Review:The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Title: The Cruel Prince 

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

Publishing Date: January 2nd, 2018

Pages: 384
Genre: YA Fantasy 

Series:  The Folk of the Air #1
Source: Audio

 

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

This book really wasn't on my radar at first. I did see it a couple of times but paid it no attention. It's been a good while since I have seen or read a good faerie story, I was leery. Then I started to see reviews, outstanding reviews, and I knew I must read this book. So I did. I loved, absolutely loved, this book. 

Ten years ago, a faerie named Madoc, came to the house of twins Jude and Taryn and killed their parents. This Faerie was the father of the twins older sister, Vivianne. Murdoc wanted his daughter and because he killed the twins parents, he took all three children back to Fairyland. Jude is now 17, and she wants desperately to fit in with the world she lives. Jude believes her saving grace will be to become a knight of the court. This doesn't look like a reality, her father, Murdoc, will not allow this. Jude finds a way to join the court, become important, and basically involve herself in the politics and violence of the Faerie Court. 

This book started out running at full speed. The first scene is a scene of murder and secrets. That is the way to start a story. It grabbed me in the first couple of pages for sure. It grabbed me and held me tight within its faerie grips. It was mysterious thrilling, dark, and everything I want in a faerie story. I was all in. 

After a couple of chapters the story did start to slow for me, however, it did not loosen its grip. I was still all in. It was slow but there was enough going on to keep me fully invested. I know something would happen and all hell would break loose.

It was easy to follow the main character, I just adored her. There were times she was angsty and that was okay for me. Her world was torn apart, flipped upside down and then she was thrown into a whole new, evil, strange world. All at the age of seven. Some angst was allowed. I can easily see how some may hate her and the choices she makes. I didn't I loved her. She was smart, sly, a little feisty, and she was doing the best she could in the world she lived. She wanted to fit in and did all she could to make this happen. In the process, she forgot how grand being human was too. I liked how she never questioned or regretted the choices she made. If it didn't work out the way she wanted, she accepted and moved on. She was always fully committed to her mission and her loyalty never waivered....which was to herself, her family, and even fairyland. 

The other characters were pretty grand for me too. They were a part of the story and always a bigger part then the story led on... but they weren't always in the forefront. We saw little snippets here and there but they all had their part to play. One of my favorites of the secondary characters, Vivianne. I really wished I could have spent more time with her. Hoping so in the next book. She was snarky and so just so lovely. 

Now when I say I was waiting for something to happen... I knew it was building the entire time. It took about 1/3 of the book but when the crap hit the fan, the crap really hit the fan, went flying, and stunk up all of fairyland. I was a little sad that once it all happened, the booked ended. I needed more. So much more. I am really anticipating the next read. I can't wait and I will have it in my hands as quick as I can. 

I just need more, like right now, or yesterday.  A real twisted, dark, ugly, wicked, magical read. 

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 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.