vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, War, Violence, Body horror, Confinement, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Vomit, Torture, Classism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
claire_fitzgibbon13's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I loved the romance between Cardan and Jude, but i’m so sad about the ending. But i can imagine how it will set up the next book. . Also I hate locke.
Spoiler
Everything was so cute and I was so happy when they got married and then it just all went to shit
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, War, Injury/injury detail, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
whollybewitched's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
faitherslibrary's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent
itsmemiana's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
THIS BOOK WAS EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE AND THAT FUCKING ENDING- WHY 😭😭😭
I low-key hate Madoc and Taryn. everyone else, I love ofc. I love the banter between Jude and Cardan, I would take a bullet for them. they are just so perfect.
I loved the unpredictability of this book. it's one of those that's gonna keep you having no idea what's going to happen next and even if you think you do, you don't lmaooo.
I cannot wait to read the queen of nothing, although I don't want this to end 😭
I low-key hate Madoc and Taryn. everyone else, I love ofc. I love the banter between Jude and Cardan, I would take a bullet for them. they are just so perfect.
I loved the unpredictability of this book. it's one of those that's gonna keep you having no idea what's going to happen next and even if you think you do, you don't lmaooo.
I cannot wait to read the queen of nothing, although I don't want this to end 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death of parent
maple_dove's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, Addiction, and Death of parent
Parental neglect (moderate)tsar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to.”
Coming to the realization where your brother has become the sacrificial lamb of a masochistic political game is not a revelation that you would wish to figure out, yet Jude Duarte strengthens her heart amidst the striking irony to work harder in trampling the corrupted monarchy system of Elfhame. To simply put, by establishing this conflict, Black has cemented a definite plotline for The Wicked King to employ a gateway of the upcoming depraved interference.
As it is expected, the counteraction is effectively disadvantageous as it is destructively personal. Black illuminates the love game between Jude and Cardan into a reluctant alliance, building a tense atmosphere that maintains ambiguity of their deepest intentions between one another. And yet, beyond the extreme wariness of treachery, Black manages to find loopholes to explore the characters who seemingly lack compassion in their bones, traversing their personalities and history that appeal the most to their dominant qualities.
In doing so, it sways some of the stubborn natures that obstruct their likability as functioning characters, lowering certain parts of their mental guard to perceive the other aspects of their disposition, which contribute an indispensable role in instituting dynamic chemistry as they engage in an argument of wits.
It defines further on the romantic conjunction between Cardan and Jude that goes beyond seeking attention like children in emotional turmoil, analyzing intensely on their racial and class gap as creatures coming from slightly different magical realm despite their similarities. In doing so, as the audience reaches the shocking moment of betrayal at the end of the devastating cliffhanger, one could presume that Black has excelled in executing a romantic foil that is truthful in emotional imagery that its characters, and to the extent are the audience, allow themselves to give the benefit of the doubt in believing that the partnership would eventually work for their advantages.
And so, by writing an adventurously twisted The Wicked King, Black releases her phrasing power in envisioning a maliciously addicting story of mystical conspiracy and bad romance that purges all the uninteresting details that restrict the entertaining factor of The Cruel Prince before.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Torture
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, and Violence
bugcollector's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Is the second book in a fantasy trilogy always the best one of them?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Gore, and Murder
lifeonasofa's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.5
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“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.” - Holly Black 🏹
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 Stars
Thank you hotkeysya for sending this copy of The Wicked King as part of the second tandemcollectiveuk The Folk of the Air Readalong! 💝
An applause for Holly Black for making the sequel better than the first! I’m always weary of the second book in a trilogy, they can often be slow but THE DRAMA in this book! 👏🏻
Jude really grew as a character in this, I love her even more! I love that we got to understand the way she thinks before she carried out her plans. I’m glad we got to see more of the spies - still my favs. The scenes between her and Cardan were SO much better too. 💕
Cardan really came into his own by the end of the book and I’m LIVING for it! I was waiting for him to really take his king role seriously. Don’t get me wrong - I’m fuming with that ending but he’s smart right? I feel he has a long term plan. 👀
Loved how we had danger and deceit coming from all sides! I still do not trust ANYONE in this whole damn book - Taryn and Madoc being the worst imo. But it just made it all the more exciting, I had no idea what twists were coming! BOOK 3 READALONG END OF NOV!🤯
“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.” - Holly Black 🏹
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 Stars
Thank you hotkeysya for sending this copy of The Wicked King as part of the second tandemcollectiveuk The Folk of the Air Readalong! 💝
An applause for Holly Black for making the sequel better than the first! I’m always weary of the second book in a trilogy, they can often be slow but THE DRAMA in this book! 👏🏻
Jude really grew as a character in this, I love her even more! I love that we got to understand the way she thinks before she carried out her plans. I’m glad we got to see more of the spies - still my favs. The scenes between her and Cardan were SO much better too. 💕
Cardan really came into his own by the end of the book and I’m LIVING for it! I was waiting for him to really take his king role seriously. Don’t get me wrong - I’m fuming with that ending but he’s smart right? I feel he has a long term plan. 👀
Loved how we had danger and deceit coming from all sides! I still do not trust ANYONE in this whole damn book - Taryn and Madoc being the worst imo. But it just made it all the more exciting, I had no idea what twists were coming! BOOK 3 READALONG END OF NOV!🤯
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Blood, War, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, and Alcohol
noboyfriend_literally0's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent