Pure magic! Exactly what you want from a YA fantasy novel! It isn't that often a novel makes me long for the next instalment after just ending the first instalment but this is certainly one of those times! I will be waiting anxiously for the next book.

The Cruel Prince is my first book by Holly Black but i'd heard many good things about her books from friends and knew I had to try her books. When this came up on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it early and Bonnier Zaffre were good enough to accommodate.

Synopsis - 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.

I loved the writing style and the atmosphere it created. The book is full of bad-ass characters, magic, darkness and it was simply magical to visit this faerie world. The world-building is excellent with lots of detail making it captivating throughout.

After reading this and absolutely devouring it I will be purchasing the rest of Black's novels, I cannot stand the thought of missing out. I have thought a lot about it since finishing it and hope her other books can fill the gap till the sequel arrives. If the synopsis and the glowing reviews fail in making you want to read this then I urge you to give it a go! Go out and grab a copy - it's out now!

I would like to thank Holly Black, Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Starting with the tragic event of their parents' murder, Jude and her sisters are taken to Faerieland, and have already leapt into your heart.

Black gifts us with a Faerieland that is colorful & intoxicating but also terrifying & dangerous, with so many wonderful details. Engrossing to the very end & full of treachery.

Even though the tragic event at the beginning of the book is in 3rd person, it then switches to a first person that seems like Jude is talking to the reader, and then she does! The narrative feels so personal, so graphic.

Cardan is a proper as the title states, cruel prince. You enjoy hating him, like you enjoy his & Jude's feud. But things may not always be as they seem or as simple as Cardan being spoiled. Also quite a few of the relationships in this book are not as expected & constantly surprise you, something I thoroughly enjoyed.

A story of wanting to belong & proving it. Of not stomaching any sort of bullying in and from any social status. Of staying true to yourself, no matter how you are pushed to cross previously uncrossable lines. The lure of power.

Surprisingly this was my first solo book of Holly Black's (I have the Magisterium series which she writes with Cassandra Clare) but it will not be my last!

My love for fae stories knows no bounds, and yet I had never read a Holly Black book before this one! The synopsis promised death and darkness but also whimsy and wonder, and I was intrigued and excited to see the amalgamation of the two play out. This seemed like it was going to re-evoke the vibe of traditional fairy tales, due to the prevalent darker themes, and I was interested to see how this renowned modern-day author would tackle it.

Unfortunately, I found the start of this to be weak and uninspiring. Granted, the events that initially occur are already covered in the synopsis, but I found the murder of Jude's parents to be glanced over in a briefness that belied the severity of the scene. It felt unemotional and I struggled to see how I could reconcile myself with this writing style, from this point onwards. In a similar fashion, protagonist Jude and her two sisters, Taryn and Vivi, are established to faery land in a quick and unemotional style. The reader is shown little of how they actually felt and also provided no introduction to the world for themselves.

I think I may have been determined to dislike this book and even considered dnf-ing the entire thing. Thanks to the book gods that I did not! For what a complete turn-around was I about to discover!

Shocking scenes abounded and this definitely delivered all the darkness I had been promised. This book went from a pile of bland political niceties and school-ground squabbles to full of intrigue and suspense. I vastly preferred this shifted focus and how the events continued to thicken as characters were introduced to the schemes and court politics this ultimately focused on. The reader was constantly on unsteady waters as the narrative shifted and Black held my attention captivated as I continued to navigate this world.

For I was equally as captivated with the world itself, despite the lack of foundations initially set, and found it easily navigable due to the abundance of popular myths and lore that was utilised. The basis of this world is one both known and dually Black's own and I found it a fun exploration to learn and discover more about it as the story-line wore on.

I found some of the twists and secrets easily guessed at, yet I still ended up really enjoying all of the latter part of this book and am eager to continue on with the series. I might also actually be sold on the ship (something I initially swore myself against backing) and am definitely sold on Black as a writer!

This book is a real page turner! I was totally engrossed by the first chapter and it gets better and better whole the way through. I'm so sad that I've finished this book, I crave its sequel right now!!

