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seastheday's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I couldn’t put this book down. Okay, I only did because I have young children. But, otherwise I wouldn’t have put this book down! Listening to Jude slowly talk herself into paranoid madness was so fun to watch. I love and hate Carden’s incongruous ways. He was foolish but learned to play the game. He is akin to Sansa Stark in that way. I love the push and pull of power between Cardan and Jude. Most of the time I’m not even sure who I want to have the power. As a side note, I fucking hate Locke. STILL. And now Ghost AND Taryn’s are on my list with their names underlined! I don’t think any of them can really be redeemed. And I don’t think they’re meant to be. I want to pick up Queen of Nothing RIGHT NOW. But alas, I cannot as I have not bought it. I want to know what happens next and steam roll through it this weekend. But I must wait on the library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War
Minor: Child abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Vomit
suerte_encantada's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
spatterson7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War
katharina90's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
The plot was paper-thin, boring and dragged on for what felt like forever.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content
alexjoneswrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Blown away, such a gripping and captivating read. Each page always leaves me on me on the edge of my seat
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and War
noellegrace8's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As stated in my review of The Cruel Prince, I really struggled to get into that first book. But I guess I got used to all the oddities, because I couldn't put this one down. There was less fluff, more politics, and it finally felt like the characters were the correct age for the things that are happening. They are adults now, making adult decisions and playing a dangerous adult game of power, authority, and death. I would no longer categorize this as "teen" literature, but "young adult." What really impresses me is that Holly Black manages to make me root for characters that are truly not good people, which is not typical for me. I wanted Jude to win in the first book. I was smug when she turned her knife on Cardan. But now in this one, I wasn't sure who to vie for. It seems like every time a character does something worth celebrating, they also do something that makes you hate yourself for liking them. The betrayals are painful but enticing. Also the cliff hanger??! My library is backed up 10 weeks for the last book and I am REELING about it. I don't know how I'm going to wait that long. This is fantasy done right, and true enemies to lovers (hopefully? Jury is still out on whether "lovers" is true...).
I don't factor the audiobook performance into my rating of the material itself, but I give Caitlin Kelly 4.5/5⭐. Again, by the second book in a series, I tend to get used to whatever problems I had with the voicing in the first. But honestly, there didn't seem to be as many parts where I felt the narrator wasn't portraying the correct emotion or tone of voice. A good performance, overall.
I don't factor the audiobook performance into my rating of the material itself, but I give Caitlin Kelly 4.5/5⭐. Again, by the second book in a series, I tend to get used to whatever problems I had with the voicing in the first. But honestly, there didn't seem to be as many parts where I felt the narrator wasn't portraying the correct emotion or tone of voice. A good performance, overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
chqrmspoken's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
I was thoroughly entertained. The enemies were enemying, the lovers were lovering. And trying to keep up with Jude's schemes was a nice challenge. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book and how valid their marriage is. I'm still not entirely convinced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Murder
marshsano's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
Personally, I find the second book far outperforms the first book. The stage has been set, and we’re finally given a chance to watch these characters breathe in the world that has been created around them. Jude is an excellent protagonist, balancing her kind nature with her deeply cautious attitude. I spent a lot of time angry at her decisions before immediately backtracking because in the sense of her character, she’s totally valid. Holly Black has done a great job at making these characters stand on their own.
This book also did a much better job as genuinely throwing me through a loop with outlandish betrayals and interesting schemes. I genuinely never knew what direction it was going in with each turn of the page.
My only wish is that I wish that Cardan’s journey had been portrayed more. There’s a scene in the end pages of the book where we are meant to believe he’s gone on this incredible self discovery journey, and while I think the bread crumbs were laid, I find his actual arc lacking. I love Cardan though, and he’s a fun character. I just wish we could’ve seen these developmental moments the book tries to make us believe happened.
This book also did a much better job as genuinely throwing me through a loop with outlandish betrayals and interesting schemes. I genuinely never knew what direction it was going in with each turn of the page.
My only wish is that I wish that Cardan’s journey had been portrayed more. There’s a scene in the end pages of the book where we are meant to believe he’s gone on this incredible self discovery journey, and while I think the bread crumbs were laid, I find his actual arc lacking. I love Cardan though, and he’s a fun character. I just wish we could’ve seen these developmental moments the book tries to make us believe happened.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Torture, Violence, and Vomit
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
My reading goal two years ago was to discover more authors. Holly Black is adored on Booktok and I wanted to read her first series which I did and thoroughly enjoyed and was so excited for the first book and obviously wanted to carry on with it.
This book follows Jude who we met in the previous book. She is trying to keep her brother safe after the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to the Faerie. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
I understand the hype around this book, I enjoyed it, the storyline was strong, and the fantasy world was built up as the storyline moved along. It was a bit predictable, and I sort of guessed what was going to happen, besides the ending. However, I loved the mystery aspect and how Jude was like I'm going to do this but then actually did and proved everyone wrong and keep everyone safe especially her brother. I still love the tension between Cardan and Jude and was hoping that it would still grow even more. I still love Roiben and Kaye and I love their appearance.
I know it’s a young adult book, but God I wanted to punch these kids, the fae weren’t scary they were just immature. Again, I knew they were kids, but this is why kids shouldn’t have power at all. Also, Jude’s dad is still a massive prick and I hope it has a very painful ending. I think that’s one of the main issues I had. I always want to connect with the characters in a way and yet all these characters aren’t probably going to grow on me. Cardan being all wishy-washy was driving me nuts as well.
I would love for someone, for once, to be on Jude’s side and for the two-faced and betrayal to stop. It's driving me nuts.
I am hoping that the final book is going to fix all these issues and that someone will stick up for Jude as much as she sticks up for herself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Torture, and Kidnapping
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and War
bunnivie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
i loved judecardan in this
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Torture
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and War