Staff Pick
Frozen meets The Hunger Games in this AMAZING rollercoaster fantasy novel. Three sisters, destined to murder each other and seize the throne, will fight their way through the politics and history of their small island kingdom as well as the deadly, magical weapons each must learn to wield. With traditional fairy tale elements, highly original characters, and an unpredictable race car of a plot, Kendare Blake's Three Dark Crowns begins what will be a standout series in years to come. Recommended By McKenzie W., Powells.com
This book is about triplet sisters who must fight to the death to win the crown. It's the dark young adult fantasy you've been looking for. Filled with political intrigue and morally gray characters, you won't know who to root for. It's addictive and filled with swoonworthy world-building, and will keep you on your toes until the end. Recommended By Monica H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Fans of acclaimed author Kendare Blake’s Anna Dressed in Blood will devour her latest novel, a dark and inventive fantasy about three sisters who must fight to the death to become queen.
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
“Readers will be riveted by Blake’s ingenious world-building, stunning developments of main and supporting characters, and spiraling tensions. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy action thrillers with strong female leads, such as Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.” School Library Journal
Review
“With exquisite world building and luminous detail, this is high fantasy at its best. The magic is fierce and the plot intensely twisted, but at this novel’s dark heart beats a story about sisterhood, the unbreakable bonds of family, and ties that bind enough to kill.” Booklist (starred review)
Review
“The opener to a pitch-black epic fantasy series. Blake has constructed an insular, matriarchal society from convincing intimate details, vivid, complicated characters, [and] sumptuous, poetic prose. Gorgeous and bloody, tender and violent, precise, and passionate; above all, completely addicting. ” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
About the Author
Kendare Blake holds an MA in creative writing from Middlesex University in northern London. She is the author of Anna Dressed in Blood, a Cybils Awards finalist; Girl of Nightmares; Antigoddess; Mortal Gods; and Ungodly. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, have been featured on multiple best-of-year lists, and have received many regional and librarian awards. Kendare lives and writes in Kent, Washington.