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lizzye33 's review for:
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories
by Holly Black
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know why I put off reading this for years, but I'm glad I finally read it after binging the series again!
The pacing was a little weird but I loved getting Carden's perspectives and little moments to better understand his character through the series from important moments we were not sure why he acted the way he did, to little tidbits of his life before and meanwhile through the books. I'm still not clear when some of the chapters were set because they all alternated between Carden being a little kid to slightly older to Cruel Prince age then I guess present day again, but it was a little tricky following that.
That's my only complaint, I enjoyed getting to see him in the mortal world though for some reason the setting feels eerie to me more so than any element I imagined in Elfame. That's a me problem though. Perhaps flickering electric lights set me on edge.
That and I feel there are a lot more content warnings in this one which didn't have to be there. I never condoned the drunken aspects of the story or Carden specifically, and add promiscuous life and essentially drug abuse and your welcomed to the idea of his life in Hollow Hall. NOT A FAN OF THAT! I'm not saying youth will be i spired to partake or consider it outside of the story more than they may, but aside from Carden using it as distraction and coping, I just cannot get behind it. It dimms the spark to a great series.
But not only did I enjoy reading Carden's POV and get more depth to his story that we love, but also the depth to the stories being exchanged between himself and the troll. She has her own stories and with some indifferent love morals to teach reflecting the deep well of her own hidden heart as well as truth to his. As the stories shift with characters and retelling and as we see him grow up with the already known world building of his life from the series, glimpses of briefly mentioned moments of his life "off screen," so to speak, the stories were both formed, heart revealed, and also parallel to the ones they told themselves. Very brothers Grimm but also charming since few fables themselves have been told from the series outside the plot.
Figuring out life and forgetting we write our own stories with many parts you cannot control. When he told the story near the end and had a moment to make tough choices of who he would be, I could not help but imagine the parables of who he was as he told of the same story mentioned twice before in a new light almost as he had with Jude in the series following the same pattern as before with the trolls retellings but with particular executive decision changes, the promises and sacrifices both made for each other in the latter two books of the trilogy and the depth of truth even if the tale was little more than fabled reality.
Especially the heart of stone breaking pushed back against the wall, not only figuring out the solution to the unspoken riddle of the tale but also living it. His stone cracked when Jude pressed the dagger to his neck and in that moment against the odds he fell for her in that moment beyond disgusting fascination. He even nodded to that confirmation in his final letter published elsewhere by the author.
It was beautiful and Carden remained true as he was in the series, especially still refusing to kill. Moments mentioned a few times in memories between characters and gossip getting a closer look at what really happened. It was a fun bonus.
The thing I think I enjoyed the most however as a new adult reading this for the first time, is how Holly Black has the affect of taking the time to tell someone of any age with a heart to read her stories something special that makes you pause with the characters and have a different perspective on narrative and read something unique for the first time, and getting the reader into the mindset of the characters so well that redirecting their thoughts and perspectives makes you feel the impact of her words and how they affect the characters hearing the same ones as profoundly as if she were the one weaving the tales in truth and fable alike as if from memories of her own life formed long ago and in person.
Both a bed time story and a lesson given in earnest to a good hearted innocent stranger who may be lost in heart, place, or any aspect of life. That's so magical in addition to connecting with shared imagination and depth granted by literature. For the first time in a long time reading something new, I feel like Carden listening to stories and not being able to predict the ever-changing truth which may or may not have a moral, but how you open your heart to perceive and receive it take a chance and it might be magic and light. If you let it.
The pacing was a little weird but I loved getting Carden's perspectives and little moments to better understand his character through the series from important moments we were not sure why he acted the way he did, to little tidbits of his life before and meanwhile through the books. I'm still not clear when some of the chapters were set because they all alternated between Carden being a little kid to slightly older to Cruel Prince age then I guess present day again, but it was a little tricky following that.
That's my only complaint, I enjoyed getting to see him in the mortal world though for some reason the setting feels eerie to me more so than any element I imagined in Elfame. That's a me problem though. Perhaps flickering electric lights set me on edge.
That and I feel there are a lot more content warnings in this one which didn't have to be there. I never condoned the drunken aspects of the story or Carden specifically, and add promiscuous life and essentially drug abuse and your welcomed to the idea of his life in Hollow Hall. NOT A FAN OF THAT! I'm not saying youth will be i spired to partake or consider it outside of the story more than they may, but aside from Carden using it as distraction and coping, I just cannot get behind it. It dimms the spark to a great series.
But not only did I enjoy reading Carden's POV and get more depth to his story that we love, but also the depth to the stories being exchanged between himself and the troll. She has her own stories and with some indifferent love morals to teach reflecting the deep well of her own hidden heart as well as truth to his. As the stories shift with characters and retelling and as we see him grow up with the already known world building of his life from the series, glimpses of briefly mentioned moments of his life "off screen," so to speak, the stories were both formed, heart revealed, and also parallel to the ones they told themselves. Very brothers Grimm but also charming since few fables themselves have been told from the series outside the plot.
Figuring out life and forgetting we write our own stories with many parts you cannot control. When he told the story near the end and had a moment to make tough choices of who he would be, I could not help but imagine the parables of who he was as he told of the same story mentioned twice before in a new light almost as he had with Jude in the series following the same pattern as before with the trolls retellings but with particular executive decision changes, the promises and sacrifices both made for each other in the latter two books of the trilogy and the depth of truth even if the tale was little more than fabled reality.
Especially the heart of stone breaking pushed back against the wall, not only figuring out the solution to the unspoken riddle of the tale but also living it. His stone cracked when Jude pressed the dagger to his neck and in that moment against the odds he fell for her in that moment beyond disgusting fascination. He even nodded to that confirmation in his final letter published elsewhere by the author.
It was beautiful and Carden remained true as he was in the series, especially still refusing to kill. Moments mentioned a few times in memories between characters and gossip getting a closer look at what really happened. It was a fun bonus.
The thing I think I enjoyed the most however as a new adult reading this for the first time, is how Holly Black has the affect of taking the time to tell someone of any age with a heart to read her stories something special that makes you pause with the characters and have a different perspective on narrative and read something unique for the first time, and getting the reader into the mindset of the characters so well that redirecting their thoughts and perspectives makes you feel the impact of her words and how they affect the characters hearing the same ones as profoundly as if she were the one weaving the tales in truth and fable alike as if from memories of her own life formed long ago and in person.
Both a bed time story and a lesson given in earnest to a good hearted innocent stranger who may be lost in heart, place, or any aspect of life. That's so magical in addition to connecting with shared imagination and depth granted by literature. For the first time in a long time reading something new, I feel like Carden listening to stories and not being able to predict the ever-changing truth which may or may not have a moral, but how you open your heart to perceive and receive it take a chance and it might be magic and light. If you let it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism