The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air)

TRIGGER WARNING:Graphic Bullying

Predictable
This story was nothing unique, in my opinion. I found much of the plotline to be predictable and common for this type of story and the things the main character, Jude, did were very typical for that of a young female protagonist in this scenario. There were obvious items that were designed to be ‘plot twists,’ but they were really easy to pick up on if you were paying any attention.

Main Character
Jude, the main character, was really uninteresting for me. She had a personality, but she was definitely more of a reactor than an actor in this story. She spent most of the time simply ‘surviving’ or trying to supplicate to everyone else, which made her a really boring and difficult to care for.

‘Book Two’
For some reason – unclear to me – The Cruel Prince has a ‘Book One’ and a ‘Book Two’ in it, but the book two is not of the sequel. It is of this first book and it really bothered me that it was labeled in this manner. However, ‘Book Two’ is where the action actually exists in the book. Had The Cruel Prince ended after ‘Book One,’ I would have simply closed it up and walked away without remembering a single thing that happened or likely wanting to read another Holly Black book ever again because that ending was so obvious and so cliche. But if you make it through ‘Book One’ then you’ll enjoy ‘Book Two’ better.

Title: The Cruel Prince

Author: Holly Black

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Folk of the Air, book one

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Holly Black and I… Honestly, we haven’t exactly been on the best of terms. I tried reading her debut novel, Tithe, in high school, and the writing style and plot were so weird to me that I ended up giving it to a friend. But when I read one of her more recent fairy books in 2015, The Darkest Part of the Forest, things changed for me. I was absolutely entranced, and when I found out that she was writing a brand new one, this one a trilogy opener, I put it on hold at my local library as soon as possible. I picked it up, and it’s been sitting on my shelf for a while, beckoning me with its stark white cover, adorned with dark branches and a glittering golden crown. I didn’t have any more renewals on it, so I pushed it to the top of the stack, partly out of necessity and partly out of killer anticipation. And this book is probably my favorite of Black’s—I can’t wait for the sequel!

Jude’s parents were brutally murdered by her sister’s redcap father, Madoc, when she was just seven years old. He spirits her, Vivi, and her twin sister Taryn to the High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, she longs for her own place in her father’s court, where she is respected and accepted by the faeries. Her sister, Taryn, wishes for love and romance at the hands of a handsome faerie noble, but Jude wishes fervently for something different: Her own place in Faerie as a Knight for the Court’s High King. But soon she finds herself wrapped up in a dark, vicious web of lies, secrets, and political intrigue, and she must reluctantly make an alliance with the faerie she hates most: Cardan, the King’s youngest son. Forced to use every bit of wit, cleverness, and knowledge she’s acquired since coming to Court, Jude must decide if she wants to fight for Faerie, even as she longs for a better life, and even if it means sacrificing everything…

This book was, in a word, absolutely fantastic. It’s probably my favorite Holly Black book to date, even better than The Darkest Part of the Forest. This book was similar to that, but better! The prose was gorgeous, hypnotic, even during some of the book’s most violent scenes. I was absolutely spellbound by Jude’s story, and by Jude herself. I loved how she wasn’t the typical main girl character; how she went after what and whom she wanted, and the consequences didn’t matter. I loved how she was totally ruthless in her ambition. Her sisters, too, were good foils for her: Taryn with her want of romance and excitement, and Vivi, the only true faerie of the girls, who longs to be free of a life of violence and intrigue and just be with her mortal girlfriend, and fights their father, Madoc, and their way of life. I was totally seduced by the gorgeous, mysterious Faerieland, where lies and promises are hidden inside honeyed words, one bite of sweet, golden fruit can send you spiraling into madness, and hiding skeletons in your closet can mean certain ruin—even death. I loved all of the characters, but especially Madoc, Locke, and Cardan. Especially Cardan. One of the things I loved most about this book was the constant romantic tension—I was dying. And that ending! Oh my gosh, Holly, how in the world am I supposed to wait until 2019 for The Wicked King?! How could you do this to me?! The Cruel Prince is one of my favorite books of 2018; the only problem is that I have to wait for the sequel! The bottom line: A darkly glittering fairy tale more Grimm than Disney, The Cruel Prince is one of the best books of 2018, and I can’t wait for the sequel! Talk about a major book hangover! Next on deck: The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith!

I'll be honest, I had no intention of reading The Cruel Prince. I saw all the hype, I saw the ARCs circulating, and I really didn't think I'll read it. It's not that I don't like Holly Black, I just... had no desire to read her books? But then I had an Audible credit and then everyone told me how incredible this book was and I finally gave in. Halfway through I bought the physical copy so I could read more quickly and here I am with the ARC, the B&N edition, and the Owlcrate edition on the way. What can I say?

Jude is at the center of this story. As a child, Jude is ripped out of the human world, along with her sisters, when her parents are murdered. Madoc, her older sister's biological father and her parents' murderer takes them to live in the faerie world. There she is despised by the fey for being human, and Prince Cardan is the worst of the offenders. He and his friends make Jude's life miserable, causing her to find way to gain power over them, which obviously makes her a total badass. I loved Jude so much! I sympathized with her (how could you not?) and rooted for her to gain the advantage over the fey who looked down on her. And vengeance, of course. I loved that she had suffered such a traumatic past and was still strong, choosing to make her own path instead of following the one she was placed on.

I also loved that I was never quite sure which of the characters was trustworthy. You see, although the fey cannot lie, they can certainly be deceptive, and I was kept guessing who was truly good throughout most of the book. There were some truly despicable characters that were obviously pure evil, but Cardan (the Cruel Prince?) was a mystery to me from the beginning. He's arrogant and just plain mean, but there's also something about him that made me wonder if there was more to his story. I've seen a lot of reviews with people fangirling over Cardan and going on and on about how incredible he is. I'm not quite there yet, but I can't wait to learn more about him in book two!

The story, although at times predictable, was a pretty wild ride! There was a bit of a lag during some of the world building, but I was never bored. I loved learning all about the faerie world and even found the politics intriguing. Holly Black certainly knows how to set a mood. The Cruel Prince felt both dark and magical and a little dangerous. She also knows how to deliver the twists! Like I said, some things were a little predictable, but there were also several things I didn't see coming.

The second half(?) of The Cruel Prince is where things really get dark. While the beginning is a bit slow (thank goodness I listened to the audio of that half!), things get brutal later on. I was shocked at some of the things that Jude did to protect herself, her family, and those she was loyal to. (Have I mentioned what a great character she is?) There were shocking moments, heartbreaking moments, and then it ended and I immediately wanted to grab book two.

This year has been disappointing read after disappointing read, making The Cruel Prince a breath of fresh air! It wasn't perfect, but I did love it enough to grab a few editions and put book two on my TBR! I definitely recommend The Cruel Prince if you love fantasy that's a bit dark and twisted and brutal.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Full disclaimer, I am a huge fan of Holly Black in general. I've read most of her books and enjoyed them. The Cruel Prince, wasn't exactly what I was expecting, it was so much more! Hands down the characterization was outstanding. It's one of the things that I feel Black excels at, and it was even more prevalent in The Cruel Prince, or it could possibly be because it's been a while since I've read one of Black's books and I forgot how kick ass her skills are. The world she created was interesting too, but it's it pales in comparison to the other elements of the story. I've read a lot of books.
I'm fairly decent at predicting things that are going to happen or seeing a huge revelation from a mile away. Black got me. In especially one particular instance, I didn't figure one other aspect out until the very last second and it still threw me for a loop. Bravo Black, bravo. And after that ending, I'm ready to sell my eldest child on the black market for the next book. Just kidding. But seriously, she's super cute, four years old..... Do yourself a favor and read this one! And while your at it get some of Black's other titles, like The Coldest Girl in Cold Town, LOVE and her other fae series rocks my socks off too!

So here I am, a year later and still madly thinking about The Cruel Prince by Holly Black! I cannot bear the suspense anymore more! I require more of Jude and omg... Cardan, I definitely demand more of Cardan! However, as much as I ship these two, there's so much more to The Cruel Prince! This book is astonishingly full of great characters, twist, and turns. And I just need to let it all out and tell you to please pick this book up. If you haven't had the change to read this thrilling book, here are some significant examples of why you must.

The main character is a total badass. Who fights for her right to belong and isn't scared to tell a fae off.?
This book was a page-turner. Literally. ?
This story is full of backstabbing, lying, manipulative characters. When you think you figured it's out...?
There are so many hidden secrets throughout The Cruel Prince. This story is a crazy thrilling and mysterious ride.?
This book is both romantic and wicked but also completely full of tension, and action!?

From the first sentence, the first words, The Cruel Princewill grab you and not let go, not even for a single second. Ms. Holly Black's writing is positively astounding and absolutely compelling. For a whole year, I have been pondering about this great story and questioning. What can possibly top The Cruel Prince? Can Ms. Holly Blackbe capable of captivating us again? And without a doubt, I know Ms. Holly Black will take us for another exceptional journey.

And I cannot wait! I am ready, as I'll ever be for The Wicked King. The only thing holding me back is time because the sequel is publishing on January 8th, 2019
Have you read The Cruel Prince? Did you like it, love it, or hate it? Have you read anything by Ms. Holly Black? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you all have a lovely day.

This book ... OMG! I loved this book so much, it's now one of my favorite books ever and I already know that my review won't do it justice but I hope my love for this book come through.

I first found about Holly Black years ago; I was a reader when I was a kid then life got in the way and I stopped then the Harry Potter series came out and I became a reader again. I was looking for something interesting and different to read when I came across Tithe. Tithe is the first book in the (Tithe) series, it was about faeries and I hadn't read anything about faeries before and I though of Tinker Bell but when I read the book synopsis I realized that these faeries where not like Tinker Bell and it got my interest. I am so glad that it did, the Tithe series was amazing and gave me a whole new look on not only the fae but the type of books that I now love so much.

Holly Black from then out became the High Queen of the fae. Tithe is a modern fairy-tale with an excellent writing that is whimsical and macabre, the world building is immaculate and the story so unique that I couldn't help but be sucked into that world. Wishing that I could live in that world while also fearing it with every fiber of my being. It was everything I could have wished for in a book and Holly has done it again with the Cruel Prince.

This book just about killed me, it was just as good as Tithe with the danger, macabre, magical and whimsical but then Holly attempted it up with the anticipation. Jude is wild, reckless, a liar, a thief, determined, bold, brave and so much more. Jude is such a complex character with so many different sides, I couldn't help but connect to her in some sort of way. She was a human stolen away to faerie at such a young age and she grew up as the faerie gentry children did but was always in danger because she was human.

Jude just wants to belong so she became something more. Growing up that way has turned Jude into something not quite faerie and not quite human. Her interactions with the faeries is sometimes quite hard to take, I see how much she just wants to belong and then to see the weird reality of her world.

I am quite use to Holly's fae world and her building of it is exquisite. It's something that is near human but not quite and something from fantasy but not quite, it is a perfect hybrid of both. The descriptions are so decadent and vivid I couldn't help but see the awful wonderfulness that is faerie. My favorite part was that Holly brought in characters from her other faerie books, I loved see my old friends pop-up in this story. Each faerie court is different so seeing the other characters in this world brought another wonderful aspect to the story.

When the Cruel Prince was announced I hyped it up all on my own way before bookmedia did. It's a Holly Black faerie book, that means it was going to be excellent and I couldn't wait. Then bookmedia went wild for it, they loved it but then I started to think what it I hyped it up to much .... no such thing. The Cruel Prince was more than I thought it would be with its unsavory characters (both human and faerie), danger, action, riddles, plots, swordplay, betrayal, murder and so many plot twist I can't even see straight. I cannot express my love for this book enough and best of all it's only the first in the series and after that ending I cannot wait to get the Wicked King.

It’s been like ten years, how does Holly Black still blow my mind every time? This book was amazing.

The Cruel Prince begins with young Jude and her sisters having to watch their parents get murdered. Even worse, the faerie who did it takes them home with him. As it goes, the faerie named Madoc was married to their mother and he is father to their oldest sister. By the twisted laws of the folk, all three of them are now his responsibility and so they get raised as if they were his own among the gentry. Jude grows to be a warrior, with a desire to find her place within their home even though she is a mortal. Meanwhile the High King of fey is soon passing on his crown to one of his children, among them is the youngest and cruelest, Prince Cardan. Soon Jude is deep into the game of palace intrigue and court deceptions and she learns how far her talent for violence can go.

This book is everything I wanted and more. Lately a lot of faerie stories make them romantic but take away the fact that the fae are known to be absolutely dangerous. Holly Black is of course back to remind us that they will in fact kill you. A lot. She writes such dark and cruel but beautiful worlds and this one was the perfect example of it. She’s actually the reason I was ever obsessed with books about the folk in the first place so it’s fun to go full circle. I first read Tithe in high school (which was quite a while ago now, shh) and I recently re-read it and you can clearly tell how much better she’s gotten. I’ve honestly just loved all her books that I’ve read so far and I’m really glad I wasn’t disappointed.

My massive fangirling over one of my favorite authors aside, this book was just perfect anyway. It was quite slow to get into but once it picked up, it was insane. It was bloody and violent but still lovely with all of these conflicted amazing characters. This world was just so amazingly built, I’m not going to get over it for a while. It’s magical and beautiful but it’s even more cutthroat than it was in Tithe and it’s really cool to see how the faerie world has changed since then, and even more so to see Roiben and Kaye again.

Jude is an amazing character. Any time she did anything, I was just really excited. She was raised a warrior and wants to be a fey so that she is no longer as weak as she sees herself for how mortal she is. She’s kind and not as weak as she thinks and she’s had enough of her fey classmates abusing her just because she is human. Her relationship with her “father” and her sisters were really interesting to me. And of course, her relationship to Cardan.

Cardan is amazing. Flat out one of my favorite characters in this book, second only to Jude herself. He’s so multilayered and it was really nice to see and he is more than just the cruel prince.

I didn’t expect this book to be a romance and I was still shocked by how little of it there was. There was a promise of a romance in the future and I’ll hold onto that dearly while I wait for the sequel. This one was mind-blowing and incredible.

WOW! This book surprised me in ways that I didn't expect. To be honest, I'd heard about this book and that everyone was raving about it, but the summary sounded similar to many of the books I've read--old and new--as of late so it wasn't really on my radar. I was at Target, however, and came across it; I had some spare Christmas cash so I bought it. SO glad I did!

From the very beginning, this story lets you know just how twisted and dark it is--this is not a story about a girl enamored by Fae, who are mischievous but good. Oh, no. This is a story about a girl who had everything taken from her at a young age and is forced to live with whom she considers cruel and heartless. Personally? I'm all for it. There were scenes throughout this book that had me gasping with how cruel and unexpected they were. Cruel Prince is not a book I'd want to find myself stuck in on one of those quizzes, haha.

I think it's best to list Pros and Cons for this review:

PROS:

*Great writing style, really pulls you in.
* Plot was unpredictable at points, which is always appreciated.
* The family dynamic was interesting.
* Political and royal intrigue!
* Potential love interests (there was not much romance in this book).
* Nice blend of action and character development (mainly Jude).
* Can't wait for next book!

CONS:

* Would have liked more of a history and backstory of the Fae world, particularly those of royalty.
* Though the characters had personality, some I felt were one-dimensional to serve their purpose in the story.
* (Slight Spoiler) Not really a con on the author, but there's one character whose character arc disappointed me. Reminded me of Hans from Frozen.
* Would like to have known more about their glamour and powers.
* That it ended on such a cliffhanger with the next book not releasing for a while!

Overall, I highly recommend this book! If you haven't read Holly Black in a while, or this is your first book of hers, you're in for a treat. I can tell the next book is going to be even more high stakes and full of twists and turns! 5 Stars. Bravo, Holly!

OH MY FREAKING GOD GUYS!

I love this book so much. I loved it so much that even though I was almost half way through it yesterday.. I restarted it and finished it within a couple of hours. I know I know.. why on earth would you restart the book when you were almost done with it?!? Well kiddos... I have no freaking idea why I did what I did last night but I also have zero regrets about the whole thing. I loved everything all over again.

Yeah, I'm weird.

But hey.. I can at least say that this book is one hundred percent worth reading the first AND second time. Heck, I might even do a third right now. I can't wait a whole freaking year for the second book to come out. THEN I can't wait two freaking years for the third book to come out. I want them both right now! I'm dying without them.

The Cruel Prince was amazing. A super quick read. Oh, and super freaking easy to follow. My favorite character? Jude, of course. Then there's freaking Vivi who is basically the best sister ever. Jude does have twin names Taryn but let's face it - she sucks major ass. I liked her in the beginning but after that I just didn't like her. I couldn't connect with her. She seemed fake to me.

Then there's Cardan which is like the typical bad boy. However, I shipped the hell out of him and Jude. I sort of got glimpses of them liking each other which made my heart flutter with joy. Then there's is rotten, evil, and super crazy family members. I did like Locke, but then .. ya know, I ended up not actually liking him.

Besides those characters, I really liked the story and the overall flow. I liked the deception, the spying, the action, and I loved that Jude forever stuck up for herself. Did she grovel? Hell to the no. Did she worship the royalty kids? Psh - what? Hell no. I just loved her spirit and that she never backed down. Wouldn't give them the time or day because they knew they couldn't break her.

I freaking loved it.

Again, I loved Jude. I loved Cardan. I loved the ending. I really hope that I can continue to ship the heck out of them in the next book. Then the third book.

God, I already miss everyone. I think I have a problem.

The Cruel Prince is the first book I read by Holly Black, and it is the first book in The Folk of the Air Series. It has taken me a long time to get back to reading YA, but I am very happy to have chosen this book to be my re-introduction to the genre.

The story starts by introducing us Jude, Taryin & Vivienne, and her mother & father. Everything seems normal until death comes knocking. It all happens very suddenly, and it starts with the death of their parents. Their gruesome assassination left Jude, Taryn & Vivienne in the hands of the very man who put an end to their life.

This story has great characters and each brings an interesting spin to the story. Jude is resourceful and intelligent, and a bit of a rebel. Taryn (Jude’s twin sister) is the opposite of her sister, though they share facial similarities they do not share the same spirit and passions. Taryn yearns acceptance and understands that her survival in faerie can depend on her ability become part of it. Vivienne is the wild and adventures and thrives on opposing everything her father stands for. Each of these sisters has a part to play and their role in the never-ending fairie game will determine who lives and who dies.

While the story progresses slowly, we are introduced to new characters and learn the role they each play. Each holds an important role, and their actions, manipulations, decisions & alliances will define their future and their value in the whole scheme of things. The author did a great job putting these characters into play, their individual stories bring balance while they make the story more dynamic as a whole.

With a strong voice, Jude narrates her story while also giving us a first glimpse into her emotions, her weaknesses and her desires for more. With a strong and at times poetic prose, the authors build a world in which envy & cruelty go hand in hand with greed for power. The Cruel Prince has politics, power-hungry kings and tricks hungry faeries. There is also romance, deceit, and betrayal. This story blends it all in a way that is both entertaining and compelling.

Jude is the heart of the story, she brings everything one expects from a great heroine while also rooting for a hero that can par with her, and what we get is far greater than what one hopes for. While the story at times ran slowly, readers can have the certainty that they will be rewarded with action, adventure, witty characters & a plot that will keep them guessing until the very end.

If you are looking to dive into the world of Fantasy while also enjoying a very interesting cast of characters then look no further, The Cruel Prince has it all. Love, passion, power, betrayal, loyalty, mistrust, and misfortune.

I just read the Best Book EVER!!!

Granted, I say that about a lot of books, but this book is not just a favorite; it will go down as one of my top 10 favorite books of all time... It was glorious!

The plot and the characters were incredible! Jude might be my all time favorite protagonist! So many times when I read a book and something crappy or horrible happens to the main character, I get so angry and I'm like, 'Why aren't you angry? Why don't you show it - act out at them, shout at them, curse and get a little violent!' Needless to say, quite a few crappy and horrible things happen to Jude and she gets angry and shows them that! She never backed down no matter what! She was my champion! (And yet the ending still totally shocked me...)

So, the first part of the book was like setting the stage - everyday life, intro for the characters, showing us the dynamics, school - and it got me hooked from the very beginning and loving every single word and every single thing that happened! So, Prince Cardan and his gang of friends... Wow... I don't even know how to describe it. I hate them, and yet I love them because they give us this story... I don't know! I am not going to lie, they do despicable things that are just plain cruel. Listen to the title; it is not lying. But I just love the story of everything that happens! I love how far Jude takes their feud. I mean, she's human, so these "pranks" are life and death to her, so it makes sense that she's doing everything she can to get better and protect herself. And then, when we finally, finally get answers from Cardan, and it's like something completely different to them. It's so interesting when we learn the true dynamics of Cardan's friends.

