Monday, May 14, 2018

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Book Description:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

My Thoughts:

I fell in love with the brutality of the prologue. It told of the time before Jude and her sisters were whisked off to Faerieland. It was enough of a peek into the characters lives and personality during distressing and life-threatening times. As the story unraveled, the surface level that was shown in the prologue morphed into a deep sea of secrets. The characters had so much layers to them. It was a joy to peel them off one by one and witness what’s underneath.

Jude was mortal, born to die like all humans, in Faerieland. She was numb of panic and danger, to the point that she became bold. Her skill with a blade was something that I truly admired. But there was more to Jude than just being the mortal daughter of the redcap general’s deceased wife. Her mortality and the fact that she was prone to the various perils of Faerieland gave her reason to fight even harder and to beat the Gentry around her. Her dedication and grit was admirable. On top of that, she was a fast learner and clever. Although she was human, she had a drop of Madoc’s thirst for violence.

Taryn was Jude’s more feminine twin. She was the innocent girl that painters have long dreamt to paint. She was the one who insisted Jude to follow the rules - the one who held Jude back. However, I didn’t find her likable from the start. There was something about the lack of action, the lack of urgency and the lack of dedication in her character that bothered me. Taryn always wanted to be on the safe side.

Madoc’s character was so incredibly well-developed and well-written. The redcap general, who had the blood of Jude’s parents in his hands, has captivated me. He was bloodthirsty, as a redcap naturally was, however he also had a great sense of responsibility and honor. He took Jude and her sisters back to his estate in Faerieland and raised them. He personally tutored them on bladesmanship, fought for their right to be educated as the Gentry children were and provided for them. I saw his softer, more vulnerable side, when Jude came home almost naked after a bullying incident. He was so powerless because his adopted daughter was powerless. She was human and vulnerable to such pranks from her Gentry classmates. He was the strongest general of the High King, have defeated thousands of foes and captured kingdoms for the crown, and yet he couldn’t save his daughter from this pain and humiliation. It made my heart melt. His talent was true cunning, always plotting and always one step ahead.

Cardan was complex. He was not an easy character to like. There was too much cruelty around his persona. Although his character had portions to it: considerate, evil, annoying, vulnerable. It was hard to know who he really was and what he really wanted even with his exposed layers. I wish we could have known more about him in the first book. I’m looking forward to knowing more about Cardan and perhaps, finally understanding him, in the sequel.

Politics in fantasy was always a welcome detail for me. The story was dripping with it. There were so much attacks and counterattacks, hidden meaning and codes, secrets brushed under rugs and shadows lurking. I sat at the edge of my seat sometimes, holding my breath as I waited for good luck or bad luck to befall the characters. Everyone was plotting in the hopes of getting the upper hand. It was like watching a violent game of chess, pawns coming forward only to be terminated. Just like in chess, even the king and queen were not safe. Each chapter enticed and teased the readers before reaching a crescendo and exploding into action. However, I felt like there was more to be explored in the characters and lives of the princes, to better understand the unfolding of the story.

Overall, I loved the family dynamics that the story tackled. It was thick with tension, complexity, misunderstandings, pain and history. It was such a problematic setup and yet, I still got the sense of family in the story. It wasn’t the best scenario but they were trying. The writing itself was fluid and enjoyable. It was easy to fall prey to its hypnotic quality.

The Cruel Prince was a heart-stopping fantasy filled with action, cunning and adrenaline. It was beautiful and dark, filled with feels and quotes. I highly recommend this to avid readers of fantasy and readers looking for fey stories, particularly the darker ones.


Rating:
4.5 Cupids = Obsessive book love.
I strongly recommend this!


14 comments:

  1. شركه الصفرات من اضمن الشركات بالرياض على الاطلاق من حيث العماله وادوات واجهزه التنظيف ومواد العزل وادوات كشف التسريبات تمتلك الشركه افض انواع المنظفات المستورده شركه الصفرات فى خدمتك وخدمه اسرتك فى اى
    .وقت كل ما عليك هو التواصل مع مندوبنا عبر الارقام الموضحه سيصك فريق العمل المتخصص بافضل المعدات لأداء الخدمه المطلوبه
    شركة الصفرات لتنظيف المنازل بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لعزل الاسطح بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لتنظيف المجالس بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لتنظيف السجاد بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لنقل الاثاث بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لمكافحة الحشرات بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لكشف التسربات بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لتنظيف المسابح بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لتنظيف الخزانات بالرياض
    شركة الصفرات لتسليك المجاري بالرياض

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hydrocodone is a combination of narcotic and non-narcotic drugs for pain relievers and if you have a fever for a long period of time then you can take this medicine and if the fever doesn’t cure after taking 2-3 doses then you should consider a doctor. If you want to know more about Hydrocodone and also you want to Buy Hydrocodone Online At Cheapest Rate, then you can check the link below.

