It has been a very long time since I enjoyed a book as much as Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. This novel was a pleasure to read and had everything that I love in fantasy. Luckily, it’s one of a four book series so I have much more to enjoy. This will be a spoiler free review.

Synopsis:

When kingdom come, there will be one.

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 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.

My Thoughts:

• Rating– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was suggested to me after I reviewed Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian. The two really only have in common a couple of things, namely they’re both fantasy and revolve around triplet sisters. I did enjoy Castles in Their Bones, but Three Dark Crowns is on a whole other level.

I truly loved everything about this book. The world building was great and for like the first time ever, I was able to refer to the map in the front of the book and understand it. The writing was excellent, and I found myself saying “just one more chapter” many times. I even stayed up late to read; as a mom of a toddler, that doesn’t happen often.

The characters are where this book shines, though. It can be difficult to make siblings in books stand apart but Katharine, Mirabella and Arsinoe are unique. Don’t get me wrong, they were each flawed (I’m looking at you Mirabella and your choice in men😒) but their flaws made them even more interesting. I found myself rooting for each one of them while knowing, technically, two were supposed to die. This book does an excellent job of making you fall in love with not only the sisters, but the people in their lives.

Final Thoughts:

There’s not much more I can say without spoiling anything so I’m going to leave it here. I’ve already started the second book, One Dark Throne, and I’m flying through it just as fast. If you’ve read this book, I’d love to know what you thought about it. Thanks for reading and have a great day!