The Cruel Prince By: Holly Black

“Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”

Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

This read was defiantly brought on by bookstagram. I started a bookstagram account about a month ago to socialize with the book community. I had no idea how supportive and positive everyone would be. I highly recommend it if you want to chat with others who love books or just to get inspiration for your next read.

When I went to the bookstore, I ended up having a conversation with the person at check out about this book and she highly recommended it. Also, she mentioned that Holly Black lives in the area and I always like to support local authors.

With both bookstagram and the book clerk advocating for this book, I had to read it to see what the hype was all about.

Overview: At a young age Jude and her siblings are taken to the land of the Faerie by the man that murdered her parents.

Living among the fey for years, Jude becomes ingratiated into their world and longs to be a respected member of the court. However, the fey notoriously hate mortals and rarely accept them into their society. Leading the charge for hatred is a fey prince name Cardan.

Jude must navigate deadly politics and dangers around every corner to get the position that she desires but others have secret plans of their own that could change the Faerie land forever.

My thoughts: This book could have easily followed the typical pattern for fantasy novels but it turns the plot on its head multiple times.

If you have read fantasy books about the fey, then you know their are specific rules that need to be followed. First off, the fey will try to trick you and second, they cannot lie. This creates a unique dynamic because you know that they are telling the truth but also tricking you with technicalities.

Black utilizes these rules very well. I found myself trying to diagnose what characters were saying, trying to find a hint of deception throughout the plot. She doesn’t make it obvious when something is missed by the main character but when you find out you feel just as tricked as Jude.

In terms of the romances in the book, all of them are very messy and realistic. You can’t have a perfect relationship with a group of creatures who are known for doing what is best for them no matter who they have to hurt. I did find that with this dynamic, I wasn’t as emotionally involved with these relationships as I usually am because I expect them to end badly. I’m going to make the assumption that these relationships will grow and develop more throughout the series and create this emotional tie to the reader.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next two novels in the series.

Rating: 5/5 stars