Mundie Moms

Sunday, March 25, 2018

THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black / Book Review #TheCruelPrince #TheFolkoftheAir


By: Holly Black
Published by: Little Brown 
Released on: January 2, 2018
SeriesThe Folk of the Air Series #1
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 5 Stars - though it definitely deserves 10
Source: Purchased books

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.


Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.


If you didn't believe in the fae world before you read a Holly Black faerie story, you will after you read this book. Her characters and the beautifully deceptive faerie world make you feel as though you've stepped into a world of real make believe. The Queen of the Fae doesn't need faerie fruit to enchant you. Black lores you in with her enchanting writing, mesmerizes you with story, and makes you wish you could make a bargain with the fae just so you could get the next book in this series.

Oh this book, and all it's book feels. I absolutely LOVED this book. It's a delightfully intriguing, sinister at times, and down right wicked at other times, story full of cunning characters, Faerie Princes, and human sister's who have been raised among the Fae in their brutal world. In essence, it's a Holly Black masterpiece!  

This story doesn't lack in family and friendship dynamics, faerie politics and their court dynamics, surprising political alliances, deception, betrayal, and unpredicted plot twists. Not to mention well written characters whom who love, love to hate, and are completely shocked by. Black's faerie characters and their world are just as I would except them to be. Jude is definitely my favorite character of this story. 

Jude is one of those lead characters who's will and strength I wish I emulated. It's unbreakable. What makes Jude so easy to connect with, is her vulnerability in the Fae world. Humans never fair well there, but she and her sister have. Jude is as fierce as she is vulnerable. I love that about her character. Her vulnerability is turned into an unbreakable will power, and inner strength no one can trump. Not even her "adoptive" family, or the crazy hell bent Faerie Prince who despises her. I love how everything she's forced to endure, molds her into a  cunning, calculated character that should not be underestimated. It wasn't hard for me to root for her from the get go. 

I'm at a loss for words when it comes to Jude to and the faerie Prince Cardan. Oh are their scenes interesting. I wasn't excepting that turn of events that made me realize that maybe the two of them have more in common than I thought. The surprising turn of events also made be realize that while the Fae may be bound to do or not do something, Jude is cunning enough to out smart even them, and their centuries old, unbreakable customs, to put her plan into action. It is seriously AWESOME, though I'm a bit worried about what's to come in the next book. There's always a price when it comes with the faeries. 

OH MY WORD, THAT ENDING! Yes this deserves all caps, because THAT ENDING. *Insert incoherent words* Holly Black proves once again why she's the Queen of the Fae. She is the queen of storytelling, character development, world building, deception, and making readers weep. Oh this book is all the book feels wrapped up in a beautiful cover, and an addicting storyline that will leave you wanting so much. 


While I may be weeping over having to wait another year to read this sequel, I am drooling over this stunning cover! I absolutely LOVE IT!

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