thebakersbooks's reviews
281 reviews

I don't do partial star ratings, but this would fall somewhere between three and four stars if I did.

The world was developed well; the concept of Craft as a divider between humans and fair folk was particularly interesting and played out to its full potential. I enjoyed the atmosphere, which delved into the traditionally dark side of immortal beings governed by rules that disregard human morality, for whom humans are little more than fleeting entertainment.

The romance, however, felt forced and unimaginative.

As the main character repeatedly observed, she wasn't the type of person to put herself and her family at risk by falling in love with one of the fair folk...but as soon as one caught her interest, she did. I appreciated that she came to understand that her initial "love" had been nothing but infatuation, but the romance arc still seemed rushed.

In the end, I liked the creepy creatures and the take on fairy legends but thought it a shame that the secondary characters were so much more interesting and less predictable than the main ones.

As in both previous installments in the Three Dark Crowns series, Kendare Blake wove together many points of view masterfully, creating tension without confusing or boring the reader. This series was originally planned to end after the second book, but Two Dark Reigns had few of the issues I've seen when stories continue beyond their original arcs. The setting and magic are still fresh, the new conflict and new relationships between characters still compelling to read.

5/5 stars; highly recommend to lovers of dark fantasy and morally gray protagonists.