Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Cruel Prince

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

802 reviews

tovetott's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Okay so... this is a very wierd book to review, I feel like. Despite it being nearly 400 pages, it feels like nothing really happens. We don't really get to know any of the characters that well. We don't understand the world or the magic or the history of it that well.

What we DO learn, however, is the backstory to what I imagine is the Actual Story. This book feels like a prologue. A 400-page buildup to the story Holly *actually* wants to tell.

I have seen and heard so many people claim that The Wicked King is such an incredible lift in the story, and I'm willing to believe that. The Cruel Prince leaves me with 110+ angry, frustrated notes on my Storygraph containing everything from... *interesting* word choices to straight up me screaming at Jude, and I leave this book off with an equal dislike for every single character lol. Nothing makes sense, everything is stupid, and I'm disappointed because I really REALLY wanted to love this book. Believe me, I DID.

However, The Cruel Prince is written like a prologue. It finishes off with a lingering aftertaste of promises that I haven't even gotten ankle-deep into the story as a whole. If The Wicked King is not as great as everyone and their aunt has made it out to be, I'm suing.

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violet_imagination's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

So so so pleasantly surprised and unexpectedly drawn in that I finished it in a day.

Why surprised?

It's my first Holly Black book, so didn't know what to expect.
I prefer historical fantasy, so the prologue really put me off.

What I loved

The world, small as it may be, and the descriptions of decor that come with it, as well as the multitude of characters
The story and its pace. I constantly found myself thinking "okay just ONE MORE chapter" and then I'll put it down. A lot happens, but also doesn't, in the best possible way.
The level of (un) predictability. I've read people complaining about the lack of a storyline and I guess I understand what they mean, in a way? But instead, I see it as a story slowly unfolding and changing direction as it does. You dont know which way we'll go - grand scheme of things - for a long time. The intermediate branches of story are interesting in and of themselves and sort of... Mislead you into forgetting to mind the big picture (which I like!). If you had asked me at page 10 (random number) how this would turn out, I would not have been able to tell you - and that's despite my brain constantly trying to predict everything. Sure, there were some things I saw coming, but that's okay. I wasn't expecting to be slapped in the face with surprise at every turn.
Surprisingly, the romance (mind you, not "SPICE"). Like many, I too have developed a love for smut, but this is refreshing. I love how little agonizing there is. If there's a love interest, it's nice - but it's just that.
Would I have liked Jude and Cardan to rip each other's clothes of at one point? 100% But I'm also kind of glad they didn't and can just quietly hope that maybe they will in the next book
I don't know how to phrase this... The "ease" with which things are settled? Drama's, deaths etc are not drawn out more than they have to. You don't get a chance to get annoyed and think JUST DO IT ALREADY. Maybe the word is "uncomplicated". As a consequence, I suppose, I often found myself staring wide eyed at how quickly something happened, but apparently I like that?

What I didn't like:

Predictably: the going back to the mortal world. I read fantasy to forget about our boring little world and don't like being reminded of it. But I have to admit, it was manageable.
Some of the characters:
I would have liked to better understand Oriana, or... Felt more. Hated her, pitied her, loved her - anything to have made me feel SOMETHING. She's neutral, but not neutral enough? The same goes for Vivi. Why is she there. What is her point? Why does she barely do anything?!

Okay, so. A 4.0, I think. I would read it again, but it's not an immediate favourite.

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sizzlesteaks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

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glddstwmn's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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kakashigoons's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

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

3.75

While I did find myself not wanting to put this book down, I couldn't get fully invested in or emotionally attached to any of the characters. I did like Jude, though. Not as much as I thought I would, but I still liked her cunning, her ambition, and her struggles with identity and place in Faerie. Cardan did not make much of an impression on me

until the last third of the book.

There were some parts of the plot that I could predict and some that threw me entirely for a loop; overall, the plot was enjoyable and interesting. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.

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e_gallego's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Holly Black, I loved you when I was a kid because of your Tithe series, and now you have recommitted my undying love for your work with the Cruel Prince. This is my second go-round with this book; the first time I read it a couple years ago, I finished the entire trilogy in three days flat. Holly Black does fae perfectly: mean, petty, insidious, monstrous, greedy. Her entire world is so fun, her writing so good, you really do become entrenched within the story. And Jude? Where do I even start with Jude. Jude, my beloved. You can do no wrong in my eyes, Jude you feral creature. Jude may quite possibly be one of my favorite protagonists in all my reading. Honestly there’s so few characters here who I dislike. Perhaps the most interesting relationship however is between Madoc and Jude. The romance honestly takes a backseat to their complicated and nuanced relationship. It is ultimately the story of a girl who becomes all the things she hates in her father to achieve what she needs. And Madoc? I could ramble forever on how fucking cool of a character he is and how nuanced and complex of a villain. I LOVE Madoc like crazy, he’s such a great antagonist; endlessly fascinating. That isn’t to say that the romance is bad: on the contrary, Holly Black may be the only author I trust to write the bully trope as I normally fucking hate it. The romance here, enemies and lovers, is written in a way that understands the characters and every way that they tick. Their fears, their hatred, their yearning, their needs. Cardan’s seething obsession is so batshit that I just have to laugh; and Jude’s reciprocal obsessive rage makes me kick my feet. They want to destroy each other and it’s wonderful and dare I say romantic. In Holly Black we trust, amen.

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mokkekitty's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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

4.25

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uselesspirateraven's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative inspiring lighthearted 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? No

3.5

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seriouslyobsessedbookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.75

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cup_cake's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

I liked it, it wasn't particularly good but entertaining nonetheless. Its quite easy to breeze through and there are parts that were genuinely funny and intriguing, though the plot twists were easy to figure out and the characters fall flat sometimes.

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