The faerie world is beautiful and mysterious that been built up so well. All the characters are intriguing and individual. The personality of faeries is interestingly wicked and never get bored.
The story is a bit slow pace till half way through, but it's necessary part to get to know its world and the connection of the characters at the end.

As I like lady main character who has strong mind, Jude is fascinating! She is a human but living in faerie world. She and her twin sister and half faerie sister are all raised by the faerie general, Madoc who is their murder of their parents. In the first chapter, I thought I will prefer the half faerie sister, Vivi. However, Jude was more than that! She doesn't have special skill like faeries, so she keeps struggling to make her strong and trying to find her role in its world. Her bravado and even setback make the story more delight.
Jude's relationship with her family is important and it sometimes gets complicated especially with Madoc. As the story goes, she discover her family more and more.


---Faerie might be beautiful, but its beauty is like a golden stag's carcass, crawling with maggots beneath her hide, ready to burst---

I like the Jude's romance part, sort of childish one but very gripping and I'd like to read its progress on the next book.

I gave 4.8 stars

"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"

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.

This was my very first Holly Black read and I am so glad I read it. I loved this book from start to finish and can not wait to see what happens next with Jude and Cardan.
I did have issues connecting with Jude due to some of choices in this book and I felt conversations should of happened that never did but I am not sure if it was meant to be this way due to their up bringing. Either way she did drive me crazy at times but still want to see what happens next.
Cardan all I can say at first I thought he was a bit of an a## but not far into it I began wondering if there is a lot about his character we don't know and he puts on a tough front. I think as the story goes on we will see another side to him (this is what I am hoping for).
Can I just say I hate Taryn I wont say why due to spoilers but I hopes she gets a rude awakening throughout the series.
This books was such a fun read and I ended up giving it a 4 out of 5 stars. This is a series I will keep reading as it has a perfect balance of fantasy and drama.

Well, wow.

Ok, so I've been wanting to read this and not wanting to read this for a while now.
I wanted to read this because I've loved Holly Black's last two stand-a-lone books. I didn't want to read this at the same time because it was the start of a series and I wasn't sure I liked the premise.

I was expecting something like The Darkest Part of the Forest, because there was room for a similar set up. Nope.
Spoiler alert: the characters from TDPotF do turn up in this though! I wondered if they would.

I didn't expect most of this book. Possibly because Jude made choices I didn't understand and there were things I saw that she didn't. But at this point she's been living in Faerie for 10 years so whose to say I wouldn't have made the same choices then.

It's written in first person as it's happening. I usually can't stand this, I usually find it distracting except this time I stopped noticing not that far into the book which I'm surprised about. I will have to give other first person as-they're-happening books a better chance in the future!
Despite this I wasn't sure where Jude was going with things half the time. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or if it was just because I found it hard understanding her. I felt sorry for her most, but also for Cardan. Their relationship is so volatile that I look forward to seeing where it goes next. There seems only one possible outcome but I'm betting there won't be when it comes down to it.

Of course I could be as wrong as I have been up until this point!
For all my confusion and not understanding I did enjoy this book, possibly a lot more at the end than I thought I would at the beginning - but that seems to be modus operandi at this point. I'd need to complete the whole series - which is looking like a trilogy - to work out how I fully feel about it all.

This was great start to a new trilogy from an author I've only ever read standalones by. I keep forgetting that I've finished this book and I keep thinking about reading more...

I’ve read many Holly Black books before and that’s why I chose this one, because I loved the others. I found Faerie very interesting, never read of this. We’re facing an amazing opening of a trilogy which I think is going to be successful all over the world.

The characters are very well constructed, especially Jude who was my favorite. She’s not the kind of hero who wants to save the world but a girl that only wants to fit in and that’s why she’s special.

This time, the author, introduces us a very much dark world which I absolutely liked and enjoyed in every page of the story. I’m glad Holly Black had chosen this dark side and transform Faerie. The book is full of action, plot twists and many things that are going to surprise us the whole novel. Besides, it’s a fast read and never got bored of it. This was an excellent story to start the year and I know it’s only 4 days since we started but I claim this is one of the best books I’ve read in 2018. Hoping the second part will come soon.

