A review by nicamooch
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This one I definitely picked up because I see it all over bookstagram. This is the first fae fantasy I’ve ever read and I definitely enjoyed this book way more than I expected I would. Jude is up there with female protagonists who scare me (read: Juliette Cai) 😂 but I love her ambition! Perhaps this is an effect of being YA but I liked that the story flow wasn’t bogged down by heavy world-building (starting new fantasy series is daunting for me 😭) I think it gave good room for the character construction and political intrigue. 

As for the love story:
  • Cardan’s just a really mean bully for half the book 😭😭
  • That scene™️ though 😳
  • While I liked that any semblance of a love-triangle (btw. Cardan-Jude-Locke) was a fake-out—Locke needs to 🛑 and Taryn needs to 🏃🏻‍♀️ 
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