Parents' Guide to

One Dark Throne: Three Dark Crowns, Book 2

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sexier, bloodier sequel full of unexpected twists.

Book Kendare Blake Fantasy 2017
One Dark Throne: Three Dark Crowns, Book 2 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

HXH47QB
HXH47QB Adult
December 15, 2018
age 16+

Awesome if it’s for the right person...

This book is a very good dark one. The characters have strong wills and are very motivated. However, it does have some hidden meanings you have to interpret and some adult like subjects. Katharine tries to poison everyone and is subjecting herself to amounts of poison, so much she is practically made of it and she is proud and wears the title of the Undead Queen. She is merciless and cruel and has fun attempting to kill her sisters. There are some graphic scenes involving th subject of adult love and graphic aftermath killing scenes. It is a great book only for the right person, if you don’t like violence and love and killing, this is not good for you. It has scenes and is very mature like. Some graphic aftermath scenes are strangling and a very explicit telling of what the person’s neck looked like and stabbing. This is very violent and some characters enjoy killing. This is not good for 14 and under ages because you might not understand the meanings and it is very graphic. But if you are like 16 and up and this sounds interesting, do not hesitate to read it! It is a good book, but is very mature. A 16 and up year old could probably handle it, maybe 15. But this will scare younger kids, just to let you know. A very good book when you are ready.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In ONE DARK THRONE, it's turning into one unpredictable Ascension Year. Queen Katharine miraculously, mysteriously returns after being cast into a pit and left for dead. As she's welcomed back to the Poisoner clan, it's clear she's changed. She's more bloodthirsty, more willing to risk her own life ingesting poisons to prove herself, and more determined to be considered the strongest queen and the last one standing. Meanwhile her sister-queens, Arsinoe and Mirabella, prepare to face off. Spies tell Arsinoe that Mirabella is stalking her in the woods nearby. Instead of hiding from Mirabella and her ability to strike her down with a bolt of lightning, Arsinoe goes out to meet her. When Mirabella sees that Arsinoe doesn't have her bear to protect her, she hesitates, and it's enough for Arsinoe to escape. But Arsinoe won't be able to escape her sisters at the Midwinter Festival. All the queens are invited to Arsinoe's Naturalist village to celebrate -- and try to kill each other.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (4 ):

This sequel meanders at the start but then builds to so many unexpected twists and turns that readers who delight in dark tales will be so glad they went on the journey. One Dark Throne is tough to talk about without revealing spoilers: How many queens made it so far? Who killed whom? Did Mirabella finally get angry enough? Or did Katharine go crazy enough? Or did Arsinoe develop her newfound Poisoners gift in time to use it? All good questions, and no, none of it goes the way readers think it will.

It's not just about the queens here, either. Arsinoe's friend Jules has an intriguing role to play while adding some more mysteries to workings of this curious world of macabre traditions and power-playing families and devoted priestesses. It's why the beginning seems to meander -- it's a lot of secondary characters and dirty-dealing politics to keep straight. But it's also why the last third is so twisty and exciting. There: nothing given away here except to expect the unexpected and, no doubt, be ready for more shocking surprises in the next installment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in One Dark Throne. Did you feel prepared for some of the gore in this story, considering what you know is supposed to happen? Is it easier to read about violence when it's expected as part of the story?

  • What do you think of the power struggle that unfolds? Who's destined to hold the power on this island? The winning queen? The families they were raised by? The families of the mainland king-consorts? Is this island really a matriarchal society?

  • What do you think will happen next? Which characters do you think will stand out in the third book?

Book Details

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