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emily_gaynier's review against another edition
4.0
The ending was kind of weird but I'm interested enough to continue the series.
I liked more of the characters this time around, but I still didn't really care about what happened to them. All of the relationships feel forced almost. It feels like we are being told about sisterly love and romantic love and paternal love even when its written like it's being shown.
I find the world to be so much more interesting and I just want to see how this story ends.
*Update about my thoughts on this series*
Okay so I finally understand how I feel about this series. I am usually a very character driven reader. I don't have to like a character to enjoy their story, but I prefer character driven stories.
While I don't hate any character in this series, I also don't like them. I'm very meh and I don't care who lives or dies or becomes queen or whatever.
But I am very interested in how this series of events take place and what happens to this country because of these peoples actions.
The way I am reading this series is how I would read a nonfiction history book on a royal family I know nothing about. It's like a very detailed account of a nation's political system and when that system was disrupted. I am a huge history buff and I am studying it for school, so I have read a fair few nonfiction books like this. I'm not being sucked into the story because it doesn't feel like a novel. It feels like history with some magic thrown in.
I can't tell if this is because of the writing or not. I might try another book outside this series by Kendare Blake in the future, but I will be continuing this series
I liked more of the characters this time around, but I still didn't really care about what happened to them. All of the relationships feel forced almost. It feels like we are being told about sisterly love and romantic love and paternal love even when its written like it's being shown.
I find the world to be so much more interesting and I just want to see how this story ends.
*Update about my thoughts on this series*
Okay so I finally understand how I feel about this series. I am usually a very character driven reader. I don't have to like a character to enjoy their story, but I prefer character driven stories.
While I don't hate any character in this series, I also don't like them. I'm very meh and I don't care who lives or dies or becomes queen or whatever.
But I am very interested in how this series of events take place and what happens to this country because of these peoples actions.
The way I am reading this series is how I would read a nonfiction history book on a royal family I know nothing about. It's like a very detailed account of a nation's political system and when that system was disrupted. I am a huge history buff and I am studying it for school, so I have read a fair few nonfiction books like this. I'm not being sucked into the story because it doesn't feel like a novel. It feels like history with some magic thrown in.
I can't tell if this is because of the writing or not. I might try another book outside this series by Kendare Blake in the future, but I will be continuing this series
jurassicreads's review against another edition
4.0
This review is also available to view here on my blog: https://liabooks89.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/one-dark-throne-by-kendare-blake
The first book in this series was an unexpected favorite when I read it earlier this year, so I was not that surprised when I ate this book up. Blake has created an extremely different, absorbing fantasy world on the island of Fennbirn. I’m not usually attracted to worlds in which there is some sort of overpowering government (even though most of my favorite books are dystopians, and what else is there in dystopians but government??), but the royalty aspect of this series is very interesting. We learn that Katharine, Mirabella, and Arsinoe are even more out of control than we thought in the first book, and that although they follow the motions of wanting to kill one another for the crown, they are not naive even to actually think that it will bring peace to the island.
One of my favorite parts of this book in particular is the use of familiars. Blake writes them to have just as much character as the people that they are attached to, Camden in particular. Camden is the mountain lion familiar to Arsinoe’s protector/best friend/confidante Jules, and her personality is absolutely adorable. She is feisty, loving, and very protective over those Jules loves dearly. Not only that, but she is a big part of this book because Jules is! I found myself waiting for every minute description of her feline actions and letting out an ‘awwww!’ every time… Even though I’m sure she’s sometimes meant to be written as a ferocious protector.
I also liked that the queens tried to break their molds in this novel. In fact, if they didn’t try to break away from their oppressive roles as killers and leaders of the island, it would be more shocking, right? At least two of them (I won’t say who) are becoming more aware of the problems that killing the other two queens causes. Not only were the queens raised together until a certain age, they are simply human (albeit, with some powers) and the unnecessary killing of one another seems more traditional than logical. Blake builds these characters to gradually realize that their own vision of their futures conflicts with the ‘fate’ that their fellow citizens has chosen for them, and although slowly, they look toward change and freedom.
