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A review by the_library_of_mary
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I got this book as "mystery book" gift set for my birthday. I have seen it trending online for a while now, but it never seemed to pique my interest enough to get it on my own. I was in between books and decided to pick this up and see what the hype was about.
I found the first half of this book annoying and the second half interesting. In the beginning I REALLY disliked Cardan. Now obviously I'm aware that this series has the "Enemies to Lovers" trope and honestly that's my bread and butter. But there was something so juvenile and annoying about Cardan that made me really hate reading his scenes. Jude is a nice narrator to have as not only a mortal in a Faerie world, but because she is emotionally motivated. It leads to many good scenes where her emotions (mostly anger) get the better of her and really showcase the world and the reality she is living in.
As the book unravels and the plot turns from schoolyard bullying to something more, I began to get more engaged. The cast of characters and the politic scheming intrigued me and I started to get excited about where the story was going. Because I started getting really into it in the later half, I felt like it ended to soon and I wanted more. But that's just me being biased, I think it left off at a good place for the series as a whole.
I really enjoy the complicated relationship between Jude and Madoc. This blend of captor/victim, Father/Daughter, General/Soilder. It's so messy and I LOVE how Jude expresses these complicated feelings in the book. She is conflicted and I think that it's honestly the only way she can feel.
I will continue the series, the plot hook at the end has made me curious. I'll be interested to see how Jude and Cardan's dynamic changes as the story progresses.
I had a bad feeling about Locke from the beginning and had a suspicion that he was Taryn's lover the whole time. He was just to conveniently perfect, and nobody that's actually nice lets people get bullied for that long. He was fake and a dick. I agree with Madoc that he doesn't deserve Jude or Taryn.
TARYN! Girl! Locke is an asshole, why do you keep choosing other people beside your literal twin sister, the only other people that fully gets it. Like I understand they don't always see eye to eye and are different people, but come on. You're gonna choose the dude that was making out with your sister in front of you as a "test" over Jude? The girl who has been trying to stand up for the both of you the whole time. I have been spoiled enough to know there is a lot of Taryn hate in the fandom, but I don't know exactly why. I hope she doesn't get worse than this....but I feel like she does.
I also had a bad feeling about Dain, the nice guys like that always have ulterior motives and hidden darkness. Like, I'd rather have someone be an asshole to my face, than hide it behind smiles. I had spoiled about him being Oak's real father, but the reveal was still good.
I found the first half of this book annoying and the second half interesting. In the beginning I REALLY disliked Cardan. Now obviously I'm aware that this series has the "Enemies to Lovers" trope and honestly that's my bread and butter. But there was something so juvenile and annoying about Cardan that made me really hate reading his scenes. Jude is a nice narrator to have as not only a mortal in a Faerie world, but because she is emotionally motivated. It leads to many good scenes where her emotions (mostly anger) get the better of her and really showcase the world and the reality she is living in.
As the book unravels and the plot turns from schoolyard bullying to something more, I began to get more engaged. The cast of characters and the politic scheming intrigued me and I started to get excited about where the story was going. Because I started getting really into it in the later half, I felt like it ended to soon and I wanted more. But that's just me being biased, I think it left off at a good place for the series as a whole.
I really enjoy the complicated relationship between Jude and Madoc. This blend of captor/victim, Father/Daughter, General/Soilder. It's so messy and I LOVE how Jude expresses these complicated feelings in the book. She is conflicted and I think that it's honestly the only way she can feel.
I will continue the series, the plot hook at the end has made me curious. I'll be interested to see how Jude and Cardan's dynamic changes as the story progresses.
TARYN! Girl! Locke is an asshole, why do you keep choosing other people beside your literal twin sister, the only other people that fully gets it. Like I understand they don't always see eye to eye and are different people, but come on. You're gonna choose the dude that was making out with your sister in front of you as a "test" over Jude? The girl who has been trying to stand up for the both of you the whole time. I have been spoiled enough to know there is a lot of Taryn hate in the fandom, but I don't know exactly why. I hope she doesn't get worse than this....but I feel like she does.
I also had a bad feeling about Dain, the nice guys like that always have ulterior motives and hidden darkness. Like, I'd rather have someone be an asshole to my face, than hide it behind smiles. I had spoiled about him being Oak's real father, but the reveal was still good.