Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Title: The Wicked King

Author:  Holly Black
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date:  January 8th, 2018

Pages: 336
Genre: YA Fantasy

Series:  The Folk of the Air #2
Source:  Audiobook

               
You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.The first lesson is to make yourself strong.After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

It seems I waited forever for this sequel. I remember being hesitant with the first book. I find that Holly Black is a hit or miss for me but I love Fae books so I wanted to give it a try. I read it and loved it. I mean I just devoured it. So I was very anxious for the next installment. The problem was I had to wait over a year. ARGH! It was worth the wait. This installment, for me, was better than the first. The story continues and there it is complex, and it is dark, and it is so
immersive.  A great and exciting follow up to the first book and of course it left me needed more. Just a year to go! 

Cardan is now king with Jude controlling him like a puppet. Oak is safe in the mortal world and it seems to be just how Jude wanted it to be. All seems good until there is an attack on Cardan, there is war pending with the another race, Jude's complicated relationship with Cardan, and of course the issue of knowing who to trust. Jude needs to figure out exactly how to work things out before she, Oak, or Cardan is killed. The problem is she doesn't know where to start. Well start by being ruthless. That is what Jude does and of course this just leads to secrets,  lies, betrayals, assassination attempts, strange feelings, and so much more. 

Where to start. This is a difficult book to review, just like the first one. There is so much in this story, so many threads to the overall creation and I can't start unraveling without ruining the enjoyment for others. The one thing this book has in common with its predecessor is the twists and wow moments. I mean I found myself yelling out loud at times. There were so many huhs and wows, and what the hecks, that I never knew what to expect.  The story was just marvelous. 

The story wasn't the only outstanding thing. I love the characters in this story. I love to hate them, to love them. to want to slap them, and to want to kiss them. I mean I really never knew what to feel towards any one of them. The thing about the faes in this world, they are neither good nor bad, but they are always trouble. They are vicious and manipulative. They are constantly plotting. They are also vivid and fun and so crazy. They are easy to want more of but also easy to want to punch. Jude isn't fae but she was raised by the fae and has had to learn to live in their world. So everyone in this book is just ruthless. 

There is a bit of romance that does start to bloom in this book. The only problem is that I am not sure if its real romance or just lust. It's hard to say but it was sure fun to be a part of. There are a couple of steamy sessions and lots of sexual tension. I can't decide if I want Jude and Cardan to be something or not. I can't even decide if I truly like either one. Well I do like them but well I also hate them. So half the time I am rooting for them, the other half I spend cursing at them and wishing that their plans would just burn to ashes. 

The pacing is much better in this book than in the first book. I never felt it was slow or rushed. It was very well paced and easy to be drawn so deeply into the story, I forgot about everything else in life. 

The ending was oh so good, I was so angry it ended though. I didn't know how to feel or speak coherently in the end. I didn't know if I wanted to revel in the goodness, or throw the book. (which throwing the book wasn't a good option since it was audio on my phone) 

This next year is just going to be so excruciating slow waiting for the last book. I just need it now. 

If you loved The Cruel Prince, well you will more than love The Wicked King. 

I am speechless except I for saying I need more like right now. 

Holly Black is the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of her titles include The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), The Modern Faerie Tale series, the Curse Workers series, Doll Bones, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Magisterium series (with Cassandra Clare), The Darkest Part of the Forest, and her new series which begins with The Cruel Prince in January 2018.

She has been a a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award, the Mythopoeic Award and a Newbery Honor. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret door.