Crown of Crowns

Firstly.. I need to say WOW. I'm still recovering from reading this incredible story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this fantastic novel.

Crown of Crowns by Clara Loveman is set in a dystopian world although unlike many Dystopian novels? This world doesn't immediately feel like it is and you could simply be reading about a world set in the future. The Worldbuilding that the author creates to me, is one of the most important aspects for a reader and Crown of Crowns doesn't disappoint in this regard.

The world is intriguing and relatively easy to imagine. Loveman has created different areas and they’re described so well that one can visualise each one. Whether it be what separates the wealthy areas from the poor, and the cities versus the still very natural almost from the descriptions; jungle-like.

I was drawn into the story quickly and utterly intrigued by the characters and world as a whole. I had been intrigued by the book when reading the initial description and had hoped to be lost between the pages, but I can honestly say Crown of Crowns was so much more than I could have hoped.

We are initially introduced to Kaelyn and Roki, best friends and lovers as Roki shows her a world that is long gone but re-enacted to remind the citizens (or more accurately the less wealthy and elite) of a world that is more relatable to what we know as normal now. The image of women mimicking being pregnant as they walk together in a park was a scene I found especially haunting as was that of machines made to represent pets.

This romance goes against what Kaelyn’s family want for her as she's a member of a noble family and thus, Roki being a common man is not a suitable partner. From the moment Kaelyn stands up to her Mother over who she loves and his influence upon her; the world Kaelyn has known implodes and her place within it seems endangered.

I don't want to spoil Crown of Crowns for others so I will refrain from telling you more about the story itself.

I wished there had been more interaction and background given to the friends Kaelyn has around her as they have along with Roki helped shape the intuitive woman she has become. It is so apparent that it is down to them that Kaelyn doesn't want to live a quiet life and longs to make life more equal to everyone and bring back many of the things such as Market Day, that have been stopped for a more regimented way of living.

Perhaps that will come in book two, as there is so much we don't know. They are all so very different than one another and I really wanted to know more about them. I theorised that Kaelyn is still somewhat entitled when it comes to her relationship with her friends due to her place within the nobility. It shows both her age and the life she has always known even if she sees faults within it.

This book kept me continuously surprised and I didn't see half the plot twists coming which was a pleasant surprise and I was left with a thousand questions and utter shock at what happens. Crown of Crowns is a truly unique novel and I cannot wait to read the sequel when it comes to hopeful answer half the questions and to no doubt be left captivated again by the wonderful world Clara Loveman has created.