Series: The Folk of the Air #1
Format: ARC
Goodreads Summary
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.
My Book Review
“You have only seen the least of what I can do” – The Cruel Prince
I would not be the first to mention that author, Holly Black is the queen of Faerie! Holly’s stories about the faerie world dive deep and are so intricately woven that you will never want to put them down. Her novel, The Darkest Part of the Forest was quite literally glued to my hands for the 6 or 7 hours it took me to read it. Her new novel, The Cruel Prince, the first book in The Folk of the Air trilogy, was no different. The Cruel Prince takes you on a rollercoaster of deception. Twist and turns fuel this story and you never know what is going to happen next.
The main character, Jude, a mortal girl, wants to be accepted by the Faerie world. A world in which she has grown up, but has never truly belonged. Jude shows great strength and courage throughout the novel. The decisions she makes have consequences. Whether right or wrong, she will do what she needs to in order to accomplish the tasks before her. These moments of precise decision and occasional impulse seamlessly move the plot along its twisting path.
The book also provides us with a stunning cast of characters, where even the smallest role is given a name and a purpose. The light air of romance that fills the pages is subtle it adds mystery to the story. Most of all, I loved the descriptions of the faerie realm. Holly Black adds color, glamour, and intrigue with her beautiful depictions of buildings, clothing, and people who you encounter throughout the novel, that you see them so vividly in you mind’s eye. I love that I can truly envision what I am reading.
I highly suggest picking up this book on your next trip to the bookstore! It’s a wonderful start to what I’m sure will be a deliciously dark and beautiful trilogy!
Coming Soon:
The Wicked King – The Folk of the Air #2 (expected publication 2019)
The Queen of Nothing – The Folk in the Air #3 (expected publication 2020)
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Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my review of The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black. Our first review of 2018 is in the books!
xxx
Kimberly – WhimsicalNarratives
P.S. I enjoyed attending Holly Black’s book signing when she stopped in Atlanta on Wednesday! It was a fantastic experience and I had a blast listening to her talk about faerie. If she has a tour stop near you, I highly suggest going.
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