From the Bookshelf of The Rebellious Readers …

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

Holly Black

Start date: September 1, 2020

Finish date: September 30, 2020

Discussion: BOTM Discussions

Discussion leader: Maja (The Moonlight Reader)

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What Members Thought

Nov 25, 2019 Meghan (TheBookGoblin) rated it really liked it

So in terms of enjoyment while reading, I have to say this was closer to a 3-3.5 star book for me. I've always been up and down with Holly Black (for instance I enjoyed Tithe and loved The Coldest Girl in Coldtown but was only meh on The Darkest Part of the Forest).

If there's one thing I can say about Holly Black though, she sure knows her faerie bullshit. And there's a lot of it here. Maybe too much. However, her sheer dedication to said faerie bullshit bumped it up to 4 stars.

The Good: I found ...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2021 Joyce rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, young-adult, favorites, books-read, fairies, audiobook, wishlist

4.5 stars
This novel is so hyped...In a way I was kind of worried about getting into it. I’ve been hearing so many great things about this series...and I had HIGH expectations. I was slightly worried I wouldn’t be one of those fans.
However, I can happily say after FINALLY reading this, The Cruel Prince definitely lives up to it’s hype!
This was an AMAZING YA fantasy with a strong female protagonist. Jude is a phenomenal MC.
I love how cunning and witty she is.
I love how strong minded and determin ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2019 Arunimaa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, fantasy, kindle, 2019-reads

I have been experiencing a reading block for over more than six months now. I believe, I might have barely read 3-4 books in this period. With every book that I am able to somehow finish, I think that okay now my block will be cured, but no. It's not like I am not enjoying the books I have been liking whatever I read whenever I can, it's just that what I read is so little because I am just not able to read. So this time, I wouldn't assume that my block has gone just because I was able to finish I have been experiencing a reading block for over more than six months now. I believe, I might have barely read 3-4 books in this period. With every book that I am able to somehow finish, I think that okay now my block will be cured, but no. It's not like I am not enjoying the books I have been liking whatever I read whenever I can, it's just that what I read is so little because I am just not able to read. So this time, I wouldn't assume that my block has gone just because I was able to finish this book and really, really enjoyed it.

What makes me sad is that earlier me would have finished this book in less than a day or two because it was so bloody good. But it took me almost three weeks to finish this. But that's okay, baby steps I guess.

Okay, now about the book lol.

I knew I was going to love the book before I started. You just know that with a few books.

This book has one of the best characters and world buildings. I have read a lot of fantasy in my life. I love fantasy. It's just that sometimes writers mess up with worldbuilding a lot. It's very easy to do that while writing a fanstay where you create an entirely different world. A lot of times it's just impossible for me to follow what's what and how things are supposed to be in the supposed new world.
I genuinely liked Holly Black's writing. It was not complicated, not bland.

I liked what the characters were like in the book. Jude is a very realistic character. A lot of times, I find myself not liking the badass protagonists because the are too unrealistically badass. I like my protagonists strong and rational but also on a realistic level. Jude was everything that I like. She was not the perfect character, was extremely flawed with her thirst of power, with her flawed love for the man who killed her entire family. I liked how complicated her feelings were about her step father, her sisters, the entire faerie.

Holly Black has done justice with the title, Cardan does hold up to the title of The Cruel King. He is not just some handsome arrogant jerk that every book has. He is indeed very cruel. He is not nice. Yet you love him.

Here is not much romance in the book, it's very obviously hinted, I already have the second book ready hehehehe. But yes, I ship them extremely extremely hard.

We have a lot more complicated characters. It's nice, I love the characters the most in a book. The rest, the entire story is also amazing. You don't expect shit, there are twists that would blow your mind. (view spoiler)

And yes, the book ends with a cliffhanger but again I have the second book ready so yay. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2019 ~☆~Autumn rated it it was amazing

This was amazing! At first I didn't think I would like it so much but it got better and better all the way to the end. I have already ordered the next one and its very rare for me to read a whole series.

Recommended for everyone! ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2020 akacya ❦ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: format-audiobook, genre-fantasy, own, audience-young-adult, favorites

I LOVED THIS

5 likes · Like · see review

Sep 15, 2020 Em rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-my-cup-of-tea

This was the book I needed for right now - something easy to read and not mentally draining. It can best be described as a fluff book to me, entertaining but not capturing. This book was the epitome of the word "eh." I don't mean that it was bad in anyway! This was the book to me that I just don't remember reading. The story line flowed by but I saw all the major plot points coming. Jude also did not stand out to me as a character, I would have loved to see Vivi be the protagonist with her animo ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 24, 2020 Anneka Parr rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 23, 2020 Samylla Pinheiro rated it liked it · review of another edition

Eu amei esse livro! As jogadas políticas são muito inteligentes, bem construídas e nenhum pouco chatinhas. O desenvolvimento da Jude me contentou bastante também, ela se tornou uma das minhas personagens favoritas.
As únicas coisas que eu não gostei foram algumas partes meio desnecessárias que ocuparam um espaço muito grande que podia ser sido usado pra explicar melhor outras coisas que ficaram meio superficiais, (view spoiler) ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 26, 2019 Chloé rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-physical, reading-rush-2019-tbr, read-in-2019, ya-fantasy

4 stars

This is my 6th book of the reading rush, I used it for the challenge of a non-human MC. To be honest this surprised me, it’s a really hyped book so I was worried that I wouldn’t like it as much as everyone else did but I loved it. The plot twists in this book are EVERYTHING , Holly Black is such a good writer. One of the best things about this books is the politics of the court.

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2020 Samantha Geissler rated it liked it

I originally started this book on 12/15/19 and put it down because it hadn't caught my interest. Then I couldn't stand seeing it not finished on my shelf any longer so I picked it back up.

I have the unpopular opinion that I did not LOVE this book and don't understand the full hype around it. The writing is excellent, Holly Black's style is very detail oriented and eloquent but the story itself was SO slow. I honestly wasn't into it until it picked up somewhere after the 230 page mark.

Jude was b ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 09, 2024 Cheyanne rated it it was amazing

I ate this book up. I am so freaking happy to be in the world of Holly Black again. I put off reading this series for so long and it’s everything I’ve imagined. Jude reminds me so much of myself in a way. Ugh I cannot wait to read more of the series it’s so freaking GREAT!!!!

Like · see review