“Three Dark Queens
are born in a glen,
sweet little triplets
will never be friends.
Three dark sisters
all fair to be seen,
two to devour
and one to be Queen.”
On the island of Fennbirn, three dark-haired sister queens are born. But on the year of their sixteenth birthday, only one will be chosen to rule (and survive!). Introducing our charming contestants…
- Katharine, the mousy poisoner whose best friend is a deadly black mamba named ‘Sweetheart’. But consuming toxic feasts isn’t Katharine’s only specialty. She’s also being trained in the art of pleasantries and seduction aka how to be a honeytrap🍯
- Arsinoe, a down-to-earth naturalist with a huge sweet tooth. She’s still anticipating the arrival of her green thumb and witchy animal familiar, but make no mistake, she’s the dark horse of the group. Arsinoe enjoys long walks on the beach, practicing dangerous magic and being a third wheel.
- Mirabella is a bewitching elemental with the power to control the weather and induce natural disasters. If you’re a betting (wo)man, it’s worth noting that everyone’s $$ is on this lucky lady. Mirabella’s other talents include home-wrecking, wicked resting bitch face and (ironically enough) empathy.
If the myriad of reviews are to be believed, Three Dark Crowns has a pretty polarizing effect on people- you’re either singing its praises or muttering under your breath about ‘wasted potential.’ I definitely fell into the first camp. And while those who disliked this gem frequently describe it as being better suited to a ‘patient reader,’ I certainly don’t identify as such, so don’t let that label deter you.
The twisted plot of Three Dark Crowns resembles someone’s morbid Darwinian daydream, and I loved every minute of it! While the book is marketed as YA, it is deliciously dark and I think adults would enjoy it just as much. I devoured this book in only two days and I am absolutely ecstatic that there are three more in the series to look forward to. Christmas came early for me this year, friends!
P.S. My favorite scene involved a cantankerous bear with echoes of The Revenant as well as memories of devious childhood mischief involving Zoo Tycoon (if you know, you know).
I highly recommend this fantastic fantasy book to anyone looking to escape and have a good time, because it’s been a year, am I right?!
And as a special bonus, here’s a specially curated Three Dark Crowns Spotify playlist I created to reflect the mood of the characters and plot. Enjoy!
Rating: 5/5
Find it at a bookstore near you<3
