New York Times Bestseller * New York Public Library Best Book of 2016 * Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016 * Kirkus Best Book of the Year
Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour Three Dark Crowns, the first book in a dark and inventive fantasy series about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.
In every generation on the island of … must fight to the death to become queen.
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.
Don’t miss Five Dark Fates, the thrilling conclusion to the series!
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I loved this book so much, it’s definitely my favorite book and series and I have read a lot of good books, Kendare Blake is an amazing author and these books have wonderfully written characters and events. I didn’t want it to end when it ended.
Amazing 10/10
THREE DARK CROWNS is the first book in this series by author Kendare Blake. The premise is one that immediately captivated me: Three triplets, each a “queen” born with the power to control a different element, would be raised separately from the ages of 6-16.
Then, one of them shows a stronger wielding of their powers, and must kill the other two in order to gain the throne.
“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.”
As in any first book in a series, much of this is set up for everything to come. Yet each detail, from watching the sisters–Mirabella, Katharine, and Arsinoe–grow and try to “learn” their powers, to the emotional turmoil and growth they endure, is an adventure. The politics, greed, and “back-room” deals of the warring segments of the land all add to the impending danger of the inevitable show-down.
The Poisoners, Elementals, and Naturalists all want the Queen representing them to succeed, and some won’t be content to leave that to . . . chance.
“. . . she is so very skilled at poisoning.”
Blake does a fantastic job of building up this world of magic and old traditions. It was easy to move through each of the young queen’s lives, feeling both outraged and joyful along with them as the occasion warranted. I never felt “lost” in this novel, or any sense of confusion when switching between their viewpoints. Each section and grouping felt unique and strong in their ways. The characters were easy to keep track of, and I very quickly grew attached to some–especially the sisters.
“We are all dual natured . . . Every gift is light and dark . . . ”
The world building is spectacular. Considering this is only the first book in a series, I expect to learn more of the layout in future books. However, so many details were provided in this one that I could easily visualize the different towns in which the sisters get up in. The way each section lives and works says much about the “value” of the Queen whose powers go with these regions. The Poisoners, for example, being the most prosperous because of a succession of “Poisoner Queens”.
“Saying so does not make it true.”
Overall, I am extremely impressed with my first novel by Kendare Blake. There was not a single section that I felt “dull”, or that didn’t further the plot along somehow. There were several developments that I never expected, and this–perhaps more than anything–impressed me the most. The friendships, relationships to the “teachers” that housed them, and treatment by others around them differed depending upon the Queen and her powers. In the back of my mind, knowing that tradition pits these three girls against each other so that only one may reign . . . THAT permeated every page I read, drilling into me every last word for even a hint of what was to come. I will eagerly be reading Book Two, ONE DARK THRONE, very soon.
“I want revenge . . . And then I want my crown.”
Highly recommended.
Deliciously dark and fantastical – and that twist ending!
My husband bought me this series set as a gift. I enjoy reading 1st person present.
The first chapter did not grab me, and I had a tough time getting through the chapter, but I had to try, it was a gift. At this point it had a three star in my book. I’m glad I pushed through because the rest of the book was great. The author had me turning the pages toward the end, to where I could not put it down, with an epic ending. I have already started book 2 and enjoying the story.
This is the story about three queens that are sisters, they have different powers and must kill each other, because the last standing, would have the throne.
It’s a dark world and the queens are under a lot of pressure, at the same time are discovering love and more about themselves.
Definitely a must read if you enjoy fantasy.
got the first book really cheap, paid full price for the sequel because I had to find out what happens next! Very interesting new world. I am enjoying the second one as well.
“A dark, twisty story with unforgettable characters!”
Honestly, I kept passing this book up every time I went into the book store. I loved the cover, but at the time I was hooked on Sarah J. Maas’s worlds of Prythian and Erilea. I definitely regret not picking this book up sooner! I purchased my copy via Amazon Kindle, and I haven’t been able to put this series down since. The characters are full of life, and Ms. Blake has created such a tremendous world full of mystery, love, and action!
I went from ho-hum to holy crap!
