“The Cruel Prince” (The Folk of the Air #1) (2018) – Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Spoiler Free Review

Finished reading 30 December 2022 – 15 January 2023

Less than 5-word critique: Intriguing and captivating.

Despite some hard to read bits in the story, The Cruel Prince is a good faerie story full of political intrigue, fitting in, and betrayal.

In this first installment of The Folk of the Air series, we follow Jude Duarte, a girl who is snatched from the human world along with her sisters after a fairy murders her parents at seven years of age. Now several years later, she struggles living in Elfhame, the fairy world, in large part due to Prince Cardan and his friends constantly bullying her and her other sister. Politics eventually enters her world that also involves the cruel prince.

The writing is splendid and all the characters are interesting in their own way.

Will I continue with the series? Hard to say at this point, considering certain behaviours from the characters.

Recommended to those who enjoy:
*Fae
*Romantasy
*Human and fae worlds put together
*Magic
*Game of Thrones elements
*Political intrigue
*Complex characters
*Morally grey characters