myrnaftereading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
multinerd's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a page turner and loved every second of this novel. The characters are so much better in the 2nd book. A lot of surprises and mistrust throughout the whole book and characters. Can’t wait for the next book
astheniia's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
buriedinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Now that I've gotten my foot in the door with the Cruel Prince and Holly Black's writing has adjusted to this new world, I can confidently say that I enjoyed this book much more. It's not the most action-packed book; it's more manipulative and political than anything else. It's easy to follow and understand without overwhelming the reader too much, and it does have some action-filled scenes! The shift between Jude hating and loving Cardan still was a little unstable and not as grounded as I would have liked, but once I got past that, I can easily see how people like the couple. And no spoilers, but Holly Black sure does love cliffhangers! It's easy to see her breadcrumbs, so it didn't feel quite like a "plot twist," but it definitely left me wanting more. I'm not sure if it's because Holly Black got adjusted to writing Jude and this world or if she wanted Jude to sound more mature than in the last book, but the writing definitely flowed better than the Cruel Prince. And once I got over the fact that the author and Jude moved past the childish cruelty (is that a thing? It feels like a Cardan thing) of Cardan in the first book and moved towards this boy-king turned real-king. Both Jude and Cardan seemed to have matured, both as individuals and as a pair, and I really liked it. Not quite 5 stars, but a solid 4.
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Now that I've gotten my foot in the door with the Cruel Prince and Holly Black's writing has adjusted to this new world, I can confidently say that I enjoyed this book much more. It's not the most action-packed book; it's more manipulative and political than anything else. It's easy to follow and understand without overwhelming the reader too much, and it does have some action-filled scenes! The shift between Jude hating and loving Cardan still was a little unstable and not as grounded as I would have liked, but once I got past that, I can easily see how people like the couple. And no spoilers, but Holly Black sure does love cliffhangers! It's easy to see her breadcrumbs, so it didn't feel quite like a "plot twist," but it definitely left me wanting more. I'm not sure if it's because Holly Black got adjusted to writing Jude and this world or if she wanted Jude to sound more mature than in the last book, but the writing definitely flowed better than the Cruel Prince. And once I got over the fact that the author and Jude moved past the childish cruelty (is that a thing? It feels like a Cardan thing) of Cardan in the first book and moved towards this boy-king turned real-king. Both Jude and Cardan seemed to have matured, both as individuals and as a pair, and I really liked it. Not quite 5 stars, but a solid 4.
chlxemxria's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lauren_readsbooks2302's review
funny
5.0
All the stars in the world. I love Cardan and Jude so much it HURTS.
"Kiss me again," he says, drunk and foolish. "Kiss me until I am sick of it."
He looks up at me with his night-coloured eyes, beautiful and terrible all at once. "For a moment," he says, "I wondered if it wasn't you shooting bolts at me."
I make a face at him. "And what made you decide it wasn't?"
He grins up at me. "They missed."
The entire book is do damn quotable. I adored that even with how angry Cardan was at Jude, he still knew how powerful and impressive she was. My mans never put her down, minimised her or tried to make her feel less than she was and I'll love him forever for it.
"I hate you," I breathe into his mouth. "I hate you so much that sometimes I can't think of anything else."
"Sweet Jude, you are my sweetest punishment."
This entire series is a masterpiece but there's something about this book that just clinches the lead for me. The political intrigue is ramping up. Jude is finding her power a little more. Cardan is slowly realising that Jude is his salvation and is it for him. Everything is slowly starting to come together.
dradass87's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
tuuliareads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
madisonjean7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75