The Cursed Crowns

Once again, these authors have given us a thrilling and fast paced story about the twin sisters Rose and Wren.  This is the second in the series and the sisters are now joint queens of their country Eana.  However, all is not well, as many do not appreciate having witches as their queens and rebellion is in the air. Added to this they are having to cope with the loss of their grandmother, who is being held captive in the neighbouring country of Gevra.  The sisters will have to cope with tremendous danger if they are going to bring peace to the country and its people.

Although this is the second in the series, it can be read without reading the first.  We are gradually given the backstory, so that the reader is able to keep pace with the action.  The plot is told from the viewpoint of the two sisters and I suspect that each author writes from one side, so that we get a consistent and in depth feel about the main characters.  What comes across is the uncertainty the sisters feel as they cope with situations that are new to them. I particularly noticed the way they had to keep emphasizing that they are the queen, as if they are still very unsure of the role.  We also see relationships develop and alter as the central characters begin to understand the viewpoint of others.  The authors have created a magical fantasy world, where the main characters are relatable but also flawed in some ways.  We also learn to understand the fear that the ordinary people feel when confronted by the witches, even though many of their skills are in healing and nurturing.  It shows how easy it is for views to be changed by the use of propaganda and ‘false news’.  This is a fantastic read and is likely to be one of the highlights of the year.