The second part of this book was whoa - things just got real - suddenly it's a game of thrones up in here! I'm not going to lie; I was shocked by pretty much everything... The second part of the book is when finally, finally Jude and Cardan actually get to talk! I was dying for it! When it actually happens, for the first time Jude and the readers get to actually see Cardan the person and he so surprised me and I loved him!!! Love him!! That scene was perfection! And then there was that ending that blows your mind. I don't know what's going to happen, but I just cannot wait to read more!

So, I am dying to read the sequel, The Wicked King, because I want to read more!! I can't wait to see the new dynamic of Cardan and Jude working together (ish). I read an interview of Holly Black about it, and she said there will be more Undersea and two weddings... You know what that sounds like, but then again, it might not be... I cannot wait to read this next story, because this first story was the BEST BOOK EVER!.

So much intrigue - I can't wait to read more about these characters and see what they will do:
Jude, Cardan, Madac, Oak, Viv, Taryn, Locke, Nicasia, The Bomb, The Ghost, The Roach, The Queen, Oriana, Balekin

this book an unexpected beauty. I’ve read a couple of Holly Black books before and while they were good they weren’t FANTASTIC! At the beginning of this book I thought it was going to go the same way. It was going to be alright or pretty good and I was going to move on to the next book, la de da.

How wrong I was.

CRUEL PRINCE maybe be a slow starter but it has one hell of a finisher on it. Starting off in the modern human world my expectations were low. I’m not a fan of portal fantasy or any of this jumping back and forth between worlds stuff. Luckily CRUEL PRINCE only has a few scenes in the mortal world and none are particularly long. So happily I got to spend all my reading time in the lush, beautiful world of faerie.

Holly Black is a faerie master. She certainly should be by now, considering how much time she has spent there in her writing career. But Black truly knows her stuff. She’s got faerie lore DOWN and she uses it with deft and imaginative effect. She takes all you know of faerie and enhances it, giving the world just that little bit more depth to keep you enraptured the entire time.

You want court politics? You’ve got it. Faerie lore? Check. Murder and intrigue? Got that too. Plenty of blood and badass heroines doing their thing, Princes with all their scheming and plenty of rivalries. Plus family drama of course. This book has it all.

I found myself so pleased that it took me so long to catch on to the big twist of this book. Yes I figured it out before the reveal but just barely. I mean like a page before it came out. CRUEL PRINCE had me guessing for a really long time and I’m incredibly impressed.

My reactions went a little like this.

Me: Hmmmm…

Wait a second….

No it couldn’t be…but what if..?

No. NO WAY!

OH MY FREAKING GOD I WAS RIGHT!

*lots of swearing*

I’m still trying to get a handle on all of my feels. They are mighty and they are many.

This is easily my favorite Holly Black book. I so badly just want to fall down a rabbit hole and marathon the rest of her faerie books I haven’t read yet but I currently don’t have any room in my schedule. But believe me, as soon as I can make it happen I will be.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series, and now I have so long to wait. Ugh, why is this my life? You can bet I’ll be preordering it and book three just as soon as I can.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I was recommended this book by a friend and picked it up (along with Holly Black's other work, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown). I read the Cruel Prince after Coldtown and wasn't sure I was going to like it, but at approximately ten percent in the world had ceased to exist beyond my kindle.

This is a clever book and if you like dark fantasy and grey characters-rather than binary black and white-like I do, I think you'll find this mesmerising.

At seven, Jude and her sisters, Vivi and Taryn, witnessed the murder of their parents and were then raised by their parents' murderer in the land of Faerie.

Ten years later, Jude is a human amongst immortals, fighting for a place to fit in. She neither fully belongs in the land of Faerie nor in the human realm. She learns weaponry and strategy, and she needs it.

Jude battles prejudice and bullying-the type that made me want to climb inside the book and stab many of the Faeries with anything made of iron-lead by Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

What Jude dearly wants is a place at the Court, a place in Faerie where she belongs. She's caught up in intrigues, deceptions, mysteries, violence, and to add insult to injury, in order to take her place she must defy her nemesis.

One of the genius features of this book is that there isn't a single character I really liked in it. Sure, I was on Jude's side, but she's not clear cut. She's problematic, makes mistakes-big ones-and seems to run headlong into danger. I did, however, ache for her loneliness and was gutted how some of the events unfolded.

All of the relationships in this work are conflicted-they're morally ambiguous, uncomfortable, and at times, incredibly disappointed.

As for the Cruel Prince - he was a magnetic character, but I loathed him, and even character revelations didn't change that.

In saying that, I can't wait to follow on with the next book. If you're looking for an engrossing read that you can't put down - this is highly recommended!

This story was good. It was nice to be reminded that the fae aren't always considered super nice all the time. This book was different from many of the others that may be around about the same time.
The start of the story is fast paced. One second you are reading about a happy little family watching TV and snacking on fish sticks and the next all sorts of mayhem is going on. Before you know it the world of the humans is no longer the world our characters are in and a brand new story is taking place. The characters are aged to teens and you get a chance to see how they have faired to this point and what their lives are like. The story keeps you turning the pages at a fairly rapid rate for a good bit of time. There is a lull at one point but it picks back up and once it gets closer to the end you won't be putting the book down until the very last page! I'm trying not to give anything away because it's better if you go by the synopsis given to you from the book and dive in if that sounds like something you'd like at all. Expectations one way or another may ruin the book. Take what you have and read it from that!
I will say the one thing that really started to get to me, and this was just a me thing I think, was the switching between contractions throughout the book. There would be a bunch of " I am", "I will not", He did not", etc. then "I'm", "I won't", "He didn't", etc. and it would switch from paragraph or sentence at will sometimes in the same sentence. It was just one of those things that would throw off the flow of the reading. Again, just a little tiny thing but one that got to me enough to make the book less enjoyable.
That one silly thing aside, I liked the story quite a bit, the characters were written well with quirky personalities that made them enjoyable, and the world was very well developed. It was definitely worth reading.

"True power isn’t granted. True power can’t be taken away."

Ten years ago Jude's parents were murdered and she and her sisters were stolen away to the High Court of Faerie. Life at Court is a constant nightmare full of treachery and danger--especially for mortal children like Jude and her twin sister, Taryn.

Raised among the fey, Jude is painfully aware that she is not one of them the way her older sister, Vivi, is with her furred ears and cat eyes. She knows better than to fall for the seductive beauties of the fey or to ever believe they can ever see her as an equal. But that doesn't stop her from striving for that recognition and approval, always grasping for that means of protection.

Drawn into a web of intrigue and deceptions, Jude finds her chance to make a place in the Court while moving herself into the center of violence that threatens to break the Faerie Courts apart. Raised on strategy and brutality, Jude can see a way out of the conflict but only if she aligns with the person she hates most--Cardan, the youngest son of the High King and the one member of Court determined to make sure she never forgets her mortality. Jude and Cardan have spent years circling each other, hating each other, but it's only as they begin to work together toward a common goal that they begin to understand each other in The Cruel Prince (2018) by Holly Black.

The Cruel Prince is the start of Black's new trilogy, The Folk of the Air. Set in the same world as her other faerie novels it also references back in small ways to her Modern Faerie Tales series and The Darkest Part of the Forest.

Jude's first person narration is pragmatic to the point of being fatalistic even while adoption the lilting cadence of the faerie creatures who surround her. Jude has no illusion about her place in the hierarchy of the High Court or her expendability. While Vivi tolerates living among the fey and Taryn sees the beauty amongst the dangers, all Jude sees is the savagery. She knows that her only chance to survive and find her place among the fey is through power--a strategy she has learned all too well from her adopted father, Madoc. Madoc, a violent redcap, also murdered Jude's real parents leaving Jude uncertain of her footing even in her own family.

Every victory Jude has earned down below with the faerie is hard won; every lesson painfully learned. Thanks to her repeated encounters with Cardan, Jude is especially well-versed in hate. She hates Cardan beyond all reason and he hates her nearly as much. But as fans of the classic film Gilda know all too well, hate can be a very exciting emotion and Jude and Cardan's interactions practically sizzle as a result--even while they are doing everything they can to destroy each other.

Everything in The Cruel Prince is very artfully done. Jude's story is about politics, intrigue, and fear—particularly being afraid but charging ahead anyway. Because there is no other option. Intricate plotting and a restrained narration make for a very clever conclusion as quite a few of Jude's cards are laid on the table only to raise more questions for what will happen next in the series.

For Jude there are no good choices. Similarly, it's hard to say if there are any good people among the High Court. Thanks to the strength of Black's writing, that hardly matters. It takes real skill to take the villain of the story and make him not just sympathetic but precious. It takes as much work to have a first person narrator who is ruthlessly cold and calculating while also being devastatingly human and compassionate. The Cruel Prince is a must read for faerie enthusiasts, high fantasy connoisseurs, and especially for anyone looking for a book filled with twists that will leave them breathless. Highly recommended.

Possible Pairings: Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, Winterspell by Claire Legrand, The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope, The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid, An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson, Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff, Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Oh my. How will I possibly give this book review any justice without spoilers? I will try my best!

The Cruel Prince was the first book I started reading in 2018 and it was a 5 star read for me. It was fast paced, fun, brutal, dark, and it kept me wanting more.

Here are the basics: Jude and her two sisters witness the murder of their parents as children, and they are taken to the Fae world where they are raised by a Fae general. Jude’s twin, Taryn, and their older sister Vivi live with their parents’ murderer (who is Vivi’s biological father). While Vivi is rebellious and defiant, Jude and Taryn want to assimilate with the Fae.

Aside from this strange family dynamic, there is an entire world of brutal politics. The Fae King wants to appoint a new successor, and his choices are his own children. Who will take the crown?

Guys, I really don’t want to go into great detail because, duh, spoilers. So let’s just get into the good and the bad:

The Good:

I love how Jude is such a complex and morally grey character. She wants nothing more than to fit in in the Fae world. She actually loves her new father (yes, the man who murdered her parents). She wants to become a knight for the royal Fae family. She can fight like a badass and hold her own. She has a huge heart, but she’s not afraid to kill.
Prince Cardan. I think some may argue with me here. You see, Cardan is an a******. He bullies Jude. His friends torment her. But, you will learn more about his character as you read on. I don’t want to say anymore. I love how complex his character is as well.
Ok, so pretty much everyone is a bit of an a******. If that’s not your cup of tea, then you may not enjoy this book. Personally I love how everyone has their flaws. It makes this YA book unique.
The politics. Think Game of Thrones.
Bisexual representation! Yay!

The Bad (but not really?):

The writing. Since this is YA, I’m going to not be too hard on the writing. But I will warn you: it does read like a typical YA book. That is not a bad thing, but for all the hype this book gets, some of the writing does come off a bit juvenile. This is why I am not a fan of Holly Black’s other books (unfortunately).
Lack of romance. Actually, I didn’t mind the lack of romance. However, if you’re a romance fan, this book won’t give you all the romantic feels. There is some lust, mind you.
Trigger warning for bullying. The Fae are some cruel, cruel people. Cardan and his friends bully Jude at school. A lot.

Guys? Overall I loved this book so much. I am planning to listen to it on audio as my “re-read”. I am bursting with excitement for the next installment. If you’re into darker tales with political intrigue and morally grey characters, I highly recommend you pick up The Cruel Prince.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black definitely does not skimp on the word cruel. This was a twisty dark tale, where every character has a dark side. I loved the story and how intriguing it was. I admit it left me sad but also wondering how it will turn out in the end.
Jude’s character is interesting because if her upbringing had been different maybe she would be different. There is no way to really tell that though. After witnessing her parents murder and being whisked away to Faerie, she needs to harden herself in order to survive. Mortals are not celebrated in the Fey realm and many don’t appreciate their existence. Jude is not a perfect person and she finds that there is definitely pockets of darkness inside her. She deals with a lot of hating and loving her adoptive father, hating and loving Faerie. A need to belong and find a place and the fact that she can’t deny she is still mortal. There are things that will always be different about her. It was interesting to see her develop and almost find an understanding of herself along the way.
I was fascinated with Cardan because he is pretty much awful but there are moments. Moments that you kind of wonder. He never becomes a Knight or a bad boy with a heart of Gold. Of course not. He lives in this cruel world as well. There were just instances where his actions weren’t as they seemed and as we plunge more into Jude’s story, we see a bit more of his.
Taryn is Jude’s twin sister. They love each other with all their hearts I’m sure. There were many actions that Taryn chooses to take that made me not completely fond of her. If I had to pick of favorite sisters, it would have to be Vivi. Her love of her sisters almost seems the most human despite the mix of her blood. This is what makes these characters so interesting. There are so many good and bad things about them.
The story is full of Faere politics. Which often requires an awful lot of bloodshed. There are three princes. All of them are their own kind of cruel and the princesses, which we don’t get to know as well. The plot involves the coronation of a new High King of Faere and of course it’s no easy process. The courts are full deceit and suspicion. Jude finds herself sucked into all of this, having her adoptive father being the General. Fighting for her own place and life, she finds her ambitions intertwined with others.
The ending made me sad. I can’t say all the ways it made sad because I don’t want to give anything away. I was mostly sad for Jude. This strong, clever and foolish girl all rolled into one.

Jude’s Parents were brutally murdered by the general Madoc, who took Jude and her sisters to live with him in the High Court of Faerie. I can’t imagine living and being raised by someone who murdered my parents, but Madoc raises her and treats her as his own and I can respect that. Jude so badly wants to find her place and belong despite being mortal. She is willing to do what it takes to get a place at the court, even if it puts her life in danger. A civil war breaks out and the Game of Faerie Thrones begins! (Ha, Game of Thrones)

I truly enjoyed this book! It is the first novel I have read by Holly Black but it will definitely not be my last. The world is absolutely beautiful but also dark. It’s not a place that I, as a human, would want to live. Maybe a visit would be ok though, I would love to experience it. The way the author’s words flow onto the page allow you to envision this world, and it comes alive in your mind as you read.

One thing I can’t stand is when a character is perfect. Who’s perfect? Perfect is boring. I like when they are raw, real, and flawed. Holly Black does an amazing job at this. I found myself having conflicting emotions. At times a character would do a horrendous thing but I still like them because there is some good in them, or they have a good reason for their behavior. People are not all black and white, good or bad.

The only negative thing I have to say about The Cruel Prince is that darn ending! I NEED to know what happens. Not in a year, NOW! Having to wait to find out is pure torture.

If you like YA fairy books then you should definitely go out and get yourself a copy. I am eager to get the sequel and to try out other works by this author.

This was my very first book by Holly Black but it definitely won’t be my last. The Cruel Prince was everything I hoped it’d and I can’t wait to get my hands on book two. The faerie world with its character she created kept me glued to the pages and I read this book in one day.

“The servants are overfond of telling me how fortunate I am, a bastard daughter of a faithless wife, a human without a drop of faerie blood, …”

Jude. This girl blew my mind. She is brave, bold, sarcastic and gets her way somehow; despite her traumatic childhood – you know, seeing her parents get killed and basically being abducted to a different world – she’s pretty amazing. Growing up as human in faerie is by no means easy for her and her twin sister, but unlike her twin, Jude has a harder time to be one of them.

“Prince Cardan, sixth-born to the High King” is especially a thorn in her eye. He and his friends make Jude’s life a living hell – his handsomeness doesn’t make things easier. Until Jude seizes an opportunity and agrees to an offer that is too risky, too dangerous, yet too tempting to refuse. She hopes this will end all her problem. Little does she know it’ll expose even bigger secrets and turn her whole life -again- upside down.

“… I can make you powerful beyond what you might ever hope.”

With The Cruel Prince, Holly created an adventurous world that keeps a reader no chance but be glued to their book. I loved all the secrets, the ruthless acts, shady deceiving characters – this was a love/hate relationship for me – and the surprises Holly pact into this novel. The writing and flow was great but the main reason why I was so hooked on this book was thanks to its complexity, the not knowing what’s happening next and Jude.

… kissing him felt “like taking a dare to run over knives, like an adrenaline strike of lightening, like the moment when you’ve swum too far out in the sea and there’s no going back, only black water closing over your head.”

Fans of YA urban fantasy will love this book and Jude, the courageous heroine and the magical faerie world Holly has created.

“I’ve done the thing, and now I must live what I have done. I’ve lied and I have betrayed and I have triumphed.”

***Spoiler free***

Damn!!!! That's the first thing that popped in my head once I finished with this book. It took me by surprise and I stayed up WAY too late last night reading. That ending! I'm not sure where to begin? This one has everything - intrigue, politics, cruelty, more politics, betrayal, revenge, family dynamics, chemistry but, no love, spying....you name it. This is not your average faerie world...think darker and a bit more cruel, brutal.

“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”

The story is about Jude (& her sisters) and her life at faerie. Being a mortal and living in the fae world is not easy and she hates being powerless/weak. She's not your average fluffy MC...She is strong, flawed, bitter, cunning when needs be and learns to play the game. Jude and her sisters come to be there after her parents are brutally murdered. They adapt the best they can each choosing a different path. Jude chooses a path that will forever change her life and put her in the forefront of all the brutal ongoing of the fae worlds. I liked that I could relate with her. She had some tough choices to make and face the brutal truths of reality facing her. Could she have chosen a different path? Sure. But, to what end? Life there for her was to survive and make the most of it.
---- "I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all.” ----

Prince Cardan, the youngest prince of the high king, our cruel prince, is dubbed rightly so. He is fae, cruel, an a-hole, sarcastic, drunk and frivolous. BUT...... I just cannot hate him. Was he cruel, yeah. They are fae. This is what is in their nature. I also feel that's he's a lot more complex than what was just given to us in the book. I am curious to see what he brings to the table in book 2. I mean things change for him by the time the book ends and not to his liking.
---- “Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It's disgusting, and I can't stop.” ----

Cardan and Jude's relationship in the entire book ---- “He's flint, you're tinder.” ---- that pretty much sums it up. There is tension and strong feelings of hate at both ends. You can feel it through the pages. There is no romance or love lost. One can really hope that Holly turns it around magically somehow. I mean, I really hope they learn to love each other. A girl can dream, yeah?

Rest of the characters are great as well. They each bring something to the story in their own way. The drama and intrigue really pulls you in and you see the complexity of each character and the part they play. The world building is done well and gives you enough details you pull you in. I'm glad that there was just right amount of descriptions and details provided without making it tedious.

“I have lied and I have betrayed and I have triumphed. If only there was someone to congratulate me.”

Highly recommend.

Despite this book being EXTRA, EXTRA long with not much happening for like 3/4 of it, I found myself oddly drawn to it, which is a total surprise to me. It's probably a testament to Black's writing that she kept me interested and curious for so long. It wasn't until probably 45-50% of the way that I partially tempted to stop reading, but I continued because I was invested enough to see how it would all end and play out. Luckily, it paid off for the most part at the end. I really liked that twist and there's one amazingly brutal scene before that where I was pretty enraptured with the book.

Jude, oh, Jude. Man, I hated this girl so many times. I just couldn't get on board with her views of Fairie and the Folk. I guess, personally, I would've been more like Vivienne, defiant and unsatisfied with the life they were living. I get making the best of your circumstances, but when she had thoughts of not only being like them, of being better, I just couldn't. Don't even get me started on her weak sister and the drama there. In the end, she did manage a sliver of respect from me, and she does have the potential to become a strong heroine, but for now, I indifferent to her.

I'll say that this wasn't the "epic" story I was hoping for going in, it's still not bad. I definitely curious and liked it enough that I'll check out the next book. Keep in mind that romance is secondary to the actual plot of the story. It's honestly barely there and the way it was weaved into the story made me wish it wasn't present at all. It felt more of like an afterthought and wasn't necessary to me.

4.5/5 Stars

I feel totally played right now. I Just finished The Cruel Prince and the first thing that comes to my mind is that The Cruel Prince is not so cruel, Jude is. And if that is not one hell of a plot twist I don’t know what is! And i loved every second of it...

What a clever story this was. I am truly impressed by the cleverness of the author in coming up with a story that can not only change in a blink of an eye but is also so very cunning that you never know who to trust. The Cruel Prince just entered in my top 2018 favorites and it’s staying there for good. The writing is super detailed but sharp and cunning, the chapters can be either 10 pages long or just one. It’s a book full of surprises. It’s filled with deceit and revenge, cute boys that like to push people around and two brothers hungry for power.

Jude, the protagonist, as human is powerless, but as the book goes on she starts to see that her human side can be an advantage. For she can lie. And they can’t. For she was raised by a master of swords, so nobody can best her in a fight. She has all this advantages that she doesn’t realize but will end up using. She was great, asides from a curve ball at the end (WHERE SHE WAS INCREDIBLY SMART), she was a character I loved reading about and understood her motivations and goals. I was ready to support her to the very end. Go, Jude!

