Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - The Cruel Prince

Anyone who has taken a middle grade writing class knows how to make a plot chart. Exposition, inciting event, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.

The problem with this book is that there are over 200 pages of exposition. The inciting event— ie, when the plot actually starts— is two-thirds of the way through the book. I can appreciate dedicated world-building, but this is just sloppy writing. It’s like an editor didn’t even touch this book to cut out the redundant nonsense that fills the first half of it. The plot picks up and you think, ’Finally, I’ll be rewarded for slogging through hundreds of pages of teen drama and boring lore!’ only for the book to abruptly end. This book does not have enough substance or story to stand on its own, and it’s absurd any publisher or editor thought otherwise.

I guess the reason this book is so widely lauded is because of the protagonist, Jude, though I can’t imagine why. From what I had seen before reading the book myself, everyone described Jude as this cunning powerful woman able to meet the fae blow for metaphorical blow. After reading the book, I’m confused as to how anyone reached that conclusion. I think people just saw a protagonist who could wield a sword and immediately designated her as a “strong female character.” Despite the book being in first person, Jude is inconsistent, far beyond being an unreliable narrator. She rarely acts in ways that match how she describes herself or her own worldviews and philosophies. She is the worst strain of YA protagonist— one who completely lacks depth, but hey, she can fight, so that makes her a badass role model for teenage girls!

Like some other reviewers pointed out, this book struggles to engage its readers with its characters or plot in any meaningful way. If you like generic edgy YA love interests who bully others, then maybe Cardan’s your cup of tea and that’s what gets you through this book (though don’t expect him to get any significant characterization or development. He is, after all, just a trope disguised as a character). Maybe if you really like fairy lore and don’t mind inconsistent and vague world-building, that will get you to care about the half-baked plot. Maybe if all you look for in a protagonist is someone who can throw a punch, then you’ll be inclined to root for Jude. Me personally, I look for a riveting story or at least interesting characters, and this book failed to deliver on both fronts.

Content Warnings

spatterson7's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

katharina90's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

Not half bad for YA fairy fantasy. The main character was a little annoying, but I cared enough to keep reading.

Content Warnings

noellegrace8's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

It took me about 25% of the way through to start truly enjoying this book. Because it takes the path of a slow reveal of situations and motivations, the beginning groundwork can be almost frustrating because you don't know why some people are acting the way that they are. Also, for a book with so much death and otherwise adult themes, the characters and the writing style both are a bit juvenile at times. I struggled at first with the incongruency of a lack of contractions in dialogue mixed with colloquialisms like "that sucks," but I eventually got used to it and do recognize that it makes sense given the setting. I also really hate first person present tense because it feels overdramatic and impractical, and this book uses it throughout.

That being said, I really like the main characters. Some of the side characters are a bit flat, but Jude, Cardan, Maddoc, Vivvie, Dain, Taryn, Oriana... none of them are "good" or "bad." They just are. They make decisions, they have instincts and natures that make those decisions difficult. I love the complexity! I also think this book set up a series (trilogy) well, so I'm hoping to like the next two even more! The worldbulding is awesome. Holly Black has created a very interesting mix of "fae" and "mortal," complete with rich history and quirks and physical descriptions.

I don't factor audiobook reader into my overal star rating, but I give Caitlyn Kelly 3.5/5⭐️. Honestly, I think she was part of the reason I struggled to get into this book, but there's no telling for certain. She oftentimes doesn't seem to read with the same cadence that the words on the page suggest. She also has a cheesy tone when voicing male characters and over-acts when it comes to emotional (and even sometimes non-emotional!) scenes.

Content Warnings

aralalala's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

As a romcom girly, I picked this up because of swoony bookstagram reels, only to be met first with a whole lot of blood, bullying, political conflict, violence, and complicated family relations before the very little romance around the last quarter of the book.

Nonetheless, I devoured this in one sitting.

It’s a complicated and complex tale, and the characters, even more so. They’re all questionable, but it was a thrilling ride despite it not being romance-heavy (again, as a romcom girly).

It’s not lighthearted at all and it’s not for days when you’re just looking to turn off your brain. It has really dark themes and intense scenes, but overall, it’s not as emotionally heavy as others that share similar themes (at least, I don’t feel that way).

The writing is so well done from a technical standpoint. It wasn’t dragging and you had the necessary details you need when you needed it. There were no plot points that did not make sense, and if there were plot-holes, I didn’t notice.

It was very easy to get sucked into its universe, and the plot was compelling enough to keep me turning the page.

Jude is a very strong and lovable character. As complicated as she is, it was somehow very easy to relate with her complexity. It was an exciting ride and I look forward to how the rest of the story unfolds in the series!

Content Warnings

lyr1cal's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Content Warnings

yasaman's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

oddpilot97's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think I might be obsessed with this book. It’s the first novel I read as an adult that gave me the same feeling as when I read as a child.

Enemies to lovers is one of the best tropes in my opinion. And this book did not disappoint. I appreciated that both characters were complex, with dynamic motivations, and that there wasn’t an uncomfortable power dynamic.

The only tiny critique I have is that the audiobook narrator got a bit whiny at times of high tension. It was a tad grating/melodramatic.

The main character isn’t a goodie two shoes, and I loved that. The plot had excellent twists and turns without being predictable, and never got too dull. The twists were well established in advance as well, which I appreciated. It's got my favorite parts of YA without feeling immature.

Read this! It’s amazing.

Content Warnings

More...