After finishing Three Dark Crowns, I felt like I’d read a very long prequel disguised as a book. So imagine my cautious optimism as I cracked open One Dark Throne. Would we finally get some plot with our poison? Some fire with our feels? Spoiler: Yes—and thank the bookish gods for that. Let’s talk murder, magic, and emotional detachment.

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The Cover

The cover of One Dark Throne features an illustration of a single throne that has the visual elements attributed to each of the queens from the first book, Three Dark Crowns, flowering vines for the naturalist at the head, fire for the elemental at the seat, and snakes for the poisoner and the base. Using the same typographic treatment as the first installation, this volume is nicely consistent and thematically appropriate. The spacing between the words in the title feels slightly asymmetrical, though it is probably technically equidistant. It might be that line spacing was mathematically determined rather than accounting for the swash on the N in one. As before, the typeface feels appropriate. The text on this cover is a little harder to read because the text overlays the illustration. Even with the drop shadow to darken the area directly beneath the words, it isn’t as impactful as it might be. Cases like this are difficult because choices must be made: stay consistent throughout the series or break with the first book in favor of greater readability. I’d love to know what you think – How much design variance from one volume to the next is acceptable to ensure a beautifully designed book?  

The spine is designed consistently with the previous book, so they look lovely stacked or beside each other on the shelf. Hopefully, we see that continue throughout the series.

The back cover is tidy and legible. The top spacing is much better than in the previous book. I’m not entirely sure that two testimonials are necessary, as I tend to skip those anyway. Readers, I must know, do you read the “praise for” quotes on book covers? How about on an interior page?

Interior

The interior pages are consistent with the first book’s layout and styling. The map is the same as far as I can tell. Still lovely. I appreciate the inclusion of the “Cast of Characters” section to help refresh your memory if it has been some time between books. Honestly, this should be more common in Fantasy books. It may just be that I got a weird cut, but the top margins on the interior are very close to the edge while the numbering at the bottom has much more room. I find this distracting to look at. As before, the chapters are titled with the location the chapter takes place in and are styled with an icon relevant to that place or the people in it, a charming detail.

Did the design affect whether I bought the book?

I was gifted this series by a reader who read the first few chapters of the first book and didn’t wish to continue. They received it as a gift. So…third hand. In this instance, the covers did not influence my acquisition, but very likely influenced the original purchaser.

Picking up where the first book, Three Dark Crowns, left off, we have a pretty good idea about who the characters are and what motivates them. There is some character development throughout One Dark Throne, but each character more or less stays who they are, except Katharine, who is much changed due to a major plot point from the end of book one. Throughout the book, we see this development and, toward the end of this installment, understand that she is “wrestling her demons,” so to speak. The characters that are teens act, think, and sound like teens, which is both refreshing (because so many authors make their teens too self-aware) but also annoying (because I am a grown woman and get annoyed at characters who are bratty). The adult characters give the reader a sense of a rich history and complicated backstory that ties them all together in this engangled web of politics, magic, and ritual.

The pacing is quick, and the writing does pull the reader into the space. While the story is emotional, the writing does not delve too deeply into that or let the reader immerse themselves in the feels. For instance, when a character dies, the other characters are noted to feel sad or angry, but the writing doesn’t describe the emotions or how they present within a particular person, which keeps them at arm’s length. It creates a weird distance between the reader and the character that makes it less impactful than it could be.

Themes of loyalty and family are explored throughout One Dark Throne. Greed and manipulation abound. There seems to be a significant amount of searching for oneself and true path woven into the story, which is appropriate for a young adult coming-of-age story. Other themes include: weighing expectations of society and family against personal values and finding the will to persevere amidst constant trials, setbacks, personal injury, and heartbreak.

Blake has a slick way of foreshadowing that you miss if you aren’t paying attention. The magic system seems well thought out and adheres to its own rules. The setting is well drawn and the plot engaging. The bones of the story are strong, but the heart is weak. Get the reader inside the characters’ heads…let them feel it! The dialogue is good, but not outstanding. This is not a quoteable read, nor do the characters’ voices have a lot of nuance.

I liked One Dark Throne better than the first book, Three Dark Crowns. This is the story I thought I was getting in the first book. Yes, this one has a cliffhanger too, but the story that was meant to be told did conclude, which is much more satisfying than the previous novel. The plot and premise are interesting, the tempo is quick, and the plot “twists” are not all predictable. I would have liked to have felt more from the characters, to get attached to them.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy dark, bloody, violent, magical, young adult fantasy. That is pretty specific, but there are plenty of those elements. If that kind of thing puts you off, don’t head down this path. That said, I did enjoy it and will continue with the rest of the series.

The Series:

1. Three Dark Crowns
2. One Dark Throne
3. Two Dark Reigns
4. Five Dark Fates
5. Queens of Fennbirn (novella collection)

What drew you to this title?

Have you read the first book, Three Dark Crowns? What did you think?

May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.

Happy Reading!