Name: The Oracle Queen
ISBN: 9780062748270

Kendare Blake

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. Don't miss Five Dark Fates, the thrilling conclusion to the series, coming in September!

The Oracle Queen

A short story from Kendare Blake's bestselling Three Dark Crowns universe, The Oracle Queen tells the story of the last queen born with the gift of sight. . . Historically, baby queens born with the sight gift were drowned. This had been the practice for hundreds of years, so long that few were even born anymore, as if the Goddess knew it would be a waste. It is a harsh sentence, but necessary, for it is well-known that in a queen the sight gift will run strong. Strong enough to drive her mad.This is the tale the last sight gift queen to be allowed to live. She was overcome by paranoia and false visions, driven past the brink by the phantom thoughts of others in her head, so she set upon the capital with bloody ruin, murdering whole houses, whole family lines without trial. Or at least, that is how the tale is told. This is her story.

A Three Dark Crowns novella

Lacy W

It absolutely pains me to say that I didn't love this book. I should have. The Oracle Queen was constantly mentioned in Three Dark Crowns and One Dark Throne. I was so curious about the sight gift and why it's so bad to have one. (there is that whole mention that they kill any child that has the sight gift so you know, that is kind of bad if I do say so myself) But something was just missing from this book and I can't place why. 

I liked Elsabet as a character but I didn't feel that connection with her like I did with Katharine. Maybe, if this had been a full length novel and we got know Elsabet more, I would have liked this more. I didn't get to really know what the sight gift was all about. It was so rarely used and just talked about more than anything. 

I have a lot of unanswered questions. (view spoiler)[ how would the ruling system work with Elsabet in prison? Wouldn't the Goddess of the Island be mad about this?  (hide spoiler)] I also couldn't get behind the reason that everything happened. I'm sorry but it just seemed so silly and ridiculous. 

Overall, I'm not mad I read this. I'm just a little disappointing with how it turned out. I still, 100%, think if you love the world of Three Dark Crowns, that this would be a fantastic addition and it might answer your questions, even if they didn't answer mine.

Sandra Tammaru

In love with this intriguing treacherous world

Alaia

Three Dark Crowns is somewhat of a guilty pleasure of mine. 

I’m aware it’s not the most prestigious of fantasy novels, and yet I find the world so intriguing and the writing so fluid to read. 

The same goes for this novella. The writing was not particularly outstanding, but the plot and the injustice of that ending really made me feel something, and that is what we all seek from stories, isn’t it? To feel something. 

SPOILER!!!!

Anyway, Sonia Beaulin and Francesca Arron can go **** themselves!

Toni Turner

I love Rosamond and Bess with every fiber of my being.

Sheila Goicea

See my FULL review of this book on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com



Out today!
 “Was it not also me who warned you that a queen is only as good as her advisers?” “Yes.” She crooked her mouth at him. “But you were wrong. That may be true of other queens, but an oracle queen is only as good as her gift.”
I've been anticipating this novella for quite. The Oracle Queen, mentioned several times throughout the Three Dark Crowns series, has remained an aloof point of intrigue. So, I dove into this story, devouring each page, and looking for...something more than I found.

Politics have always played a big role in this series--and the politics are often muddied with deceit and corruption. 500 years earlier...nothing has changed. While there are five abilities represented instead of the three prominent abilities between Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katherine, there is all-the-more treachery at work between the groups. While I expected this aspect to play a role in this story as well, I was also hoping for more of a fantasy element to be at work as well. Honestly, I felt a bit let down with the way everything panned out, and the truth is revealed behind Queen Elsabet's story. 

Despite that fact, the interworkings between the different groups were interesting to see. There was a lot more openness between the groups in terms of friendships and working together. Elsabet, a Sight-gifted queen was close friends with the War-gifted Rosemund. Whereas, 500 years later, friendships between people of different gifts was taboo. 
Handsome, they called her. She was a queen of presence, they said. She hoped it was true. With such a homely face, it was all she could aspire to.
Queen Elsabet wasn't what I was expecting. Although, I'm not really sure what I was expecting. While she was a queen, and a young one at that, she was constantly worried about her vanity--to the point of paranoia. This was her weakest quality that guided her to not always make the best decisions. 

While this was a decent short story, I was just hoping for it to have more to it. The way everything happened was much more predictable than I had expected.

Vulgarity: None.
Sexual content: There are references, but nothing in detail.
Violence: Minimal. 

My Rating: ★★★

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Candyce Kirk

I loved being back in this world. this novella makes me both scared and excited for the next book in this series!

Anyaconda

I haven't read any of the other books yet. I kinda wanted to start reading the series in chronological order. So next up is "The Young Queens"