Two Dark Reigns
The third novel in the Three Dark Crowns series did something that rarely happens when I pick up a book that’s part of a series: it surpassed its predecessors.
I thoroughly enjoyed the other books and short story collection in this series. Kendare Blake is a talented writer and she drew me into her world when I first picked up Three Dark Crowns. However, she really showed everyone just how hard she’s worked to craft this series with Two Dark Reigns.
The plot is a huge part of a story, some would say the part that really matters, and the best thing about Reigns’ plot was that I was never bored. Each chapter left me in a state of perpetual excitement and/or nervousness. Blake switched perspectives each chapter and did so in a way that didn’t confuse me. She wrote it where you would think you just read about Queen Katharine dealing with the murderous mist in the last chapter, and not further back in the book.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is the lore Blake created surrounding the queens of Fennbirn. This series is not just about Katharine, Mirabella, and Arsinoe, but it incorporates past queens who we learn have a huge role to play in the three sisters’ lifetime. One specific example is the revered Blue Queen, who manifests in Arisone’s dreams and leads the runaway sisters back to Fennbirn Island. Blake did a commendable job weaving this mysterious queen back into the current story and giving her an important role to play. No spoilers, but let’s just say she’s not what she seems!
Blake didn’t drop the bag when it came to writing compelling characters, but that is what makes it so hard to choose a favourite. If I had a knife to my throat and I had to choose, I would choose Mirabella. Her loyalty to her sisters, especially Arisone, is one of the things I love most about her. But Mirabella is also one of the strongest, if not the strongest character in the series and I love her for that. I love that she can be so soft and gentle, but she has a spine of steel and the power to literally create storms. She shows that there is not just one side to a woman, especially a queen of Fennbirn. She also is the final perspective at the end of Reigns and she leaves the book on such a cliff hanger, it was hard not to send Blake a gushing e-mail demanding the final book in the series immediately.
I read many, many books during the year and I usually rate one book every few months with more than four out of five stars; there’s nothing necessarily wrong with the other books, but generally there is an aspect that I don’t completely enjoy. This cannot be said for Two Dark Reigns. After a few days of not being immersed in the Fennbirn world, I have tried to think of something I didn’t like about the book and I simply can’t come up with anything. This book has earned its five-star rating.
Two Dark Reigns Rating: ★★★★★
I thoroughly enjoyed the other books and short story collection in this series. Kendare Blake is a talented writer and she drew me into her world when I first picked up Three Dark Crowns. However, she really showed everyone just how hard she’s worked to craft this series with Two Dark Reigns.
The plot is a huge part of a story, some would say the part that really matters, and the best thing about Reigns’ plot was that I was never bored. Each chapter left me in a state of perpetual excitement and/or nervousness. Blake switched perspectives each chapter and did so in a way that didn’t confuse me. She wrote it where you would think you just read about Queen Katharine dealing with the murderous mist in the last chapter, and not further back in the book.
One of my favourite aspects of this series is the lore Blake created surrounding the queens of Fennbirn. This series is not just about Katharine, Mirabella, and Arsinoe, but it incorporates past queens who we learn have a huge role to play in the three sisters’ lifetime. One specific example is the revered Blue Queen, who manifests in Arisone’s dreams and leads the runaway sisters back to Fennbirn Island. Blake did a commendable job weaving this mysterious queen back into the current story and giving her an important role to play. No spoilers, but let’s just say she’s not what she seems!
Blake didn’t drop the bag when it came to writing compelling characters, but that is what makes it so hard to choose a favourite. If I had a knife to my throat and I had to choose, I would choose Mirabella. Her loyalty to her sisters, especially Arisone, is one of the things I love most about her. But Mirabella is also one of the strongest, if not the strongest character in the series and I love her for that. I love that she can be so soft and gentle, but she has a spine of steel and the power to literally create storms. She shows that there is not just one side to a woman, especially a queen of Fennbirn. She also is the final perspective at the end of Reigns and she leaves the book on such a cliff hanger, it was hard not to send Blake a gushing e-mail demanding the final book in the series immediately.
I read many, many books during the year and I usually rate one book every few months with more than four out of five stars; there’s nothing necessarily wrong with the other books, but generally there is an aspect that I don’t completely enjoy. This cannot be said for Two Dark Reigns. After a few days of not being immersed in the Fennbirn world, I have tried to think of something I didn’t like about the book and I simply can’t come up with anything. This book has earned its five-star rating.
Two Dark Reigns Rating: ★★★★★