A review by worldsunlikeourown
Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake

4.0

Read more reviews on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.

This book has been on my ‘to-review’ shelf for nearly two years, so it was about time I sat down to write one for it. I hadn’t initially intended to read this book at all, owing to my general dislike of novellas and spin offs, but after I finished reading Five Dark Fates, there were some questions I had unanswered, and I really wanted to see if this book had the answers.

The Young Queens shows the story of the birth of Katharine, Arsinoe and Mirabella, and their childhood at the black cottage, unaware of what the future holds. The big reveal in this story was how Arsinoe and Katharine were switched, as well as some insight into the amount of power the poisoners have held by being in power for so long and how they have taken advantage of it. It was a good insight into what the queens were like as girls and an interesting read.

The Oracle Queen was the story I liked better, as it shows a different side to Elsabet, as well as the true story behind the supposedly mad queen, a very different one from what the legend states. The ending was quite a shocking one, and a sad tale too, but this story also allowed for a glimpse at Fennbirn many, many years before the events of the main series and how different the dynamics were between the differently gifted people, as well as some parallels with the Fennbirn we know.

Queens of Fennbirn was an enjoyable read and a great window into the past, filling in some gaps in the main story. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series!