    Buy Hydrocodone Online At Cheapest Rate

    Contact us

    ReplyDelete
  3. I really enjoy studying on this site, it holds fantastic blog posts
    buy 99.9% pure ketamine powder online USA You should keep it up forever! Best of luck.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I found your blog on google and I appreciate you because your content is very useful for me. I want to share a post with my friends, but I am not confident my friends will also like it as much as I. I have been blogging for a couple of years and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the time and effort that you are putting in your article.

    If you want to buy Apolar tablets with huge discount then you can visit our online store: Buy Apolar 75mg

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very interesting and imformative content. Will create a lot of awareness among kids. Thanks for sharing and will create a lot of awareness among the people. To Buy Anti-epileptic stress busting pill Apolar 75 mg contact us.

    ReplyDelete
  6. XANAX is a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma, and death. And the Xanax medicine created by a big pharma company. There is a risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction with XANAX.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AUDI Q7
    The Audi Q7 is a mid-size luxury SUV made by the German manufacturer Audi, unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of this seven-seater SUV began in the autumn of 2005 at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2006.

    ReplyDelete
  8. HYDROCODONE
    Hydrocodone is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. This monograph only includes information about the use of hydrocodone alone, Hydrocodone is used to relieve pain in opioid-tolerant patients severe enough to require around-the-clock pain relief for a long period of time

    ReplyDelete
  9. BUY ONLINE HYDROCODONE

    HYDROCODONE
    Hydrocodone is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics. It works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. This monograph only includes information about the use of hydrocodone alone, Hydrocodone is used to relieve pain in opioid-tolerant patients severe enough to require around-the-clock pain relief for a long period of time

    visit us :- https://bigpharmausa.com/pain-relief/hydrocodone/

    ReplyDelete
  10. BUY ONLINE VALIUM

    Buy valium online is one of the normally used sedative tablets for the remedy of hysteria and pressure associated issues with inside the body This drug is determined to be pretty powerful at the sufferers with numerous pressure associated issues. It is one of the most secure and maximum offered tablets withinside the US markets. Doctors regularly advocate using Valium to sufferers with extreme tension issues. Not best for tension and pressure associated issues, this drug is likewise utilised in mixture with different drugs for lots different issues as properly.

    Visit us: https://bigpharmausa.com/anti-anxiety/valium/

    ReplyDelete
  11. BUY GABAPENTIN ONLINE

    Buy gabapentin online Gabapentin tablets are usually used in critical conditions of seizures in certain types of epilepsy for controlling that’s situation. Gabapentin medicine is always used as per need and after a doctor’s prescription, it decreases the restless body by relieving the nerves in the brain.
    Gabapentin capsules, tablets, and oral solutions are the kind of drugs which harmful to the body by the consumption of high doses. Gabapentin tablets are always taken after a consultation by a doctor, this medicine makes nerve pain relieved.
    Visit us : https://bigpharmausa.com/pain-relief/gabapentin/

    Contact us :- https://bigpharmausa.com/contact-us/

    ReplyDelete
  12. BUY MODAHEAL 200MG ONLINE
    Modaheal 200mg Tablet is used in the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (narcolepsy). It improves wakefulness and helps you to stay awake and reduces the tendency to fall asleep during the day, thus restoring the normal sleep cycle. Modaheal 200mg Tablet may be taken with or without food. It is advised to take this medicine at a fixed time each day to maintain a consistent level in the blood. This medication mustn't be stopped suddenly as it may worsen your symptoms.

    Visit us :- https://orderonlinerx.com/anti-depression/modaheal-200mg-tab/

    Contact us :- https://orderonlinerx.com/contact/

    ReplyDelete
  13. It is called erectile dysfunction or barrenness. In any case, to control your condition, take Sildenafil Citrate 200mg
    Contact US : +91 92163-25377

    ReplyDelete