4.0 (1 rating)
The Cruel Prince
By #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, the first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.
Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
ISBN: 9780316310277
Get This Book
Available in: Audiobook
Reader Reviews
4.0
1 rating
Liz M.
Sep 20, 2026
Honestly, I only picked this up because of Chapter 1. 😂 That opening immediately pulled me in and made me want to see where this whole story was going.
I really enjoyed this one! The whole world of Faerie was fascinating, and I loved how dark and ruthless it could be. Jude was such an interesting character because she’s surrounded by people who constantly remind her that she’s human, but instead of letting that stop her, she becomes determined to prove she belongs.
And Cardan… 😒😂 I spent so much of this book not knowing whether I wanted to punch him or keep reading just to see what he would do next. The tension between him and Jude definitely kept me invested.
There were a few things that kept this from being a 5-star read for me, but overall I had a great time with it. The scheming, betrayals, court politics, and twists kept me hooked, and I’m definitely curious to see where the rest of the series goes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this one! The whole world of Faerie was fascinating, and I loved how dark and ruthless it could be. Jude was such an interesting character because she’s surrounded by people who constantly remind her that she’s human, but instead of letting that stop her, she becomes determined to prove she belongs.
And Cardan… 😒😂 I spent so much of this book not knowing whether I wanted to punch him or keep reading just to see what he would do next. The tension between him and Jude definitely kept me invested.
There were a few things that kept this from being a 5-star read for me, but overall I had a great time with it. The scheming, betrayals, court politics, and twists kept me hooked, and I’m definitely curious to see where the rest of the series goes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️