Book Requested via Netgalley.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.

Jude and Taryn are seven when their parents are brutally murdered by a fae, a fae who happens to be their half-sister's father. All three girls are whisked away to Faerie to be raised by the murderer.

Jump forward ten years and you find out things haven't been as bad as you'd imagine based on that opening. In the prologue, you get the feeling the story will focus on Viv who is the daughter of Madoc, but as it switches to the first person narrative you discover that mortal Jude is the narrator. Viv is the one who rebels the most against life in the High Court of Faerie, but Jude and Taryn are more accepting. After all, they barely knew the human world.

Things aren't all peaches though, and Jude is being bullied by the popular, posh, kids. Their ringleader? Prince Cardan, fifth in line to the throne (not that it works like that there, but he's pretty unlikely to be king compared to his siblings). A large portion of the book focuses on Jude's bullying. Taryn things she should let it slide and do what they want to make life easier for them, but how far can you let them go?

Jude's adoptive father (and, don't forget, parent killer) Madoc is in charge of the High King's military and Jude would love nothing more than to be one of his knights. Taryn just wants her happy ever after and Viv wants to live with her mortal girlfriend in the human world. The current High King is abdicating and a coronation is on the horizon.

It's only about two thirds the way in that things get interesting, until then it felt like quite a generic fae storyline, with added bullying. I mean, if you haven't read many books about the cruel and brutal type of fae, you might feel a bit more engaged but it was a very slow start for me. Yet the last third? It was gripping and full of political manoeuvring. Lots I didn't see coming! Honestly, I know a lot of the build-up was necessary to make everything work, I just didn't love it until I knew that was happening.

Although mortals are looked down upon in general I liked that they did have one prized skill, the ability to lie. Whilst the fae can be tricksy with their words, they can't lie outright. They totally don't get sarcasm!

Based on the ending I would definitely read the second book, even if this one didn't tick all my boxes.

I must admit at first, I felt disappointed on how the story was going. I was like: “Oh my God, this is so petty!” Then, “This is just some childish feud between two shallow teenagers.”

And then things get real…

When she was seven, Jude and her two sisters were taken by a Faeriland’s general to Faerie after he killed their parents. After ten years, Jude wants nothing but to have a place in the strange, magical land she’d learned to accept as home. But one cruel prince stands in her way. Cardan, the youngest of the High King’s court children, along with his friends, just can’t stop bothering her.

Okay, confession. I generally thought upon reading the synopsis that Cardan is so powerful and that he really stands in Jude’s way. Well he is but not really in a general sense. Just petty bullyings which is the reason why I initially thought nothings going on but a childish feud between two shallow teenagers.

BUT that significant little part in the synopsis that says Jude wants nothing but to belong in Faeri, will play the biggest part of the plot. With Jude’s strong desire to belong, she became part of a serious conflict in all over Faeri. Some political games that will soon cause a tragic end to the world that Jude learned to love.

The whole premise of this book centers on intrigues, political games, betrayals and I must add family. I don’t really like politics but if it’s Faeri’s politics, it’s another story. Before I knew it, I’m already engrossed in mess that Jude gets herself into. And suddenly, I care about how will things turn out. Who will win and who will die. Because seriously, there’s always death in this kind of plot. 🙂

But oh my!!!! that tragic chapter that turned Jude’s world upside down!!!!

As for the characters, Jude became one of my favorite YA fantasy MCs. She’s so relatable and so complex. She’s cunning, smart, strong. And may I add that she is one of the darkest character I’ve ever come across. She’s wicked. She can be more wicked which I don’t mind. Besides our male lead is a cruel prince.

Darn you cruel Prince. I think most of us have this heart for characters like him. My heart bled for him. I don’t care how bully he was at first. I just didn’t mind anymore how cruel he is, I want him to be cruel because this story needs cruel characters.

