Joint Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black. Blodeuedd is in brown and I am in blue. 

Author: Holly Black 
Title: The Cruel Prince
(The Folk of the Air #1)
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Pages: ebook
Published: January 2nd 2018
Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

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.

After Maas *shudders* I wanted to try a YA Fae fantasy again, so we gave it a go ;) And I was pleasantly surprised! It was by no means amazing, but I’d say it was good enough.

It was a million times better! I actually didn’t do a lick of skimming like the other one ;).

Lol, no skimming from my part either! It was a light easy read with lots of darkness, but the writing flowed and she is a good author, I will give her that.

It was a light, easy read. Very dark though and I liked it. I’m glad she didn’t chicken out on that and make it fluffy. Faes are jerks and she really made sure we knew it. I liked her writing style a lot. Great world-building and the dialogue was good too.

Very interesting world, with lots of different Fae. And they are cruel and it shows. I liked the darkness. No fluff, I mean Maas was dark, but it was so DAMN fluffy in its darkness. Here it was more darker somehow.

It was a more honest and realistic darkness. No dark to just be dark.

Yes! Exactly, not dark just to be dark. You nailed it.

Ugh speaking of realistic-ness….I hate the majority of the characters. But I liked hating them. They were jerks! Jude was okay...but she was naive.

Haha, yes. Jude was ok, but I was not all I want to be her friends. Nah, she was too much of an idiot. Our dear cruel prince is an ahole by the biggest means. But I liked hating him and I understood him more at the end. Her twin, blergh, I hated her most of all. She puts women to shame. My favorite was Madoc, it’s just something about a man who kills his former wife and lover and takes care of their kids. Messed up

I have hope Jude will be better in the next. She is young and is messed up in the head. Hated the Prince. I do not want them to end up together. It does not compute in my brain! He is horrible and tried hurting her really bad. She would be a dummy to fall for that! And he hates humans. SOOO? Sighs. Ugh her twin “sister” was horrible. Madoc was fun. He was such a complex character and I adored it. Murdering, but loving. He was fun. I’m curious to see what is next for him.

It was my biggest fear. And I am sure it will happen, I hope it will make sense it does happen cos now, damn woman, are you stupid! WTF, stay away from him, do not even think it. DO NOT EVEN!

I was looking on Goodreads and there are so many fans that want them together to at least bang. NO!!!! Run woman run! I can’t see any scenario where he can justify all the terrible, horrible things he did and said. That is abuse and Madoc should’ve kicked his royal butt!

Ugh, ok so if it does happen, I hope she like sees the light and kills him or something.

Me too. Or maybe he’ll get knocked outside the head and become a different person? HAHAHA. That would be hilarious and karma-rific.

I like that, I guess even aholes can be forgiven if they grovel enough and if they ever say one aholey thing then let them hang

I suppose. But still. Bleh. And how will he forgive HER at the end there. No spoilers...but that is tough.

He is Fae, he should have striven to it. But yes let them not get together. But they so will, how could it else end? Arghhh I actually really need to know this! That is a good, the book made me want more. I bow to you Holly Black. I hate most of the characters and the main character is meh but I am still curious

Me too. That really does take a good storyteller. Not liking the characters, but still intrigued and wanting more. Kuddos there! I also really want to explore more of the world. There is so much more! I didn’t expect so many other kingdoms and whatnot. That was fun.

Then we shall read more! Please no stupid angst, pleeeeeease

Yess I beg. The summary looks promising….but. You never know! I want Jude to be a cool, cruel gal. I want her to be like Madoc. A soft-spot for family, but no one else.

Yes I am intrigued, I do wonder what will happen. ...anything else?

That is the problem with these books when they are so good! You don’t want to spoil anything! Ummmm….I was hooked from page one. There was a lull for a couple of chapters before the tournament, but after that I was hooked again. Beware the lull and push through! Totally worth it!

The lol for me is a certain romance part, no thanks to that. But yes a good book, I read it fast. I hope it keeps on improving and not fall into second book syndrome

Oooo that would be bad. *fingers crossed*

The end? :D

The end! :D Quick discussion today!

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.