The Cruel Prince

I first encountered Holly Black's writing through her work with Cassandra Clare and knew that I would love her work just as I had that of the world of the Shadowhunters and The Cruel Prince confirmed my hopes of another author I would love every work of.

Our first encounter with our mortal heroine of The Folk of the Air series, Jude Duarte as well as her twin sister, Taryn and their older sister Vivienne takes place within the Mortal world which is very much as we know it.

Jude's normal life with her parents is turned on its head when they come face to face with a man who has been searching for Jude's mother for several years and has ensues. A brutal murder leads to the truth being thrown at them by a stranger, the man is no mortal but a male fairie who despite his brutality shows some level of honour and takes the three children to a world none of them would have believed to be true.

Elfhame, the world of the fae of which, Vivienne is a part of... something the three girls find hard to comprehend but are left with no options available to themselves to bar it to become their home.

Holly Black way of writing the fae world isn't one of fairy tales and whilst there is beauty, she takes the time to remind the reader that beauty itself cannot exist without the ugliness found in the world. Each character is so vividly described that you can see them clearly and differentiate between some of their ethereal beauty and the ugliness of their character. As Jude grows, it is is through her eyes that the reader sees the arrogance and vanity the high fae display as their titles lead to others not teaching them to be anything but who they have become.

Whilst Vivienne hates who she is and everything that exists around her, longing for the mortal world? Jude and Taryn find themselves wishing to be a fae, though their desires come from different viewpoints. I felt for Jude as she wishes not to be weak in the eyes of the fae around her and that of the male who has raised her since her abrupt removal from her former home. She craves acceptance but is no fool and hates that her very mortality will cause that never to happen.

The seven years that pass give insight to the Duarte children and those around them, Vivi is rebellious, Jude longs to be a member of the court - a knight who would bring honour to her name and acceptance from the fae she has grown among and Taryn, she wants also to be fae but it is the allure, the beauty that they possess that has drawn her in. It may be simple, but it is the difference in the twins that I especially enjoyed witnessing come to fruition - I also confess that I dislike Taryn immensely for her inability to look further than her rise within Elfhame.

Cardan, the Cruel Prince torments Jude and appears to take pleasure in seeing her frailty but is it hiding the reality that she fascinates him in a way the females he has known his entire life cannot? Whether it be that she can lie that intrigues him, or that Jude remains strong in adversity Cardan doesn't let the truth of his intrigue be known. He hides instead behind the mask he has worn too long of indifference, arrogance and bravado and a weakness for wine. After all, mistakes can always be hidden behind the excuse of one too many glasses...

Can't it?

Holly Black's introduction to the Folk of the Air is wonderful, there are moments in the book that could unsettle a reader but everything is so meticulously done by the author to truly bring Jude Duarte's life in Elfhame come to life.