The world Holly Black created is not some colorful, happy Faeriland. NO. NO.NO. This is one dark world full of treacherous creatures and plots I can’t help but embrace. Really embrace. Why oh why but it seemed so real, the world I mean. So amazingly fantastic.

Oh before I forgot, I was hesitant to put Romance as genre. There is Romance but I’m happy it isn’t what I liked most. Between Jude and Cardan, ahm, at least for the first half, not so much but… I better not say anything about it for now. But I love Chapter 26.

Overall, I have nothing to say but read it. 🙂

Happy Reading guys. 🙂

This. Book. Was. Everything!

Holy crap! You ever get that feeling when you start a book and you just know it’s going to suck you in and consume you? That’s what The Cruel Prince was for me. Packed with a little bit of everything that makes a book brilliant, this is a book I will definitely be revisiting for a reread!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I happened to come across this book on NetGalley and the cover caught my eye and the blurb sealed the deal! I will be keeping my eye out for this author whilst biting my nails impatiently waiting for the next book in the Folk of Air series!

5 stars!

**ARC received via NetGalley**

Having never read a book by Holly Black before this one, I really didn’t know what to expect. I really enjoy YA fantasy novels and this book really didn’t disappoint.

From the very beginning there is a glorious darkness to this book that I just fell in love with. Some of these characters are cruel beyond belief and on more than one occasion I found myself exclaiming loudly ‘Oh my God!’ or taking in a huge gasp of air. It twisted and turned like no other and I felt like I was constantly on my toes to find out what would happen next to Jude and the other characters.

Alongside outright murder and death, there is also a lot of deceit and betrayal. I found myself not knowing who I could really trust but at the same time I also really liked almost all of the characters. I love flawed characters and The Cruel Prince certainly comes with its fair share. I loved that each of the characters had something about them that prevented them from being perfect because it made them all the more real and their stories more compelling.

I absolutely loved Jude as our main character. Although not necessarily instantly likeable, she has an admirable inner strength, she is brave, courageous and, best of all, rather flipping sassy. She endures the most horrific bullying from her Faerie companions due to her mortality but I loved the way she used this to strengthen herself. She is the exact kind of leading character I love to read about. I also was really intrigued by Vivi and would have loved to see more of her rebellious side. I couldn’t help but like Madoc (and trust me he has some big flaws!). Cardan is a mysterious being and I still don’t quite think I know him as well as I want to but he did surprise me!

Gosh were there some complex relationships in this book! I mean, to begin with Jude and Taryn are being raised in the world of Faerie by the man who murdered their parents in front of them – way to go on making things difficult from the off! I am a BIG fan of a complex relationship because in life that’s exactly what relationships are. The idea that Jude and Taryn could forgive Madoc for what he did was something I battled with but I also loved the really layered relationship that Jude and Taryn shared. Whilst Jude has ambitions over and above her station as a mortal in the Faerie world, Taryn is willing to accept her lesser role and marry herself off, so to speak. The contrast between them was really interesting but the fact that there was also such a mixture of love and affinity too just really kept me interested in their dynamics as sisters.

The world building was exquisite! From the first few pages I felt completely at home in this new world and this is all down to the excellent writing and vivid descriptions. I was easily able to imagine the world Holly Black had created and absolutely adored the contrast of the dark, twisty Faerie world against the modern world we are familiar with. These two worlds were so different yet woven together so perfectly.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be seeking out more of Holly Black’s writing in future. Dark and twisted, this Faerie-tale kept me hooked from beginning to end with its glorious twists and turns. I certainly will be tuning back in for book 2 next year!

The Cruel Prince is the new novel by Holly Black that brings the reader again in the faeries' world. But this time the introduction to this universe happens on the inside, in fact the protagonist Jude lives among the folks.

The whole story is read for Jude's point of view and unravels dark and twisted as always. I've always read Black's novels in my naive language - Italian - but this time, reading the novel in English I felt much more near to this story.
Also, reading again, even for a brief time, of past characters from the other novels was great. I really hope that they're all going to have a major role in the next books. Looking at how the story went, I'm kinda sure that's going to happen.

