The Cruel Prince

Basically, I’d recommend the whole Folk of Air series, but you should start with The Cruel Prince, as they build upon one another.

Jude is the definition of a kick-ass heroine. She takes absolutely no prisoners, even in a setting where she seemingly has less power than those around her. She will fight tooth and nail to get the respect she deserves, and I love that about her. Also, Cardan. Cardan.

I don’t even know what else to say about him without starting a whole different review thread, but specifically, Jude and Cardan’s interactions. Just read it.

The Cruel Prince is a master class in world-building, and Holly Black does it with flare unlike anyone else I’ve ever read.

Her world is vibrant and unusual and bold, and her characters break with traditional norms – and yet are relatable and lovable all the same.

Cardan and Jude will forever be one of my favorite fantasy couples. 

As a Human in Faerie, Jude Duarte immediately intrigued me. Her differences made her stand out, so from a young age, she learned how to blend in, making her the perfect spy. I loved how smart she was, and how she didn’t let her weaknesses in Faerie define her or hold her back. I already knew I loved her as a character… and then she became a spy.

I loved that she wasn’t fearless. She was terrified of the world she had been raised in, but she didn’t let anyone see that—especially not her enemies. She let everyone underestimate her,… show more.

It is so rare to find a novel that lets the female protagonist be power-hungry, vengeful, and unlikeable. I would follow Holly Black’s Jude to the ends of the earth. My heart hammered the entire book: I never knew which way it was going. The Cruel Prince has so many elements I would usually dislike in a book, but in Black’s deft hands it was intoxicating. Everything worked beautifully.

Confession: by the time this book came out, I was no longer a young adult by even the most elastic definition of the term. So I wasn’t the intended audience, but I fell in love with it anyway. What’s not to love? It depicts the world of Faerie perfectly: not gentle or kind but glamorous, cruel, and full of tricks. To survive in such a world, a human girl would need to be fierce indeed. Enter Jude Duarte, a sword-wielding spy who succeeds largely through her own stubbornness and refusal to give in to fear. Even when her plans fail,… show more.

The Cruel Prince has that perfect blend of drama, danger, and destruction that tends to grab my attention. Not only is there the inherent danger of being part of a family that is protecting an heir to the throne, but there is no end to all the scheming by all parties to put themselves on the throne at any cost. Add to that a richly developed setting and culture in the faerie world with powerful beings who seem to delight in violence, and I’m sold. 

The Cruel Prince is a deliciously dark fae novel. Jude is a human living in fairie land and all she wants to do is belong. Cardan is the youngest prince and despises everything about Jude. Or does he? I love the development of Jude's character and how strong she is despite having Cardan be one of the worst bullies. Jude will not be broken and declares she will become “so much worse” than the fae that torment her. And she does. And it's lovely.

From the moment the story starts, we are whisked into the fantasy realm of fairies on a wave of blood and fear. Growing with the characters and seeing this world through their eyes, feeling the struggle of being mortal in a world of otherworldly beings, was super compelling. I personally related to the strong main character and found myself rooting for her until the end.