Throughout most of this novel, I anticipated this series being a duology. However, after some research on Goodreads it looks like Kendare Blake has signed a contract to make this a four book series?! I don’t know if this includes the #1.5 book The Young Queens which I haven’t yet read, but I’m a little on the fence about this series continuing. Not spoiling anything, but there appeared to be a bit of finality to the end of this novel. Sure, there are loose ends that could turn into whole other story lines, but something about the feeling that this book ends on seems like a ‘the end’ feeling, you know? We shall see….
The first book in this series was an unexpected favorite when I read it earlier this year, so I was not that surprised when I ate this book up. Blake has created an extremely different, absorbing fantasy world on the island of Fennbirn. I’m not usually attracted to worlds in which there is some sort of overpowering government (even though most of my favorite books are dystopians, and what else is there in dystopians but government??), but the royalty aspect of this series is very interesting. We learn that Katharine, Mirabella, and Arsinoe are even more out of control than we thought in the first book, and that although they follow the motions of wanting to kill one another for the crown, they are not naive even to actually think that it will bring peace to the island.
One of my favorite parts of this book in particular is the use of familiars. Blake writes them to have just as much character as the people that they are attached to, Camden in particular. Camden is the mountain lion familiar to Arsinoe’s protector/best friend/confidante Jules, and her personality is absolutely adorable. She is feisty, loving, and very protective over those Jules loves dearly. Not only that, but she is a big part of this book because Jules is! I found myself waiting for every minute description of her feline actions and letting out an ‘awwww!’ every time… Even though I’m sure she’s sometimes meant to be written as a ferocious protector.
I also liked that the queens tried to break their molds in this novel. In fact, if they didn’t try to break away from their oppressive roles as killers and leaders of the island, it would be more shocking, right? At least two of them (I won’t say who) are becoming more aware of the problems that killing the other two queens causes. Not only were the queens raised together until a certain age, they are simply human (albeit, with some powers) and the unnecessary killing of one another seems more traditional than logical. Blake builds these characters to gradually realize that their own vision of their futures conflicts with the ‘fate’ that their fellow citizens has chosen for them, and although slowly, they look toward change and freedom.
Throughout most of this novel, I anticipated this series being a duology. However, after some research on Goodreads it looks like Kendare Blake has signed a contract to make this a four book series?! I don’t know if this includes the #1.5 book The Young Queens which I haven’t yet read, but I’m a little on the fence about this series continuing. Not spoiling anything, but there appeared to be a bit of finality to the end of this novel. Sure, there are loose ends that could turn into whole other story lines, but something about the feeling that this book ends on seems like a ‘the end’ feeling, you know? We shall see….
laurenbookishtwins's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.
With the ascension year underway, the three sisters must face off against the deadliest threats yet: each other. But each of the sisters is different: Katharine, once weak and feeble, is stronger than ever. Arsinoe, after discovering her deadly power, must figure out how to use it to her advantage whilst also keeping it a secret. And Mirabella, once thought the strongest of them all, the one destined to be Queen, is facing attacks like never before. But everything is not as it seems.
I read and really enjoyed Three Dark Crowns last year. I loved the complex sister dynamics, the dark atmospheric setting, the political intrigue, and whilst the pace lagged, the storytelling and characterization was phenomenal. One Dark Throne was just as good. The pacing problem was not present in this follow-up. There was definitely a lot more action and suspense, and what I especially loved was the development of each queen and I adore all three, Arsinoe, especially.
There is still quite a bit of romance in this series, which I'm not the biggest fan of. There are definitely more important and more intriguing aspects of the series, most notably the sisters conflicting feelings and difficulty about killing each other. Their dynamics are so complex and if you're a sucker for sister stories, and fancy a bit of a dark, atmospheric setting and story, then I would definitely recommend that you pick up this series.