To our Cruel Prince that got played at the end…. I hated you. At the beginning that is. After a couple of chapters I fell madly in love with this character, that is so cruel but also so caring. Prince Cardan was a great surprise. He went from being this nasty bully to a somewhat decent person, to be an ass again. I’m not even mad, that’s impressive.

I loved the descriptions about the faerie world, the gowns, the balls and the unique kind that they are. It was what made me really enjoy the book as much as I did. Holly Black did an amazing job including us into this different new world that lives side by side with our own. Each description was more enchanting than the other. The folk had hair the color of every tone possible. Blue, pink, green moss and even white. Their features changed from pointy ears to large mouths and eyes of charcoal black. But all of them in their opulence were so beautiful. They contributed to a world building so well done that all I can do is congratulate the author.

Cruel Prince did not disappoint whatsoever, and I’ll be keeping my eye for more books by Holly Black because her writing style is super entertaining and crazy unpredictable. 2018 is so far a great year of books!

THIS IS A SPOILER REVIEW DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETELY FINISHED THE BOOK.! DONT WANT TO SPOIL IT FOR ANYONE!

The story starts off with Jude's parent's being murdered and stolen away to the fairy world along with her two sisters. There she learns about the courts and the world. Jude wants to participate in the summer tournament to be knighted as an equal. Jude goes into the tournament and wins 2 out of 3 battles. Soon after Prince Dain asks her to be his spy and offers her a geas that's a protection from all others who try to glamour or enchant her but himself. As Jude takes on her first mission for prince Dain she witnesses something about Prince Cardan that makes him more real to her. She is also introduced to the court of shadows among who she will be working with. Jude continues going on with her lessons and school she and locke become close and after a party with him once she's home she opens the acorn she found in locke's mothers dress she uncovers a hidden message and starts to piece together a mystery for Prince Dain.

As days go from her trip to hollow hall Jude goes back and tries to find anything she overlooked her first time there. Before she leaves she decides to save a servant human and disobeys Prince Dain in the process. When she tries to return the to the mortal world the girl kills herself by falling off the seeds and falls into the sea and not to be found again. Soon after Prince Dain confronts Jude about what she has done and she is to wound her hand for disobeying orders. As the days go by the cermony begins. Balekin tries to take over the ceremony and to take the crown. Madoc kills Prince Dain in the middle of the ceremony. More royal family are killed. Jude kidnaps Prince Cardan and then goes home from the court of shadows and learns who taryns lover and its Locke. Jude challenges taryn for her honor back. Jude figures out the mystery acorn and that oak is really Prince Dains son. Oriana is the mystery friend who hid oak for locke's mother. Jude forms a plan with Prince Cardan and the court of shadows. Jude's Plan set in motion and prince Cardan is crowned king and is to wait until Oak is old enough to take over the thorn in seven years.

What can is say other then I loved this book. It's not everyday a book comes along that consume everything around me. When I wasn't reading, all I could do was think about this book. Wondering what would happen, what the characters were up too and what would happen next.

My favorite thing about this book was the lack of Romance. Thank you Holly Black for writing a YA fantasy whose main theme or plot was not romance. This is such a rare occurrence in this genre and it made this book that much more special. The lack of romance allowed for the readers to get to know the world these characters live and play in. We see that this is a treacherous world, where one is willing to do anything to get ahead and gain power, that they will justify any action to obtain what they want.

This complex and compelling world leads to a book full of anti-heroes and I loved it. There was no one person that was all good or all bad. Everyone has selfish pursuits and intentions. Every character has an agenda and an angle that they are playing. No matter how noble a cause may be, the real reason a character takes action has little to do with doing the right thing, but more about how that action will impact their life, appease some guilt or move their agenda forward.

As these characters have both light and dark in them, it makes for a complex and compelling world. You truly don't hate any characters, but you don't truly love them either. Instead you are a spectator in a terrifying chess game, where one wrong move could mean you life. You are drawn to these characters and their stories because you can not look away. You want to see their next move, you want to know who succeeds and who fails, who flourishes under pressure and who succumbs to it.

The Cruel Prince is a book I never knew I needed. I loved the world Holly Black created and can't wait to see where she takes us next.

“Because you’re like a story that hasn’t happened yet. Because I want to see what you will do. I want to be part of the unfolding of the tale.”

Oh, wow. The beginning of this book is brutal, and that's just the first unexpected twist to the story. I never knew what was going to happen next! Almost everything Jude decides to do is a surprise, and it wasn't often I was able to guess her next move.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story for The Cruel Prince. It's different, but in a good way. There's a love interest, but there's not. There's a good family dynamic, but there's not. Good friends? Yes and no. You never know what you're going to get from page to page, because the rules of the game are constantly changing.

It was interesting to see how two mortals would survive in Faerie (twins!), even though they were practically raised there from a young age. Humans are the equivalent of toys, and it doesn't matter who your "daddy" is. They have the same problems as other mortals, so they cannot eat faerie food, they're susceptible to compulsion, and their only advantage is that they can lie without consequence.

A little more character development and background information of the secondary characters would have been nice, but it didn't detract from the overall story.

It's so hard to review this book, because I feel like every small detail could clue you in on something big that happens, and I want you to be as surprised as I was! All I can say is: READ THIS NOW (and then we can talk about it ?).

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on February 19, 2018.

"I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them."

Jude and her sisters have been raised in Faerie by the man who murdered their parents. Despite being raised in the High Court, the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King, who goes out of his way to make life miserable.

Vivi wants nothing more than to return to the human world and take her sisters with her. Taryn wishes to stay, believing that playing by the rules will eventually lead to acceptance. Jude is tired of being treated poorly and aspires to win her place—through bloodshed if necessary—in the King's council.

Unbeknownst to her family, Jude becomes part of the palace intrigues, deceptions and the intricate web of power plays for the crown. But when the coronation of the new High King takes a perilous turn, Jude must pull from all of her knowledge in order to protect her family and ensure the future of Faerie is one in which she'll belong.

4.5 stars! The Cruel Prince has the perfect blend of drama, action, surprises, nastiness and the tiniest hints at romantic possibility. I haven't been this excited about a new series in quite some time. The wait for the The Wicked King is going to be absolute torture.

I don't want to give anything away—it charges to a climax full of surprises and the ending, oh! the ending!—so let's focus on what I loved (aside from everything):

It's set in Faerie.
I feel like a lot of books about the fae either set the story mostly in the mortal realm or have a lot of cross-over. Not so with this one! I loved the luscious descriptions where things are just as beautiful as they are deadly. Beware ye mortals that wander here.

No matter how careful I am, eventually I'll make another misstep. I am weak. I am fragile. I am mortal.
I hate that most of all.

Cruel wit, blood, and death!
Holly Black knows her audience well. She isn't kind to us because she knows we don't want that. There is plenty of violence to go with the glittering descriptions of Faerie; plenty of blood and death to temper the politics and the fake niceties of the court. This isn't a summery fairytale.

"Nice things don’t happen in storybooks. Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one would read it."

Jude is shaping up to be an antiheroine and I LOVE IT.
She showed extreme growth over the course of the book and it felt genuine. She starts out being bullied to the extreme, trying to keep her head down like her sister. But she's been raised by Madoc—the High King's general—and she's more like him than even she would like to admit. When being good and meek doesn't get her what she wants, she decides to take matters into her own hands. And boy does she! She's flawed, badass, clever and makes such a great schemer that it surprises even herself.

"Father, I am what you made me. I’ve become your daughter after all."

I'm twisted up with Prince Cardan.
He's arrogant, he's nasty, he's a mean bully and yet...and yet...ugh! I don't know entirely how I feel about him yet except that I'm intrigued and I want to know more and I really might actually like him (even after everything when I didn't like him) but I don't actually know for sure! I have such tangled feels over this guy! I want to know more!

THE ENDING. OH! THE ENDING!
EVERYTHING ABOUT IT MAKES ME DESPERATE FOR THE NEXT. It's Game of Thrones worthy! I just...YES. SO MUCH YES.

RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE (especially those that like dark tales of the fey, strong heroines, clever schemes, crafty plots, spying, secrets, betrayals, and stabbing. Because it's not afraid to get its hands dirty and it's GLORIOUS)!

The Cruel Prince is a delightfully wicked YA Fantasy novel with an amazing setting, developed characters, and too many secrets to count. The fast and steady pace, combined with an intriguing plot and incredible world-building, hooks you in and pulls at your heartstrings.

Holly Black’s writing continues to be beautiful and enthralling. She knows how to make you fall in love with her characters, then break your heart with a painful and utterly surprising twist. This is true for this novel in many ways, as everything about it enchants only to leave you wanting more at the end.

Yes, hello, I love Holly Black. The Cruel Prince is probably one of my most anticipated 2018 reads, and I am so!!! in love!!!! with it!!! The novel has a shocking and twisted beginning, which sets up the rest of the plot perfectly and sweeps you off your feet and into a land of mysteries and pain and lies.

All of the character introductions and subsequent development are very well done. The story is told from Jude’s POV, who is a morally-questionable delight of a narrator. The book is actually filled with characters who can’t really be considered good people, which only makes the story better. They are unapologetically themselves and surprisingly endearing.

There’s quite a bit of action in the novel, especially as the plot progresses and some secrets are revealed. The slow build of a few betrayals are touching and all kinds of painful, as is the very light enemies-to-lovers aspect of the book. The writing just keeps you flipping pages and wanting to know what happens next, even as you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck.

In the end, I am extremely glad to say The Cruel Prince is already one of my favorite novels. Holly Black perfectly mixes the fantastical world of fey with modern times, crafting a beautiful story with amazing characters and an engrossing plot. Recommended to all Fantasy fans, especially those who like pain and suffering! :D

FIVE BIG FAT SHINING STARS

This being my first Holly Black novel, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I did not expect to absolutely fall head over in heels in love with it. THIS BOOK WAS PHENOMENAL!

Okay, so it starts off with three siblings, one of which is Fae named Vivi. Their mother had spirited away from the faerie world ot the real world after she fell in love with a human. Fast forward a few years and daddy Fae isn't really happy about mommy's new setup in the human world....so takes back what is his, plus two more.

Funny thing is, the story doesn't really follow Vivi at all, but Jude, her human sister. Having been brought to the Fae world and raised by fostered by them, she has a certain bitterness about her. She's not a Mary Sue, despite my inklings at first, but she's headstrong and cunning and everything you want in a protagonist

What I loved: Um, everything? How you couldn't quite tell who was bad or who was scheming or who was on who's side. The family dynamic and at some points, the lack thereof. The detail put into the Fae world. I mean, all that FOOD HAD ME DROOLING. The world-building was luscious and dangerous.

Some books I fly through but with this one, I actually took my time and read every sentence as if it were honey on my lips. I mean, the writing was that amazing. When I read the last line, I wanted to stand up and clap. Is that weird?

The ending....I was seriously gripping the pages as I was reading. WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK TWO???

Shout out to Owlcrate for the absolutely gorgeous cover. I mean, I just want to lick it. Is that also weird?

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.

It's been years since I picked up one of Holly Black's books. I first picked up Tithe when I was 12 years old, and I still have my original copy. I love the world of faerie tales and today's ever-popular urban fantasy. Returning to Holly Black was an unexpected joy.

The Cruel Prince was an intriguing opening to this new series. Taryn and Jude are twin sisters whose lives are turned upside down when a dangerous stranger (their half-sister's biological father) come to seek his long-lost daughter and wife.

After their parents are killed, the girls are brought to faerie to live with Madoc, a faerie war general and the man who slaughtered their parents. If you think growing up is hard, try growing up in faerie when the blood coursing through your veins is 100% human.

Taryn and Jude are the subjects of ridicule and scorn, the outsiders who are "lesser than" the gentry teens that surround them. While Taryn seems content to find a way to blend in and survive under the radar, Jude wants more. Thirsting to do something important with her life, to show those around her that she has never been lesser than, she finds herself in a dangerous bargain that throws her deeper into political intrigue and the midst of cruel Prince Cardan than she could have predicted.

The Cruel Prince has some hints of romance (though I found that a bit predictable), faerie lore, political conspiracy, and the typical "be careful what you wish for."

I'll be honest; I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book as much as I did. However, I even stayed up until 2 am to finish it, no easy feat when 72 6th graders await you the next morning. I'm looking forward to the continuation of the series, and so glad to have rediscovered Black.

I love Holly Black's writing style. I can't quite put my finger on what EXACTLY it is that draws me in, but I have yet to be disappointed.

Like many of her stories, The Cruel Prince is pretty messed up. Murder and kidnapping and magic - all in the first chapter. While not unnecessarily graphic, Black doesn't pull any punches or sugar coat anything. There is bullying, assassination, and suicide, in addition to the murder and kidnapping I already mentioned. While I think these things are all well written, I thought it only fair to mention them at the beginning of my review in case you are sensitive to these issues.

The best way to go into one of Black's books is, in my humble opinion, blind. I see her name as the author and I know I will be entertained and taken on a journey. Because of that, this review is intentionally vague. I don't want you to accidentally guess something based on what I say here.

I did basically guess where the story was going, but the how of it was not something I saw coming. With as much as I read it is almost impossible to totally surprise me, but Black keeps me on my toes, and really makes you feel for her characters. Love them or hate them or any of the grey area in between, her people always seem to evoke a strong emotional response for me.

Basically, if you like the darker side of the fae, then pick up The Cruel Prince, and let me know what you think.

I try to avoid book hype as much as I can these days, but even I heard about the rave reviews for The Cruel Prince. I thought there was no way it could be as good as everyone said, but honestly, it is.

Holly’s Curseworkers series is one of my all-time favorites, but I admit I haven’t read anything else by her. I’m also not a huge fan of fairy stories as a general rule. But with this book, Holly shows what a master writer she is.

First, the characters are excellent. Everyone is multi-layered and (dare I say it?) terrible, including our protagonist Jude. But despite their flaws, it’s impossible not to be drawn into their world and root for Jude the underdog. Also, I have to admit that the aptly named Cruel Prince (aka Cardan) is both horribly mean and also deliciously complicated. I can’t say I ship him with Jude, but I also can’t say they don’t deserve each other.

While the characters are great, though, I’ve got to say I was most impressed by Holly’s magnificent plotting. This book has so many twists and turns that it’ll keep you frantically turning pages. I guessed a few of the twists, but that one at the end totally surprised me - in a wonderful way.

Overall, this book deserves the hype. A few cliches like over-describing fairy beauty and a little too much emphasis on sexual tension when murder was afoot kept me from giving this a full 5 stars, but I’ll definitely be anxiously awaiting the sequel!

pooled ink Reviews:

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and I absolutely look forwards to reading what comes next. Jude has made her play and Cardan has not long until he can break his chains and make his. I cannot wait to see what it might be, for time makes fickle things of us all.

The one thing I wasn’t overly impressed with was some of the predictability in the plot and in the characters. This is definitely one of those books where if something seems too good to be true (particularly in the cruel world of Faerie) then it is. Every time. However I will say that the predictability tended to lie in the major moves, the cleverness hid in the details. So while I could guess what turn or "twist" the plot might make at major points, Jude was always a mystery and this is why she was such a fantastic character to read and why I greatly anticipate the sequel.

Wickedly delightful and seductively clever, THE CRUEL PRINCE spins a tale of faerie and what a small mortal girl might do if willing to do anything at all. Captivating, conspiring, and as all-consuming as faerie fruit on human lips, this stunning fantasy will leave you gasping for more.

**Read the full review on Wordpress: Pooled Ink

The Cruel Prince is part one of The Folk Of Air Series.
The next two books will be realeased in 2019 (The Wicked King) and in 2020 (The Queen of Nothing).

I had a sleeples night, because I couldn`t put this book down. And the chliffhanger was very mean. Over one year is a long time for waiting what will happen next...

I loved the worldbuildung and the vivid description of the Faerieland with its inhabitants.
I really liked Jude. She is a very complex , interesting and tragic character.
As a human she is an outsider in the land she was abducted as a child and risen up. She loves her family, even the `father` who has murdered her parents, and she loves Faerieland. But as a `weak` human she's distained by most of the immortal race. She is beeing humiliated and has even to fear for her life at some point when her fellow students are playing their pranks with her.

She has one goal: To win her place in Faerieland. To be someone who belongs.
As she gets the chance, she seizes it.
... But the opportunity comes with a price and she's pulled into the treasonous wold of the Court.
When she decides to become an open player in `the game of throne`; everything is changing.
She`s growing into someone to be recognized; but will it guarantee her a rightful place in the Faerieland or will it swallow her up?

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"The Cruel Prince" by author Holly Black certainly draws you in from the first few gripping pages. When a fearsome assassin murders the parents of Jude and her sisters they are taken to the world of Faerie where Jude is installed in the Royal Court. However, she is constantly mocked for being mortal and realises to survive she must be as cunning and sly as the Fey themselves, but Jude must watch out for the arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan, as the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal.
Although I admit I seldom read fantasy stories, I was drawn to this attractive book by its gorgeous cover and enticing blurb, and I am pleased I read it. It is entertaining with quite a compelling storyline with many diverse and interesting characters. I liked Jude and her determination and could well imagine this book being made into a modern fairytale style movie, it's so original.
Holly Black is a very talented and imaginative author who has been successful with many books previously including the famous 'Spiderwick Chronicles' and I'd have no hesitation in recommending her or her books
This is easily a four or even a five star read, great writing, excellent story, beautifully printed book but sadly just isn't my favourite genre, however, I can see it doing really well and I expect it to be a huge success with the young and old alike.
4 stars

The Cruel Prince is the first book in a young adult fantasy series by Holly Black. This story is about three sisters who are taken to the land of the Fae. This story is told from Jude’s perspective ten years after she and her sisters were stolen away and their parents murdered.

There is so much hype surrounding this book and everyone seems to love it; however, I was not very impressed by this story. I was looking for an epic Fae story and I was very disappointed. I saw every ‘twist’ long before they happened and I found the story hard to get into. There just wasn’t anything to keep me hooked, being able to predict most things before they happened and the rest of the story just felt bland.

I gave this book three stars due to the ending being the only thing that caught me off guard. Don’t get me wrong this book is not bad. I just could not get into the story. I think that all of the hype around this book may have set it up to fail.

My daughter absolutely loved this book so for me, this could just be a matter of my tastes changing and me needing more intricate books.

I love Black’s writing. I already knew that since I read two other books by her – the first two instalments of the Curse Workers Series – and loved them. Knowing those are older, I was thrilled to find out how her writing has evolved since then. And evolved it has!
I loved her descriptive style, almost tasting the forbidden fruit she described. Overall it’s a writing style that lures me in, draws me in, pulls me in. Maybe even just throws me in?

As for the world-building? Yes! Although it took me a little while to lose myself into the story, I loved everything. I liked the mentioning of the different courts – I really hope we’re getting more of those as the series progresses! -, the actual behavior of the Fae – cruel, free and amazing with words since they cannot lie – and, of course, just… everything.

One thing that I have to mention: This book has twins! I love twins!

I just couldn’t for the life of me connect with our MC, Jude, though. I understood what she was doing and I got her motivation for her actions as well but I just didn’t feel her. Not feeling a main character is always such a pity because we all know how much of an influence it can have on your reading experience. Yet, in this case, I just enjoyed the story way too much to let it bother me an awful lot.

4,5 / 5

Kathy
Books & Munches

The Cruel Prince definitely got better the farther into the book you got. The beginning felt kinda slow and wasn’t really all that interesting/captivating. However, the second half of the book really took off and I read the second half in like, an hour and a half it was that entertaining! I was really nervous that this book wouldn’t live up to the hype, but I feel like it really did in some aspects.

The things I liked:

-I loved how complex and crazy the plot was, and how the court was so conniving and were backstabbing people left and right! How the fae were able to get around their inability to lie was really fantastic to read, and was honestly pretty awe inspiring. Not that I’m going to use that as an example, but it may come in handy some day. (Just kidding! Or am I?) I started to guess what was going on with Locke when Taryn started acting strangely whenever Jude would mention him, so that wasn’t really a big surprise to me. What was a surprise was the way Jude handled it, I love that she defended her honor instead of fighting over him.

-I also loved that the world building lived up to my expectations. All these books that we have on faeries say that they are deadly and their world is perilous for humans, and this really shone through in this book. The fae are cruel and deadly, and so is the environment. The bullying that Jude goes through is harsh, but definitely fits in with what we know of the fae and how they treat humans. There is so much cruelty and murder and honestly, its pretty freaking fantastic.

