Scan barcode
A review by thebakersbooks
The Wicked King by Holly Black
4.0
3.5/5 stars, half-heartedly rounded up
I enjoyed The Wicked King more than The Cruel Prince, but the series still feels lackluster to me. If you're a huge fan of Holly Black's previous work, you'll probably enjoy it, but Black's books are starting to run together for me in terms of very similar plots and nearly interchangeable love interests.
Why four stars, then? Well, there's nothing overtly wrong with the book aside from the lurking sense of "didn't I just read this?" Protagonist Jude's character grows as a result of her experiences; she clings to her agency in a satisfying way and she's the kind of ruthless, not-always-likeable female character I appreciate. The pacing and tension ramp up in a perfectly textbook arc, starting with small looks back on the previous five months before catching up to real time and hurtling toward a twist-filled cliffhanger ending.
Minor spoilers here:My biggest problem with the story is Jude's attraction to Cardan. I've had more than enough of childhood bullies becoming love interests, regardless of the extenuating circumstances and sympathetic backstories. I'm all for redemption arcs and even enemies-to-lovers relationships, but this isn't the right way to do either, in my opinion.
Long story short, I thought The Wicked King was on the low end of "fine" based on my personal tastes, but probably more appealing to fans of angsty romance and all the tropes Black continues to employ skillfully. I like Jude enough that I'll keep reading the series, but I've tempered my expectations for the next book based on my experience with the first two.
I enjoyed The Wicked King more than The Cruel Prince, but the series still feels lackluster to me. If you're a huge fan of Holly Black's previous work, you'll probably enjoy it, but Black's books are starting to run together for me in terms of very similar plots and nearly interchangeable love interests.
Why four stars, then? Well, there's nothing overtly wrong with the book aside from the lurking sense of "didn't I just read this?" Protagonist Jude's character grows as a result of her experiences; she clings to her agency in a satisfying way and she's the kind of ruthless, not-always-likeable female character I appreciate. The pacing and tension ramp up in a perfectly textbook arc, starting with small looks back on the previous five months before catching up to real time and hurtling toward a twist-filled cliffhanger ending.
Minor spoilers here:
Long story short, I thought The Wicked King was on the low end of "fine" based on my personal tastes, but probably more appealing to fans of angsty romance and all the tropes Black continues to employ skillfully. I like Jude enough that I'll keep reading the series, but I've tempered my expectations for the next book based on my experience with the first two.