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smalljeannie 's review for:
The Prisoner's Throne
by Holly Black
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As much as I loved The Stolen Heir, I didn’t get into the sequel as much.
It’s like Black got a little lost writing this, not sure of her own story. It was slow and a bit aimless. Characters’ motivations overall are too hard to unearth and untangle. Wren gets lost and becomes too much a non-participant in the story, despite being the other main character and supposed love interest.
Wren’s entire thing in Stolen Heir is not believing that anyone could love her. So, I assumed her aloofness in Prisoner’s Throne was the same thing, hopefully getting a chance to develop. It was deliciously painful to watch Oak just not getting it…at first. And slowly figuring her out.
It’s like Black got a little lost writing this, not sure of her own story. It was slow and a bit aimless. Characters’ motivations overall are too hard to unearth and untangle. Wren gets lost and becomes too much a non-participant in the story, despite being the other main character and supposed love interest.
Wren’s entire thing in Stolen Heir is not believing that anyone could love her. So, I assumed her aloofness in Prisoner’s Throne was the same thing, hopefully getting a chance to develop. It was deliciously painful to watch Oak just not getting it…at first. And slowly figuring her out.
And perhaps somewhere inside her, she is coming to learn that she can be all the things that once scared her.
I was expecting Wren to slip into that Wicked Queen archetype and I was EXCITED about that. Maybe there would be a story of how she avoids the worst of her potential because of the Power of Love™️. But in the end, that’s not really what’s happening, and so her growth is stolen from her by a super-secret plot development that is revealed in the climax.
Now, Oak is great. Sitting in his POV is perfect and he starts to make sense after being a mystery in Stolen Heir. He’s a delight and has great development struggling to balance all the people he’s tried to be and the plots he’s enmeshed himself in. I liked seeing how his family’s overprotectiveness of him backfired and created unnecessary missed communication and strained bonds.
He wishes he could tell himself a story, but he cannot convince himself he is a brave prince suffering a setback on a daring quest, nor the tempestuous, star-crossed lover he has played so many times in the past. Not even the loyal brother and son he meant to be when he set out from Elfhame.
Whatever he is, he’s certainly no hero.
As individuals, Oak and Wren are both incredible characters. Over the course of the two books, Wren explores how she can receive love when she doesn’t believe herself lovable. And Oak is trying to figure out how he can possibly find real love when he so easily can force people to love him. They are only people who actually get the other, and there is so much potential for a beautiful, healing romance.
”Once, I thought I might return to my mortal home, but I cannot imagine it now. How could they see me as that child, when I would frighten them, even without knowing the nature of my magic?”
“They don’t have to see you as a child to care for you,” he says.
“They would never love me as much as I want to be loved,” she tells him with painful honesty. “I will do well in the north. I am well suited to it.”
So much potential here.
But Wren’s distance means there isn’t any chance for them to develop, and his feelings toward her feel unfounded. The chemistry just isn’t there. I love these kids and I want better for them both, but we don’t get the pleasure of seeing them figure their stuff out together.
But there is plenty to find pleasure in.
We get glimpses into Jude & Cardan being…them, just a little older, more settled into being king and queen, and a little more sure of themselves.
And we get the fun of a parallel romance between Tiernan and Hyacinthe.
There's exciting fight scenes (though I craved more) and juicy court intrigue and creepy magic.
The reason this book is still deserving of such a high rating is that anyone who reads this gets to travel back to a world they’ve read (at least) four books about already and we've kept reading because we all LOVE this world and everything and everyone in it. It’s kind of like how I would pay good money to go to Disney World and spend my entire time just sitting on a bench in front of the castle eating Mickey-shaped treats. I’m SO HAPPY to just be here. Elfhame can't help but be fun.
Totally wish there was an Elfhame amusement park now, dammit.