-I love and hate Jude all at the same time. I think she is so wonderfully complicated, but she is also kind of heartless and yeah, she says that her actions are to protect her brother, but really its so that she can have power over the faeries that have had power over her for so long. The fact that she admits that if she stopped to think about the murder of her parents the fear would swallow her whole is something that makes her more relatable. She is absolutely ruthless when it comes to her scheming and getting what she wants to happen. Love it! (And hate it, which I’ll explain later.)

-Cardan is so horrible, but I love him at the same time? He does kind of redeem himself in the second part of the book (I won’t say how because spoilers), so I actually really enjoy his character and cannot wait to see more of him in the next book! I especially cannot wait for the interactions between him and Jude, and I totally ship it! (Even though that seems highly unlikely to happen since they kinda hate each other)

-I have heard people mention the plot twist at the end, and it was really entertaining to watch it play out finally! I wouldn’t quite call it a plot twist, because Jude walks through her decision making process and we can see where it is going, but it was still fantastic and had me flying through the last few pages!

The only things I didn’t like about the book was that the first part was a lot of set up for the second half, so it was a little bit slower. I wouldn’t say that that was necessarily a bad thing because every book does better with some background, and I’m definitely being nit-picky.

The other thing that I didn’t really like is actually also one of the things I liked about the book, which is Jude. I loved her, but at the same time I hated her and thought that she could’ve been a much better person than what she was. I didn’t totally enjoy how heartless she came across, but at the same time I totally understand why.

I was really afraid that this wouldn’t live up to the hype, but for me it really did and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves books about faeries and stabby stabby books!

I’m torn. I loved the story and the overall plot. It did get off to a slow start but it was fine as it mostly focused on world building. While the start was somewhat aimless, the end was more focused and because something that I expected in an unexpected way.

There were three things that kept this from being a five star from me.
First the lack of contractions. It didn’t make sense why Jude who is well versed enough in modern language enough to swear like modern humans, would never use a single “I’m” “won’t” or “can’t” etc. to the point that it came across as word count padding and it was distracting to read.
Second, the plot was a bit muddled and at times seemed to go in random directions.
Third, to be frank, Jude sucked at her “job.” she’s told to be extra vigilant before an event but instead she’s wandering around like everyone else, paying attention to little more than what people were wearing and caught up in her own little thing with Locke.

I don't know how old these characters are supposed to be but Cardan and Jude come off about 12-14 years old. Even though all the art of them looks older, they come across as really really young/immature.

Most of the time when I start a book, my main goal is to finish it. Sure, I want to love it too, but that doesn't always happen. I just really want to finish it. It's very, very rare for me that I get to say, page 312 of a book, look up, and then freak out because I only have 50 pages left and I really would like to read more and more and more.

You all. I did not want to finish this book. Nope. I wanted it to keep going and going and going because it was just so darn AMAZING.

I'm new to Holly Black's writing, but wow, I guess THE CRUEL PRINCE was the book to start with because I loved absolutely everything about it. The world, the characters, the story, the ending, the relationships. Everything.

Jude is a fantastic main character. I loved how real she is, how she messes up but she also is totally capable of saving herself. She makes stupid decisions, but she also makes tough ones, smart ones, amazing ones. She could hold this story on her own if she had to, but then there are also all of these other great characters that fill everything in wonderfully.

The story is so dark but so heartfelt. It pulled me in from the beginning and I couldn't stop wanting more. I didn't want it to end but I always had to know what happened next. It kept me guessing all the way to the end, and now I'm guessing where the next book will go.

Black did an amazing job of creating a vivid world, one that was easy to see and get lost in. I could picture everything, the world of Faerie, the creatures, the buildings and clothes, all of it I could see in my mind in full color. I wish every book I read could have this perfect balance of description.

I really have a feeling that this series is going to end up being a favorite of mine. I know I'll be reading THE CRUEL PRINCE again while I wait for the sequel. The world is one that I'll want to visit again and again and again.

This was a fantastic start to a series. I'm actually almost glad that I waited until June to read it, because it means I have a shorter wait until the second book in the series comes out next January.

The story is written from the viewpoint of Jude, a mortal girl who lives in Faerie with her twin sister and her older sister after their parents are murdered. I was fascinated by the world that Holly Black created - there were some traditional elements of a fairyland, but enough unique things put in that really kept me interested. The laws, traditions, and customs of the fey were expertly woven into the story, as well as the clashes that Jude and her twin sister often experienced as a result of being mortal. There were plenty of twists and turns in the story, and while I was able to guess some things ahead of time, there were also plenty of surprises. The character development, particularly Jude's, was great.

Overall, five stars and definitely one of the best fantasy books that I have read in awhile.

If you are a fan of Sarah J. Maas, this book has to be on your list of most anticipated 2018 releases! The Cruel Prince was very well written and such a compelling story that you will not be able to put the book down. This is my first Holly Black book and lets say I was not disappointed. I was immediately drawn into the story as well as loving all the characters. This book will be one of your favourite books of the year!

Jude is only seven when her parents are murdered. Along with her two sisters she is now living in the High Court of Faerie. The book begins ten years after where the fey despise humans. Then we meet Prince Cardan, the wickedest son of all of the High King's sons. I really enjoyed seeing the way both Jude and Cardan both interacted throughout the book. But he was definitely cruel to Jude throughout most of the book. He can definitely not be trusted...... or not.

Holly Black is well known for writing fantasy featuring faeries. It had a bit of everything like action, drama, romance (you will see!) and tons of surprises that will make you want to throw the book across the room. The ending will not disappoint you, but it will leave you wishing you had the second book in your hands! If you are looking for a great fantasy this is the perfect book for you to start!

This book is a little slow overall, especially at the beginning and it took me a little bit to finish it. However, I was deeply invested from the get go and loved every second spent reading.

Having not read any of Holly Black’s books (with the exception of her short story in My True Love Gave to Me), I honestly had no idea what I was getting into, I pretty much had only glanced over the summary when I decided I wanted it.

Jude is such a fun character. She’s smart and impulsive, cunning and wicked in all the right ways. Her mind was the perfect one to explore this world with and her narrative made the story all the more appealing.

The story is full of political powers and I can admit to being lost in regards to the different kingdoms and fae and other creatures-but I don’t think this takes away from the book. There’s always enough information to get a gist of whatever is going on.

This was a fun, entertaining read with a plot twist I had not seen coming and one that I kind of had-and I feel like the story was designed to be that way. The romance is there, kind of, and the betrayals and curses and fairy deals were plenty. This one is one you don’t want to miss.

The Cruel Prince tells the story of a human who is adopted by the fairy who murdered her parents when she was five. Ten years have passed and Jude doesn’t hate her adoptive father anymore. What she does want is to be accepted at fairy court, but that doesn’t seem possible because most of the fairies hate her humanity - especially Cardan, the youngest and cruelest prince. Getting involved in the world of spying and court intrigue seems to be Jude’s best way into the inner circles - but will that really work? And what will be the price?

Why I would not recommend this book to my 15-year-old sister: This book contains multiple murders, sparkly drugs, and lots and lots of drinking of green wine, and therefore many dead, drunk, or stoned people. It also makes vague references to sex, and although that element is tamer it is scattered all over the place.

What I think Black did well: The plot is very well-written - it constantly kept me wanting to know more, and it was unpredictable. The conclusion was satisfying considering this is the first in the series and some problems must remain unresolved.

One of the best parts are the non-stereotypical relationships. Jude should hate her adoptive father because he murdered her parents, and while she doesn’t really trust him she does love him. Her adoptive mom seems like an airhead, until it turns out she isn’t. Her older half sister, who is actually the daughter of their father, could easily fit into the fairy world because she’s really a fairy...but she hates the fairy world instead. Even though she’s bugged with Jude for wanting to get in the in-crowd, she stays close to her. I thought this reflected reality well. We don’t always like or dislike the people we think we should.

Final pet peeve (SPOILERS): I was bummed that this book used the trope of “The worst guy is actually the passionate love interest.” I’m tired of it! Why can’t the MC like someone nice for a change?! But no. It’s called “The Cruel Prince” for a reason. You couldn’t expect the title character to be anything less than the love interest, could you?

I probably wasn’t the target audience for this book, but I still enjoyed it. It’s just not my favorite.

Oh my Lord! What has Holly Block done to my once precious soul? She has ripped my soul from my body and placed it inside her book. And took my heart, too. Okay, figuratively speaking. Holly Black blew me away with The Cruel Prince. There was intrigue, spunk, emotion, fighting, romance, and, of course, blood. I felt an overwhelming amount of emotions while reading The Cruel Prince. This book is gripping and grabs a hold of you from the first page and refuses to let you go, even after book one comes to a close. And that ending, though I was not overly shocked, is one that will leave you wanting more.

While many people will probably not take a liking to the cruelty that is this book, I loved it. Not saying I am cruel person (I promise!), but this book was different from anything I’ve read. I’ve read plenty of books with cruel characters and deadly escapades, but never a book that solely revolved around the cruelty that is Faerie. And Prince Cardan. And Jude. But the cruelty is to be expected, hence the book name; but it is so beautifully written and executed that it makes it difficult for you to loathe the main characters.

Holly Black certainly has a way with words, and it’s no surprise that she is deemed the Faerie Queen by many. Her writing is beautiful; she weaves an intriguing story with complicated yet breathtaking characters. I am telling you, this is a book you are not going to want to miss. Add The Cruel Prince to your TBR pile now! Actually, I’d recommend reading The Cruel Prince now but I also honor the TBR pile. So, just place The Cruel Prince at the top of your TBR pile.

One, all of her problems with the fairy land don’t have legitimacy because she can just leave and go back to the human world. The author should have created a scenario that made it impossible for her to go back. Every time Jude runs into conflict all I think is, “you don’t have to put up with this, why don’t you go back to the human world?” The reasons the author gave for Jude staying weren’t legitimate, not when death is the alternative.

Second, the extreme hatred some of the fairies have for Jude have no basis. If you are going to try to sell us on that much hatred, you need to come up with a good reason. There is a reason that comes towards the end of the book, but it still doesn't justify the hatred.

Jude’s motivations are a little sketchy. She wants power for the sake of power not to do anything with it like save the kingdom, her family or her life. She might use it for some grand reason later, but for now it’s a weak motivation.

That said, it was well-written. I like that she is a troubled character that is sketchy. I like her volatile relationship with the price. I like the twist a the end.

“And Cardan is even more beautiful that the rest, with black hair as iridescent as a ravens wing and cheekbones sharp enough to cut out a girl’s heart. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breath.”
~Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

Jude is a mortal human, that through circumstances involving murder and betrayal, ends up being raised in the land of fae along with her twin sister and an older half- fae sister, by a well known fae warrior. She longs to become part of the fae world permanently as a knight. Her story takes many different turns though as the fae kingdom is going through a turnover of the High King, and Jude must make decisions about what roll she will play. The story is filled with intrigue, betrayal, love, hate, family, and tough choices.

This book has been called by many, the most anticipated read of the year, and it truly lives up to the hype. I loved it so much. I was constantly thinking of this story when I wasn’t reading it. It was a book that is easily devoured but also thought provoking. I had a lot of “WAIT! What?” moments along the way. The Cruel Prince is a definite 5 star read for me.

This exactly how the title reads, The cruel prince. This was one story I felt cam alive through the spoken words as the narration was phenomenal.

I felt a girl want to belong, The hurt after every fall and love that had become. There was something so very magical about this book.

The world building was vivid and lively, while dramatic but now overly done that it left no room for imagination. The characters were vast and they ranged in age and personalities each that were distinguished and unique.

The plot was creative and held my attention past the noise of my children and place me front and center, like a fly on the wall experience. There where many what just happened moments through the novel.

This was one that even though I’ve listened in audiobook would be one I’d pick up and read just to see if I would have the same feeling towards the novel.

The Cruel Prince was an anticipated release for me in 2018. Many favorable reviews were already circulating, and I am a huge fan of all things fae. This was a deviation from my current reading challenge, as I picked it up simply for me. Unfortunately, I may have fallen into the minority when I found myself lacking the same enthusiasm as many others. But there were so favorable moments. For the sake of this review, I will be addressing my time with the audiobook.

The skinny: A young Jude finds herself and her two sisters ripped away to the land of the fey after the viscous murder of her human parents. 10 years later she is struggling to cope with her own mortality and disgust her peers (the fey) harbor towards humans. She does not belong. Not in the high court of the fey nor among the humans. She attempts to seek knighthood and a spot in the court, challenging those around her, but soon finds it does not come without great risks and costs.

Sounds fun, right?! So what went wrong…

Those characters though: They fell into two categories for me. Over the top or 2 dimensional. I found the decision-making to be questionable during the best of moments, but did allow leeway in regards to the extremity of our protagonist Jude’s circumstances. Yet, I did not ever successfully connect with her. I do understand this is YA, but often found characterizations and responses to be too juvenile and simplistic. Without avoiding too many details here, I did feel the story offered a suggestive look at possible Stockholm syndrome with Jude’s constant struggle to come to terms with her “now father” Madoc. ⇐ I cringe as I write that knowing it may receive some very negative backlash, but this is my experience. I am not actually going to offer much more in terms of characters aside from stating that I did find Cardan’s development to be of the most interest here.

What about the story: While there were some unique elements in play, I found the main themes to be tiresome. I have reached a point where forbidden love and the victimized, not belonging, female protagonist making her mark no longer offers enough for me. It can work, but I need more. There was a lack of depth and complexity that seemed to constantly promise to surface only to slip away each time. A twist would occur but then manage to fall into the predictable. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the somewhat disjointed pace picked up around the last 15% leading to a more satisfying conclusion. Bonus points for that!

But that world building: This was one of the major highlights for me. I enjoyed Black’s description of the fey and their high court. Being introduced into their lives was fascinating and managed to compel me onward even when the story-line faltered. The incorporation things such as glamour and fairy fruit with details of the effects on humans was a welcomed addition. World development felt complete and immersive. Black takes the magical and lends an air of credible life to it. That alone will nudge my rating of this one.

Writing & Narration: Holly Black’s writing is crisp and smooth. She manages a fine balance between description and precision that serves a fluid experience. Caitlin Kelly’s narration was punchy and entertaining, lending life to the story and creating an easy listen.

Setting aside my own issues with The Cruel Prince (which lie mainly in a storyline that didn’t work for me), it is still easy to pick out the elements that find an audience within. If you enjoy story of the fey and overcoming the odds, I highly recommend exploring this one for yourself.

(Full post on my blog kaleyconnell.wordpress.com)

The book started out so good that I read half of it in one sitting. I loved the details of the world, the characters, the ticks and magic. I loved how dark it was, how gray everything seemed. But somewhere along the way, I lost my interest in Jude.

Jude is a very strong female lead, and I love that. Her love for her softer twin, her desire to fight to win her own place in court, all of it made for a great character. But Jude starts to make some stupid choices, then some really stupid choices, then some really stupid choices. I started to question how much of the original Jude from the beginning was left in the Jude at the end, and if I completely misunderstood the Jude at the beginning. Maybe I missed something, or didn’t quite get what Holly Black was trying to tell me in her story. Honestly, I would love to hear your thoughts on this if you’ve read the book.

Then there’s Cardan, the youngest prince of the High King. Jude and Cardan get along like oil and water. Cardan is wicked and makes sure that everyone knows it. However, I actually wonder just how true that is. When we first meet the prince, there is a scene that details his horribleness for us, but again, unless I’m missing something, I don’t remember anything else happening that would actually be considered cruel. Pranks, yes. Mean, hateful, condescending, and bad-boy? Definitely. But it’s one of those situations where you find out some information later on that makes you rethink those pieces of the story.

Maybe I just read this story all wrong, or because life happened and there was a decent gap between when I read the first half of the story and finished the second half that there’s a lot of things I’m missing or forgetting to help stitch together these pieces in my mind. Like I said earlier, if you’ve read this book and have a different opinion, please feel free to leave a comment or message me about it. I would love to hear another perspective on this.

I believe the series is supposed to be a trilogy, and I liked The Cruel Prince to pick up the next volume, especially because of some of the things at the end of this one has me interested. All in all, I liked the book, but the jury is still out on my opinions of Jude.

Me yesterday: "I'm not really the biggest fan of books with fairies"
Me, today, after finishing this: "I love books with fairies, what was I even thinking?"

I was actually really nervous going into this because I had such high expectations and was completely ready to be disappointed, but NOPE, I completely loved this, and it has definitely put me in the mood to read more paranormal (and probably books with the Fae in them).

There were many things that I loved, but I will admit, it did get a little slow in the middle. There was a point about halfway through where I was convinced I knew a big twist that was going to happen and it kind of made reading everything leading up to the reveal to be a chore (and I ended up being semi right about what was going to happen, but there was also things that I did not predict would happen, and that was when my interest picked back up.

10/10 would reccomend this book, it's amazing, and I refuse to accept the fact that I have to wait longer than a day to have book 2 in my hands; I need it in my life right now.

Very good.

We begin with a fairy general entering the human world where his wife has run off with a human man years before. He confronts her and kills her and her lover. He then takes his daughter and the twins of his now dead wife back to fairy. He raises the girls as his own and loves them in his own way. He remarries and has a son.

Vivi (the generals daughter) hates fairy and returns to the human world whenever she can. She has a girlfriend and wants to leave fairy forever and live with her girlfriend. She wants her sisters to come with her. Unfortunately, they do not want to go. Jude wants to be a knight for the king and her twin just wants to marry and be happy.

The fairy gentry hate the human twins and do all kinds of nasty things to them. Jude fights back which does not go well. But one of the gentry shows an interest in her and things begin to unfold. Also, the next in line to the crown makes her an offer she can't refuse.

Great story. Enjoy!

The Cruel Prince was one of those books that you don’t want to put down because you have to know what happens next. I really enjoyed escaping to the world of Fey in The Cruel Prince. Holly Black is known as the queen of faerie and I definitely think she deserves that title. The Cruel Prince was full of intrigue, deception, politics, murder, and complicated relationships, all of which I loved reading about.

Throughout the book, we follow Jude’s perspective who is a mortal living in the Fey world. I really felt like I got to know Jude, and understand her motivations as the story went on. I would not say she is an extremely likable character, but I could understand her. I loved how strong Jude is, and that she would never back down. Jude’s relationship with her family was complicated, but I enjoyed reading scenes between her and Vivi. Jude really wants to belong to the fey world, and I think by the end of the book she does. Prince Cardan was another character who I started off hating but grew to like as the story went on.

Overall, If you love a great fantasy set in the fae world full of political intrigue, I highly recommend The Cruel Prince.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Although I like the protagonist and some of the other female characters, I'm pretty lukewarm on this book as a whole. The plot has long periods of inaction and a few moments that seem to come out of nowhere, the title character and most of the other men feel a bit flat, and the setting is a pretty generic fairyland whose most distinctive element -- that its immortal denizens cannot lie -- isn't even upheld consistently. The YA court intrigue is fine for what it is, but ultimately I don't really feel like this is a series that I need to read any further. And if anyone's looking for a better and weirder take on humans raised as changelings by the fey, I recommend checking out The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins instead.

[Trigger warning for an attack on the heroine that's pretty much a sexual assault.]

When I first started reading this book, I for the life of me couldn't understand what all the hype was about. I found Holly Blacks writing style strange and disliked her excessive use of adjectives. The story felt more like a children's fairy tale than a young adult novel. But as I kept reading, I adapted to the writing style and I got sucked in by the story. By half way my mind was blown and I truely began to understand the hype. Although some of the twists and turns were predictable, others came at me from no where. Where I thought one thing would happen, something entirely different happened. Overall I genuinely loved this story and cannot wait for the next one. I am truely interested to see what the land of Elfhame becomes.
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At 7 Judes parents were murdered, her and her sisters were then wisked away to Elfhame by the murderer to be brought up by him. Mortals raised in a realm of immortals.
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A tale of family loyalty, a tale of hunger for power and satisfaction, a tale of lust and lastly a tale of who can outmaneuver who.
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"If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back"

I absolutely loved this book! I actually listened to the Unabridged Audio Book from Audible here on the store. Holly Black weaves a story about the Fae and Humans that had me wanting more. Holly's prose are beautiful and flowed so easily weaving a story and a world that I could easily see and immerse myself in. The characters are beautiful as well and you connect to them and their lives in the book. Caitlin Kelly narrated this book and all I can say about her and Holly Black is what a team! Caitlin was phenomenal and really added that extra oomph to Holly Black's all ready awesome book. I loved how Caitlin changed her voice for the different characters and really helped distinguish the dialogue between the characters and also helped bring out their personalities more. I have been in a reading slump lately and I am glad I took the time to listen to this wonderful book!

