Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Bloody but satisfying end to mature magic-sisters series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In FIVE DARK FATES: THREE DARK CROWNS, BOOK 4, the rebels on Fennbirn Island face a setback: One of the queens, Mirabella, has defected and didn't say why. Her sister, Queen Arsinoe, can't believe it. Why would she go back to the volatile Queen Katharine? Mirabella just keeps remembering what Madrigal said as she died: that Katharine was "full of the dead." Mirabella needs to know what it means and how to help her youngest sister, even if she's power-hungry and misguided. Katharine doesn't know what to do with Mirabella at first. Will it make her appear weak to have another queen in the capital? Her decision is made for her when the mist threatens to kill more of her people, since Mirabella is the only one who can fight it. A truce forms between the sisters in the capital just as Arsinoe gets word to Mirabella that they want to stage a rescue. She hopes that, with Mirabella back on their side, they can defeat Katharine and take over the island for the legion queen in the spring. Arsinoe wants to save Mirabella while Mirabella still has hope that she can save Katharine. But all this is happening just as Katharine realizes that it's becoming much harder to control the dead and keep them away from her sisters.
Is It Any Good?
This bloody queen-takedown finale doesn't tie up all of the series' loose ends, but it's still tantalizing with its mix of battles, creepiness, and complex sister conflict. Of course, with a warrior queen in the mix now, there have to be battles. With the superhuman powers in play, Five Dark Fates gives off a cool Wonder Woman vibe. The creep factor comes in as readers see more of Katharine's ghosts in action. For most of the book, she's barely in control of these volatile spirits but still using them to keep her power.
The complex sister conflict is really the best part of this book/series. Mirabella defects right away to see Katharine. Mirabella is the sister who always wants to make peace and save the other ones, but she's in over her head. Arsinoe, even when she's abandoned, never gives up on Mirabella. And eventually all remaining know what has to be done -- and their difficult roles to play. There are a few mysteries that are never solved in Five Dark Fates (like, what happened to the ghost of Queen Daphne?), but otherwise, this finale more than satisfies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about who lived and who died in Five Dark Fates. Did your favorite queen make it? Is it the outcome you expected? Was the violence what you expected after reading the other books? Was it ever too much?
What do you think is next for the island of Fennbirn? What about its goddess-centered religion?
This series ends after four books. Would you want a spin-off series? What characters would you like to follow next? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : September 3, 2019
- Number of pages : 464
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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