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ashnoble's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism and Slavery
readwithria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Cruel Prince was a great start to this YA fantasy series! It did a great job of getting me hooked on the world and the story, and I’m excited to read more!
Jude is such a force to be reckoned with! Her pivot from wanting to be a knight to embracing her newfound skills was so great, and I really enjoyed seeing her grow into her strength.
The political maneuvering was so interesting! I love tactical plays in books like this, and The Cruel Prince was full of them. The planning, the manipulation, the betrayals 😩 SO GOOD
I will definitely be continuing the series asap. 4 stars.
Jude is such a force to be reckoned with! Her pivot from wanting to be a knight to embracing her newfound skills was so great, and I really enjoyed seeing her grow into her strength.
The political maneuvering was so interesting! I love tactical plays in books like this, and The Cruel Prince was full of them. The planning, the manipulation, the betrayals 😩 SO GOOD
I will definitely be continuing the series asap. 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
peregrinwho's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I used to love this author's books in middle school, so figured I'd give this a try. Unfortunately, I think this author is best left in short form books. When given more time to flesh out worlds and plots, they instead fill pages upon pages with descriptions of clothes and repeatedly explaining what has just happened. Such things really slow down and draw focus away from the plot. We know what just happened. We read it. Please have more faith in your readers to understand what just happened instead of then adding paragraphs of the mc's inner monologue reciting it back to us. You don't have to show and tell every time, and I don't need to know what every character wears in every scene.
Despite that, the characters do have depth. However, it's disappointing they want me to believe this enemies to lovers subplot when they've both hurt eachother in multiple ways in which are way too grievous to forgive. "He didn't know how to handle his feelings so he hurt her." Yeah that's not love. I don't care what he felt, he hurt her repeatedly, and she did the same to him. They're both terrible, immature people who will abuse and bully eachother until death. You don't hurt the people you like. I enjoy the politicing plot but I'm just not sure I can stomach all the filler distracting from it.
This book would probably be more liked by younger readers or those who don't read very often as it is light and easy to follow.
Despite that, the characters do have depth. However, it's disappointing they want me to believe this enemies to lovers subplot when they've both hurt eachother in multiple ways in which are way too grievous to forgive. "He didn't know how to handle his feelings so he hurt her." Yeah that's not love. I don't care what he felt, he hurt her repeatedly, and she did the same to him. They're both terrible, immature people who will abuse and bully eachother until death. You don't hurt the people you like. I enjoy the politicing plot but I'm just not sure I can stomach all the filler distracting from it.
This book would probably be more liked by younger readers or those who don't read very often as it is light and easy to follow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Death of parent
emileecarter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is my favorite fantasy series/ trilogy of all time. You are meant to hate some of the main characters.
I find Jude highly relatable.
Please be aware that this is a political fantasy. While it does contain a romance or two, it is not the focus. Please only read if you are ready for a mysterious, action packed, political fantasy.
This book has never read as YA to me. It contains some heavy, heavy themes. For example, Jude dealing with the confusion of loving Madoc as the father that raised her and hating him for what he's done, and how she feels wrong for her feelings.
Truly, an incredible read.
I find Jude highly relatable.
Please be aware that this is a political fantasy. While it does contain a romance or two, it is not the focus. Please only read if you are ready for a mysterious, action packed, political fantasy.
This book has never read as YA to me. It contains some heavy, heavy themes. For example, Jude dealing with the confusion of loving Madoc as the father that raised her and hating him for what he's done, and how she feels wrong for her feelings.
Truly, an incredible read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Bullying, Death, Murder, Violence, War, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Gore, and Grief
kt3636's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Low fantasy, enemies to lovers (bully/systemic).
This book suffers from some pacing issues and I found it difficult to envision most of the time due to lack of comprehensive description. It has big dramatic things happen within it but they feel weightless, that is until about 75% of the way into the book. By the end of the book the author really begins to find her footing, and overall literacy technique improves and the plot becomes more exciting and unpredictable, shaking off its previously juvenile feel for something darker and more gritty. This improvement is carried on and developed further in the second book (currently reading).
This book suffers from some pacing issues and I found it difficult to envision most of the time due to lack of comprehensive description. It has big dramatic things happen within it but they feel weightless, that is until about 75% of the way into the book. By the end of the book the author really begins to find her footing, and overall literacy technique improves and the plot becomes more exciting and unpredictable, shaking off its previously juvenile feel for something darker and more gritty. This improvement is carried on and developed further in the second book (currently reading).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual assault
This isn’t a very spicy book, there’s some kissing mainly near the end and that’s it. There’s varying degrees of violence throughout, but it doesn’t go into too much graphic detail of said violence. The main character is subjected to bullying for being a mortal/human throughout.matildasouthern's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Bullying and War
Minor: Grief and Blood
aribookishly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Drug use, Alcohol, and Bullying
Moderate: Death
Minor: Gore
philosofreaky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Classism, Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Death, and Domestic abuse
smcrain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I adored this book. This was my first time reading any Holly Black, and I personally really loved her writing style. There was a level of description, humor, and whimsy that is exactly in a balance I enjoy. The land of Elfhame and its inhabitants sound so terrible and magical all at once. I can't express how much I loved Jude. She was just fabulous and a MC i gould really get behind, her determination and motivations were so good. Her relationships with all the characters were great, and I was very eager to see how her story unfolded. I loved the twists and turns. Overall, this was such a pageturner for me, so it happily gets 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol and Death
Minor: Death of parent
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Classism