Fans have waited eagerly for Holly Black’s return to the realms of Faerie and the fae and The Cruel Prince doesn’t disappoint. Holly Black rightfully retains her crown as the Faerie queen in this new beginning to a trilogy that presents a faerieland that is just as bloodthirsty and cruel as we remember.
Jude is a girl who was stolen away to faerie as a child and raised by her parent’s murderer. She was raised in Faerie, with her twin sister Taryn, a cruel and intolerant place for a human. But her redcap, parent murdering, father, Madoc, has raised them in his home, as members of the faerie court.
Jude is a character caught between two worlds, not Fae enough to be faerie but not human enough to want to escape to the human world with her Fae sister Vivi. But not everyone in Elfhame is accepting of Jude, in fact, some would much rather see her dead.
Among Jude’s enemies is Cardan, prince of Elfhame and all around mean guy. And willing to make Jude’s life hell whenever he has the opportunity. And he has the opportunity quite a lot. Cardan is a wonderfully horrid boy, who seems to literally define the phrase ‘love to hate’.
Jude has to battle court intrigue, murderous royals, and use her skills as a human to her advantage in the Fae court. A Fae court that frequently is becoming less safe for a human…
Holly Black has spent years and frequent books developing her bloodthirsty, special world of Faerie. The Cruel Prince has cameo’s from characters that fans of her books will recognise.
Holly Black takes us into new territory with the kingdom of Elfhame, a different court to the ones that have been already and welcomes us inside of it far more than any of the previous ones. We are immersed, like Jude, into the world of Faerie. Holly Black’s fae are crueller and more untrustworthy than ever before – and it’s delicious.
The cruelty and pain of Faerie is rich and decadent. Holly Black has filled this world full of anger and betrayal. and language that is rich and lyrical.
It’s a world that feels like you were meant to turn around at the first step and run away home to safety. But instead you take a step closer, and further into the quagmire and find yourself in the most horrible, trouble, imaginable.
But it’s the kind of trouble you can’t wait to find your way out of. We are barely able to breathe waiting for the next despicable installment.
Cinders Magazine 