A review by jayeless
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was addictive reading. Immediately after I finished, I went to read reviews because it was the closest thing to talking about it with someone that I could do. As such, I've read a number of less-positive reviews of this book, and honestly, many of the issues they highlight are things I totally see. A number of massive plot points from the last book fizzle out to nothing, forgotten, and a couple of characters seem to have done unexplained dramatic 180s in terms of their attitudes to Jude. However, I did not notice or care about any of those things while I was actually reading. I was swept along for the ride.

So why did I enjoy this book so much? Honestly, just lots of great character moments. Jude's confrontation with her father figure, Madoc, felt so high-stakes and thrilling. I liked how the Jude/Cardan thing played out. It was satisfying to see Jude outwit her enemies. For me, it was a rewarding follow-up to the brilliant The Wicked King, and certainly leagues ahead of the first book. Maybe not the tightest-plotted novel ever, but still so fun.