Review: The Cruel Prince

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse." (Jude is my spirit animal right now, sorry Daisy Jones, some other time.) (Jude will always be loved by moi, no matter what.)

I've finally managed to read the book I've been craving to read ever since it first caught my eye, when it was taking it's rounds on bookstagram and goodreads.

At first I was worried. A lot of people loved it, a half of the percentile hated it.

I wasn't even sure if this book would live to its hype. I mean there have been a lot of disappointments before when I was reading through the top trending books in 2019. Specially those, who were having their trilogy or sequels finished this year.

So naturally, I was a bit skeptical reading it.

But looking at the map and the cover, my gut feelings were all positive about it. And I'm so thankful to them for continuing to lead me right.

So let's get on, shall we?

The map itself. God I was so in love with the details, the sketches, the places written in the map. It all looked and felt so real. It literally called my adventurous side out as my fingers brushed against every place written in. It was just so god damn beautiful, my eyes felt as if they were blessed to see that map. I never thought a map would motivate me so much to push through a book. But it did and I'm so happy that it did. So points to that.

The cover. Oh the cover evoked everything dangerous, seduction, beauty and the anticipation of living in a magical place like Faerie. So cruel the images of branches tucked alongside a crown. It almost makes you look twice at it. Because who would ever see a crown discarded like that, left on a branch? Well that was it. The mystery, the anticipation, the damn design. They HAD ME ALL IN! Literally, they did. So another round of points to that.

The worldbuilding: Each world and it's own set of rulers and rules. They made you feel like these places actually existed, you wanted to visit them so badly, to learn more about what went on in them. At times, I just wanted to learn more and more about the other places, ones aside from Jude's own home. The realities, the lies, the hidden mystery and danger. All pulled me in, threatening to never let go.
And honestly? I never wanted to let go. Truly I didn't. So points to that.

The characters, both main and background: The main characters all had reasons as to why they acted the way they did, every reason for every action ocurring. Some backstory that connected them all together. This author did it well, connecting them all together, having some link in their situation, one way or another. No one was ever less significant, each and every character having their own importance at time. Jude and Cardan, specially struck out well. With daring, rebellious, sometimes sympathising character lines, they made you feel for them, to hear them out, to forgive them, to laugh at them, with them, to be there with them. You never felt like you were just a reader, you felt like you were with them, another character just sliding in the story. Nicasia, Locke, Taryn, Vivi, Balekin, Dain, Eldred, Orianna, Oak, Madoc, The Roach, The Ghost, the Bomb, Elowyn, god so many characters... But never did I feel overwhelmed, they each had their turn in the spotlight and had their own special link to the story. So definitely I was not bored and was all intrigued.

Almost similar to Locke, no?

The romance and the plotline overall: The romance wasn't much there, but to be honest, it wasn't so terrible. With more of a fantasy touch than romance, it was okay as it was something of a breather between the more tense and volatile scenes. The power rush, the fights, the squabbles, the laughter, the cries and specially the reason why they all were the way they were. It was all done well, really done well. I've never really had much of an appreciation towards fantasy but this was definitely the book which made me respect fantasy books more now. So thank you to this author for changing my mind about reading fantasy. The romance was steamy enough though, the love-hate relationship between Cardan and Jude, was so touching and racy in a way, that made me squeal so hard and laugh and desperately wishing they would just have their problems resolved automatically. Although we wouldn't have the pleasure of enjoying the second book, if this happened, would we? No not really. So a really well done plotline and romance tag, although I expect more love scenes between Cardan and Jude in the second book.

*winks*

So this has been my favorite, most awesome and loved book of all of 2019! And I'm happy to say that the sequel is on the way and so is the mini story between Taryn and Jude, explaining why she did what she did.

So pick this novel up you guys, you'll truly never want this masterpiece to end!

Until the next read,

-J.B

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