Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell's Reviews > The Cruel Prince
The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
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My first order of action: I'm starting an "I hate Taryn" club. If you want to join, just comment below and you'll receive instant membership status. It is the hate that binds us.
Edit: I made a badge with MS Paint. >:D
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1515956777i/24876456.jpg)
What would happen if you combined Hana Yori Dango with Game of Thrones? This book.
I'm kind of surprised at how much I enjoyed THE CRUEL PRINCE. It was receiving a lot of hype, and normally that turns me off, because so much of the hype surrounding books these days seems so manufactured. I'm really sick of seeing everyone post aesthetic pictures of certain books and say, "OMG! THIS IS SO GREAT! LIFE CHANGING! WOW!" and then I go, "Oh really?" and pick it up, like a sucker, and find out that the book is not great or life-changing but incredibly mediocre or, worse, bad and just basically more of the same.
THE CRUEL PRINCE is that 1book out of 100 that deserves all the hype. Faeries are portrayed as they're supposed to be: not Greek gods with convenient magical powers that spend all their time acting like life is one big fat reality TV show, but actual scary, power-hungry creatures who are terrifying as they are beautiful to behold. Jude and her sisters, Taryn and Vivi, find that out the hard way when one of them bursts into their door in the mortal world and murders both her parents. It turns out that their mother was previously married - to a fae - and he didn't take kindly to cheating.
But leaving behind orphans leaves a sour taste in Madoc (jealous faerie ex-husband)'s mouth so he brings back all three of them to be reared in the world of faerie, where they're treated in his household like minor Gentry and resented by pretty much everyone else. Including the Elite 4 - *cough* - I mean the Faerie "Plastics": Nicasia, Locke, Valerian, and Cardan. Jude, not knowing when to stand down or keep her mouth shut, ends up bearing the brunt of their humiliations and intimidation tactics, and instead of learning a lesson, she ends up feeling nothing but rage and a desire for revenge.
For about 1/3 of this book, it felt like another YA fantasy drama with a mortal girl who ends up biting off more than she can chew with a side-romance that feels tepid. Then about 2/3 in, things start to get really crazy, with court intrigue, espionage, betrayal, murder, poison, and yes, okay, illicit romance. The last 100 pages of this book got even better, and the last fifty had me going "OMG!!!!" I received an electronic copy of this book for review, but rest assured, had I been holding a physical copy, I would have been white-knuckling it in a death grip even the most dedicated wrestler would admire.
I think this book's biggest failing is actually the genre. It's forced to dial down the cruelty, the sexuality, and the violence, so sometimes the tone feels a little off. THE HUNGER GAMES, as much as I loved it, had the same problem. YA is still very puritanical, with good reason, but sometimes when authors try to push the envelope within the confines of the parameters set by the age group they're writing for, certain topics can feel either unexplored or disconcertingly tame. I almost feel like this would have been better written for an adult audience, with older characters.
That small qualm aside, I really enjoyed THE CRUEL PRINCE. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed THE HUNGER GAMES and VAMPIRE ACADEMY. I loved that Jude started off selfish and kind of petulant, and gradually learned to hone her cruelty and her callousness into a very successful weapon. I like it when heroines are powerful and dangerous and morally grey, and given roles typically given to male characters in the genre. I also loved the dark prince, Cardan. He and Jude have a real "Reylo" dynamic, and I foresee a "Fifty Shades of Fae" sequel somewhere down the line for them. #Yaass
P.S. Still not sure if I mentioned THAT I HATE TARYN A LOT? :D :D
P.P.S. Not sure if I understand all the need for subterfuge in the court. Everyone made a big deal of how faeries can't lie, so why not just line everyone up and say "Are you scheming against me or participating in schemes against me, either directly or indirectly?" and then kill anyone who says "yes" or refuses to answer? Why go through all the rigamarole of involving extra spies? See, I'm a mortal and I'd make a better faerie ruler than half these losers. #ACourtOfSmutAndCommonSense
Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!
5 stars
by
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Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell's review
bookshelves: netgalley, magic-and-sparkles-and-shit, ya-ya-land, you-remind-me-of-the-babe, faeries-and-elves, best-young-adult-books
Jan 03, 2018
bookshelves: netgalley, magic-and-sparkles-and-shit, ya-ya-land, you-remind-me-of-the-babe, faeries-and-elves, best-young-adult-books
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1459070464i/18565492.jpg)
Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest
My first order of action: I'm starting an "I hate Taryn" club. If you want to join, just comment below and you'll receive instant membership status. It is the hate that binds us.
Edit: I made a badge with MS Paint. >:D
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1515956777i/24876456.jpg)
What would happen if you combined Hana Yori Dango with Game of Thrones? This book.