Holly Black… She gets me. She knows my secret desires, my dreams, my fears and doubts. She knows exactly what I love and what I hate and she gives me all of it at once, shoving it in and clamping a hand over my mouth so I have to swallow it down. Sometimes its bitter but its also everything that I need. This is how The Cruel Prince made me feel.

It began with a double homicide and a kidnapping… Yes, please. (What’s wrong with me?!) Jude, our narrator, her twin sister, Taryn and their older half-fey sister, Vivianne are whisked away to Faerie with Vivianne’s biological father, Madoc after he kills their mother and Jude and Taryn’s father. He did seem to regret this almost immediately but what else can be expected from a Redcap, a creature born of violence and made to thrive on it? Fast forward ten years and the twins are now seventeen and must choose what roles they will play in Faerie. Will they be one of the Fey’s brides or will they try to carve out their own place?

Jude is just a human girl living in a Faerie world. (Did you read that in time with the “Barbie Girl” beat by Aqua? I did.) She is such a complex, strong, brave and flawed heroine. It was impossible not to relate to her. She has always felt less than, since she came to Faerie. All of the Fey are beautiful and strong immortals and she is considered to be a gnat at their picnic. A weakling with a miniscule lifespan that shouldn’t even bear notice. Having Madoc, Prince Dain’s general, claim her as his child allowed her privileges that no other human in Faerie had. She was allowed to attend lessons and she was trained in sword fighting. She had a roof over her head, a comfy bed and food on her table. Even if she had to dose that food with salt to counter the magical effect it would have on non-fey. However, even with all of this privilege from her surrogate father, in Faerie she didn’t measure up. This feeling was amplified by Prince Carden, the youngest and cruelest prince of the High King, and his entourage of spoiled Fey teenagers. They bullied her mercilessly and worse for what she was. I’m sure we all have felt somewhat like this in our life. Someone was always prettier, smarter, stronger or wealthier. It is so relatable but a hopeless and draining feeling and Jude had had about enough.

Jude was determined she was going to be someone in Faerie. She would be her own Hero and she dreamt of competing for Knighthood in service of one of the princes or princesses. However, a certain prince discovered a valuable skill Jude possessed that almost no Fey or anyone else of importance had… She could lie. This opened up a whole new world for Jude. A place in the Court of Shadows. A world of deception and lies. A world of bloodshed and heartache. Could she do what she needed to, to save Faerie and her family? Could she be ruthless in her quest to save this alien place, she now called home? Who would get hurt and would she recognize herself after it was over?

Black enthralls with her whimsical landscape and her complex characters. Not one of them is one dimensional. In the beginning, the intense hate you feel for a character will have completely morphed into like or love by the end, and vice versa. You can’t tell the worth or makeup of a person/fey you do not know and first, second, and third impressions may not be worth their salt. The motives and desires of characters are kept a mystery until the perfect moment. She keeps you guessing until the very end! I’m in awe of this!

To summarize, “All Hail the Queen of fantasy and the fey!” I read this novel in one sitting. Once I cracked the first page, I was completely sucked in! For fans of dark fairytales and the complex will of the human spirit, read this book. You will not regret it.

I loved the world building and Holly Black's vision of Faerie and the Folk. It is so beautiful and dark. I got wrapped up in it, in the lush details of what they looked like and how the world worked. I even like their cruelty and disdain for humans. It makes the world interesting. The last quarter of the book raced by quickly and I couldn't put it down. I did like the twist at the ending.

What I didn't love was Jude. I understand that she is broken, and that normally does not bother me. I like a feisty, female main character. I like that she stood up for herself, that she trained in weapons and strategy with Madoc. What I didn't like was that she had no soft edges. She was ambitious to the point of being ruthless, even with her own family, even with her own twin. It didn't feel like there was anyone she loved above her own desire for power.

All in all, Iiked the book and will read the next installment of the series.

Fantastic! I need The Wicked King to be released right now!! There were many a cruel prince in this book, not just one. I hated the voice/accent used for Madoc, otherwise the narrator's performance was wonderful.

Thoughts during reading:
Jude is going to get herself killed. Cardin is a typical troubled teen lashing out. I don’t trust Dain or Madoc AT ALL.
Things change fast! I hate Jude's entire family. They're selfish, and don't do anything good with their lives. Vivi is a terrible older sister. She doesn't seem to truly care about her younger sister's well being.

Locke can drop dead. Glad Jude dispatched V.

Cardan doesn't seem so bad. He's a dick, but I think he's redeemable. He's a victim of nurture, not nature. The murder of his family was very red-wedding.

I REALY WANTED TO LIKE THIS BOOK as I LOVED her others iv read and love books on ferys it started out SO STRONG and tho it isn't terrible the fact that her twin who she trusted.... continue if u don't mind small spoiler

(somehow even tho I had some choice names for her from the moment I met her character) is the one who made her life HELL so she could have a semi easier life....and didn't mind betraying her which nearly got her killed OVER AND OVER and wouldn't say 1 sentence that would of changed things had she just takin the blame for what she done....but didn't and let her sister nearly die every other day....just made me hate this book the worst kinda drama and it was constant nothing worse then someone u love and trust and LITERLY NERLY DIE DEFENDING ALL THE TIME stabbing u in the back and making a for of u its just painful

This book already has plenty of reviews and I usually don't spend time on writing reviews for well known books such as this but I just wanted to jot down a few things. Maybe something I say will spur someone that is one the line weather to read it or not to pick it up. On with the review.

I usually don't care for Fairy land stories, this one was different. I really really liked it. The story just flowed, had plenty of twists and kept me totally on the edge of my seat.

The main characters were great, they all played their parts and no one got on my ever loving nerves, which was nice for once. Totally different ending that what I had imagined!! I can't wait till book two! Definitely a must read if you enjoy YA. There is few death scenes and there are some bulling in this story.

Incredible, and imaginary world building, that emerges the reader into the world of the fae.
Jude at a young age witnessed her parents being murdered before her eyes. She, and her sisters are then taken by the man whom murdered their parents to live with him in the fairy world. Where growing up, Jude and Taren, are relentlessly bullied by Prince Carden, and his friends. Until, one day Jude has enough, and takes a stand.
The character development is incredible, and I loved Jude! Talk about a completely relatable character, who you cannot help care for, and like. I loved the complexity of characters, and I found myself constantly debating whether or not I liked/hated a character as the story progressed.
A incredible story that was dark, twisted and left me wanting more. I need book two ASAP! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves stories about fairies, and who are looking for a great fantasy.

5/5 Stars

I adored The Cruel Prince!

This book is not what I expected, but for once, that is a good thing.

I love fantasy, and I tend to prefer books where Faerie/Faerieland is completely unrelated to modern earth, however in The Cruel Prince, Faerie exists parallel to modern earth, somewhere above/below/alongside earth. I actually appreciated that placement in this book, as it is integral to the plot. Black, being the awesome author she is, knew we weren't interested in the modern world so she spared us by making only a few trips to the modern world in the story.

Faerie is intricate while still maintaining a vague mystery. The faeries are exactly what I hoped for, all sharp teeth, bloodthirsty cunning, and lies-that-aren't-quite-lies. There are goblins, hobs, pixies, nixies, trolls, and fairies of all size, color, and persuasion. Faerie is laid out in a manner that is almost obscure, but the land and the lakes where you can see someone else's face are so enticing.

The world-building isn't what made this book so wonderful, however good it was, it is the characters that made this book earn its 5 stars. Cardan, for starters, confused the bejesus out of me, was he the villain, pawn, lover, or is he answer D, "all of the above." Cardan is obviously the namesake cruel prince, but he's more than just unprovokedly cruel, he's multifaceted. He's wounded, guarded, enraged, embarrassed, and afraid, all factors that cause cruelty to germinate. Don't get me wrong, he is unequivocally cruel, but that just meant I hated to love him and loved to hate him all the same.

Jude is the kind of heroine I can get behind. She's a human raised in faerie, by the cruelest of faeries, railing at the injustice of her mayfly life and yearning to earn her place in their court. She's afraid, of course she is, all the time and she uses that fear to drive her, to become fierce. It's her ferocity that makes me love her.

If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.

In her desire to gain her position and protect her sister, Jude shows she has a capacity for cruelty. She also exhibits compassion, forethought, and a pure slow burning rage. Her emotions became my emotions, her rage mine. I reveled as she chose her own way, as her ambition lead her to make tough choices and reach for more than dictated by her mayfly life.

"Instead, I shake my head at the thrill running through me at the sheer lunacy of what I'm about to do. It's the thrill of leaping without being able to see the ground below you, right before you realize that's called falling. 'You think because you can humiliate me, you can control me?' I say, looking him in those black eyes. 'Well, I think you're an idiot. Since we started being tutored together, you've gone out of your way to make me feel like I'm less than you. And to coddle your ego, I have made myself less. I have made myself small, I have kept my head down. But it wasn't enough to make you leave Taryn and me alone, so I'm not going to do that anymore.
I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. You remind me that I am a mere mortal and you are a prince of Faerie. Well, let me remind you that means you have much to lose and I have nothing. You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this.'-I throw his own words back at him- 'this is the least of what I can do.'"

I do not, however, love the drama between Taryn and Jude. I am not a fan of girl-on-girl hate, not that a woman can't be a villain, but this isn't villainy, this is pettiness. While pettiness is realistic, the drama between twin sisters over a boy for crying out loud felt a tad bit sudden and forced. However, this wasn't enough to dock a star or damage the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Cruel Prince and I will be pacing the halls (okay not literally) until The Wicked King is published. Read it. Just do it.

After reading The Darkest Part of the Forest last month I was excited to read another faerie story by Holly Black. Plus I loved seeing characters from Darkest in Cruel Prince! But this is definitely a lot darker than her other book. This book starts with death and destruction and doesn't stop.

I am still figuring out how I feel about most of the characters. Vivi so far is the only one I have consistently liked though I am loving Jude as she grows into this strong and insanely tough character. One character name I kept hearing about before reading this was Cardan. While I am definitely intrigued by his character and really can't wait to see what he does in the next book I still view him as a horrible character in some ways because of all he has done.

Can't wait to pick up the next book especially with how it ended!

Whoa. This is only the second Holly Black book I've read, the first being The Darkest Part of the Forest, which I did not love. In fact, I wasn't even sure I was going to love this book. But I'm a sucker for a popular new release as much as the next person, and I kept hearing so many wonderful things about this book. I had to give it a try. I am so very glad that I did. This book is dark, dangerous, mysterious, cunning, cruel, and twisted into something different at every turn and revelation. Its magic will pull you into the pages and keep you there. It's gorgeous! Jude is a human living in a Faerie world due to some very dark circumstances, and it tells the story of her survival in their world against all the odds. I loved this book so deeply. I cannot wait for the next one to come out, because holy crap. These words are beautiful!

The first Holly Black book I've ever read and it will probably be my last. Let's get this out of the way, everyone has their own opinions and hey you might buy it and love it but for me not so much. When I first picked up this book it was because of the hype, every booktuber was raving about it and I thought I would like it too, right off the bat I knew this book wouldn't live up to the hype but I though it would be a fun read. I was wrong. This is probably the worst YA release of the year, it was poorly written and the plot line and story were atrocious. The world is mediocre at best, and while this book tries to be really political and to involve a lot of political aspects to the plot line it failed to do that, you don't understand about the politics half the time and that wouldn't be a problem if the reader felt interested by it but the whole time I was asking myself why I was supposed to be interested in something that does nothing to help the story. Another aspect that I hated about this book is really just the characters, they were all dull and uninteresting and the only character that I felt had potential (he's like seven years old if I'm not mistaken) does not have any part in the story whatsoever. All of the faeries are what you expect a YA book will make them out to be, they're dark and mysterious and beautiful and basically all of the clichés you could think of. They (of course, duh) hate our main character because she is different (again, duh) and are trying to kill her or wanting to kill her but wait! She's a warrior, she wont go down without a fight! Just everything about this book is problematic. It has a mediocre try to represent and include the LGBTQ community that failed immensely. The love interests are trash, It follows that same ol' pattern that we let authors get away with, the relationships are abusive and it has a very like "oooh he hates me so it must mean he loves me but doesn't know how to express his feelings!" type of thing going on. I have five pages to go but I cant put myself through that again and I wont finish it. I give it one star because I cant give it zero. But at the end of the day everyone will have different opinions, you might love, I don't know. Don't let my humble opinion influence if you want to read it or not, just be aware that it might not be as good as you've heard it is.

This book was so cleverly written! This was my first experience with Holly Black, and let me tell you, I'm a fan for life. The rich character development, the perfectly-paced, ever-thickening plot, the grey situations that leave you wondering what you would actually do if you were the character, the gorgeous descriptions... I was enraptured.
Who the heck doesn't have a small obsession with the Fae? I mean, c'mon, I want to be one! But the politics, the dynamics... I was dreaming about this book the same night I finished it. I don't know how I'm going to make it to Jan 2019 for the next installment. I loved how I went from loving certain characters one minute, to hating them the next. One thing is for sure, Jude and Cardan are like fire and gasoline, get too close and someone's going to burn. I LOVED IT!

Even though I was listening to the story instead of reading, the words pulled me in enough so I was willing to work past my sensory processing issues and find a way to focus on listening to the book. I bought a sketch pad and a pack of colored pencils, and drew faeries while listening until I was pulled into the story and couldn't stop.

I'll admit I wasn't surprised by the "twist" but kept thinking "why isn't she doing___" and whooped with joy when it turned out to be the twist. I won't say what I'm talking about to not spoil it.

I loved that characters from Black's other faerie tales made appearances in this, and had more than just a fleeting mention but small yet significant role to play.

The thing I liked most, though, was how Black has knack for making monsters so likeable.

This was my first book by Holly Black, even though I do own several. I just have not read them. I will now move on to her other books I have.

I enjoyed this book. It is full of magic and Fae. I think this is one of my first Fae books and I can I say I truly loved it. It took me some time to get into it but I did love the plot. The character were very described very well.

I love the story of Jude and her sisters. They pulled away from the human world but a tragic death. The story consist Jude trying to gain trust in the courts of FAE. She also has some challenges to go through to prove her worth. Then you just have those that just done like her because she is human.

I listened to this on audio book. The narrator did a great job.

This book is filled with total excitement. I have never read any of Black's work before but this book was adventurous and left me sharing Jude's desire to be better and outmaneuvering the Fae.
I, thoroughly, enjoyed all the characters and anticipate to see what happens now that these series of event have taken place.
Cardan, is a wonderful character to read about and I want to know more about him and what runs through his head. What I really enjoy is how they are depicted. Man authors right Fae as being this creature that we all want to come across but they are disgusted by humans. They're cunning, vicious, and cryptic with a flair for bagains and dramatics. Holly Black did wonderful with this and I can't wait until I get the next installment.

Loved the world building. She throws you right in as if you know all about faerie lore, and that worked for me. What I didn't already know I could glean from context. Once I became fully invested in the story, I could not put the book down. I loved Jude's conflicted feelings on hating the faeries yet wanting so much to be accepted by them. And I loved how Black portrayed the faeries in all their awful glory. Kudos for a couple of plot twists I did not see coming, including the big one at the end. But while I enjoyed it, there was something missing that I can't quite put my finger on that would have put this into "I love it to pieces and can't wait for the next book" territory. Still, I definitely plan to read the next book to see what happens next.

So I guess I happen to be picking up books with the same type of protagonist. Because right after I write this review, I'm going to go review another book. With the exact same protagonist.
Here's the protagonist: A girl who is disturbed, violent, has anger issues, has other issues and is ruthless. The environment and nurture of her family and people around her, helped contribute to this.
Onto the story. It was dark, which I liked. I liked that the Fae were based off the stories of them being deadly, not human looking, and crazy. I liked this story idea. Of how the sisters were brought to the land of the Fae. I liked that there were twins sisters. I liked their older sister sticking to hating her father. He was an evil being. I love the spy part of the story with a guild of spies for Prince Dain. Our main character Jude wants to be better than the Fae. Lots of things I liked, but then many parts of the book I struggled with.
It started out good, but then as I kept reading I was reminded of another book with a protagonist who is whisked away to the land of the Fae. And wants to be better than the Fae. And shouldn't like an "evil" royal Fae, but does. A protagonist who has issues and loves her captor. A protagonist who becomes a killer and ruthless. Yup, Court of Thorns and Roses vibes everywhere.
Jude and her twin sister like being in the world of Fae (WHY? I don't know!) and want to stay. Her sister wants to fall in love with a Fae. WHY? I don't know. She clearly states over and over that Fae will always look down on mortals. And their stepfather (AKA their CAPTOR and MURDERER of their parents) came back to drag their mother back to him and when she ran away, he killed her. So there's the Fae's idea of love. But, hey, go for it if you think you can fall in love.
Jude does not care about love though. She cares and craves power. She wants to be better than the Fae. Which just means she wants to beat them up and enslave them. She hates everyone. EXCEPT. EXCEPT. Yes, you guessed it. Her very evil bully. He's so handsome though. And he gets treated bad by his brother. So it must be ok( eye roll ). She turns her feelings for him into something where she becomes the bully right back. She enslaves him and uses his feelings against him. Savage girl.
I liked some characters. I actually liked The Roach. I thought he was an interesting character. But I didn't like the three sisters. Or their romantic partners. It was a train wreck the way the girls go about their romances. All three romances are doomed.
I could keep going on. I recommend the book if you are at the library. That way you can decide whether to read the second book coming out.

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 know, not a verified purchase (I LOVE my public library), but I just wanted to say this is NOT a cliffhanger ending. I almost didn't read it despite being an enormous Holly Black fan b/c I hate cliffhangers, but the main story in this book is tied up, after many twists and turns, and resolved. YES, there is an entire world and a situation carrying on to the next book, but this is also a very satisfying read on its own. As someone who sometimes waits until all the books are out in a series if there are a bunch of cliffhangers, I'm glad I read this now! Tons of court intrigue, deceit, bloodshed, and the tough resilient heroine I expect from Black, as well as a great final twist... SO satisfying! And yes, I will be tuning in for the sequel... but with a sigh of happiness at how this tale worked out.

Bloody brilliant!

Hands down one of the best books I’ve read in ages. Holly Clark truly is a mastermind who writes in a way it entwines you, holds you hostage & refuses to let you go.

From start to finish this book is a continuous plot twist, eloquently written. Just when you think it’s going on one direction, bam, you’re off in another that keeps you utterly captivated. Once I reached the ending, I am fairly certain there was a dumbfounded look across my face for a good while.

Holly Clark writes beautifully. You feel as if you know these characters, feel their joy, angst, their need for revenge, their sorrow. It completely consumes you.

When this book started, I thought it was going to be from Vivi’s voice, instead it was from her sister Jude’s. Which was amazing.

The land and dynamics of the Faerie are intriguing. The heirs of the Faerie are cruel, brutal and relentless, yet a few are broken, cast aside.

There is love, betrayal, plot twists, redemption, beautiful, entrancing writing....all of which equals an amazing story, an amazing escape into the land of Faerie.

Jude was seven when her half-sister's faerie father appeared on her doorstep and murdered her parents. In that moment Jude and her twin sister were drawn into the dark and dangerous world of faerie where they were raised as part of the faerie nobility. Now, seventeen year old Jude is trying to win her place in the court where every one has an agenda and no one is safe.

This was a well written, dark, and (at times) twisted story. The story quickly draws you into the world of faerie and you are immersed in the seductive world of palace intrigue, violent encounters and betrayal. The minor lacking of the book was that I never felt truly connected to Jude which will hopefully be resolved in future books.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am so frustrated that I have to wait a year for book 2 and another year after that for book 3.. it’s seems like some cruel joke! ( and yet I couldn’t wait until the whole series was released to read) Anyways most of the book built up the world that HB created and shows how these characters are their struggles and their strengths.. It took almost until the end to suck me in and have me craving more and now I have to wait a whole year! Jude is strong and fierce and forced into a world that she has grown to love I feel like the more I read the more complex the main characters and sub characters became and I can honestly say that we have just scratched the surface in The Cruel Prince I honestly can not wait to see where this spellbinding series will take us

This is the first Holly Black novel I read. Back in college, I read the The Coldest Girl in Coldtown prior to it being a novel when it had been released as a short story and I don't remember anything about it, if I'm being honest. I am so glad I made The Cruel Prince the first Black book I read because this was phenomenally great in every single aspect of storytelling.

