Rating 5/5
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is a fantasy novel that tells the story of Jude, a human girl, who’s drawn into the dangerous world of the fae. It is dark, atmospheric, and beautifully descriptive, captivating readers till the very end!
I find where a lot of fantasy authors fall short is that they spend too much time on the plot and world-building leaving behind the character's individual development. Thankfully that wasn't the case at all! While the plot was complex and world-building was fantastical, Holly Black still managed to effectively show each of the character's personalities and development throughout the novel. Regardless of that, I did find the characters to be quite a cliché (a strong, apathetic female lead and a sarcastic, borderline psycho male lead).
I did love all the plot twists, betrayals, and revenge (my favourite!!!) taking place, since it always kept me on my toes and second-guessing each of the characters and myself!
My favourite character was definitely Cardan, the prince of Elfhame, who is “cruel”, manipulative, and charming. I loved how he wasn't what he seemed. His character was very deep, traumatized, and overall really sweet deep down. I didn’t like him in the beginning since he was a little too mean to Jude, but I like the development of his character. His story really made me tear up. I'm so glad there are two more books because I desperately need to find out the ending!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to others who like “6 of Crows” or “The Mortal Instruments” series.