Tina Reviews: Three Dark Crowns

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
Published September 20th 2016 by HarperTeen
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult
Page: 398
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Review by: Tina

Synopsis

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.



 
Review

When I first started reading, the chapters captured my attention completely. Around halfway through it, I started to lose interest. The book isn't long and it frustrated me. It was partly because the story was dragging and the characters were extensive. Each queen is fostered by a family. So you have 9 to 12 new characters to remember. I was constantly flipping back pages to find out who is who.
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Onto the juicy bits... (warning: spoilers)

Katharine's foster family is completely dark unlike her sweet soft nature. I knew this story would be but it still shook me at how easily they talk and plot about death.

Arsinoe wasn't much of a character but she developed into a powerful force. She is wild and rejects weakness. I like her personality and she grew on me.

What grabbed my interest was Mirabella's sentimentality. She was favored by the priestesses and I was taken aback by her emotional ties and loyalty to her sisters. I completely love that about her.

As the story progressed, Katharine's story fell through the cracks. She seemed to be the center of the story when it first began, then all of a sudden, the other two sisters took up the majority of the storyline. I didn't like how she became irrelevant.

My theory is that all 3 will rule. The story seemed to be heading in that direction. I feel it can be the start of a new era. There was a mention of circumstances before that change the outcome of the winner.

The last 80 pages were the most exhilarating.

Overall, I give it 3.5 stars. Great premise. The execution of the scene setups need more work.