I'm kind of surprised at how much I enjoyed THE CRUEL PRINCE. It was receiving a lot of hype, and normally that turns me off, because so much of the hype surrounding books these days seems so manufactured. I'm really sick of seeing everyone post aesthetic pictures of certain books and say, "OMG! THIS IS SO GREAT! LIFE CHANGING! WOW!" and then I go, "Oh really?" and pick it up, like a sucker, and find out that the book is not great or life-changing but incredibly mediocre or, worse, bad and just basically more of the same.
THE CRUEL PRINCE is that 1book out of 100 that deserves all the hype. Faeries are portrayed as they're supposed to be: not Greek gods with convenient magical powers that spend all their time acting like life is one big fat reality TV show, but actual scary, power-hungry creatures who are terrifying as they are beautiful to behold. Jude and her sisters, Taryn and Vivi, find that out the hard way when one of them bursts into their door in the mortal world and murders both her parents. It turns out that their mother was previously married - to a fae - and he didn't take kindly to cheating.
But leaving behind orphans leaves a sour taste in Madoc (jealous faerie ex-husband)'s mouth so he brings back all three of them to be reared in the world of faerie, where they're treated in his household like minor Gentry and resented by pretty much everyone else. Including the Elite 4 - *cough* - I mean the Faerie "Plastics": Nicasia, Locke, Valerian, and Cardan. Jude, not knowing when to stand down or keep her mouth shut, ends up bearing the brunt of their humiliations and intimidation tactics, and instead of learning a lesson, she ends up feeling nothing but rage and a desire for revenge.
For about 1/3 of this book, it felt like another YA fantasy drama with a mortal girl who ends up biting off more than she can chew with a side-romance that feels tepid. Then about 2/3 in, things start to get really crazy, with court intrigue, espionage, betrayal, murder, poison, and yes, okay, illicit romance. The last 100 pages of this book got even better, and the last fifty had me going "OMG!!!!" I received an electronic copy of this book for review, but rest assured, had I been holding a physical copy, I would have been white-knuckling it in a death grip even the most dedicated wrestler would admire.
I think this book's biggest failing is actually the genre. It's forced to dial down the cruelty, the sexuality, and the violence, so sometimes the tone feels a little off. THE HUNGER GAMES, as much as I loved it, had the same problem. YA is still very puritanical, with good reason, but sometimes when authors try to push the envelope within the confines of the parameters set by the age group they're writing for, certain topics can feel either unexplored or disconcertingly tame. I almost feel like this would have been better written for an adult audience, with older characters.
That small qualm aside, I really enjoyed THE CRUEL PRINCE. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed THE HUNGER GAMES and VAMPIRE ACADEMY. I loved that Jude started off selfish and kind of petulant, and gradually learned to hone her cruelty and her callousness into a very successful weapon. I like it when heroines are powerful and dangerous and morally grey, and given roles typically given to male characters in the genre. I also loved the dark prince, Cardan. He and Jude have a real "Reylo" dynamic, and I foresee a "Fifty Shades of Fae" sequel somewhere down the line for them. #Yaass
P.S. Still not sure if I mentioned THAT I HATE TARYN A LOT? :D :D
P.P.S. Not sure if I understand all the need for subterfuge in the court. Everyone made a big deal of how faeries can't lie, so why not just line everyone up and say "Are you scheming against me or participating in schemes against me, either directly or indirectly?" and then kill anyone who says "yes" or refuses to answer? Why go through all the rigamarole of involving extra spies? See, I'm a mortal and I'd make a better faerie ruler than half these losers. #ACourtOfSmutAndCommonSense
Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!
5 stars
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Reading Progress
January 3, 2018
–
Started Reading
January 3, 2018
– Shelved
January 3, 2018
– Shelved as:
netgalley
January 3, 2018
– Shelved as:
magic-and-sparkles-and-shit
January 3, 2018
– Shelved as:
ya-ya-land
January 3, 2018
–
5.41%
"I had an ARC of this, which I completely forgot about. Since the book came out yesterday. I figured it was probably time to read it. XD"
page
20
January 3, 2018
–
7.57%
"Cardan, Valerian, Nicasia, and Locke are basically the Plastics from Mean Girls"
page
28
January 3, 2018
–
9.73%
"And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest, with black hair as iridescent as a raven's 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 breathe.
Q: How do you find the male love interest in a basic-bitch YA book?
A: Look for the person the heroine 'hates' the most"
page
36
Q: How do you find the male love interest in a basic-bitch YA book?
A: Look for the person the heroine 'hates' the most"
January 3, 2018
–
17.03%
"I keep seeing people praising this scene as being kick-ass, because she's about to kill some random human dude for touching her. And then she's like "Lolz, whoops he was flirting! Almost killed him!"
Touching without consent is not okay. But also, being a murderous, death-stomping murder harpy is also not okay.
It saddens me that so many mistake psycho for bad-ass."
page
63
Touching without consent is not okay. But also, being a murderous, death-stomping murder harpy is also not okay.
