Review :: Five Dark Fates :: Kendare Blake
November 22, 2019
One of the best series I read last year was Kendare Blake's YA fantasy Three Dark Crowns - you might remember me raving about it when book 3 (Two Dark Reigns) came out and I binge read all three books in a weekend (check out my review here). Of course I was delighted when Pan Macmillan sent me Five Dark Fates, the fourth - and final - book in the series (technically it's kind of the fifth book since there's also a novella!). I love the covers on these books - the colours are so striking!
Now, obviously it's hard to give a summary of the plot of a series-closing book, because of spoilers! And this is a series where the back covers give a bit of an overview of where the previous book finished, so avoid them if you want to stay spoiler free.
Since I don't want to spoil the books, instead of talking about Five Dark Fates here's the Goodreads summary for the first book Three Dark Crowns
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.
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.
I really loved these books, and I thought that Five Dark Fates did an excellent job of closing the series. I did wish that I had re-read the other books right before this one so that I would get back up to speed more quickly, but I was still able to keep up while I remembered everything. I'm pretty sure that I will re-read this series in the not too distant future!
You can read more about my favourite things in this series in my previous review, and it all still stands in this book. I really loved the setting of this series - both in terms of the actual island and also the rich mythology that Blake builds around it - and I loved the fact that it is centred around three strong (but still flawed) young women.
I think this series - now that it is complete - would make a pretty good Christmas present for the YA fantasy fan in your life! I have heard that Blake has a few things coming up in the next couple of years, including a sci-fi book, and I'm super keen to see what she has in store for us!
xo Bron
*** Five Dark Fates ***
Out now from Pan Macmillan
On Goodreads
Source: Massive thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me a free copy to review
Genre: Fantasy (YA)
Find Kendare Blake online here
2 comments
Those spines! Seriously, they have some of the creepiest, coolest covers I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked Five Dark Fates. I have the first book, but I haven't read it yet. I definitely need to get there sooner rather than later!
Excellent thoughts as always, Bron, and thank you for not spoiling.
💜
Aren't the spines cool?! They are really fun - definitely time to read them now that the series is finished =)
Delete