I have only one complaint, and that is that I was looking forward to this being a duology. Having found out that there are 2 more books in the series, I'm having conflicting feelings, but that is purely because I have difficulty committing to trilogies/ or more. Nevertheless, this series is great.
With the ascension year underway, the three sisters must face off against the deadliest threats yet: each other. But each of the sisters is different: Katharine, once weak and feeble, is stronger than ever. Arsinoe, after discovering her deadly power, must figure out how to use it to her advantage whilst also keeping it a secret. And Mirabella, once thought the strongest of them all, the one destined to be Queen, is facing attacks like never before. But everything is not as it seems.
I read and really enjoyed Three Dark Crowns last year. I loved the complex sister dynamics, the dark atmospheric setting, the political intrigue, and whilst the pace lagged, the storytelling and characterization was phenomenal. One Dark Throne was just as good. The pacing problem was not present in this follow-up. There was definitely a lot more action and suspense, and what I especially loved was the development of each queen and I adore all three, Arsinoe, especially.
There is still quite a bit of romance in this series, which I'm not the biggest fan of. There are definitely more important and more intriguing aspects of the series, most notably the sisters conflicting feelings and difficulty about killing each other. Their dynamics are so complex and if you're a sucker for sister stories, and fancy a bit of a dark, atmospheric setting and story, then I would definitely recommend that you pick up this series.
I have only one complaint, and that is that I was looking forward to this being a duology. Having found out that there are 2 more books in the series, I'm having conflicting feelings, but that is purely because I have difficulty committing to trilogies/ or more. Nevertheless, this series is great.
klaudiao's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
syl_val15's review against another edition
4.0
3.85/5 Stars.
As much as I liked this book, it wasn't 100% original and that made me look at this book differently, there were so many contents that were similair to other YA fantasy novels. Anyway...
The stories of all the sisters continue as you expect (which is easily established after fair advance into the story), but there are still some unexpected twists and turns every now and then.
There are still too many characters to remember and they keep increasing, but I've gotten used to them... Almost.
What I liked:
Pietyr and Katharine’s relationship is so messy and intense but they’re still my favorite couple. I can understand why Katharine went from being; young, sweet, innocent and invisible to being; cruel, mean, powerhungry and deadly. She (among her older sisters) has been prepared almost her entire life to become a queen. Because that's what all of the queens' foster families have prepared them for 10 years.
There was a certain someone that I hated in book 1 actually there were 2, but their deaths have left me with mixed feelings. On one hand I was so relieved. But, on the other hand, there was a part of me felt sorry for them and their demise.
What I liked most was how much Fennbrin was sealed off from the outside world, how this place was specifically made and the abilities of the people were thought-out. When the "mainlanders" communicate with the locals, you will notice that over and over again, in small casual nuances, how different they are. And it is not thrown in the face that it is so, but it is really only casually mentioned what made it much more authentic and natural.
I still liked everything that happened in it, the characeter developments, the action and more importantly the series becoming more brutal.
What I didn't like:
Mirabella has become feisty, which was unexpected because she's the ''kindest'' sister out of the three, but she's still not my favorite. I just don't care about her, there's no detection of vulnerability about her.
Seeing Mirabella and Arsinoe teaming up to fight Katharine wasn't fair. I would have loved to see three of them fighting against each other individually or three of them teaming up and prove to the ones who think that there should only be one queen is wrong.
I can't belive how Jules forgave Joseph that easily, they may be best friends for almost their entire lives and been in love with each other for quite a while, but if I were Jules I wouldn't have forgiven Joseph at all.
What I expect from the third book:
More actions/duels/battles between the sisters.
About Katherine's gift, in the novellas it was proved that Katharine is not a poisoner but a naturalist. So, she had a pet snake named 'Sweetheart' in TDC then it died, but when her pet was replaced by another she didn't seem to notice it . A true naturalist would notice it from the very first moment. That's why I'm not even sure if she's a naturalist. In other words: What is Katharine's power or if she even has any kind of power?