This novel follows Jude and her two sisters: twin Taryn, and older half-sister Vivienne who is half-fae. Vivienne's father murders the girls' parents when they are young and steals them away to Faerie where they are raised in his household. Jude, is hungry to be included into the fae lifestyle and when plans of being accepted into the knighthood fall through, she is quickly swept up into something far bigger with political intrigue, fae court life, betrayals, spies, fae civil wars, intense sexual tension and frustration and so much more.

First I wanted to express how much I enjoyed this writing style. Black has a way of inserting such lush and atmospheric writing into this novel, (that definitely fits into this world) without it sounding trite, over-the-top, and melodramatic. It's seriously the best type of "flowery writing style" while still being clear, concise, impactful and to the point. Each chapter, paragraph, and sentence fit into the overall plot of the story beautifully and wasn't bogged down with cluttering lines.

Jude. JUDE. My girl Jude was the best voice to capture this story. She was what I wanted and didn't deserve. Since "the human world" is still present in this story, Jude was a heroine that didn't constantly complain about wanting a "normal life" that you sometimes see in teenage fantasy/supernatural shows *cough* Elena Gilbert *cough*. Nah, Jude was constantly pushing herself to find way to belong in Faerie even though she was human. I loved that. Her character arc was great. I also love when characters have great natural chemistry with other characters, and we see that with Jude.

I also wanted to mention how much I loved the family dynamic here in all it's dysfunctional and complex glory. Jude, Taryn, and Vivienne have been raised by their parents' murderer for the past ten years. That man being Vivienne's birth father, Madoc. Madoc has since remarried and has a son. All the characters in this "family" you can say, have such interesting relationships with each other, no two are the same. The family interactions in this book were some of my absolute favorites. You don't see as many family relationships/units in YA and this was done so well.

Cardan, the moody cruel prince had a lot of layers to his character that I enjoyed learning more and more about when it was revealed. I also really liked that he shockingly lived up to his name, the cruel prince.

Can't not talk about the world building so here goes. I thought I knew things about fae. I've read a lot of urban fantasy books that have fae characters, politics, worlds, but whoa. Was I not prepared for this head-first dive into fae lore. And I say this lovingly. Before I went into this book, I knew Black was like an expert in faeries, and I was not disappointed with all the information I was introduced to and learned about fae lore. If Buffy taught me about vampires, Holly Black taught me about faeries.

Now did I have some comical renderings as I tried to picture green-skinned fae? Yup. Did I picture the tribes from Avatar when fae were described as blue? You bet. But, I never felt confused. I liked learning about everything, it was fun. I can't wait to read more.

The Cruel Prince was the first book I read of 2018 and it just set the bar impossibly high for the rest of the year. Cannot wait for the next installment.

I did receive this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All my thoughts are my own.

This is my first Holly Black book, and I really enjoyed it! I saw all of the hype about this book and decided to read it, and was not disappointed!

The Cruel Prince is about a mortal girl whose parents were killed by her mother's previous husband, and brought back to live in Faerie. Jude then tries to find her place within this magical kingdom, not by marriage, but by hard work and hopefully becoming a knight for the High King. As the Court of Faerie gets pulled into a violent twist, Jude must do whats best for herself, her family, and ultimately the Court of Faerie.

I appreciated that this was not a full blown romance novel, where Jude needs to be saved by her lover. Nope. She gets to save herself. I also appreciate the fact that this book is cruel, dark, twisty, and things I haven't seen in a while and appreciate. It doesn't have a happy ending, and I am ok with that. This book portrays fantasy/fiction but also a depth of the real world that people can relate to. There is not always a right choice, sometimes you have to pick between worse and even worse.

I deducted one star because I didn't like how the story ended, it didn't make me cringe and wish I wanted for the sequel to come out....

Dark. Twisty. Anxiety.
That was one hell of a good book.

I love everything Holly does - I'd probably read a grocery list if she wrote it. This book is delightfully tasty. The characters are vivid and flawed and have you questioning your own loyalties. Jude is both brave and fearful in the most believable ways and I always found myself rooting for her, even if she was doing things I definitely wouldn't. I loved the relationship between all the sisters - the struggle of wanting to fit in juxtaposed between the struggle of wanting nothing to do with it. Plus the danger of being a mortal in a land of immortality.

The characters were superb and I'm going to have a hard time waiting for the next book. Cardan really messed me up good.

My very first four-star read of 2018! Woot!
This was honestly not what I expected. It was all parts gruesome, dark, intriguing, and exciting and I didn't want it to end. I've read like two books by Holly Black and after reading The Cruel Prince I am mentally hitting myself for not reading more of her books. Like what the heck is wrong with me?!

The Cruel Prince had me guessing and surprised 'til the end. I love that no one is who they seem and you never really know who to trust. I have my doubts about the romance but other than that everything else was just amazing! Jude was a surprisingly resilient character. I also love that she could be gentle and loving but still be super badass and bold and cunning. I just love her!

I cannot wait for book two!

I am officially a fan of Holly Black, because of this book. I have never read any of her works, but after reading The Cruel Prince, I wish I had discovered her earlier.

I love the complexity of her characters, there were no black and white qualities to them. One chapter you are rooting for someone and then you find yourself rooting for someone else. This books keeps you on your feet. Every turn of the page has you anticipating what is too come and the twists and turns has a way to keep you locked in for hours.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the Throne of Glass, A Court of Throne and Roses, and the Red Queen series, or if you are just looking for an exciting, magical and darkish story with a subtle romance.

This book is like a present waiting to be opened with a beautiful fairy tale cover. It starts with a lovely crowded map embellished with drawings and continues with page motifs from the finest tradition of nature ink drawing.

The story opens with a shocking punch and then flips forward to our three sisters coping with a glorious and luxurious life which is continually beset with difficulties and enemies. The story is fascinating and every page is packed with action, intrigue, cruelty, suspense, shocking twists and weird beauty.

I like fairy tales and I love this concoction of whimsy, poetic language, magic and ornate detail. It is the first of a planned series and whilst I wait for the next I see Holly Black has other novels for me to explore.

Sometimes anticipating a book sets myself up for failure. This time that didn't happen. From the first moment I heard about this book and the reviews started coming in I knew I wanted to read it ASAP which is weird because I haven't had the best luck with faerie books in the past but this stood out to me that it was worth giving a try. Jude is a human girl forced to live in the faerie realm with her sisters. She doesn't like it but makes the best of a situation and grows to be a human worthy of an adversary in the fae world. This book will have your stomach in knots anticipating what the next page has in store for Jude. I read it in under 24 hours and can't wait to pick it up for a reread while waiting for the next book in the series to be released.

THE CRUEL PRINCE follows the story of Jude, a girl ripped from her human life and placed into the faerie world. Filled with magic, drama, and a hint of romance, this story is sure to be a treat. I have to admit, I was absolutely blown away by this story and I'm definitely counting myself as a Holly Black fan.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I literally don't even know what to say. I picked up this book on May 30th and finished it on the 31st. It was a story I literally could not put down (how many times can I say "literally"?).

I wasn't even sure what the main conflict was throughout the story, yet I was still addicted. Jude's stakes weren't even that high, sure she could get herself killed, but that didn't matter to her, so that didn't matter entirely to me as a reader. The story was just so vivid and there was so much going on that I was sucked in. Sure, there were small conflicts, but they were important to Jude, and that's what made them important to me, as a reader. From the beginning til the end there was drama and action, and I loved it.

The protagonist, Jude, was so dimensional. I absolutely adored her as a character! She was strong and determined, and she wouldn't let anything get in her way. At times she was stubborn and got herself into trouble, but that showed how she real. I loved how she started with tragedy and made a spot for herself, even amongst those who created that tragedy. As a reader, I was immediately aware of her growth!

The side characters were so vivid, too. I found myself addicted to reading about them just as much as Jude. There were certain ones I didn't trust, and I kept wanting to scream at the pages for Jude to not trust them, either. It was truly a wild ride!

And, omg, the romance?!!! I was literally SCREAMING at the pages (well, my kindle) through these parts. I was so filled with distrust in parts and there was so much tension in others that built up, and wow. You'll just have to read to see exactly what I'm talking about!

TL;DR (too long; didn't read)
- Dimensional Characters (protagonist and side)
- Amazing setting
- Romantic tension was A+

OVERALL RATING:
5/5 stars. It was just that good.

I've been dancing around Holly Black's books for years now, but The Cruel Prince is my first foray. The beginning chapter - stark and merciless - captured me and the rest simply held me hostage. The fairy world is indeed beautiful but cruel. Jude is basically bullied by the fairy teens (it reminded me of high school, albeit with supernatural beings). Her struggle to belong is difficult and beset with humiliation, especially when Prince Cardan is around. As a human, she is pretty low in the totem pole. Yet Jude's ambition lands her in the middle of political plots and murder attempts ala Game of Thrones. It is full of violence and betrayal but certainly an addictive read. Although some of the narrative turn was predictable, the ending did leave me with my jaw hanging open. What will be the consequences of Jude's power play???

This is the best book I've read so far in 2018. I could not stop reading. My only regret is that I finished it too fast (Book 2 has not been released yet).

Beyond having a fully developed, unique, and strong main character (which is a must for me) this book's story line was impossible to predict. Holly Black just kept me guessing until the finale when she ended the book on a bombshell.

I've heard that Holly Black is a master at mapping out a plot that keeps the reader engaged. Now I want to read all her books!

My only complaint with this new series is that I have to wait for the second book in the series as it's not been released yet! Like many others who have read this book ... I need Book 2 ASAP!

On that fateful day when Jude, her fingers sticky with fish sticks and ketchup, opened the front door to a total stranger, she never imagined her world would come to an end. She never imagined her mother had lived another life or that her older sister Vivienne had another father. And Jude and her twin, Taryn, never imagined they would be swept away to another world: Fairyland.

Though Jude is raised for the following ten years in a world filled with magic and imps and goblins and the capricious fair folk, she knows she is not one of them. She is human. Her sister Taryn is human. The fair folk regard humans as lesser beings and no matter how badly Taryn wishes to marry a member of the fairy court or how hard Jude works to become a knight of the king, it will never come to pass for either of them. Life as a privileged daughter in the house of a powerful Fairie general will never erase the pain she feels from the death of her parents. These factors, however powerful, cannot change Jude's feelings towards Fairie and General Madoc and her new life: she loves them all.

The Cruel Prince gives the reader a fabulous story full of intrigue and betrayal and love and coming of age. It also gives us a character who should be full of rage towards the man who murdered her parents, she should despise the unpredictable fair folk, she should be planning her escape on a daily basis, but she isn't and she does not. And that is exactly what makes her so interesting and it's why Jude carries the book. She never thinks in black and white; she both loves and hates Madoc. It's hard to accept and I had a little trouble understanding it at first.

The first half sets the stage with Jude and her sisters' life in Madoc's house. Vivienne, while actually half-fairy, wants to go back to the human world and delights in disrupting the household. Madoc has remarried and the sisters love their half-brother, Oak. The twins go to what is equivalent to a fairy charter school run by new age instructors and must deal with the hellish attentions of Prince Carden and his posse. Madoc is described as an attentive and adoring father but he is frequently away.

The prince is an entitled jerk and proves it on a daily basis with fairy behaviours equivalent to pulling the twins' pigtails but, as a fairy, what he does could be harmful to a human girl. Jude refuses to stand down to the arrogant Carden and infuriates him. But, no spoilers here, the guy's an ass and not likable.

Then, the second half of the book turns towards a storyline of intrigue and betrayal. It's more interesting than the schoolyard antics but it takes awhile to really sink in that Jude is becoming someone dangerous. In fact, it feels like lip service until she commits a rather shocking act, and doesn't stop there. Things in the Fairie court get twistier and nastier and weirder. Life as the daughter of a general has taught Jude to think strategically and to never rely on one plan and that benefits her quite well. It's a more exciting read than the first half.

And that ending...

It's a really good book, an exciting solid read that doesn't really delve into the world building I would expect from a book about a fairy world. Perhaps the fact the author has written another series about Fairie has some bearing--you don't need to read those first though, The Cruel Prince stands on its own. I will definitely buy the next book in the series.

Highly recommend it.

I knew this book would be on my Favorites list! WoW! Where do I even start! The story mostly follows Jude, Taryn (human twins) and their Fae born sister Vivi who are stolen away to Faerie to live with her father Madoc who is Fae & the murderer of their Mother & human Father. The High Court of Faerie, politics, dealing with being human in a magical world, spies, swords, murder, love and betrayal is not even the half of it. I don't want to go into much of the story as not to spoil it but it is filled with many intriguing characters. Ones to love and ones to hate. Holly Black is the Queen of The Fae! I love this story and can not wait to get the next book. I would most definitely recommend this to Everyone!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I didn't expect it to go the way that it did. It didn't take my long to love Jude or the way she basically started proving to everyone just how powerful mortals could be. With every new book about the Folk I learn more and more about this wonderful world thats been created and I fall in love with it every time. I could barely put this book down, even though I wanted to take my time with it. The writing had me completely entranced and before I knew it, I had reached that last page. I can't wait to see how the next book goes and how these characters learn to interact with one another that doesn't involve a blade against the neck.

This book is truly everything I ask for in a fantasy. Blood, magic, great worldbuilding, politics, spying, good sibling relationships, gray characters, sarcasm, plot twists, a cliffhanger, a dark character who’s actually the best, sword fights, and faeries! I mean, I’ve never really been interested in faeries (which is why the only other book by Holly Black that I’ve read is like her only one without faeries) but these faeries are so awful and beautiful and I love them. This book is so dark and I relate. Hopefully I won’t forget everything that happened before I get my hands on book two... in a year.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes fantasy.

I am having trouble wrapping my head around this book. I don't know whether to love it or what. I am having a hard time guys....

This book is brutal. It stars off that way and it doesn't end. I enjoy the world itself. The plot was decent. I will say that I couldn't hardly figure out anything! I normally can figure out what's going to happen or have an idea. Unexpected things kept happening. Which I really enjoyed. The first half was pretty slow and dull.

Vivi had to me one of my favorite characters. It seems like her judgment didn't get clouded from being raised in faerie. While Tayrn and Jude kind of enjoyed it? I did like seeing Jude being as ruthless as she is. Maybe that's how she has dealt with the pain in her life. It's worked in her favor. I don't blame her because I could see myself doing the same thing. But also could see me being like Vivi. It could go either way. There are so many people that need punched. Maybe stabbed.

The romance was wjjfjsjjxjf. I don't even have a word for it. It wasn't surprising. But still surprising. I don't know if I ship it or want it to go up in flames.

I am so intrigued with the ending though! I am already wanting to read the next book. I like who ends up as the villain (sort of). It will end up being interesting.

I have debated for days on what to rate this, 3.5 or 4. Honestly, I will probably be thinking about this for a while but this is what I have decided for now....

I actually picked this one up because of the title and the cover, which I almost never do. So glad I did! Something I absolutely loved is that Jude is not the typical "protagonist." I love that her and so many of the other characters are downright unlikable even as you're rooting for them.

It's a fae realm unlike anything I've read before. Dangerous and breaking down the romanticized barriers. A different story with a unique world build, little twists along the way, and a high-tension enemy romance. Can't wait for the next one!

You can never go wrong with a story from Holly Black. It amazes me how she is able to dream up such intrigue, plot twists and the world of Faerie.
Her characters, especially Jude and Cardan are really kickass and full on contridictions.
The reader finds themselves part of the intrigue and rooting for Jude.
The Cruel Prince is quite an introduction to a new series, and I look forward to reading the next installment.
No spoilers included in this review. You need to read the book for yourself and decide.
I voluntarily read and gave my honest review.

Although I have one of Holly Black's other novels in my TBR pile, "The Cruel Prince" is the first book that I've read by her. Now finishing the book, I feel like I need to read all her other books immediately because I'm her newest big fan.

"The Cruel Prince" takes place in a land where there's the mortal world and then there the Faerie world. That world is populated with fae, trolls, pixies, and just about every mythical creature you can think of. The world that Jude, the main character, inhabits is so unique and I could just picture it in my head. The world building is really well done and easy to understand. I really liked Jude. I liked that she was a strong leading lady where romance isn't her main objective. She wants to be a knight and is eager to prove her worthiness even though she's a mortal.

I really enjoyed the story line. Holly Black's writing kept me wanting to read on to find out what would happen next. The twists and turns were so well done and that last half of the book kept me hooked.That last page-woohoo! I'm so ready for the second book in the series already. I hope I don't have to wait too long.

I would highly recommend adding this book to your bookshelf, you won't regret it!

This is the best example of “the princess saves herself in this one” I’ve ever read. Except Jude isn’t a princess, she’s just badass.

Jude Duarte is the kind of heroine that teenage girls need to be reading about. Stolen away to Faerie after the murder of her parents, Jude has been raised in a world where, as a mortal, she holds no power. She is not as beautiful as the Fae, she cannot bewitch you or curse you, but she is extremely resilient, clever and definitely a little bit ruthless.

He’s wrong about me. I am going to make my mayfly life count for something. I won’t be afraid of him or of Prince Dain’s censure. If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.

I loved Jude from the start and I loved reading her descent into darkness as she fought to gain power in Faerie. I think Holly Black did an amazing job showing the intoxicating pull power has, how quickly things can spiral out of control until you realize that you might not be so different from the ones you despise. Jude is an extremely well written, morally ambiguous character and I never quite knew what she was going to do. She was so fantastic that I didn’t feel like Jude was less interesting or at a disadvantage because she was mortal. What she lacked in magic and immortality she made up for in cunning, courage, sass and heart. She did not need a man’s help to get what she wanted. She didn’t sacrifice anything for the love interest, she didn’t lose her head over how beautiful he was, her sole focus was saving her family and Faerie. I think this is so important as sadly a lot of current YA heroines are very co-dependent on their love interest.

Okay, I really need to stop talking about Jude because I could go on and on about how much I loved her and how badass she was.

The writing was beautiful and lyrical. It read like a fairytale which I’ve come to realize is really hard to pull off. Her descriptions of Faerie and the Fae were so vibrant and well-written that I was easily immersed into their world of terrible beauty and cruelty. Which brings me to my most favorite thing about this book, minus Jude of course, which was how mercilessly dark and cruel the Fae were. They were hauntingly beautiful, a mix between heartbreaking beauty and things of nightmares. They were unrelenting in their “games” and revels and there were legit times when I thought Jude might die or be extremely hurt. Faerie brought out the ugliest, most awful thoughts, desires and actions from all the characters. But still, I loved every dark, twisted, horrible thing they did.

“There is a pleasure in being with them,” he says. “Taking what we wish, indulging in every terrible thought. There’s safety in being awful.”

Speaking of awful, let’s talk about Cardan. Who I loved. He was/is truly awful, but I couldn’t help but love his cruel remarks and biting humor. Also, him and his little tribe totally gave me Mean Girls vibes. Jessica and I BRed together and just started calling him Reg. When I was first reading the interactions between Jude and Cardan I could not see how Holly was going to get these two together, they clearly S E V E R L Y hate each other. I’m a total whore for romance but I’m really happy that Holly (first name like we’re friends) focused the book more on Jude, her development, journey to gain power, and her family than the romance because like I said: there is so much hate between Cardan and Jude there is no way that they could clear that up and fall in love in the first book. Romance lovers don’t worry, there are some sparks, but they are definitely nowhere near to even liking each other. We are in it for the slow burn hate to love long haul, which I’m SO here for. I feel like I've only gotten a very very small glimpse into Cardan and I'm dying to know more.

The plot was more of a political than an epic adventure which I wasn’t expecting but really liked. I think this might be the first book I’ve read where the action is a lot more about out witting your enemies than just killing them all (Do not fear, there are some badass sword fights and still quite a bit of murder). It was like a giant chess game, and I never knew how one move would change the game. I also really loved how important family was to the plot of this. Jude’s interactions with her family were so authentic and I loved them. It was intriguing seeing the shift in Jude's family and wondering if the fact that you were family meant that you were safe.

I also really enjoyed all the secondary characters, especially the evilest ones, and I can’t wait to read and learn more about them in the next books.

This book was amazing. The Cruel Prince is the first book I've read from Holly Black and it won't be the last! I love find amazing author i didn't know bout and this book didn't disappoint!The Cruel Prince felt like a Cassandra Clare/ Sarah J Maas book combined except darker(as i said earlier this is my first Holly Black book). This book has the perfect title. It's both cruel and wicked! I loved it and can't wait for the next book! I think i kinda like Cardan lol it's the same way i felt about Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses and that's turns out amazing. So I'm hoping it the same thing! ???

