Book 1 of the Three Dark Crowns Series
On the island of Fennbirn, in every generation, a set of female triplets is born and one of them is destined to become queen. Each of the triplets has a magical gift: Mirabella is a powerful elemental who can control fire, storms, and water. She is the heavy favourite to win the crown. Katharine is a weak poisoner who is raised to ingest deadly toxins, though her own immunity seems worryingly slow to appear. And Arsinoe is a naturalist meant to command fierce beasts and plants, though her gift struggles to bloom. When the triplets were six years old, they were separated to start their education including the lessons on how to kill the other two triplets, because the winner is meant to kill her sisters to obtain the crown.
This year is the ascension year, the year when the triplets turn sixteen, the year when the battle for the crown starts. While Mirabella possesses unmatched power, she is reluctant to murder her own sisters, allowing hidden weaknesses, rival factions, and unexpected survivals to shift the balance of power.
I love this book! It’s original and each of the queens is lovely. I think Mirabella is my least favourite of the three – she seems to be the most sure of herself, which makes sense because her natural, magical gift is exceptional while her sisters don’t seem to have very strong magic.
Read for The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 51: Includes a map
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
