The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince is a fantasy novel about Jude Duarte, a human living in the realm of Faerie. Jude and her sisters are taken away from the human world to live in the High Court of Faerie. Ten years after her abduction, she faces hate for being human but only wants to be accepted. Jude wants to be a knight and is tasked by Dain, one of the King’s sons, to spy for him in exchange for immunity to faerie magic. During her mission, she discovers a plot to poison Dain, leading to her witnessing and involvement in a web of murder, deceit, and betrayal. Despite the usual story of intrigue, “Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.” (“Black is back,” 2017)

Critical Analysis

The Cruel Prince is told from the first-person point of view through the main character Jude. Her character is strong-willed, restless, and intense. The main themes include power, corruption, greed, and viciousness. Readers may enjoy a similar book called The Shadow Between Us by Tricia Levenseller with a fantasy world and a power theme. The story's strength is its unique fairy world full of unique characters. However, its weakness is that the story felt predictable and derivative.

References

Black, H. (2018). The Cruel Prince. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

"Black is back.” (2017, September 26). The Cruel Prince. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/holly-black/the-cruel-prince/