5 Stars! Hell, 10 stars!
Okay so this was my first Holly Black book, which is odd because I was born In the 90s and should have read tithe? So I had no idea what to expect! I kept getting highly recommended this book so I finally picked it up!(plus that cover!) I know this was one of those hate or love . Personally, I absolutely LOVED this book sooo much. Holly's writing is so quirky and odd, and honestly so perfect for this story. I was completely transported into this odd twisted world. The writing was extremely visual. Our main character herself has a very cruel side that is mixed with her innocence. I am definitely right there with her through her emotions and I enjoyed the fact that she's not always good even when I expected her to be. A lot of people had issues with the love interests but I thought it was great! I won't spoil it for you but there is a character were supposed to hate for most of the book that I definitely loved. I'm just upset the next book isn't out lol. It's been weeks since I've read this and my mind keeps wandering back to these characters and their world. I would like to go back please! Seriously can't recommend this book enough. Will probably be one of my favorite books in general. I know I've liked a lot of books lately :) it's just been such a great release year and I'm on a lucky streak with reading material :)

I really enjoyed reading this! I haven’t read much with Fairy and fae, but this was a great first choice. I loved the story and the characters.
Jude is one of our main characters and she is human but no less fierce than a fairy! Brought up in fairy since she was a small child, her and her sisters. Their story is sad and their lives complicated. They come into their own, or what fairy has made them. Life surrounded by fairies and magic may sound like a dream, but it’s harsh and brutal and humans are looked down upon.
Looking forward to the next book!

It's been a while since I picked up a book by Holly Black, not for lack of enjoyment for her writing, but because of my excessive reading ADD.  The Cruel Prince, however, kept popping up everywhere I went and refused to be ignored so it jumped my ever growing TBR pile to the top and I'm glad it did. As per usual Holly does an amazing job drawing you into the story and showing you the brutal truth hiding behind the beautiful world of Faerie.

The Cruel Prince is narrated through the character of Jude. After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents she is whisked away along with her two sisters by the killer to Faerie. Now years later she is trying to earn her own place among its gentry. Jude's struggle is relatable despite its fantastic circumstances. Who hasn't ever felt out of place or insecure among their peers?

Interestingly enough while the title and summary might suggest otherwise, looking back it feels like Jude and Cardan didn't have a whole lot to do with each other directly until toward the end. They are around each other and interact but all that seemed secondary to the other things going on until circumstances thrust them together. All along I knew in my gut how things needed to end but I had no idea how the characters were going to get there until it actually was happening which is always both fun and makes me want to pull my hair out. Holly's works tend to have that effect for me.

It will be torture to wait a whole year for the next installment. Jude has for better or worse jumped from the frying pan and into the fire and I can't wait to see how she comes out the other end. I love love loved the book and encourage you all to pick it up. Just remember even the truth can be bunt into something resembling a lie and betrayal lurks around every corner. Review originally posted on agrimmreview.com

As someone who has been a long term lover of Holly Black, allow me to say that this book does not disappoint in any way other than ending too soon (don't they all!?). If you are tired of extremely linear plot lines, lackluster characters, predictable plot twists, and books where everything eventually works out for the best, rest assured, this is like a breath of fresh air. I won't belittle your ability to read by giving you a plot summary, I will simply say that in terms of dark fantasy (specifically about the Fae) Holly Black remains one of my all time favorite authors and one of my go to's when I am recommending books for friends.

I need book two now!!!
Wow, I am so glad I made time for this book! I absolutely devoured it and loved it! I want more of Jude and Cardan. So much more! ??

I’m reeling with that ending and am so excited to see what will come next. Holly Black you are an amazing writer and your words just blend together magically.

If you have yet to read The Cruel Prince, make the time NOW and get it!

Ah! I just want to pick it back up and read it all over again, that’s how raw this book as left me feeling. Amazing! ❤️

Excerpts taken from my full review on my website at geektana.com

The Cruel Prince is the first in a trilogy(!), and it is set in a mythical world of faerie. Even if you’re not a fantasy/faerie person, do not rule this book out! It centers around Jude and her two sisters who are taken away from the mortal world and into the faerie world by a man who has murdered their parents. And that’s just the prologue! The story follows Jude and her desire to become a knight whilst at the same time avoiding Prince Cardan, a faerie prince who is equal parts brooding and a prick. But the banter between these two is GOLD.

What is so great about this relationship is that it isn’t insta-love. Barely anything happens until the end of the book, but it is the journey there that makes your fingers clench the page and your heart go pitter-patter. This is a Hate to Love that seems to be done right. (at least so far, since there ARE two more books!) If you read this book and love their dynamic, follow the incorrect Cruel Prince quotes on twitter. That stuff makes me legitimately laugh out loud.

If you’re a sucker for beautiful world-building and an intricate writing style, this is the book for you. Black makes sure to introduce the reader to the world with just enough information that you can fill in the rest of the blanks yourself. I’ll be honest; the first few chapters dump a bit of faerie politics on you, but once you get that straight, it’s smooth sailing from there. *Without getting into too many spoilers, this information is vital to fully understand the ending.

I love diving into new series. The only thing I hate is having to wait for the next installment!

The Cruel Prince brings us into the world of Faerie, where magic and all that is enchanted lives. Jude, the protagonist, was taken away from her normal life and thrust into the this unknown world. After 10 years of living there, she yearns to be accepted. But it is especially hard when mortals are basically treated with little to no respect. Somewhat lucky for her and her sisters, they are taken in by the king’s war general and they gain the little protection they need in order to not be abused by the faeries who treat mortals as slaves. However, that protection only extends so much. All Jude wants is to be treated equally by the creatures of Faerie, but she soon finds that it comes with a price.

Jude is your typical female lead. She has the guts and attitude to not let anyone walk over her. It’s one of the things i love about her. She sets her eyes on the prize and chases it. She plays a dangerous game with the Prince of Faerie, Cardan, an evil and royal teenage Faerie whose goal is to pass Jude through misery for the hell of it. Jude knows this and challenges him, which digs here into more trouble. But not before secrets and lies arise. Now Jude finds herself is an elite circle. Uncovering secrets that can destroy the crown, Jude is put into an unbelievable position where she takes the future and puts it in her hands.

I really liked this book. I won’t lie, it did start off slow for me, but it quickly picked up toward the middle and I could not put it down! Holly Black takes here time with the character development. You truly see a change in the characters from beginning to end. The plot is genius and original. I love that we got to just the tip of the iceberg, leaving so much more for book 2 and 3, and so on, or however many books there may be. This was a great first installment, great characters, and a great plot.

I give it: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I suspect that not everyone will like or relate to Jude in the Cruel Prince, but I was rooting for her from the start. Here is a girl who has everything going against her, i.e. murdered parents, being raised in Faerie as a mortal, not to mention being raised by her parent's murderer, and still has a bring-it-on attitude. Respect, Jude, respect. I appreciated that she wanted to protect her sister Taryn, but I could have done without her as a character. I suppose she's supposed to anchor Jude to the Faerie world since she apparently could so easily go back to the human world, but Taryn just didn't have any endearing qualities for me. Spoiler *I did think that it was pretty predictable that Jude and Cardan should end up romantically involved, but the twist ending more than made up for that for me. I look forward to the next installment in the series and will be reading up on Holly Black's other books in the meantime.

It starts with blood and ends with blood. I haven't read a beginning this strong in a while. The first few pages knocked me off guard and set the tone for the rest of the novel. A little bit of the middle dragged making me feel like maybe this book wasn't going to be all it was hyped to be and then suddenly everything blew up. From that point until the end the novel was all action, deceit, and suspense. There wasn't only one surprise waiting in the wings but multiple. I'm used to being fairly good at guessing what's to come but even I was shocked by the ending. I can't wait to read the sequel.

Holly Black is the queen of all the fae. She co-wrote the AMAZING series of The Spiderwick Chronicles with Tony DiTerlizzi and then she went on to write amazing books such as The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and The Darkest Part of the Forest. So when I was sent this book by the publisher, I had majorly high expectations going into it and I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed.

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 really really enjoyed this book. I love her writing style, I love her characters, I love her fae creations, I just loved it all. Apart from one thing... And this is a little bit spoilery, so if you don't want any spoilers, just skip the rest of this paragraph. So basically, there's this very very horrible character called Prince Cardan and he treats Jude with so much contempt it is just disgusting. But guess what, guys? Turns out that he's treating her like dirt because HE ACTUALLY LIKES HER! LIKE... HAS FEELINGS FOR HER. It takes me back to the days of my childhood where little girls were told boys bully them because they like them. It's just wrong. I'm sorry but I just don't agree with that and I kind of expected more from Holly Black...

“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”

― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

Ok, rant over. Excluding the point above, I absolutely loved this book. The beginning was just amazing and in true Holly Black style, she spent the next couple hundred pages building the tension and giving us more information about the characters. There was blood and gore and rivalry and it was just amazing. There was so much depth to the characters which made me love them (and I even felt bad for the villains at times - except for Cardan, I pretty much hated him the whole way through).

This book has the just the right amount of drama, death, surprises, and romance which makes the novel so compelling and I can't wait for the next book to come out! I don't think we have a date yet for when the sequel is out but I JUST CAN'T WAIT! It's going to be amazing.

I'm glad to be reading Holly Black's books again. I forgot how amazing she is at her job and I can't wait to read the book again!

4.5/5 Full disclosure: I love Holly Black. I've read most of her novels and enjoyed them immensely. This book is my favorite kind of book that she writes. Very reminiscent of the Modern Faerie tales series, with faerie courts, politics, a girl in a world she doesn't fit in - but she's still a boss. I thought it was great. Fast paced and a fun read. There were some twists that felt very obvious to me, but enough that I didn't see coming to keep me on my toes. The momentum at the end of the book was only going up. Can't wait for the next installment!

*4.5*

In Holly Black’s latest novel, The Cruel Prince, a mortal must find the strength within herself to save not only her family but her entire world. Sound familiar? I thought the same thing. However, Holly Black took that tired, old trope and made it new, interesting, fresh. Cruel Prince is full of mystery and deceit with a side of political intrigue and familial bonds.

Around fifty pages or so into the book, I texted Ashley complaining about overused tropes in YA, and I was 1000% convinced that Cruel Prince was turning into one giant YA cliché. I’m happy to say that turned a complete 180 degrees and surprised me with its dark, slightly *ahem* cruel nature (I’ll stop, I promise).

Now, don’t get me wrong, it had a couple flaws. I had a slight problem with some parts of the world not being explained very well, and a couple of the characters had some overused traits and “flaws”. But the plot moved along well and kept me fully invested, so the good definitely outweighed the bad.

I’m typically not one to jump on the faerie train — their stories have never truly been something I’ve gravitated toward — so finishing this story in a single sitting should let you know that it is definitely one to pick up.

Fun fact: it has also been picked up by Universal Pictures to be made into a movie soon, so if that doesn’t have you running to your local bookstore or pulling up the the store app right now, I’m not sure what else can.

WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST READ.
Serious book hangover. I cannot believe I have to wait an entire year for the next one. This is cruel and unusual punishment!

You want to talk hook? The opening of this book is a little girl watching her parents getting murdered, and then getting kidnapped by their murderer… So obviously I couldn’t put it down. You want a page turner? HOLY MOSES. This is a page turner.
My full review is on my blog ssshwearereading.wordpress.com

Really more like 2.5 stars. I really am struggling to see why so many people loved this book. It wasn't THAT bad but it wasn't great either. It could just be that this type of fantasy wasn't really for me. It's VERY whimsical and I spent most of my time just waiting for something, ANYTHING, interesting to happen. The first chapter is pretty interesting/awful and then it gets very redundant and then picks up towards the end. I guessed most of the plot twists (which normally I don't care that much if I know but there was soooo much build up and I was like YEAH I KNOW!!!!) There was a lot of time describing creatures/the fairies and there were so many characters introduced that it was a little hard to keep up with all of them.

I have two major problems with the book.

1. I kind of felt a disconnect from the MC and I'm not sure why? It might be because her motivations constantly changed in the book. She wants to be a knight, then a spy and then it changes again. She likes someone then she doesn't but then she kind of did ???? Idk it was weird. She wasn't necessarily bad...she was just kind of underwhelming, though i do appreciate her toughness.

2. The romance. This is kind of spoilery... so be warned but I think you'll see it coming pretty fast. The "cruel prince" is terrible to the MC but it's only because he "wants her so much but it disgusts him because she's human" I have a hard time rooting for romances like this. I don't mind love hate relationships or the enemies to lovers troupe (in fact it's my favorite ) but when the guy makes your life miserable and can't stand your "species" but then wants you soooo bad he can't help himself, it bothers me. It leaves a lot of room for abuse IMO. I know the author is just making it dramatic but she made him very unlikeable to me. I like there to be interesting complicated characters but he came across as just kind of stupid and good looking . If he had been at least somewhat clever and maybe a good fighter and maybe was just "distant" instead of being abusive then I think the "romance " or hint of romance would be better. Also the fact that he has a tail was SO WEIRD to me. Like make him have wings of some sort or strange eyes or something slightly more attractive than a freaking TAIL! ( the way it was described I was just like...ewww maybe someone should try removing that thing )

Anyways , I did read it really fast. The writing wasn't bad at all. I thought the premise was interesting but it was just too slow, too predictable, no engaging characters, too whimsical for me and a somewhat cringy romance. I don't think I'll read the second one? But who knows? The book reminds me of the "White Princess " which I haven't read but have seen part of the show and I've studied that part of history where the Tudors take over the English thrown from the Yorks and King Henry (the something) marries a York princess to keep the peace. I'm not sure if this series is a retelling of that event or if it just had a few similarities. Anyways, it's not a bad book I just didn't love it like I thought I would.

“Before, I never knew how far I would go. Now I believe I have the answer. I will go as far as there is to go. I will go too far.”
I will always pick up a Fae story; they are some of my favorite fantasy stories to read. The Cruel Prince is a much lauded addition to the category. Jude Duarte is a human, forced to live in the Fae realm after her parents were murdered. Butt Jude isn’t content with the powerless and demeaning role humans have in the court, and she’s determined to fight her way to control her own future.
Things I Liked
I LOVED the Fair folk in this story! I loved their manipulative and their dark nature. I loved that we got to see so many different types of fae. I just really loved the fae element.
I really liked the ending of the story. I felt like Jude was her best self and there was lots of tension and stakes and everything built to this huge culminating point. I’m excited to see what happens in book 2!
I liked Jude as a main character - I definitely found her to be weaker in the first two-thirds of the story (and this might have been the audiobook narrator, because I wasn’t the biggest fan of how she read Jude’s dialogue - it made her seem more annoying than I think she actually was), but I loved her scheming and strength we see toward the end of the story.
Things I Didn’t Like
Unfortunately, I didn’t really like many of the characters at all. Dain was probably my favorite character, and his part was pretty small. Cardin is a real gross piece of work and his excuses made me roll my eyes. Balekin is a petulant child who whines incessantly when he doesn’t get his way. I feel like Locke’s storyline fell off the face of the Earth in the last third of the book. Taryn was such a weak character and really had nothing to do. She’s passive verging on pathetic. Vivi might have been my second favorite character, but she really only had a handful of scenes.
I also didn’t connect with any of the relationships in the story. The familial relationships between Jude and her siblings, and the relationship between the royal siblings were basically nonexistent. I didn’t need them to be super close or the best of friends, but I didn’t really feel any type of connect between family members. I also didn’t buy any of the romances in the story, though there weren’t many.
Overall I was slightly disappointed with this. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it - especially the strong ending - and I’m planning on continuing it, but I think all the positive hype didn’t help. (Calling 2 twists within the first 50 pages didn’t help either.) I liked the world and I’m excited to see more of it and hopefully I’ll like the characters better. The Cruel Prince was a solid fae fantasy story filled with manipulations and power plays sure to keep you engaged.

Aweful. I had read all the positive reviews and thought I would give it a try. I wish I didn't waist my time. The charactors were so very juvenile, it was actually painful to read as I found myself rolling my eyes frequently. The book is significantly lacking in charactor development and a decent plot line. I finally experienced a tinge of intrigue at the very end of the book. I don't think I could bring myself to read the second book once it's out.

I didn't really enjoy this book I found it underwhelming and boring. I could not connect to the characters or the plot. The world well rendered and the writing was good but the characters were scattered and the main love interest was more annoying than intriguing. I failed to become invested in the characters or the future of this story. 

It's been a long time since I have been so engrossed in a book. I've had a book hang over for a long time and the older I get the less I enjoy YA. The only part that made this feel YA like was the protoganist is young and has the feelings of a teenager. It wasn't a deterrent like many are however. I have always had a thing for Holly Black and it felt really great to step into a unique universe created by her once again. I can't wait to read the next one.

The Cruel Prince is a tale best read at a slow pace to fully take in all the worldbuilding and intricate storytelling. Holly Black creates a world where the rules of the human world don't apply and princes can have legs of beasts. The Fae don't play fair no matter the rules and our main character Jude as a human risks all to belong and save those she cares about. If you enjoy deep storytelling this book is for you. I got a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely stunning book. I love a good fantasy tale, of course, but what's even better is when said story is well written, flows well, has twists and surprises, and imperfect characters. I love Jude because she stays true to herself even when others question her decisions; decisions that are not always logical. She is not purely good and not all evil. The world Holly Black created is just captivating and the politics are interesting. The story is dark and twisting and will be a favorite of mine going forward.

I loved the twists and turns in this story. I started out thinking that this book was going to be about Jude trying to find her place in the faerie world, and ended up being completely surprised at the direction the story actually went. Plenty of court intrigue, crazy faeries, and characters that all have their own faults and flaws. Honestly, I think the only character without many faults in this story was Vivi. She was pretty awesome.
I think the biggest shock was Cardan's complete and immediate change of character. I'm really looking forward to how he develops in the upcoming books. And that cliffhanger was totally unfair! How dare you Holly Black!
I've only read two Holly Black books before this, and now I'm really interested in reading more, especially the ones set in her faerie realm. I think I have a new favorite author!

Half way through I was really starting to question if this was worth finishing since not much was happening in the way of action.

I now realized I need to be more patient!!

Because shortly after, things started really picking up and I was NOT expecting that little twist in the plans! THAT WASNT THE PLAN YOU TOLD ME JUDE! Sneaky mortal!

Cardan, man I really hated him and wanted Jude to kick him where it hurts! But then that feeling changed. *shrugs*

Book #33 Read in 2018

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

This is the first book in a young adult fantasy series and it was an excellent read. Jude is a mortal living in a fae world and Cardan, the prince, takes a liking to making her life hell. This book has a good mix of action and romance, as well as the historical feel with the throning of a new king coming into play. I look forward to the sequel.

Ok. I love this. I don’t know why, but I do.
Usually when I see books being over hyped and basically everywhere. I just turn around and look for something else. However, something just drew me to this one. And I don’t regret it.

One major factor to me liking it is: AUDIOBOOK! It was so beautifully narrated that everything sounded exciting.

There are also so many amazing elements that comprise The Cruel Prince.

My first Holly Black book and definitely not my last!

It's a beautiful, twisted and cruel world with characters you love and despise. Everyone does good and evil deeds but the characters are so well written that you can't look away. It's so refershing to see good and bad guys with multiple dimensions.

The story is also so original with lots of twists. And, with that ending, it's clear there's a whole lot more wow to come in this series.

I loved this book! It was dark and exciting, and I couldn't put it down towards the end. I appreciate seeing a bloodthirsty, flawed heroine like Jude. She wants power, and she isn't apologetic about that. It was refreshing to see a heroine who wanted to assimilate into the monsters around her, rather than standing apart as so many fantasy heroines do. Her relationship with Cardan was twisted, complicated, and ultimately a fascinating insight into the dynamics of bullying. I hated Cardan at first, and I won't say I completely loved him by the end of the book, but his journey is fascinating and I can't wait to read more. Even some of the most monstrous characters were treated with nuance and compassion.

The political machinations were great. This isn't a heroine stabbing her way to glory--this is a troubled, complicated girl setting pieces in motion to achieve the outcome she wants. Jude is playing a long game, and I am so excited to see how it turns out.

This book! I can't get enough. It's so awesome. The protagonist, Jude, is just so bad#*&$. I love how unapologetically ambitious she is as she develops throughout this book. She officially has my favorite line ever: "If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back." SHE IS THE BEST. She's so authentic. And the book is amazingly written and lovely in every way. Highly, recommend, really cannot recommend enough.

Holly Black does not disappoint when she writes about faery's and mortals. This story is filled with excitement and anticipation. So much is going on between the common faery's and the high court you get pulled into the story. I want to not like Cardan but yet I do. The ending is the beginning of book two. I am so excited I can't wait to jump back in. And Jude she is a badass from the beginning. A must read!

