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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I saw the reveal coming but I did not see THAT coming!
Everyone said if you don’t like quest tales you won’t like this, well I loved it! I was never bored. I loved seeing Wren and Oak together again. This was a read that I was thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it and that is a sign of a good book.
If you’re a fan of the Cruel Prince Universe. This is a must read. These books are so magical and fairy tale esque and I love that vibe.
Everyone said if you don’t like quest tales you won’t like this, well I loved it! I was never bored. I loved seeing Wren and Oak together again. This was a read that I was thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it and that is a sign of a good book.
If you’re a fan of the Cruel Prince Universe. This is a must read. These books are so magical and fairy tale esque and I love that vibe.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First book of Holly Black’s I’ve read. Great world-building, the story is just ok for the first 2/3s but becomes good in the last 1/3.
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have a soft spot for anything written by Holly Black because I loved the Cruel Prince series so my review is biased. I’m glad we get to see Oak grown up but I wish the story had more depth to it. Regardless it was still a decent read, quick and filled with tricks of the Faerie folk.
(4.5 stars)
holly black is the queen of writing interesting, three-dimensional female protagonists. wren is certainly not a copy of jude, but she is just as dimensional and fun to read. her arc was also just…fantastic imo.
oak on the other hand i have mixed feelings about, but they’re mostly good. he reminds me of cardan maybe a little TOO much, like he’s sort of just a copy-paste (though i still liked him because i’m a cardan lover at heart lmao). his relationship with wren also felt too similar to judecardan…but like judecardan, their relationship is also very fun to read about.
just like the cruel prince, this has plenty of funky twists to keep the suspense going. i actually found it quite confusing at the end, though—the final plot twist still kind of confuses me tbh lol. that said, i still really enjoyed it, and it didn’t feel like too much (though i think others might disagree lol)
overall i really loved the plot, it was different enough from the original trilogy that it felt fresh, but still felt like the same Faerie. the characters may have drawn a little too close to the original trilogy, but i still found it enjoyable and i am VERY excited to see what happens next (though i hope Black finds something new to differentiate oak x wren from judecardan)
holly black is the queen of writing interesting, three-dimensional female protagonists. wren is certainly not a copy of jude, but she is just as dimensional and fun to read. her arc was also just…fantastic imo.
oak on the other hand i have mixed feelings about, but they’re mostly good. he reminds me of cardan maybe a little TOO much, like he’s sort of just a copy-paste (though i still liked him because i’m a cardan lover at heart lmao). his relationship with wren also felt too similar to judecardan…but like judecardan, their relationship is also very fun to read about.
just like the cruel prince, this has plenty of funky twists to keep the suspense going. i actually found it quite confusing at the end, though—the final plot twist still kind of confuses me tbh lol. that said, i still really enjoyed it, and it didn’t feel like too much (though i think others might disagree lol)
overall i really loved the plot, it was different enough from the original trilogy that it felt fresh, but still felt like the same Faerie. the characters may have drawn a little too close to the original trilogy, but i still found it enjoyable and i am VERY excited to see what happens next (though i hope Black finds something new to differentiate oak x wren from judecardan)