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thaliareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked the concept and the characters. The plot progression was good, if a bit slow at times, but I kept loosing track of how close or far they were from different milestones they'd need to reach.
However, I think the last handful of chapters really brought this up a notch for me. I was sincerely excited to read the next book to see what happens, despite not really enjoying this book as much as some of my recent reads.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
This book doesn't spare any details. This won't be for you if you don't like wounds to be graphically described. Additionally, the self harm/torture and physical abuse all relates to the intentional and repeat poisoning of one character to develop their resistance. This is however out of a desire to live, not a desire to die.thatbookishwriter23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After their sixteenth birthday, the triplets are supposed to meet, see their suitor, prepare to fight each other to the death for the crown.
Who will win?
To be honest, y'all, I didn't expect to love this book. I mean, you see all these reviews about how slow the pacing is and it makes you want to turn the other way.
Well, don't.
Please, don't.
ITS TRUE WHAT THEY SAY, THE ENDING IS WORTH IT!
I was skeptical while reading this, and I was afraid I would have not been invested enough to enjoy the end, but all that faded away once the ending came. The drama builds up, the pacing speeds up, and the tension intensifies. I cannot tell y'all how much this is worth it. And this not just about three queens training to fighting to the death. Oh, no, no, no. There's betrayal, assassination attempts, love, secret schemes, and revenge! By far my favorite queen is Katherine, she is meek and abused but she never really loses hope. My least favorite is Mirabella. THEY NEED TO MAKE THIS A MOVIE, PLS!
AND I GET WHY EVERYONE HATES JOESPH NOW!
PROS
▪Great ending
▪Good characters
▪Sneaky schemes
▪Sisters!
▪Triplets
Cons
▪Extremely slow pacing
▪Instalove
▪Joseph (one of Arsinoe's friends)
▪Mirabella
I rate Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake four stars out of five.
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
yuidf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Infidelity and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
emtees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The book follows three royal sisters - Mirabella, Arsinoe and Katharine - who were split up as children and have been raised by rival foster families, each of which shares the girl’s magical gift. Mirabella is an elementalist, with control over natural forces, and the only one of the sisters who seems to be truly powerful. The favorite of the Temple, devotees of the Goddess whose influence has been fading in recent years, Mirabella is expected to be the winner in the upcoming battle to the death. But she is also the only one of the three girls who remembers their time together as children and the love they once shared, and she doesn’t want to kill anyone. Then there is Arsinoe, a fun-loving tomboy raised by the free-spirited and modest naturalists, who have power over the earth and animals. Arsinoe’s gift has never manifested, and despite her lighthearted attitude, she has lived her whole life in the shadow of her powerful foster-sister Jules (the fourth protagonist of the story and a great character in her own right) and knowing she was going to die. Finally there is Katharine, the sweetest of the sisters but also the only one who has been raised as an experienced killer. Katharine is a poisoner, but like Arsinoe, she hasn’t manifested a gift, and so her life has been a horror of trying to train her body to withstand the poisons that the people around her can touch and even eat without a problem. But despite the darkness of her environment, Katharine has a close relationship with her foster-mother Natalia, who has been ruling the country in all but name for a generation, and is the only one of the sisters who seems to truly want to win the throne.
The story begins with the girls’ sixteenth birthdays and covers a few months leading up to the moment when they are formally recognized as Queens and the Ascension Year - the time they have to kill each other - begins. It jumps back and forth between the three sisters in a way that keeps the plot moving quickly. I found the book hard to put down. While Arsinoe’s story was the most compelling, I didn’t really have a favorite sister; they were all interesting and sympathetic characters and I was always glad to catch up with one after a few chapters away from her. Their stories start out very separate, but as the book goes on the plot threads begin to weave together across the different storylines, giving the reader a better understanding of the situation than the characters themselves have. The two sections, covering the Beltane festival where the girls are finally brought together, are extremely tense and full of surprises, setting up the story well for the sequel.
Moderate: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail
cattheteawitchfairy's review against another edition
This fantasy is an interesting premise but the cruelty it shows in comparison to the YA style of writing, just didn’t agree with me.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
em_davies7019's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Confinement and Sexual content
anastasiamakes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Torture, and Violence
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
hannahwhiteyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, and Suicide attempt
serena_hien's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail