Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Folk of The Air – Book #1
Dates Read: 22 – 23/09/2024
Published Date: 02 January 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 370
Pace: Medium
Content Warnings (May contain spoilers)
Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Slavery, Violence.
Who is this for? Teenagers, Young Adults, Adults.
This book covers:
- A human living in the Fae world after the murder of her parents.
- The struggles of not being accepted by those who are pure Fae.
- Fighting to prove yourself in a world not made for you.
Format/Disclosure: Library, paperback.
Rating: 3.5⭐
Review:
Jude is a fighter – both physically and metaphorically. She was 7 years old when she witnessed the murder of her parents by a Fae soldier, before being whisked away to the world of Fae and struggling to fit in with peers who are so unlike her. The Fae are more beautiful, stronger, more capable, and everything she’s trying to be, without specifically being one of them. She wants to prove that she is just as strong, just as capable. But, at every turn, she is opposed by those who despise everyone of her kind, especially Prince Cardin, the youngest of the royal family, and closest to her “age”. On the path to prove her worthiness, she finds herself pulled into royal politics, lies and deception, and a whole other side to the Fae that she never knew about.
This book was set up to be an enemies to lovers from the beginning – You could tell Prince Cardin was the intended love interest, but even knowing that’s how it would most likely end, I didn’t really find myself enjoying their proposed connection in any way. All of his friends sucked, and it just reinforced the whole logic of look at the type of people the person associates with to see who they truly are. I’m sure in later books we’ll start to see a softer/nicer side to him, but I can’t see myself picking up any more books in the series.
This is really a book where I just don’t have much to say. None of the characters felt especially fleshed out. I didn’t like the sister and she just felt like all she was doing was backstabbing or avoiding confrontation/issue at the sacrifice of Jude, and it was all just a bit.. eh.