Jules may be a fourth queen, I have so much theory about Jules and why she is as important as the queens. Why does she have a major role if she's not even a queen?
I'm still team Katharine, no matter how effed up her mind is.
Regardless of all the thigs I said, Kendare Blake makes an extremely readable story with three very compelling female leads (not to mention all those secondary characters as well). She’s not afraid to take risks with her characters while readers are once again left desperately hoping their favorites survive to the end (*cough cough* Katharine), and the others get their comeuppance.
As much as I liked this book, it wasn't 100% original and that made me look at this book differently, there were so many contents that were similair to other YA fantasy novels. Anyway...
The stories of all the sisters continue as you expect (which is easily established after fair advance into the story), but there are still some unexpected twists and turns every now and then.
There are still too many characters to remember and they keep increasing, but I've gotten used to them... Almost.
What I liked:
Pietyr and Katharine’s relationship is so messy and intense but they’re still my favorite couple. I can understand why Katharine went from being; young, sweet, innocent and invisible to being; cruel, mean, powerhungry and deadly. She (among her older sisters) has been prepared almost her entire life to become a queen. Because that's what all of the queens' foster families have prepared them for 10 years.
There was a certain someone that I hated in book 1 actually there were 2, but their deaths have left me with mixed feelings. On one hand I was so relieved. But, on the other hand, there was a part of me felt sorry for them and their demise.
What I liked most was how much Fennbrin was sealed off from the outside world, how this place was specifically made and the abilities of the people were thought-out. When the "mainlanders" communicate with the locals, you will notice that over and over again, in small casual nuances, how different they are. And it is not thrown in the face that it is so, but it is really only casually mentioned what made it much more authentic and natural.
I still liked everything that happened in it, the characeter developments, the action and more importantly the series becoming more brutal.
What I didn't like:
Mirabella has become feisty, which was unexpected because she's the ''kindest'' sister out of the three, but she's still not my favorite. I just don't care about her, there's no detection of vulnerability about her.
Seeing Mirabella and Arsinoe teaming up to fight Katharine wasn't fair. I would have loved to see three of them fighting against each other individually or three of them teaming up and prove to the ones who think that there should only be one queen is wrong.
I can't belive how Jules forgave Joseph that easily, they may be best friends for almost their entire lives and been in love with each other for quite a while, but if I were Jules I wouldn't have forgiven Joseph at all.
What I expect from the third book:
More actions/duels/battles between the sisters.
About Katherine's gift, in the novellas it was proved that Katharine is not a poisoner but a naturalist. So, she had a pet snake named 'Sweetheart' in TDC then it died, but when her pet was replaced by another she didn't seem to notice it . A true naturalist would notice it from the very first moment. That's why I'm not even sure if she's a naturalist. In other words: What is Katharine's power or if she even has any kind of power?
Jules may be a fourth queen, I have so much theory about Jules and why she is as important as the queens. Why does she have a major role if she's not even a queen?
I'm still team Katharine, no matter how effed up her mind is.
Regardless of all the thigs I said, Kendare Blake makes an extremely readable story with three very compelling female leads (not to mention all those secondary characters as well). She’s not afraid to take risks with her characters while readers are once again left desperately hoping their favorites survive to the end (*cough cough* Katharine), and the others get their comeuppance.
cwright43's review against another edition
4.5, slow to get back into at the start, but super addictive once I got invested.
ihateprozac's review against another edition
5.0
Holy shit.
HOOOOOLY SHIT.
I lowkey hated the first book, but this was FANTASTIC.
I’ll stop screaming now.
I was terribly disappointed by the first novel Three Dark Crowns, having gone into it expecting some sort of YA-fantasy-meets-Hunger-Games, only to be met with a slow gothic romance that preferred to contemplate adventure rather than have adventure.
I umm-ed and ahh-ed over this book for a week, before finally taking a leap of faith and picking it up at Kinokuniya in Sydney. I figured if I hated this one too, I’d donate my copy to a friend and consider the series officially DNFed. I’m thrilled to say that not only did I love this sequel, but the rest of the series is now an auto-buy for me!