Another things that I loved is how The Cruel Prince becomes an important story to understand more about the Courts. One things that I always asked myself in past stories was how the Courts worked. Since the Ironside trilogy and The Darkest Part of the Forest , it was clear how the stories happened in the same world, so I had many questions. Like: how the Courts worked with each other? Why they never got into big fights? They rule by their own or there is still some kind of major power? The Cruel Prince had the answers.

Talking about the most important parts of the novel, I loved the plot. It's really political, with twists and intrigues, more focused on important balances of powers that actions full of fights and non stop events. It allowed to understand Jude a lot more and to focus on her, which was great.

In fact, for me, Jude did a lot to the novel. I liked her as much as the whole story. I read how much other reviews focused on how she was such a different young adult heroine, all moral grey and everything that can seem dark. For she was fine. I mean, I would have done the same things and she's far away from being bad or a villain. I don't get all the focus on this, also because while she tries to move in the faery's world, trying to find her way as a human, she still manage to take care of the people she loves and help someone else.

I'm less happy with the other character mostly because I think that they didn't have enough space on the pages. But at the same time it was perfect because the focus on the events could have been lost. Anyway, I don't lie: a three POV book with Taryn and Vivienne would have been interesting. Even if right now the less I see Taryn, the better. And I will say no more because it's pure spoiler.

Little notice on Cardan... I don't care that much about him. It was a typical loser, that plays the part of the bad boy and the poor bully with a sad past. Doesn't buy my sympathy, neither empathy, at all. Which is also fine, since he has not a role that should portray him as a good guy.

Last note in about the romance. I was so glad it was there but at the same time it wasn't and that the whole plot wasn't focused only on that. Definitely I cannot wait for the sequel of The Cruel Prince. I bet that is gonna be more and more dark.

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2018/01/01/the-cruel-prince-the-folk-of-the-air-1-by-holly-black/
Queen of the faedark – Holly Black has returned with another intriguing tale of the fae. You could almost imagine that Ms Black is one of the fae herself with such a name and the way she writes of these fantastical creatures it wouldn’t be too great a stretch of the imagination to believe it to be so. For me this is an author who has made the fae her own. When I read her books I know that I’m going to be immersed in a dark world, full of court machinations, populated with creatures that are as cruel as they are beautiful and with plots that twist in unexpected ways and the first book in the Folk of the Air is no exception.

Firstly, a brief overview. We start the story with an introduction to Jude as she witnesses the murder of her parents. To cut a long story short Jude’s older sister is half fae, her human mother fled with her a few years ago but her fae father, a general within the fae realm known as Madoc, has finally caught up with them and having killed their parents takes his own daughter and her two half sisters back to his home in the realm of the fae. The story then jumps forward ten years. Jude and her sister Taryn are still desperately trying to find a place for themselves in this strange world. Of course, being fully human leaves them rather at the mercy of the other fae who they mix with and who love nothing more than to bully and taunt them. Jude and Taryn are twins. They share a deep bond and yet it seems that both have chosen different routes to follow in terms of being accepted in this strange world. Jude has picked the path of the warrior. She longs to be accepted for her fighting abilities and to take part in the trials that might grant her a place at court. Her sister Taryn, tired of constantly feeling out of place believes that marriage to one of the fae will secure her a place in their hearts. Both are a deal misguided.

I don’t really want to go too much more into the detail of the plot. On the face of it this seems to be a fairly straightforward storyline and yet the reality of the read is far from that. The fae court is heading for unrest and with the High King about to step down and name his successor the back stabbing and scheming is running amok.

So, why did I love this. For a number of reasons that I will elaborate a little on. Namely, the characters, the story writing, Holly Black’s ability to place you deep into the land of the fae and to make the place have a sinister fairytale feel but more than that the motivations. And, the combination of all these elements that makes for an incredibly satisfying read.

