Review: The Wicked King

The Wicked King by Holly Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note: This is the second novel in the trilogy, therefore to read in order, start with The Cruel Prince.

To hear my thoughts on the first novel, click here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

"It is a condition of monsters that do not perceive themselves as such." (Oh Jude, how true you are.)

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I've caught on with the rest of the bookstagram community and my goodreads friends to read this book. And boy am I left wanting more..

Sigh.

I was skeptical (as with the first) but this time, I was not sure how it would go. I mean I had heard a lot of things about the sequel and about Jude's finale.

So yeah, I was trying to avoid it and fate was making sure I kept avoiding it.

But then, one fine day, it landed on my lap and all I can say is that this novel is worth everything I've ever cherished or loved and regret not reading it before.

Anyway let's continue.

The cover - As always, Holly Black's books' covers are a delight to see, enjoy, and touch, and love hard. And this time it was no different. The crown drifting in water, abandoned for something far more powerful, precious and able to rip apart everything you ever knew. Obviously, I loved it, seeing it the first time, as everything treacherous, wicked, dangerous, seductive danced, along with abandonment and anticipation of the unforeseen future. So points to the fantastic cover.

The summary - Obviously, things have gotten better with Jude's control on Cardan and the rest of the kingdom and able to rule peacefully and justifiably. But obviously, there's always someone waiting in the corner to ruin and wreck it all, and our heroine has to defy all odds to secure her family's future and save a drowning kingdom (get it, drowning? heheheh). Naturally, I was intrigued and curious to see how it would play out, and play out well it did. Definitely loved the summary, so points.

The characters - Cardan and Jude are as always polar opposites, one schemes for power, the other doesn't, and wishes to be free from restrictive rules. Both fight and push, but make the storyline shine and bearable to read, and they're my old time favorites so yeah hard not to love them. Not much change in personality for both, but Cardan's definitely had an upgrade, but only at a later stage. Taryn, Madoc, Nicasia, Locke, The Roach, The Bomb, The ghost, balekin, the undersea queen, grimsen, the court of termites, a love-hate relationship with them honestly, as no one is noble, everyone's got a secret, something to give for barter.

Everyone's a scheming wretch. And that's not a fact to forget. Hence why they're all loved and hated, but respected and thought of regardless. So points, as usual, given.

The romance -Definitely more steamy and that surprising plot-twist between Cardan and jude, me likey a lot. I loved the intimate moments they had, perhaps more open with their feelings even if they "hate" each other tons. But eh, glad to see them open up more and like each other some. Hehe. Go Jurdan! (Love the shipname by the way..) So points to that.

The ending and what's to come - Well that ending was a plot-twist in itself, so definitely shocked. I'd like to think when I read the ending, I would have been furious with the author and swore never to read her books again, but....

I craved more, even after that ridiculous cliffhanger. Yup, she got me there.

Damn it.

But yeah loved and hated the cliffhanger ending. As for what's to come, definitely we'll see Cardan getting what he deserves (*insert evil laugh here*) and Jude ruling Faerie rightfully.

So, pretty excited for the conclusion. Heheh, so excited but sad to see them go and resolve their issues..Yeah, I'll miss cardan and jude for sure..

But not to worry, I've yet to get the copy for the conclusion, so fingers crossed, I'll get it in a few weeks hehe.

That means I won't have to miss them right away, it will take time heh. (How sly am I? *winks*)

Overall, a fantastically written novel, if you love magic, enemies to lovers, awesome worldbuilding, strange family relationships, betrayal, deceit, and some wit from both our main characters, then this is the book for you, along with the first one.

So enjoy.

And the song for this novel is: Puppet by the Saturdays (courtesy of Jude controlling Cardan most of the time, so it is fitting.)

Until the next read,

-TMR

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