At a glance
First published2023
Settingmist-covered cursed forest kingdom of Blunder
Audiobook14h 12m · Lisa Cordileone
AudienceAdult
Two Twisted Crowns
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for: Readers who finished One Dark Window and want a darker, more expansive conclusion — especially fans of atmospheric, morally complicated fantasy in the vein of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf or Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.
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Two Twisted Crowns is the New York Times bestselling conclusion to Rachel Gillig's The Shepherd King duology, sending Elspeth and Ravyn into a cursed forest to strike a potentially ruinous bargain with the Spirit of the Wood as they race to secure the final Providence Card. The sequel expands from one point of view to four, widening the world of Blunder and distributing narrative weight more broadly than its predecessor, while Booklist praises Gillig's distinctive magic system for exploring how power is abused — and how redemption remains possible. This is essential reading for fans of dark, atmospheric fantasy in the vein of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf, but readers must come to it through One Dark Window — it is not accessible as a standalone entry point.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already invested in The Shepherd King duology, Two Twisted Crowns is a confident, darker expansion of everything One Dark Window established — an instant New York Times bestseller whose ambitions match its atmosphere. Booklist singles out Gillig's magic system as a defining achievement, praising how it explores the abuse of power and the possibility of redemption. Reader commentary describes the sequel as paying off early story seeds and landing the ending with satisfying impact. The key caveat is structural dependency: this is not a book to pick up cold, and readers who found Elspeth's dynamic with the Nightmare repetitive in book one should know that tension continues here.
- Similar books
- Readers drawn to Two Twisted Crowns' dark, atmospheric fantasy and morally complicated protagonists have several strong options. The natural starting point is One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig — the first volume of The Shepherd King duology and essential reading before the sequel. For a similarly lush, menacing atmosphere, the publisher itself draws comparisons to Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching. Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab both share the duology's interest in dangerous bargains and morally complex female protagonists. When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss round out the shelf for readers who want richly built fantasy worlds with high emotional stakes.
- Who should read this?
- Two Twisted Crowns is designed for adult and older young-adult readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric fantasy with morally complicated protagonists. Fans of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching will find a kindred commitment to lush menace and high emotional stakes. Readers must have completed One Dark Window first — the sequel assumes full familiarity with the duology's world, characters, and unresolved cliffhanger. Those who found Elspeth's ongoing negotiation with the Nightmare frustrating in book one should note that dynamic continues in the sequel, though the expansion to four POVs dilutes its most repetitive qualities.
- About Rachel Gillig
- Rachel Gillig is an American gothic romantic fantasy author.
- How does it compare to One Dark Window?
- Two Twisted Crowns is a deliberate expansion of One Dark Window on almost every structural level. Where book one filtered the entire narrative through Elspeth's single point of view — a choice that made her internal contradictions more pronounced and her repeated arguments with the Nightmare feel repetitive to some readers — the sequel distributes perspective across four characters, opening up the world of Blunder considerably. As noted by the blog Bookish Goblin, this was widely welcomed as the sequel's most significant improvement, allowing the story to dramatise consequences from multiple angles and pay off plot seeds planted much earlier in the duology. The tone is darker and the stakes are existential, but the thematic core — power, corruption, and redemption through the Providence Cards — remains consistent across both volumes.
- Are there content warnings?
- Yes — Two Twisted Crowns carries content including violence, gore, blood, and terror, details that Rachel Gillig discloses on her own website, where a full content warnings page is maintained. The romance is described by The Reading Nook as mild, with moments that may not suit younger readers. This makes the novel a better fit for adult or older young-adult audiences than for middle-grade readers. Sensitive readers are encouraged to consult Gillig's content warnings page directly before reading.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
About Rachel Gillig
How does it compare to One Dark Window?
Are there content warnings?
Summarize this book
Two Twisted Crowns is the second and final volume of Rachel Gillig's The Shepherd King duology, published by Orbit Books on October 17, 2023. Picking up directly from the cliffhanger of One Dark Window, the story follows Elspeth and Ravyn as they venture into a cursed forest to strike a bargain with the Spirit of the Wood — a deal framed as potentially costing them everything — in order to claim the last of the twelve Providence Cards. Elspeth simultaneously grapples with the Nightmare, the dark spirit she carries within her, whose violent interventions are as necessary as they are horrifying. The novel expands from a single POV to four, opening up the kingdom of Blunder and sprinting toward a definitive, high-stakes resolution.
Follow up
What is the bargain with the Spirit of the Wood?
What are the Providence Cards?
Does the duology get a satisfying ending?
Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 16+
Reading level
Adult
Content to know about
graphic violence and gore
blood and body horror
terror and psychological dread
Best for: Adults / mature 16+ — violence, gore, blood, and terror content, as disclosed on the author's own website, makes this unsuitable for younger or sensitive readers.
Skip if you want a standalone fantasy or haven't read One Dark Window — this sequel is structurally inaccessible without its predecessor.
Editorial Review
Two Twisted Crowns is the New York Times bestselling conclusion to Rachel Gillig's The Shepherd King duology, picking up directly from the cliffhanger of One Dark Window as Elspeth and Ravyn race to gather the final Providence Cards — a quest that drives them into a cursed forest for a potentially ruinous bargain with the Spirit of the Wood. This review covers the book's content, structure, and reception from published sources, not hands-on use.
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