The Cruel Prince

[A Quick Note: This series came out years ago and it's extremely popular. Extremely hyped. I'm always nervous about reading hyped books. I don't know why, since I'm so easy to please. This one didn't disappoint! I can't believe I waited so long to start it.]

“𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆.” —Holly Black

Hype, you say?? It is well deserved! I loved this book. I was hooked from the very first moment. The idea of a human girl getting sucked into faerie was fuel for my imagination. Add in the great character arc, the political intrigue, and the morally gray characters and I was OBSESSED.

I liked the world building for faerie with the different courts, and the idea that their world lives within the folds of ours. I even liked some of the moments when Jude went back to the human world, helping to link them together in my imagination. Makes me hopefully that maybe one day I’ll stumble on a pocket of the faerie world. sigh A girl can dream, right?? Also, these faeries are portrayed as mean. Real mean. Merciless really. Though, Jude’s adopted father is the perfect example of morally gray. Both loving and cruel at the same time.

Okay, so…I was expecting more romance, especially considering all the stuff I’ve seen with Jude and Cardin. However, the plot and political intrigue was entertaining enough that I didn’t let my own expectations get in the way. Plus, I have a feeling that more romance will come, later in the series. This really set things up perfectly. The hate between Jude and Cardin is so raw and visceral. I’m HERE FOR IT.

As for the development and characters, seeing Jude come into her own, learn to be monstrous, and navigate faerie was SO SATISFYING. Who doesn’t love an underdog story? She took her own shortcomings and used them to her advantage. She rose above and beat the faeries at their own game. LOVED THAT.

I hope that in future books, I’ll get to see Cardin also have a satisfying arc. He’s determined to be lazy and frivolous. He wants to drink and be merry. He wants zero responsibility. I really want to see him come into his own, grow up, and mature. The ending might force him to do this. Speaking of, that ending was SO AWESOME! Loved it!

I loved this book so much that I picked up the second one within minutes of finishing it. I’m already loving it. Can’t wait it seems where this series goes.

𝑴𝒀 𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮: 𝟓/𝟓⭐️