A review by plumpaperbacks
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

emotional funny sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was excited for more content in the Folk of the Air world, and this little novella collection certainly delivered. Cardan is one of my favorite lovable dumbasses, so I devoured these stories in just a few hours. Also, the entire book is absolutely gorgeous. Rovina Cai’s illustrations are stunning, and I think her portrayal of Cardan is among the best I’ve seen.

Now for some thoughts regarding each novella.
  • The King of Elfhame Visits the Mortal World: 4 stars. Fun, but not really substantial.
  • The Prince of Elfhame is Rude: 4 stars. My criticism here is the same as it is for the previous novella.
  • The Prince of Elfhame Hates (Almost) Everything and Everyone: 4.5 stars. It was interesting to see how Cardan and Nicasia met.
  • The Prince of Elfhame Gets a Moth Drunk: 3.5 stars. Though it wasn’t as interesting as the title suggests, I did like seeing Cardan’s softer side. (He just won’t admit he has one.)
  • The Prince of Elfhame is Mildly Inconvenienced: 3 stars. This was kind of pointless, but seeing Jude and Taryn from Cardan’s perspective is definitely interesting.
  • The Prince of Elfhame Gets Wet: 3 stars. Again, this was kind of pointless, but I enjoyed seeing his crush on Jude develop.
  • The Prince of Elfhame is Given Two Stories: 4 stars. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to but I kind of like Aslog. (Note: This doesn’t last.)
  • The Prince of Elfhame Learns to Hate Stories: 4 stars. The best word to describe Cardan is “fool”, as evidenced by this story. I love him anyway.
  • The Prince of Elfhame Stomps Around: 4 stars. Alternate title: The Prince of Elfhame Has a Crush on a Mortal. We love to see it. At least, I do.
  • The King of Elfhame Tries to Do One Good Thing: 5 stars. YESSS JURDAN CONTENT. Also, I love seeing Cardan in the mortal world, 10/10 would read more. This is one of my favorite stories.
  • The King of Elfhame Gets What He Deserves: 5 stars. Cardan really is a dumbass, but it’s fine. He means well—most of the time—and he’s entertaining regardless. This is my other favorite story. (Yes, my favorites are the ones that involve Jude and Cardan. I’m a simple lesbian that just loves to see her favorite heteros together.)

Some of these made me laugh, and others really made me pity Cardan. It’s a super short book, easy to speed through, and if you’re a fan of this series, I can’t recommend it enough. Cardan might hate stories, but I love them.
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