Review – Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Title Rule

Author Ellen Goodlett

Description from Amazon

Three girls. Three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

Initial Thoughts

I had this book on my shelf for a while before I actually read it.  I didn’t love Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake so I thought this might be a better version of that.  It’s a similar story with the exception of the sisters not knowing about each other before the competition starts.

Cover Art

I love the cover of this one.  It was probably my favorite part about the entire book.  It’s rich and detailed and very well suited to the subject matter.  The colors and the font used are super dramatic and I think that encapsulates the themes very well.

POV

This story is told through alternating POV chapters from each of the three sisters.  At times, I found all three girls annoying.  As the reader, it’s very frustrating to watch them all be so distrustful when you know that there is no ill intent.  I think this book actually could have been better if it was told from third person omniscient narration.  It was difficult at times to remember who was the narrator and there was a lot of confusion between the characters.

Something I Liked

I loved the ending.  It was a cliffhanger but it had something that I love to see in books.  No spoilers, but, I will be busting out my detective hat for the next book, Rise, coming out on June 11, 2019.

Final Thoughts

I definitely thought this book was better than Three Dark Crowns.  While the characters annoyed me somewhat, I think the overall story was solid.  There are a lot of moving parts, lies, and secrets that tie everything together and I am interested to see where the second (and last) book will leave everything.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Recommendations for Further Reading

• Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon – so many similarities between these books.  Setting, characters, overall themes.  Gravemaidens hasn’t been released yet, but definitely check it out if you liked Rule.
• We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal – If you liked Rule’s alternating POV style, the setting, and the concept of lost magic, definitely give We Hunt the Flame a try.  It is also the start of a series (if you’re not into stand alone novels).
• Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake – this is another story of three sisters fighting for a crown.  Murder, deception, and sisterhood are just some of the themes that make these books comparable.