The Cruel Prince
Book - 2018
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9780316310314
Opinion
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
2018 JCL Notable Books List: YA Fiction
This book refused to let me put it down. I would often find myself so immersed that hours had passed in the blink of an eye. The characters and the world are so vivid it was like I was there. It's a story of intrigue, spies, revenge, and the lengths a person will go to make sure they're safe in a... Read More »
Few books grip me by the throat and force me to read them through screaming children who need things from me. This twisty story of political intrigue, spies, and a tinge of romance was so good that I listened to the audio book in the car by day and read late into the night to finish it.
Holly Black has a new book out! You don't even need to know what it's about, because it's by Holly Black!
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Summary
Add a SummarySeventeen-year-old Jude and her twin sister, Taryn, are mortals who have lived in Faerie since they were children, raised by the Faerie general who murdered their parents in order to retrieve his daughter, their half-sister Vivi. Despite this violent beginning, Jude longs to find her place in the High Court of King Eldred, and dreams of knighthood and acceptance. However, many of the high fey will never see a mortal as anything more than a servant, to be used and discarded at will. Worst among these is Prince Cardan, youngest of the High King’s sons, who seems to have a special hatred for Jude, and the way she had been raised as if she were part of the Gentry. When the High King announces that he will abdicate his throne, and pass the Blood Crown to one of his six children, Jude is caught up in political intrigues and violent betrayals, and is quickly reminded why the Faerie Court is no place for humans.
Quotes
Add a QuoteWhat they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it. If I didn’t pretend not to be scared, I would hide under my owl-down coverlets in Madoc’s estate forever. I would lie there and scream until there was nothing left of me. I refuse to do that. I will not do that.
Comment
Add a CommentI LOVE THIS SERIES!!!
Read the whole book in one night, couldn't stop myself. Great book :)
Excellent writing and world building but unlikeable protagonist and irritating romance. Not recommended.
Most of the book was a little lackluster for me. The writing's great, but for me the story was a typical dark faerie story. Dunno if I've just overspent my interest in YA fantasy, but everything felt quite tropey and nothing surprised me. That said, the ending shifted everything around enough that we're left with *quite* the ethical and political chessboard. I'd like to see the next move.
Loved it!!! Didn’t want to put it down. Well written and just enough research to make the story seems real. Good and Evil. Deceit and Love. Sword fighting! The main character is an awesome chick! Solid Fantasy novel!! Really Fun!
Before I read this, I thought to myself: do we really need more faerie books? And apparently my answer is, in fact, yes, because I really enjoyed this. Part of what makes faerie books interesting is the way the fae are typically presented as being similar enough to humans for readers to relate to, and to project their desires onto, but at the heart of it they are terrifying and cruel and very, very not-human, and all of that comes across wonderfully in this book. I don’t think this was particularly groundbreaking, per se, but Holly Black took all the familiar elements of these sorts of books and executed them exceptionally well, with a cast of incredibly memorable characters. I finished reading and found myself immediately impatient for book two.
The Cruel Prince is written in an easy style that keeps the reader totally immersed in the story from page one. It is one of those page-turners that makes the reader sad when they come to the last page - even after racing through to see how the story would turn out. Thankfully the second installment in the series is due out in January 2019 and is already available for holds in the SFPL catalog. :-)
First off, the imagery and world building in this book is amazing. Most books I read, they usually throw all of that information at you in one section of the book and fail to mention it again as if they just wanted to get it out of the way. I'm pleased to say that this is not one of those books. Black kept it consistent and spread it throughout the entirety of The Cruel Prince. It's absolutely magical, in a hauntingly dark way. She created these characters so that they leave us (well at least me) very conflicted. It just goes to show that people aren't created evil, and that it is not a 24/7 job. They are all complex with their own sets of flaws that make them, well, human despite the fact that they (the fairies) are the superior beings. The book is fast paced, the plot well written, and the romance has just enough tension in the love/hate department that it leaves you wanting more.
The best book I have read in years.
This is possibly my new favorite book! After finishing the amazing Curse Workers books, I decided to check out more of Holly Black's work, starting with The Cruel Prince. I was extremely glad I did! This book had realistic, complicated characters and fascinating relationships. I thought Madoc's relationship with Jude, as well as Cardan's relationship with her, especially stood out. And the plot was exciting and unpredictable, not to mention the brutal and engrossing world!