I became familiar with Holly Black in the acknowledgments of Tony DiTerlizzi’s amazing Spider and the Fly children’s book. I was very happy to receive this book in OwlCrate as I had been hearing great things about it! It doesn’t disappoint. I think you need a basic knowledge of the faerie courts before reading. Aside from that it was a very enjoyable read and now I’m wondering what else could happen!

Where has this story been all my life? Dark and intense, this is a marvelous tale of the fae that will enrapture both fans of the genre and newbies alike. Plenty of court intrigue, mystery, and a drop of romance make it a fast-paced read that you'll be hard pressed to put down. I preordered the sequel as soon as it became available.

This book is EVERYTHING. All of the hype surrounding this book was justified. I know that this is going to be one of my favorite series of all time. I don’t know how I’m going to wait a year for the second one. I need it now. I have to know what happens. I love these characters and this world so much. You should read this book without looking at any spoiler-y reviews, it’s so worth it.

***Spoilers*** I was so looking forward to this book and really hate that it was just ok for me. The world building was descriptive and I really like the fae world that Holly created, but I feel there needed to be more character development. I just couldn't connect with the main character, Jude. For me she just wasn't a very believable character. She was a teen that had only lived in faery for 10 years, but she pulled off a political coup that no one saw coming? It just wasn't believable for me that she lived with her stepfather, who is several hundred years old, the General of the crown's military, but he never noticed anything weird? The fae's hate for humans alone is another reason it struck me as odd that she could make deals with other fae leaders. Setting aside her inexperience and age the last 15% of the book was the best part for me.
The cover is beautiful and the audible narrator was awesome.

How in the world does this book have such a high rating? I started it and questioned my decision after a few chapters, so I checked reviews and some recommended to stick it out so I kept slogging away. After getting 2/3 of the way through it is a DNF for me. I found it to be so preposterous, it was ridiculous. Maybe this will save a few of you a few hours.

Where do I even begin?! I simply can not. This book is an absolute must-read, it kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It is magical, it is original, it is a bit frightening, it is very clever and most of all mesmerizing, brilliant and breathtaking!

I loved Holly's creative world building and highly recommend her book. Can't wait for more.

Jude, the protagonist in THE CRUEL PRINCE, is a young woman who was taken, along with her siblings, from her “typical” home with humans to Faerie to be raised by their Faerie biological father. They all grow up in Faerie Land; Jude, even though she’s a young woman and part human (two major strikes against her), wants to become a knight of Faerie.

The king of Faerie is very old and has chosen to abdicate to one of his sons. Technically, the throne should go to the oldest son, but even the king has misgivings about that. Though Jude does not achieve knighthood, she is commissioned to do a very important job – spying within the court to see who would truly be best to rule Faerie.

Who will rule Faerie? Will this leader be a good one – fair but firm? How will things turn out for Jude and her siblings? Readers will be kept wondering about these questions, and many more.

Jude’s mixed heritage (not really fitting in fully in either Earth or Faerie) and all the court intrigue will interest teen readers in particular, but this novel will appeal to adults as well. Because of some of the plot twists, and a satisfying but still open ending, I could easily see this story world continuing as a series.

Jude is human, but lives in fairie - as such, she is fully neither one. Tormented by others in fairie, raised by the man who killed her parents, she and her twin sister find different ways to cope. Jude wants to be a knight, and therefore under the protection of one of the powerful fairies within the kingdom. Her sister wants to marry to gain the same thing. When unexpected events cause a rift between the powerful, Jude will find herself lying and deceiving to save what she loves.

I found myself caught up within the story, and ended up reading the whole thing within the day. The story moved along at a good clip, and the characters were interesting. I did feel that the relationship between Jude and her nemesis was a tad overblown, but otherwise, it was a great read. I will definitely be adding the sequel to my list of "must buy" books when it is ready to come out, and I look forward to seeing where Black takes Jude from here.

I FINISHED READING THIS BOOK IN ONE DAY. I don't know what happened, honestly! Despite a rocky start (because of plot holes and other stuff I still couldn't understand in regards to the motives of the characters), I thought it was an enjoyable and even stressful read. I was invested in the mc's storyline and Jude was my favorite character in this book.

I picked up this book on a whim, and I have never been as thankful for my whims as I am right now. Completely unexpectedly, this story has taken it’s rightful place among my short list of favorite books, and that’s saying a lot. I’ve never read any of Holly Blacks’s books before now, but I will be sure to get right on it while I eagerly await the release of the next installment of this series.

It doesn't happen very often any more that I want to continue on with a series after sampling its first installment, but I am ready and excited for more of this.

"The Cruel Prince" is the kind of fantasy that actually has a fairly sophisticated for YA political intrigue and interesting worldbuilding. True, most of the exciting action begins later in the novel. However, I enjoyed the slow-ish ride to the climax just the same. The story is set almost entirely in Fairy, and Holly Black's Fairy, while being totally traditional, is developed with a multitude of juicy details (do you want to know if fairies have periods?) that made the narrative captivating throughout, when it was overwhelmed by excruciatingly petty and vile bullying. Great characters too, complicated, ambiguous and almost never fully likable.

This is not on the level of Laini Taylor's fantasy, but pretty close in terms of entertainment value.

I love Holly Black’s books, and this is no exception. A wonderfully thought out fantasy world. I’m also a sucker for characters that are both bad and good. It is enjoyable to find yourself loving and hating the same character throughout a story. I can’t wait to see the development of Cardan and Jude in the next book!

I have to once again pop in and say how wary I tend to be of YA fantasies. I feel like a lot of them can be incredibly tropey and copies of each other. However, every once in a while, a gem comes along that makes me think that I really should read more YA fantasy. The Cruel Prince was one of those gems.

I absolutely loved The Cruel Prince. Intrigue! Assassinations! Sister angst! Kick-ass female protagonist! This book really has a lot of what I like and it does it so well. On top of that, The Cruel Prince was really great at turning "the chosen one!" trope on its head because it's a mortal girl in a faerie world with no power. She's not the chosen one, not even a little bit. And I loved that! That's not the only trope that was twisted, either. There's another trope in here that I won't spoil, but I usually hate this trope with every fiber of my being and yet I was so into it here. The Cruel Prince was just twisty, turny, and tropey and I loved every single bit of it.

I absolutely loved the characters in The Cruel Prince. At the top is Jude because she was such a ruthless, kick-ass character. I loved her relationship with Taryn, Vivi, and Oak. And the romance here: absolutely amazing! That's not something I usually say, but I thought it was full of passion and angst. It got me. Kudos to Holly Black because it very rarely does.

So, yeah I loved The Cruel Prince and I'm so excited for the next in this series. And if this is the last book I read for the year (I'm thinking I have about 3 more books in me, but just in case), I'm happy that I ended the year the way I started it: in anticipation of a new, amazing series to come. At the beginning of the year it was Caraval and at the end (maybe) it was The Cruel Prince. Highly recommended!

This book was superb. The constant tension of living as a mortal in the land of Faerie is an exquisite sort of torture that sticks with you even in the moments when you set the book aside. The world is rich without falling into the trap of overdescribing the details. I'm still not sure if I fully like Jude, or really anyone else in the book. Of course I'm not--they're all too real, too flawed, too difficult to trust to be easily likable. I can't wait for the next book, to find out if Jude's plan has any hope of success.

I feel like Holly Black's books are always hit or miss when it comes to me. The court of fae is fascinating, but I wish that we had gotten to the meat of the book quicker. So much of the beginning felt petty--like bullying at a high school, but the bullying actions were much more... deadly? I found a lot of the characters to be somewhat unlikeable characters too :(

I am interested in seeing how this plays out, but I am entirely uninvested in the romance. Here's hoping the next book dives more fully into the politics.

This is very well written. But, better than that, the MC is believable, complex, and very intriguing. Jude is a real badass, and when she sets her mind to something, nothing stands in her way. The plot was complex and intriguing, and surprised me several times, which I love. The only possible negative thing I could say is that I have to wait for over a half-year for the next book!

The Cruel Prince is a twisty and intricately plotted fantasy that takes us deep inside the High Court of Faerie. Holy Black knows just how to hit my expectations enough to keep me satisfied, while simultaneously subverting them enough to keep me intrigued. I am already eagerly awaiting the release of The Wicked King in 2019.

Very well done, I read a ton and went in expecting another hunger games/twilight spin off. I was very very pleasantly surprised. I’ve been looking for a book I could get into. Well written and imaginative. I was sad to see the next wasn’t available to purchase. Definitely worth the read! Following this author.

This book is full of surprises! It was so engaging and I was hanging on every word. It's not a light hearted Farie fantasy. There's politics, war, and spies. I never would have expected a lot of things in this book. Amazing read!

3.5 out of 5 stars

I'm cringing slightly as I write this, because I know so many people who LOVED The Cruel Prince, and I...liked it okay.

Let me explain.

I think I went into this book with certain expectations, and the story ended up radically different than what I thought.  It was a bit more dark. A bit more twisty. I had to take a short break from reading to rearrange my thoughts before diving back in. Also, I found the first two-thirds of the book choppy and rushed in some parts, and it was extremely difficult for me to connect with the main character, Jude.

HOWEVER.

Yes, don't worry, Cruel Prince-lovers, there is a "however."

When I reached the two-thirds mark and "Book Two/Part 2" began, I felt way more invested in the story. I felt like the beginning choppiness made at least a bit more sense because it kind of reflected Jude's inner state of being. In Part 2, while still conflicted, the goal is much clearer, and the characters felt more dynamic to me. I FINALLY cared how this story was going to end. It was still a bit too twisted for my personal taste though...

This is the first book in the Folk of the Air series, and while I'm not eagerly awaiting the next installment, I'll probably still pick it up when it releases. The Cruel Prince is not a light story, but more akin to the grim, strange fairytales of old. Quite frankly, I'm a bit terrified by what's going to happen to these characters and this world in the future. Which, I think, is what Holly Black was going for. ;)

I was so happy when my library got this book in as I love Holly Black's work. This book was so refreshing and twisted, I loved it! YA fae story that's not cookie cutter bland, yes please. She wove it so exquisitely that you're left in awe of it. I need more and more and more!

THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. I've had a hard time lately with fantasy. I think I just burned myself out on the genre again and this was immediately what I needed to get back into it. I should also point out that I haven't touched a book since I finished as well. Oops.

I have long loved Holly Black's fairie stories, the TITHE books being some of my favorites of all time. THE CRUEL PRINCE is amazing and in true Holly Black fashion is captivating, engrossing, mystifying, and marvelous. I LOVE this book! I am already impatient for the next book!

This is the first book in a fantasy trilogy. There is a lot of bullying of Jude, a mortal who was stolen along with her twin and older Faerie sister from our world by her mother’s former husband, a general in Faerie land. Jude really wants to fit in to Faerie land and desires to be a knight, but General Madoc, the guy who killed her parents and brought her to live with him, puts the kibosh on that. Jude becomes a killer and a spy for Dain, one of Cardan’s brothers. Carden and his friends are the ones bullying Jude, but Jude gets revenge. There is a lot of political betrayal and intrigue in this first book.

I have mixed feelings about Jude. I liked her in the beginning, but by the end, I really don’t like her much. She has become manipulative, mean and bloodthirsty like the general who she hated for killing her parents. I must admit, it is an interesting novel. The ending was not exactly like I expected, but came close. I probably will continue with this series.

I was not into this book at first. There's some super intense bullying and abuse and those parts were not fun to read.

By the end of it though, I was very invested and interested. I've pre-ordered the next book.

I was not sure if I would enjoy this book. But wow.

This was a wonderfully well written and engaging book. The word building the description. Everything. The blurb does it no justice. Can't wait to dive into the next one.

I started this book on a Sunday morning and it kept me glued to the very last page until 4:30am! Is there really anything more to say?! Fantastic read! I just bought 4 other Holly Black books to hopefully tide me over until the sequel is released!

HOLLY BLACK, YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE QUEEN.

Dear lord almighty, how could I hate every character yet love them at the same time? I completely devoured this novel so quickly, it was over in a blink of an eye. But I need more.

Honestly, one of my favorite components is an antihero. Someone who has blurred lines on their moral compass. Jude will not disappoint. The main players all bring something unique to the table - and just when I think I see everything coming- SKRT SKRT NOPE.

Please read, you will not be disappointed.

THE CRUEL PRINCE grabs you early and doesn't let go even when you're done. I was on the edge of my seat with every chapter, every twist, and every cruel and clever deed.

Black has outdone herself with this one!

If you like faeries you NEED to read this book. I love faeries and the building of the story in this first book. I can't wait for the next books to come out! The realm of faeries ALWAYS interests me! Magic, Mischief, Kings & Queens! YES!

I would give it more stars if I could. I absolutely love Holly Black. She does not disappoint in this novel. I can't wait for next installment. As usual her novels are on the dark side, but she does it so elegently.

What else can I say? Holly Black is amazing! I couldn't give this book less than five stars! And to top that, the cover is absolutely beautiful! It didn't start off slow, nor did it slow down at all throughout the book. It kept me on my toes, longing for more. The plot seemed to be at a climax the whole book. There was no downfall. There are several plot twists that make you want to keep reading all day, never wanting to leave the world of Faerie. I can't wait for the next book. Even if it is a heart wrenching amount of time to wait.

This book has been popping up in my radar for quite awhile and no wonder! Exhilarating is a terrible understatement. Nothing is as it seems. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the story changes. A few things were predictable but for the most part, you’re in for a surprise.

This was my introduction Holly Black. What an intro! This book had me hooked from the very first page. I was surprised that I didn't like most of the characters until about half way through the book but still couldn't put the book down. The twists and turns were great too! It's definitely worth reading, and I can't wait for 2019!

My daughter absolutely loved this book and was totally immersed with the characters that I could barely get her to do her homework. From what I've heard from her, the book is amazing. Kind of violent apparently but I'm happy to know that she's found another author she enjoys. She's a mythology fanatic and anything with magic, titles like The Cruel Prince, and dramatic endings will keep her reading all day and all night!

This book came to me when I was beginning to think that there were no more good stories out there to read. Without getting into details that you can read from the book's description and other reviews, I really enjoyed this book and intensely look forward to the next one. I have been slowly working my way through Holly Black's other books and enjoy those as well. Author's that create these immense worlds and bring them to life in the story-telling are just incredible to me.

Considering I had a difficult time getting into this book, I'm pretty surprised it ended up being a 5 star read for me. The last third of the book shines. It's quite clear that the story will only get better from here. I also LOVED the inclusion of the characters from Black's Modern Faerie Tale series.

Fascinating and disturbing, with interesting plot twists and well-developed characters. I didn't always like the central character, but I couldn't help rooting for her. I am eager to read the sequel and find out what happens next!

I was surprised by how hard I found it to get into this book. Normally, Holly Black is an author who can capture me instantly and keep me hooked on a book, but I didn't really get that until the end, which was amazing. I wonder if maybe it was because of what this book was leading up to. There wasn't really a lot of story other than survival until half way through and even then, it didn't really heat up until the last few chapters, so it felt a bit like a setting up book for the next one than an actual book in it's own right.

I liked that the obsession that Cardan has for Jude isn't romanticised. Throughout the book, he torments and abuses Jude and though it shown to come from feelings about her several times, it's never looked upon as something good. It's shown as love corrupted. It's like a hatred thing, he has such powerful feelings for her that he doesn't want to have that it turns into an intense hatred of her and until the end, she never sees it as anything but hatred and she continues to hate him through. I really hope this continues throughout the rest of the series and any relationship between them is shown as toxic and awful.

I also loved the way that everything was turned on it's head and nothing turned out to be as it seemed. I think the first half of the book felt too simple for me. It was too easy to see who the good guys were and who were the bad. Black showed that things are never that easy in faerie and the people you expect to be good will always betray you.

I'm looking forward to the next book, but I'm sad at how hard I found it to get into this one.

A mortal girl fights to survive in the High Court of Faire. There are wonderfully hidden twists in this story of lies and intrigue. I read the book in one day because I just couldn't leave the characters, who I came to love - and hate. I'm now going to have to manage my post book blues while I wait for the next book in the series.

I am new to Holly Black and hit or miss on fairy literature. This is a blockbuster of a book, a tightly wound and sprung story of the kingdom of the Fae and the humans who also live there. The second half in particular is like a stone rolling down hill, accelerating to a startling conclusion. This is a book #1 but the ending is quite satisfying. It hits the sweet spot between cliff hanger and stand alone.

Jude is a fierce female protagonist who makes mistakes and often acts in haste. How she finds her power and protects her family is horrible and awe inspiring. I don't think this book can overcome anyone who doesn't like fae stories but if you are open to it, this is a stellar entry for the genre.

I am not a huge fan of books by this author. I have always had a hard time with plot flow and narrative. With that being said, I was sucked in by the description for this book and happy I took a dive into the pages. This book was amazing! The author has now changed my mind about reading future books and looking forward to more books! If you have been hesitant about this authors writing before, this book will make you fall in love with her stories.

Excellent book! The twists and turns were unpredictable. The characters are interesting and complicated. The plot was compelling and kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen. I don't think I've read anything quite like this, and I loved it!! Looking forward to the next book of the series.

It's been quite a while since I enjoyed a YA novel as much as I enjoyed Holly Black's latest trip to the land of Faerie. The writing is simply superb, world building spot on and the characters are brilliant. This book combines fantasy, horror, and romance with such skill it gives this series starter the feel of a grand epic. I could gush on and on about what a fun read this is and how it will be a great choice for Black's many fans, but I don't want to spoil a single one of the details. The politics, the gutsy young protagonist, and the hint of dark romance make this an enthusiastic recommend for any reader age 15 and up.

Why? Why does the next book not come out until 2019???? This was such a fantastic read. The world/characters really reminded me of The Labyrinth. I loved the beauty and danger of the Fae world, and Jude’s need to belong there. The only thing i didn’t love were their trips to the mortal world— they felt off and jarring and took me out of the story a little. But oh my gosh, this book was gorgeous!

This was so amazing! Holly Black is one of my all time favorite authors and she really hit it out of the park with The Cruel Prince!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love Fey stories and this story brought in everything I love about them. The author did a great job showing how different the fair folk are and I thought it was brilliant to have two mortal sisters live in Fairy. This way we get to see both sides one who wants to belong and the other who wants to make her mark.

I thought the story was really strong as well. It totally held me captivated and on the edge of my seat throughout. I never knew what was coming and I loved it. Jude was a great character that I respected a lot. She stood up for herself and I loved reading about a strong female character.

If you love Fey stories this is definitely for you!

I haven't been this into a book in years. Bought the Kindle edition because I needed something to read before bed. It's one of those books that has you staying up later than you should and rushing back home (or to your device) so you can keep reading. Please, Holly, I need the next one! I need to know more about your spectacular hero Jude and the wolf she has by the ears!

“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”

This was my first Holly Black book AND Faerie book I've ever read and was NOT disappointed. It was amazing! What a delightfully dark, twisty novel full of plot twists and high-intensity, suspenseful moments!

This was an amazingly twisted yet delicious surprise of a book. Kept me on my toes as I turned each page. So many jaw-dropping surprises in this book. I haven't had a good faerie book in a very long time. I'm impatiently waiting for the sequel.

DNF at page 254. Yup, I couldn't even bring myself to finish it.

I tried reading a Holly Black book 8 years ago and was miserable. Given the hype surrounding this one, I decided to give her another shot. I shouldn't have. I don't understand the hype at all.

This book is just, to put it simply, *boring*. There's absolutely zero worldbuilding, the characters are flat and bland, and the plot did zilch in stirring any kind of emotion in me. Holly Black just isn't for me. And I know she has a reputation for being a "master" at writing faeries, but I'm just going to say this - Cassandra Clare is so much better at it.

One of the best books I’ve read this year! Holly Black sure knows how to suck you into a story and never let you go! Not to mention Jude is a feirce female character and I can’t wait to see where her journey leads. Is it January yet!!!

“He is out in the garden, picking a bouquet of foxgloves. He’s laughing, sunlight turning his brown hair gold… I bet he doesn’t even know those flowers are poison.”

Beware. The glamour on your eyes deceive you. The wood is not always dark and twisted. Here, all that glitters will kill you.
read my review at fabledpages.com
xxx

This is an awesome read—-full of twists & turns till the very last page! Don't want to give the plot away but I wanted to add my stars in, just to give this book the exposure and attention it deserves. This book is worth your 1-click!

Couldn't put the book down! Had some surprises I was not expecting. The story reminds me a bit of Pride and Prejudice: strong female protagonist and an arrogant male character you come to love. Can't wait for the next book in 2019!

Very well written. However the teenage angst gets boring. It's a kid stomping her foot and sticking her tongue throughout four hundred pages. The story is so good it makes up for it though. Impatiently waiting for the next one.