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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Review #162)


“Jude was seven 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.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal 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."

Review:
OH MY GOSH I frickin' love Jude. Stolen from our modern human world and brought to the fantasy world of the High Court of Faerie, where humans are more often than not considered animals than people. Jude and her twin sister Tayrn are one of the few exceptions, living with their half sister Viv and her father, a royal general, where they are treated as one of the nobility. 

While Tayrn tries desperately to do as the Fae say and to be married into a safe and powerful position in the court, Jude doesn't want to join them. She wants to beat them. And you can't help but love her for it. Despite the constant ridicule and torment she endures on behalf of those prejudiced against her, she never ever EVER backs down. 


This story was more about Jude's personal journey than anything else. From a human among Fae, to a badass who shows them just how much they underestimated her. I love that for her. Now, with that being said, I have mixed feelings about Cardan. He's a straight up bully for 75 percent of the book!!! Sure, his friends are way worse than he is and SURE he draws the line at straight up murder, but does that excuse his behavior? NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Also, his past/current trauma is also not an excuse. ALSO HIM BEING ANGRY AT HIMSELF FOR HARBORING FEELINGS FOR HER IS NOT AN EXCUSE EITHER!!!!! Sounds like "I hurt you because I love you" abuser type stuff to me. 


So, maybe in the next book I'll warm up to him more, but Holly... so far I don't stan. Jude can be a boss ass bitch without a man okurrrrr. As for Locke, I'm ready for Jude to mollywap him AND Tayrn. The level of manipulation is astounding. I was truly at a loss there. And dear ole Viv was one of my favorites. Half Fae-half human, all she wanted was to piss off her dad and run away to the human world to be with her human girlfriend. That girl was transparent from the jump and with all the deception and lies going around, I loved that consistency from her. 

Overall, I loved this one, I read it within two days and was deeply invested in Jude's future. I'm optimistic, while also apprehensive going forward, but I have no doubt Jude is going to kick ass. 

Leave your thoughts and feels in the comments below!!


Want more Holly Black books? Check out The Coldest Girl in Coldtown!

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