The characters here are great to read about. None of them are perfect and that includes Jude but all of them managed to provoke entirely different and very strong reactions in me whilst I was reading. Jude and Taryn. They both have bad memories but one of them has chosen to hold onto the hatred and use it to fuel her ambitions, the other has chosen the path of least resistance. They have a complicated family dynamic and in fact the relationships between them all are intriguing and much more convoluted than at first appears. Then we have Prince Cardan, son of the High King. Cardan is a very cruel individual (not surprising given the title of the book). He has a strange and twisted obsession with Jude that means she constantly falls foul of him and the crew he surrounds himself with. Strangely enough I didn’t find myself disliking him at all. At the back of my mind I had a nagging feeling about him, that maybe not everything was as clear cut as first appeared and as the story unfolds his character does indeed become more complex with circumstances that definitely give him a more sympathetic edge. He’s one of those characters that has perfected a face of indifference that perhaps doesn’t reflect his true feelings.

The world building is very smooth. It’s easy to have a vision in the mind’s eye of what the place looks like and Black effortlessly evokes childhood fairylands whilst at the same time giving them a sinister twist. Towers, mean stepmothers, indifferent kings, spoilt princes and nothing is ever really quite what it seems.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It takes a little while to really get into the depths of the story but the time is well spent building relationships that once established make the final reveals and twists that much more dramatic.

The Cruel Prince is an excellent start to series. It’s complex and surprising. If you enjoy stories about the fae then I strongly recommend this, its a finely crafted story by an author who has honed her ability to write the fae in a compelling way. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I really wasn't sure if I would enjoy this or not - I bought and read Tithe, Black's first book, when it was first out and really enjoyed it, but Faerie books aren't really a true love for me, so I never went back and read another. Not on purpose, it just worked out that way. I now feel like I was missing out, because this is so well written. The politics and family drama in it are both intriguing and full of back stabbing shocks. I figured out a few of the minor plot points, but missed a few others, which I always think is good.

I really like Jude. She's so full of anger and fear, and that seems so overwhelming. I think that came across really well. I think her viciousness combined with her doubt, makes her very human. I love how well she used her ability to lie as well, and how she isn't satisfied letting others control her fate.

I grew to intensely dislike Tatyn though, for reasons I won't cover because of spoilers. I did see what would happen there, and was just so disappointed in her. For me, she has the worst characterisation, because I didn't really understand why she does everything she does throughout the book.

Carden was an interesting one - I knew early on that some of his characterisation would come up, but others, especially anything relating to his brothers, really changed that. I think he starts as just Jude's perception of him being quite flat, and he really rounds out as the book progresses. Yes he can be cruel, and I think we'll definitely be seeing more of that in the next book, but he can also be more than that. I actually think his biggest flaw was letting his friends be how they were!

Then there's Locke and Madoc. Again I can't really cover much without spoilers, but I am intrigued to see what will happen to them in the next book. I'm hoping sharp pointy things happen to them. :D

In the end, I gave the book 4.5 stars. In places I loved it, but while this world NEEDS to be as dark and as cruel as it is, there were places where this was a bit much for me - the casual moments of abuse or murder of their parents. I wouldn't change it - it really makes the world work for it to be like that, but it's not quite for me.

I do recommend reading this, especially if you like books about Faeries or extremely well written fantasy politicking.

Secrets. Lies. Betrayals. Murder. This story is so dark, that even all the bright colors of the fae folk can help to make it lighter. And what can I say? I loved every minute of this book. I was horrified about Mardoc and how he killed the girls’ parents, taking them to Farie and make them live in his household. I very much disliked Prince Cardan, wanted to murder him myself. Wanted to stop Jude o become the very thing she hated so much in Mardoc - a ruthless killer. But in the end I found myself hoping that there would be a chance for Jude and Cardan to find some common ground and make peace. Well, that’s not what happened. Now I need book #2 asap. Highly recommended! Seriously, read it! I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre!

I loved this book so very much. I tried to read another book by Holly Black, years ago, and I just could not enjoy it. I am happy to find that I enjoyed this one so much more. She really brings her world to life in her writing, from the characters to the clothing and the setting. I loved the fact that most of the fairie terms weren't simplified or explained, so that if you read a lot of books about fae and their folklore, you come across familiar concepts portrayed in a new way.

