“Twin Crowns” is a tale of two sisters, one crown, and a shared destiny. Set in a world where magic intertwines with politics, the twins must decide whether to unite or stand against each other.
Book Review: Twin Crowns
Authors: Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
Series: Twin Crowns #1
Format: 480 pages, Hardcover
Published: May 17, 2022, by Balzer & Bray
ISBN: 9780063116139
ASIN: 0063116138
Language: English
Edition: 2022
Plot Overview:
Rose Valhart and Wren Greenrock, twins separated at birth, lead starkly different lives. Rose, raised in the palace, is a modest and well-mannered princess, oblivious to her sister’s existence. Wren, raised among witches, knows of Rose and has been preparing to take her place to avenge their parents’ murders and end the persecution of witches. Her plan unfolds just before Rose’s coronation, setting the stage for their clash of identities and destinies.
Detailed Impressions:
“Twin Crowns” caters to a teenage audience and adheres to many of the genre’s clichés. Despite its intriguing premise of a power struggle, the narrative is slow-paced and predictable, focusing primarily on romantic subplots that feel superficial, lacking depth and chemistry. This predictability detracts from the excitement and potential of the story.
The world-building falls flat, with a simplistic magic system that’s quickly and easily explained, robbing it of mystery and intrigue. The lack of detail fails to immerse the reader in the setting fully.
Character development is underwhelming. Rose and Wren’s relationship evolves implausibly, shifting from hatred to friendship without sufficient explanation. Secondary characters are static and forgettable, while the villains lack originality and intrigue. One antagonist, in particular, eliminates suspense by prematurely revealing his plans.
Action scenes feel exaggerated and unrealistic, turning the protagonists into invincible caricatures. The over-the-top rescues lack logic and strain credibility, further leaning into predictable tropes.
My rating for the book
I rated this book 2 stars. Twin Crowns is a light, unremarkable read likely to appeal to younger readers around 15 years old. While I understand it is YA, I’ve read other fantasy novels in the genre that captivated me. This one lacked that magic. The dialogues felt awkward, the romances were undeveloped and unconvincing, and the plot became tiresome with its predictability. Secondary characters were unimportant, and much of the book dwelled on the twins’ internal debates about the throne, making it a struggle to finish.
Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to return to the place of her parents’ murder and usurp the only survivor, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Or she would, if only a certain palace guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic didn’t have a habit of causing trouble…
Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility. Marriage into a brutal kingdom awaits, and she will not let a small matter like waking up in the middle of the desert in the company of an extremely impertinent (and handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her royal duty. But life outside the palace walls is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never knew she was missing.
Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better. But as coronation day looms closer and they each strive to claim their birthright, the sinister Kingsbreath, Willem Rathborne, becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?
