say anymore about this YA novel. You should choose your own side. It’s the best part.
...But wait, can I say one last thing?
Hey, Joseph. You’re a jackass.
Oh, and I can’t wait to read book 2.
~SAT
Recommended to: YA fantasy readers looking for a female-centric cast, magic, and betrayal. Must enjoy romance and be okay with violence. (There are some scenes in this book that even made me cringe at the blood baths, but in a good way. Just a forewarning for the queasy readers out there.)
Favorite Quote: N/A: Please do not get me wrong. The prose is wonderful. The story is riveting. But a standalone quote didn’t leap out at me. Maybe because of the present tense? Present tense isn’t normally something I enjoy, which actually speaks volumes of Blake, because I really enjoyed her novel and hardly noticed a tense that usually forces me to put a book down on the first page.
Favorite Word: Since I didn’t have a favorite quote, here’s two favorite words used.
Comeuppance: a punishment or fate that someone deserves: But any comeuppance Genevieve receives will be kept quiet and private. (pg. 57)
Lacquered: a liquid made of shellac dissolved in alcohol, or of synthetic substances, that dries to form a hard protective coating for wood, metal, etc.: The mask is lacquered black, and stretches over her good cheek and the bridge of her nose to taper her chin on the right side. (pg 274)
A wonderfully twisted and brutal fantasy.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2017
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare BlakeReviewed in the United States on January 20, 2017
🌟🌟🌟🌟👑💍🌩💔
Three Dark Crowns is a wonderfully twisted and brutal fantasy deeply rooted in bees despite bees never being involved in the book. No, seriously, read the story behind the novels, and it will explain a lot of the premise behind this wonderful novel. I read Blake’s explanation after I read her book, and it made the book all the more twisted for me. (http://www.mykindabook.com/…/kendare-blake-s-three-dark-cro…)
That being said, I would also say that this book feels deeply rooted in Paganism. (What, with a female-centric cast and culture, familiars, Beltane, Goddesses, elements, and herbs, how could I not think of that?) However, I will add that it’s Hollywood’s version of Paganism—with more harm than good—but I thought it was addressed brilliantly by explaining how poisoners were also healers but had long since forgotten the skill.
I loved that.
I loved a lot about the book.
If you don’t know, Three Dark Crowns is about triplet queens, but only one of them can live to rule. Separated during childhood, and living in three different lands, the three girls are raised with their unique powers to kill one another. There’s Katharine the poisoner, Arsinoe the naturalist, and Mirabella the elemental. Each girl has a unique personality and secrets they’re struggling to hide. They also have friendships, tutors, and suitors. So prepare yourself for a full cast of characters to sink your teeth into. The book itself has a female-centric cast, which was my favorite part. (There’s also a Queen Shannon. Or was a Queen Shannon. But still. I hardly ever see my name in a book, and I’m not going to lie, it makes me squeal every time.)
That being said, it took me 170 pages to understand what was happening. There are so many places, so many characters, so many relationships and political intrigue happening all at once, that it’s difficult to keep up at first. So, I suggest to just let it all go and go for the ride. I did, and Three Dark Crowns fulfilled its promise of unraveling in a beautifully twisted way. My favorite part of the plot was definitely the end, but I will admit that I loved how my emotions changed throughout the book. An example? I loved Mirabella at the beginning. In fact, she was the ONLY one I liked at first, but by the end, all my feelings were twisted about and confuzzled and didn’t know what to do with themselves. And that is where the brilliance hides in Three Dark Crowns. It’s in the shifting sides, the ever-changing “loyalty” of the reader and the brutal betrayals of the characters. It’s in the love and hate and confusion and “if they only knew what actually happened” suspense. It’s truly magnificent.
So who am I rooting for in the end? Arsinoe. I liked her the whole way through, because she felt the most real to me. She makes mistakes. She feels hope. She faces despair. She decides to try to overcome it. She fails again. She tries again. She fails more. But so did the other girls. What is comes down to, for me, is that her relationships felt the most natural and honest among the bunch. I liked that she seemed the least likely to succeed at all times, yet still carried on in whatever way she could. Even through hiding or running or lying or deception. I always believed in her.
As for Katharine, I never really liked her, even with her suffering. Why? No clue. But I still enjoyed her story. I found her parts interesting, and her character was fascinating to read about. Probably the one to face the most pain out of the girls, and honestly, someone who deserves the most credit, but I never connected with her on a personal level. In regards to Mirabella, I LOVED her in the beginning. I was like, this is it; she’s my gal. But by the end, I just feel deeply, deeply out of love for her. If I explained, I would ruin half the book. So I won’t say anymore about this YA novel. You should choose your own side. It’s the best part.
...But wait, can I say one last thing?
Hey, Joseph. You’re a jackass.
Oh, and I can’t wait to read book 2.
~SAT
Recommended to: YA fantasy readers looking for a female-centric cast, magic, and betrayal. Must enjoy romance and be okay with violence. (There are some scenes in this book that even made me cringe at the blood baths, but in a good way. Just a forewarning for the queasy readers out there.)
Favorite Quote: N/A: Please do not get me wrong. The prose is wonderful. The story is riveting. But a standalone quote didn’t leap out at me. Maybe because of the present tense? Present tense isn’t normally something I enjoy, which actually speaks volumes of Blake, because I really enjoyed her novel and hardly noticed a tense that usually forces me to put a book down on the first page.
Favorite Word: Since I didn’t have a favorite quote, here’s two favorite words used.
Comeuppance: a punishment or fate that someone deserves: But any comeuppance Genevieve receives will be kept quiet and private. (pg. 57)
Lacquered: a liquid made of shellac dissolved in alcohol, or of synthetic substances, that dries to form a hard protective coating for wood, metal, etc.: The mask is lacquered black, and stretches over her good cheek and the bridge of her nose to taper her chin on the right side. (pg 274)
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Top reviews from other countries
Cliente de Amazon
El libro está muy maltratado
Reviewed in Mexico on December 31, 2017