One Dark Throne follows directly on from the events of Three Dark Crowns, where
I still find the three queens a bit bland and lacking in depth, but they’re really starting to come into their own as individuals rather than how their faction would dictate them be. I was so “meh” about Arsinoe and didn’t like Katherine in the first book, but now they’re two of my favourite characters! I also found myself crying over the death of a character that I couldn’t give a rat’s arse about in the first novel - so that’s a testament to how much Blake’s writing improved with this novel.
The book is also thankfully free of the odd pacing issues of the first one. In Three Dark Crowns the time jumps/flash forwards felt awkward and clunky, almost like being poisoned/drugged in a circus funhouse. While this book does flashforward a few days or weeks at a time, Kendare Blake’s sense of time does feel a lot more linear and doesn’t make me feel like I blacked out and missed several pages.
I really have to commend Blake on their suspense and the thrill I felt while reading this novel. I couldn’t get through it fast enough, absolutely devouring the story to find out what would happen to our queens. I was actually stressed while reading it - so that goes to show just how invested I was in the sequel versus the first one! The first one was a case of forcing myself to finish the book, whereas I gladly picked this up and ploughed through until the end.
Overall: Never has a book made such a positive marked 180 for me. One Dark Throne overcomes the pacing issues and bland protagonists in the first novel, and has me firmly invested in this world. I’m so impressed and so in love!
HOOOOOLY SHIT.
I lowkey hated the first book, but this was FANTASTIC.
I’ll stop screaming now.
I was terribly disappointed by the first novel Three Dark Crowns, having gone into it expecting some sort of YA-fantasy-meets-Hunger-Games, only to be met with a slow gothic romance that preferred to contemplate adventure rather than have adventure.
I umm-ed and ahh-ed over this book for a week, before finally taking a leap of faith and picking it up at Kinokuniya in Sydney. I figured if I hated this one too, I’d donate my copy to a friend and consider the series officially DNFed. I’m thrilled to say that not only did I love this sequel, but the rest of the series is now an auto-buy for me!
One Dark Throne follows directly on from the events of Three Dark Crowns, where
Spoiler
Katherine is markedly changed from her trip to the Breccia Domain, Arsinoe is irreversibly scarred and struggling to reconcile her Poisoner heritage, while Mirabella is pining for Jules’ man. It’s clear that the Ascension Year is not so one-sided anymore, and Katherine poses more of a threat to Mirabella’s queenship than anybody could have anticipated. And while Arsinoe is largely the same old Arsinoe, she’s proving to be more resilient than anybody could have anticipated.I still find the three queens a bit bland and lacking in depth, but they’re really starting to come into their own as individuals rather than how their faction would dictate them be. I was so “meh” about Arsinoe and didn’t like Katherine in the first book, but now they’re two of my favourite characters! I also found myself crying over the death of a character that I couldn’t give a rat’s arse about in the first novel - so that’s a testament to how much Blake’s writing improved with this novel.
The book is also thankfully free of the odd pacing issues of the first one. In Three Dark Crowns the time jumps/flash forwards felt awkward and clunky, almost like being poisoned/drugged in a circus funhouse. While this book does flashforward a few days or weeks at a time, Kendare Blake’s sense of time does feel a lot more linear and doesn’t make me feel like I blacked out and missed several pages.
I really have to commend Blake on their suspense and the thrill I felt while reading this novel. I couldn’t get through it fast enough, absolutely devouring the story to find out what would happen to our queens. I was actually stressed while reading it - so that goes to show just how invested I was in the sequel versus the first one! The first one was a case of forcing myself to finish the book, whereas I gladly picked this up and ploughed through until the end.
Overall: Never has a book made such a positive marked 180 for me. One Dark Throne overcomes the pacing issues and bland protagonists in the first novel, and has me firmly invested in this world. I’m so impressed and so in love!