Emma Giordano's Reviews > The Cruel Prince

Absolutely loved this read!! A wondrous fantasy novel that is easy to get invested in. So many great plot twists and high-intensity, suspenseful moments!

TW: murder, physical abuse, sexual abuse, suicide

Holly Black is truly the queen of creating exquisite worlds. Her interpretation of faeries is always so fascinating and glorious. It’s hard to fully capture what it is about her world-building that is so magical, but her books are always my favorite when it comes to faeries. I believe a part of it is that she flawlessly captures the danger and darkness of fey while also displaying the beauty of their magic. There are few words to accurately describe her talent for writing intriguing and beautiful fantasy worlds.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. Jude is a great protagonist – her fierceness is complimented by her vulnerability, which makes her very realistic considering her circumstances. The relationships between characters are also fascinating, especially the family dynamics. The way Jude views her sisters and “adoptive” family are very unique in my opinion.

I also enjoyed the fact that this is not a romance novel. Though it is weaved in here and there, I feel the overarching plot becomes full of politics as the story progress. I will admit, I did lose focus at sometimes while listening to the audiobook because so much of this novel is centered on political relationships, the complications of monarchies, dynamics between different courts, and plotting to overthrow. That being said, it is so well developed and different from many YA books that I overall had a great experience with in.

In total, The Cruel Prince was fantastic. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy, faeries, political intrigue, or just an all-around immersive novel.