Mini Reviews: The Young Queens & The Oracle Queen by Kendare Blake

The Young Queens (Three Dark Crowns #0.2)
Author: Kendare Blake
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: December 26, 2017
Pages: 112
Format: Paperback - in Queens of Fennbirn Bindup

In this must-read prequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Timesbestselling Three Dark Crowns, the queens’ origin story is revealed. It’s a pre-crown lowdown of Fennbirn’s ruling class.

Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katharine weren't always scheming to murder each other. They weren't always surrounded by rival foster families, each swearing to have their best interests at heart. And they weren't always afraid of being unexpectedly attacked—by one of their own sisters, no less—in a way that could cost them their last breath.

They used to be together. Just three sisters. Alone in a glen.

This is the story of the three queens—after they were born, before they were separated, during the time when they all lived together, loved each other, and protected each other. It’s also the story of the day they were torn apart, and the several years that follow.

From birth to eleven years old, this is a rare glimpse of the queens' lives…before they were at stake.

Review: I thought this was such a great inside look into Mirabella, Arsinoe and Katharine's early life. We get to see Queen Camilla having the girls. We get to finally confirm the suspected switch of Arsinoe and Katharine we were questioning after the ending of Three Dark Crowns. We also get to see and understand why Queen Camilla had the switch made in the first place. Despite being a poisoner herself, she didn't want there to be another poisoner queen because she knows how the Arrons work and how they've dug in with their power. And reading Camilla's reasons, definitely makes me understand why she did the switch in the first place. 

The girls. Just wow. You can really see why Mirabella and even Arsinoe don't like or want to do what they would need to in order to secure the crown. The girls were incredibly close for their first 6 years of life. And they all were incredibly upset over being split up when the time came. Mirabella was so protective over her sisters. And you can see just how much it hurts her and how much she hates her potential "destiny" with her actions with her power. And we also get to see the infamous scene with Arsinoe, Jules, and Joseph trying to escape the island. She also didn't want any part of her potential "destiny" and just wanted to be rid of the entire issue of it. The only girl that seemed to fit ok into her life and mostly forget her sisters like she was supposed to was Katharine. Despite her not actually being a poisoner, she took to trying to be one pretty well in her younger years. I think this was such a great background into the girls upbringing and how they grew into the girls we see in the start of the series. 

The Oracle Queen (Three Dark Crowns #0.1)

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Pages: 115

Format: Paperback - In Queens of Fennbirn Bindup

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series introduces readers to the Oracle Queen in this riveting prequel e-novella.

Triplet queens born on the island of Fennbirn can be many things: Elementals. Poisoners. Naturalists. If an oracle queen is born, however, one with the gift of sight, she’s immediately drowned, extinguishing her chance at ever taking the throne.

But that’s not how it always was. This cautionary practice started long ago, with Queen Elsabet—the legendary, and last, oracle queen—whose reign was tinged with blood and horror.

Paranoid, ruthless, and utterly mad, Elsabet’s mistrust led to the senseless slaying of three entire houses of innocent people. At least, that’s the unchallenged tale carried down from generation to generation. But what really happened? Discover the true story behind the queen who, though born with the gift of sight, could not foresee her swift and sudden fall from power . . . until it was too late.

Fans of the Three Dark Crowns series will be enthralled with Queen Elsabet’s genesis, riveted by her madness, and compelled by her tragic—and bloody—reign.

*Spoilers about the short story*

Review: Wow. This was not what I was expecting at all. So Elsabet is the reason all Oracle Queens are drowned at birth, because it was said she went mad and had 3 houses of families killed. Well, that's a boldfaced, bullshit lie. She wasn't even having visions at the point of this story. Her gift was failing her. All the times she got mad in public, she was getting mad over her freaking husband blatantly flirting and attempting to bed other women. That is literally the least stupid reason to get mad. That's not her gift causing her to be mad, that's being a normal person who is angry their husband is cheating. And of course, our not favorite weaselly family is behind Elsabet's downfall. The freaking Arrons. Francesca Arron is a petty woman angry that Elsabet wouldn't listen to all their ideas and advice and let them pretty much run things. She hated that Elsabet want to be out among her people and hated that she went in public and mingled among them. So she devised this how plan to make Elsabet look mad by making her have outbursts over her husband cheating, and saying she had taken a lover that was cheating as well. She set up this whole thing to make Elsabet look unstable and then said she ordered the killing of "traitorous families" when in reality it was her killing off the people against her that could get the truth about Elsabet out. Like are you kidding me? I'm seriously done with the Arron family. I don't care what they do, there is no redeeming this family in my eyes. They were snakes now and are still snakes 500 years later. I hope the telling of this story plays a role on the main story line. That would definitely make it even more interesting.