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A review by maddiementions
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
5.0
*I'm gonna go ahead and say MILD SPOILERS... just in case...*
First of all, I just have to say...I did not realize until I finished this incredible book that Holly Black was one of the geniuses behind The Spiderwick Chronicles, my FAVORITE book series when I was in elementary school. That series was the air I breathed when I was a child and the "field guide" of the magical creatures in that series was under my arm everywhere I went. Now knowing this information that Holly Black was one of the main influencers of my childhood imagination, it is suddenly no surprise how deeply in love I fell with this book.
In the beginning, I must say that I wasn't convinced. I was a little bored, even with the immediate violence that begins in literally Chapter 1. Yet, a few more chapters in, I became unknowingly sucked into Holly Black's rather dark and treacherous world of Faerie. I found myself shrieking with pure rage at the twists and betrayals in this book and squealing with delight literally almost any time Jude and Cardan talked to each other (I know he's a jerk but I'm not sorry). There are people I wanted to personally chuck off of a cliff because I hated them so freaking much and others I wanted to hug passionately.
I must admit that the characters in this book are not exactly likeable. None of them. Not even Jude, the main character and protagonist. Prince Cardan (literally THE Cruel Prince) is especially not likeable with his bullying and manipulative ways that make you want to put your fist through the book and punch his (rather beautiful) jaw. I know a lot of people don't like this book because none of the characters can be labeled as... morally good. The Faeries are prejudice, manipulative, selfish, power-hungry, the list goes on. And Jude is so desperate to belong with them that she basically becomes them (Yet, is it even her fault?). However, I still love Jude and YES, I just really love Prince Cardan.
How could I not love a faerie boy and prince, might I add, with pointed ears and long wavy black hair that's arrogant, mysterious, and cruel with a dark past that despises Jude SO much that he somehow finds himself fiercely in love with her? (I'll just stop here before I spoil the whole book lol) What's not to love? I'm a sucker for bad boys like this.
Some don't like the romance in this book, but I find it passionate and like I mentioned earlier, fierce. I can't stand cliché and cheesy romance and to me, this was NOT cheesy in any way. I will not say anything more about it or we will be here for 9 hours lol.
This beautiful book has fed my dark fantasy-loving, angsty, melancholy soul. Thank you to Holly Black for basically wrecking my life, but also saving it with this incredible series.
First of all, I just have to say...I did not realize until I finished this incredible book that Holly Black was one of the geniuses behind The Spiderwick Chronicles, my FAVORITE book series when I was in elementary school. That series was the air I breathed when I was a child and the "field guide" of the magical creatures in that series was under my arm everywhere I went. Now knowing this information that Holly Black was one of the main influencers of my childhood imagination, it is suddenly no surprise how deeply in love I fell with this book.
In the beginning, I must say that I wasn't convinced. I was a little bored, even with the immediate violence that begins in literally Chapter 1. Yet, a few more chapters in, I became unknowingly sucked into Holly Black's rather dark and treacherous world of Faerie. I found myself shrieking with pure rage at the twists and betrayals in this book and squealing with delight literally almost any time Jude and Cardan talked to each other (I know he's a jerk but I'm not sorry). There are people I wanted to personally chuck off of a cliff because I hated them so freaking much and others I wanted to hug passionately.
I must admit that the characters in this book are not exactly likeable. None of them. Not even Jude, the main character and protagonist. Prince Cardan (literally THE Cruel Prince) is especially not likeable with his bullying and manipulative ways that make you want to put your fist through the book and punch his (rather beautiful) jaw. I know a lot of people don't like this book because none of the characters can be labeled as... morally good. The Faeries are prejudice, manipulative, selfish, power-hungry, the list goes on. And Jude is so desperate to belong with them that she basically becomes them (Yet, is it even her fault?). However, I still love Jude and YES, I just really love Prince Cardan.
How could I not love a faerie boy and prince, might I add, with pointed ears and long wavy black hair that's arrogant, mysterious, and cruel with a dark past that despises Jude SO much that he somehow finds himself fiercely in love with her? (I'll just stop here before I spoil the whole book lol) What's not to love? I'm a sucker for bad boys like this.
Some don't like the romance in this book, but I find it passionate and like I mentioned earlier, fierce. I can't stand cliché and cheesy romance and to me, this was NOT cheesy in any way. I will not say anything more about it or we will be here for 9 hours lol.
This beautiful book has fed my dark fantasy-loving, angsty, melancholy soul. Thank you to Holly Black for basically wrecking my life, but also saving it with this incredible series.