Three Dark Crowns

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual content, and death.

1. “Katharine will wear [Sweetheart] to the party tonight, coiled around her wrist like a warm, muscular bracelet.”

Katharine’s ability to wear Sweetheart like jewelry is evidence that their relationship is not typical and foreshadows her deeper connection to nature. This description, along with the fact that Sweetheart has never once bitten the queen, hints that the snake is likely Katharine’s familiar and not simply a beloved pet. This points to Katharine’s true gift as a naturalist rather than a poisoner, just as Arsinoe later learns she’s a poisoner and not a failed naturalist.

“Genevieve’s lilac eyes are like stones.”

This simile emphasizes Genevieve’s beauty and coldness. While lavender eyes would be unusual and striking, their comparison to stones suggests hardness and cruelty. This reflects the pleasure Genevieve takes in inflicting pain on Katharine.

“The room is heavy, and so full of eyes, as it waits.”

This description of the ballroom where the Gave Noir takes place employs figurative language to emphasize the oppressive atmosphere of pressure and judgment. The “heavy” weight of the room reflects the mood of the people in the room rather than describing the room itself, and this substitution is an example of metonymy. Further, the people in the room are reduced to “eyes” because