Genre
Fantasy, Young Adult
The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black, tells the story of Jude Duarte — a human, forced to live in the Fae realm after her parents are murdered.
What I like ✅ An excellent, page-turning final act
✅ A twist on many normal YA fantasy tropes — the protagonist is an anti-hero, the Prince isn't dashing and strong
✅ sophisticated YA political intrigue and interesting worldbuilding
What I didn't like ✖ A mediocre first act
✖ Jude's character needed more development to fully explain her character's final transition
✖ The relationships between the characters are surface-level and don't feel real
✖ I don't like the "fall in love with your bully because they're really only bullying you because they're in love with you" trope Rating 3/5 🌟 Verdict
RECOMMENDED
Discussion
Which do you prefer, the Fae in ACOTR or The Cruel Prince?