It took me a long time to get into this book … like around 40% in. But once I was in, I was ALL IN! The hardest challenge for me in the beginning was all the point of view changes happening every couple pages, jumping to one head from the next of sisters, friends, benefactors, etc.
Once I got into the rhythm, I was swept up in it all and emotionally invested on a teary-eyed level.
That ending … Wow! I immediately ordered the 2nd book in paperback because it cost $3 less than the Kindle version. But now I’m wondering if it would have been worth the extra since I’m dying to read the next book.
An absolutely incredible story with an insane ending.
Memories can be a curse. Bring the powerful to their knees. Long enough to watch their death before their eyes
If you like the red crown you will love these books!
I loved the first book but wasn’t crazy about where it went in the second and never read the third. Crazy cool and imaginative story over all.
Three Queens fighting for a crown? Sign me up!
But unfortunately this book is a broken promise.
The first scene is riveting, following the poison queen prepare for her 16th birthday celebration. The book then introduces the other queens, her sisters, as they come upon their “ascension year” where they must hunt each other until one survivor claims the crown.
However that battle never comes. Instead this is 398 pages of mundane social relationships, queens admitting they have no special magical gifts, and constantly changing points of view which I found made it hard to get engrossed in the story.
The premise of this book and the word Kendare Blake has imagined is amazing, but the story does not live up to that potential.
I strongly believe a book should have its own story arc, even if a sequel is inevitable. Three Dark Crowns has no satisfying conclusion and instead just ends in the middle of a slow story hoping you’ll buy the sequel.
I will be passing.
This book might scare off a few in its first three chapters given the number of characters that appear. But after that, it’s a total page turner. We get to see the sisters and their life, struggles and fears, and we get to LOVE each of them so much that you don’t know who to root for!
The World Building is amazing and mysterious. I love the intricacy of their politics and how they’re tied to a goddess, but are still highly manipulated and downright TWISTED, especially by two of the factions. The brutality behind their intentions and plots is dark af. It’s a great story. I highly recommend you give this book a chance
I loved this book so much I immediately ran out and got the sequel! At first, the third person present point of view was kind of jarring, but a couple of chapters in I was completely enthralled. The characters and the world are fascinating, the plot twists are powerful, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
My 9th grade daughter loves this book. That said, evidently the first three chapters are hard to get through … they read it in her high school English class and kids kept offering her money to tell her how the book was.
I thought this book brought into play a lot of the things that we might think about ourselves and how to overcome those obstacles.
Boy boy boy I AM IN LOVE
I legitimately think that me and some of these other reviewers that rated this badly (for being “slow and uneventful”) have read a completely different book than I did.
what do you mean SLOW?
We have low magic and mutated bears, faces getting ripped, arms and legs trying to be sheared off, a girl continuously poisoning herself for a gift she doesn’t have, girls getting pushed off of cliffs, voodoo-ish type of magic and elemental magic, and twists and turns!
Yes, it does take a while for it to go the “hunger games” part that the book promised BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THE AUTHOR IS INTRODUCING THE QUEENS. What’s the point of rushing to the killing if you don’t even care about the characters at stake?
I thought the author did a beautiful job at showing who each of them are, their faults and weaknesses and strengths and fears… what’s so cool about this story is that I started reading it KNOWING that only one queen will survive, and yet the author was still able to get me to equally love each queen. I had some hard debates in my head about which one I was hoping would win because I couldn’t bear to part with any of them (I think Arsinoe is my favorite now now that I’ve finished the whole book).
The setting is well built, thanks to the “slow parts” parts (which really aren’t slow guys; yes there’s not always action, but there’s always character dynamics going on if you pay attention), were able to help me visualize where each queen was on the chess board of politics between the islands and the mainland.
In conclusion, I love this book. And no, I don’t hate the reviewers that rated this bad, I’m just sad they didn’t like it as much as I did (LITERALLY THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END… holy shit it was cool, I just don’t understand how you can not love the book with an ending like that.)
But it’s okay, it’s fine, I’m fine… just on my way to picking up the second book asap I NEED to know which queen will survive
Three sisters, one crown, a fight to the death. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, the author throws in a beautiful twist!