The Cruel Prince

Holly Black

Jan 2018 · THE FOLK OF THE AIR Book 1 · Sold by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

About this ebook

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.

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.

Ratings and reviews

TO OVERRATED. Jude thinks she's bland, and she is. The plot is boring, and Carden HAS A TAIL (i still love him though). it's too predictable. BOOKTOK STOP THIS IS TO OVERRATED BOOKTOK ARE YALL HEARING ME? I wasted my money. But I am too nice to give it under 3 stars. :(

I don't think I could ever give a book a five star review, but this one came close. I've read so many books where our protagonist (often female) has no flaws. They're just the perfect, hour-glass shaped, pretty haired protagonist. But this book didn't describe physical flaws, but more of personality flaws. Jude was ambitious, and hungry for more power, but shes quickly learning that power is a very expensive delicacy, and every price must be paid. Cardan, was a jerk for so much of the book. But near the end we see it's because Cardan can't quite figure out what he feels like. Jude's interrogation brought out the deepest parts of Cardan, and I hope to see their romance go on. (Also, Locke was always a bit sketchy with the immediate romance stuff he had with Jude. Wasn't exactly a plot twist when he turned on her.) Amazing book! Would read again.

Not impressed with the writing. Felt childish, predictable and there was no court intrigue to name. Jude felt bland and just a power hungry human with no more character definition. Cardan was just a douchwheel with no purpose so I don't understand his underlying attraction to Jude. It's obvious from the beginning how sketchy of a character Locke is. Jude feels like a try hard. The badassery is forced to give her something but I don't feel it. Not sure if I want to continue just to see how it all unfolds.

About the author

Holly Black is the bestselling author of contemporary fantasy novels for teens and children, including Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick series. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award and the Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award. Holly lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library. Her website is www.blackholly.com.