Hey all! I (Shannon) decided to try something different, I have decided to review The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black as a whole versus reviewing each book individually. This is new for me, but I wanted to try it for a number of reasons. First, I finished all three books in about week, and didn't take the time to review each individually. When I read a series that fast, the books start to blur together and so trying to go back and review each on their own now would be difficult. Secondly, I felt it was important to review this particular series as a whole, because if I hadn't already bought the entire box set, I'm not sure I would have continued reading after the first book. This being said, I am very happy I continued because I felt, unlike many other series, this one got better as it progressed.
Now lets begin:
Below I have listed the three main books in the series with my ratings. (I know there are two novellas, these I did not read). Overall, I would say I give the series as a whole 4.66/5 stars.
The Cruel Prince- 4/5 stars
After hearing all the hype about this series on bookstagram I was super excited to start reading. However, after getting a few chapters in, I honestly wasn't blown away like I expected. I did keep at it, and by about 2/3rds of the way in I finally got hooked. I believe it took this long because the author (Holly Black) had the difficult job of building the world of Faerie. Black did a great job of world building, it just took time to really feel like you understood and were immersed in the world. That being said once I was, there was no going back. Also, this book ended on a cliff hanger that left me wanting more.
The Wicked King- 5/5 stars
The Wicked King was full of conflict and action, making this second book a super quick read. I also really enjoyed seeing the main characters, specifically Jude and Cardan, grow and adapt into their new roles. The ending of this book left me shocked! Black threw in a twist I did not see coming.
The Queen of Nothing- 5/5 stars
The prologue allows the reader to hear the prophecy given for Cardan's future at his birth. After this and another chapter or so this book quickly got into the action and was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed watching the story unfold all while keeping in mind the prophecy and how it connected. While I have seen that some readers were unhappy with the ending, I personally was pleased with how this book ended.
Overall- 4.66/5 stars
As a series overall, I really enjoyed these books. Black did a great job building the fantasy world of Faerie. I really liked that this fantasy world existed along side the mortal world, despite the mortals not knowing. It made me as a reader feel as thought something like this could actually exist. I loved the main characters in this story and how they grew throughout each book. Lastly, the cover art is beautiful, as well as, foreshadowing, which I really like.
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