It saddens me that so many mistake psycho for bad-ass."
January 5, 2018
–
25.95%
"This is basically Hana Yori Dango, only with faeries instead of rich a-holes"
page
96
January 6, 2018
–
35.41%
"God, Jude. When you're building up an immunity to poisons, you're not supposed to eat ALL of them at ONCE. It's not a buffet."
page
131
January 6, 2018
–
38.38%
"Ah, the ol' "Please wear this dress that belonged to my mother because I have desperately unresolved dead mommy issues that are now manifesting themselves in you, my love" trope"
page
142
January 7, 2018
–
44.32%
"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST
That is some sheer Game of Thrones-level fucked-upness"
page
164
That is some sheer Game of Thrones-level fucked-upness"
January 7, 2018
–
53.78%
"It's like Holly Black watched the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones and thought, "ME TOO! ME TOO!""
page
199
January 7, 2018
–
56.49%
"Jude: *laughs crazily and threatens her obvious love interest with a knife*
Me: So how is this Norman Bates school of courtship working for you"
page
209
Me: So how is this Norman Bates school of courtship working for you"
January 7, 2018
–
57.84%
"
Seeing the quickening of his breath, the way he pulls against my careful knots, delights me.
Coming up next: Fifty Shades of Fae"
page
214
Coming up next: Fifty Shades of Fae"
January 7, 2018
–
58.11%
"
It shouldn't shock me that the Court of Faerie is corrupt and kind of gross.
This is the best summary of this book that I've read so far."
page
215
This is the best summary of this book that I've read so far."
January 7, 2018
–
Finished Reading
February 2, 2019
– Shelved as:
you-remind-me-of-the-babe
April 2, 2020
– Shelved as:
faeries-and-elves
August 18, 2020
– Shelved as:
best-young-adult-books
Comments Showing 1-50 of 162 (162 new)
message 1:
by
Melissa
(last edited Jan 07, 2018 05:21PM)
(new)
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rated it 5 stars
Jan 07, 2018 04:03PM
![Melissa](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1487543962p1/28640648.jpg)
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![Dianna ☾midnight reads☽](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1654921403p1/22594701.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
WELCOME TO THE CLUB :DDDD
And yay! I wasn't alone! Yeah, that first 1/3 I was like WHY THE HYPE? But by the last 1/3 I understood. So excited for the sequel lol. :D Who was your favorite character??
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
YAY! Thank you! I hope you enjoy it as well. :D
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Thanks, yeva! I hope you enjoy it when you do!
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
I thought I was alone too! *high five* HYD is the bestttt
![Melissa](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1487543962p1/28640648.jpg)
aww man it's so hard to choose. I loved specific characteristics in a lot of characters. I'm between Madoc and Jude. (view spoiler) How about you??
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
That's a good point about Madoc and (view spoiler) .
Vivi and Jude were cool, too
![Melissa](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1487543962p1/28640648.jpg)
And girl yes, you do! I would also totally join that club ASAP!
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
And girl yes, you do! I would also totally join that club ASAP!"
He's totally going to get it in book 2. You just watch. XD
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Yessssss HYD is the best <3 <3
There's so many fans of it on this site too! :D
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
I think you would like it!
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Seriously. She better redeem herself in the next book. >_>
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
It is! I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Have a badge! LOL.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1515956777i/24876456.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
WELCOME TO THE CLUB FRIEND
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1515956777i/24876456.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
There are limits to even my powers... o-o But yes! JOIN THE CLUB! GRAB A BADGE!
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
EXACTLYYYY. She can afford it now. >__________>
![emily](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1612766177p1/61624004.jpg)
WELCOME TO THE CLUB FRIEND
"
I’M CRYING THIS IS THE BEST THING I’VE SEEN TODAY i’m going to literally use this everywhere omg i love you
![clara](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1516096198p1/41756564.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Thank you so much ahaha. And welcome to the club :D
![Rhea](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1515220783p1/66540817.jpg)
I honestly need more of their romance or I think I'm gonna die otherwise
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
I honestly need more of their romance or I think I'm gonna die otherwise"
OMG yes, book 2 is NOT allowed to disappoint
![Monique](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1658095478p1/19873388.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Same! While there are some exceptions I feel like a lot of YA comes across as overly simplified because of the constraints on the genre.
![Alexandra](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1704265247p1/23996957.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
PLEASE JOIN THE CLUB! There are enough I Hate Taryn Badges for everyoneeee.
Haha! I do give out five-star reviews on occasion, but only for books that I really, really like.
![Jen](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1680288318p1/8035130.jpg)
THIS THIS THIS THIS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ARTICULATING MY THOUGHTS.
This would have been even grittier if Black had been able to go full tilt with the sex, gore and the cruelty. I still loved it, but I could feel her constrained to the boundaries of the genre.