I didn't enjoy the characters so much, I think the only likeable characters for me were Vivi and Oak. Everyone else was either cruel, self absorbed, or undeservedly self righteous. Unfortunately unlikable characters just don't do it for me. That being said I will continue with the series, but for the story and setting, I sincerely hope the next book is from a more likeable perspective.

I love this cover, it's stunning.

I've read two of Holly Black previous books -- White Cat and The Darkest Part of the Forest. Sadly, although I loved the ideas, those books just didn't click for me. I'm glad to say that The Cruel Prince was brilliant and can safely say I'm now a convert.

I do think the title and blurb are a little misleading as, for me, Cardan really isn't a major player in the story. Yes, he plays a part in motivating the main character, Jude, but so do the other fae children and the fae world in general. I've got no problem with this because The Cruel Prince is really Jude's story.

I thought Jude was a brilliant protagonist. She was such an unusual lead character, ruthless and determined, but still a very good and loyal person. I loved seeing her learn all the different assassin skills with The Ghost, The Roach and The Bomb. I loved seeing the twisty, complicated relationship she has with step-dad Madoc and her dedication to her siblings -- Vivi, Taryn and Oak.

The dark twists and turns of the story were amazing, especially the lead up to the finale. I really enjoyed all the political intrigue and deceptions. And how Jude's humanity -- and what she thought of as her weaknesses -- were woven back around and into the plot.

The only thing I didn't like was the 'he isn't really all that bad' gloss given to Cardan at the end, despite all the torment and humiliation he's put Jude through. And what was with that kiss?! Whatever creepy obsession he felt, Jude hates him (or at the very least still strongly dislikes). It felt like a 'because it's YA, we have too' addition.

This review will be posted on my blog, Foxes and Fairy Tales on 06 January 2018, at https://foxesfairytale.wordpress.com/2018/01/06/review-the-cruel-prince

Rating 3.5/5 stars
I have only ever previously read one novel by Holly Black and to be honest I was not a huge fan of it so my expectations going into this novel was not high.

However I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The characters were easy to follow and I found myself looking forward to seeing how they would interact with each other, especially between Jude and Cardan. The chemistry between the two of them had me itching to see what would happen next between the two of them.

I enjoyed reading most of the book however there were parts of it that had me confused and I did have to go back and read pages twice over to help me understand another chapter. It is because of this that I have only gave it 3.5 stars while I enjoyed complicated plots I often lose interest if I have to re read parts to fully understand what is happening.

The plot had me intrigued and I enjoyed the unique take on fairies and their courts.I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fairies and court politics.

Actual rating 4.5

Before this, I'd never read anything by Holly Black and I'm not generally the biggest lover of fae stories but this book has absolutely blown me away, it's easily my favourite fae book ever and is up there with my favourites in YA fantasy. I'm also going to find everything Holly Black has ever written because I need more of this in my life.

The Cruel Prince is an incredibly well woven, fantastical, political journey. It has a relatively simple story but it's told perfectly. The writing is whimsical, I love the magic and the way it effects Jude and Taryn and the politics man. I really love a strong political system in fantasy and this was SO GOOD. There was intrigue and betrayal and everything that's brilliant about fantasy worlds was wonderfully explored through this.

The plot may be fairly simple but it's done perfectly, Black has truly mastered the world and exactly what was happening within it. For the record, I don't think simple=bad at all. In fact, I love that the plot gave Black the opportunity to explore Faerie fully and I feel like I understand the world.

The characters are also fantastic, from Jude to Cardan to Locke to Madoc to the Roach to Oriana. Every one of them is written brilliantly have surprises of their own. Genuinely every single character is worthwhile and has a reason to be on the page- which unfortunately isn't always the case.

I just wasn't expecting this to be so phenomenal and I'm so glad it's officially ended my reading year on such a massive high. It may even be one of my favourites of the whole year. Now to wait (not so patiently) for The Wicked King