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A review by lowclasswarrior
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The first half of the book fell flat for me. It felt like mostly setup. Most of the characters were pretty one dimensional. (Maybe that’s just the challenge with a first person pov.) Plot lines felt like they needed more time to ruminate as well as a lot of “tell don’t show” going on.
However, I enjoyed the second half of the book much more, and I was even inclined to pick up the sequel. I don’t know. I like how cheeky Cardan is. I think their dynamic would’ve been more impactful had they interacted more in the first half. It was very “he’s so cruel” when it’s mostly Cardan taking a backseat while his friends were being cruel. Maybe Jude is supposed to be an unreliable narrator?
However, I enjoyed the second half of the book much more, and I was even inclined to pick up the sequel. I don’t know. I like how cheeky Cardan is. I think their dynamic would’ve been more impactful had they interacted more in the first half. It was very “he’s so cruel” when it’s mostly Cardan taking a backseat while his friends were being cruel. Maybe Jude is supposed to be an unreliable narrator?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Death of parent
Moderate: Death