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A review by oddpilot97
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think I might be obsessed with this book. It’s the first novel I read as an adult that gave me the same feeling as when I read as a child.
Enemies to lovers is one of the best tropes in my opinion. And this book did not disappoint. I appreciated that both characters were complex, with dynamic motivations, and that there wasn’t an uncomfortable power dynamic.
The only tiny critique I have is that the audiobook narrator got a bit whiny at times of high tension. It was a tad grating/melodramatic.
The main character isn’t a goodie two shoes, and I loved that. The plot had excellent twists and turns without being predictable, and never got too dull. The twists were well established in advance as well, which I appreciated. It's got my favorite parts of YA without feeling immature.
Read this! It’s amazing.
Graphic: Death of parent and Slavery
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Blood, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm