“‘Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.’ One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered. The fearsome assassin abducts all three girls to the Faerie court, where Jude soon realises that to survive she needs to be as cunning and deceitful as the Fey themselves. But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan.”
What is the book about?
One morning, Jude and her sisters witness the murder of her parents. The brutal and fearless assassin pulls them from the world they know to one of murder, betrayal and danger: Faerie. Jude soon realises that she will have to be as cruel and as cunning as the Fey themselves if she has any chance of surviving. Being a human in a world full of the most merciless and beautiful creatures is a dangerous thing and Jude must go against her kind nature if she has any hope in enduring the harsh Faerie court. All Jude wants is to find her place in the court; to get the chance to really belong; to be one of the Fey. However, her sisters have very different hopes for themselves, and the Fey will never accept a human as one of them, no matter how hard Jude tries to prove her worth. Power is what Jude wants – what everyone wants – but it's a tough path to greatness, one filled with darkness and betrayal. And constantly surrounding all of Jude's plans is the cunning, arrogant and charming Prince Cardan, who seems to hate Jude more than anything else and will do anything to prove that he is superior to a mortal.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
When I was told about these books I immediately wanted to buy them. My friend had told me all about them and how much she liked them and continuously encouraged me to read them. In the end, her insistence payed off because, finally, I picked the first book off the shelf and began to read. The blurb was so interesting that, after reading it, I more was even more desperate to start the book and I couldn't believe that was even possible. As soon as I started reading, I instantly regretted not starting the book sooner and I could not believe how I could have left such a wonderful book sitting on my shelf for so long. The start of the book was perfect and I really loved the short simple first chapter. The book was amazing and fast paced from the very first page and I found myself nearing the end much quicker than I had wished, but there was just so much I wanted to know that I couldn't resist reading as much as I could. Every time I opened the book I was fully transported into the catastrophic world of Faerie and I found it so hard to leave. I loved the book from the very first word and quickly reached the end, regretting reading it so quickly.
Who was your favourite character and why?
There were a lot of strange characters in The Cruel Prince – some good and some evil. However there were a couple that stood out to me: Jude and her older sister, Vivienne. Firstly, I really liked Vivienne because of how she kept her word on a promise she made when she was only young and how she tried so hard to never forget her parents and their murder. She was taken away from where she grew up to a world she was forced to just fit into and, although she would have found it would have found it quite easy, she chose to make her own way and go completely against what was expected. She used what little power she had and made her life what she wanted it to be, not caring about what others thought. She only cared about her sisters and keeping them safe and tried her hardest to offer them a real, safe future. The other character that I liked was Jude. The book was told from her perspective so I got to see everything from her eyes and I immediately liked her. Even though it was what got her into trouble, I think that the best thing about her was her stubbornness. It may have caused her many problems but it is what gave her the courage to stand up for herself and for her sister. Her twin sister, Taryn, did not have her stubbornness and I think this is why she was such a pushover. Without Jude's persistence, she and Taryn would have been dead before the end of their first day in Faerie. She was brave and courageous and would not back down no matter what. I liked how she knew what she wanted and would find a way to get it, despite what others said. She was so much braver to me because of how, inside, she was always terrified but put on a strong and brave face to show all the Fey that she wasn't a weak mortal – she was just as powerful as one of them.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
I enjoyed a lot of parts of the book but there was one that I liked so much more that all the others: the wild coronation. I cannot say much about it because it will ruin the book for anyone who hasn’t read it, but I will try to explain why it was my favourite part. Anyone who has read the book will most likely think that I am extremely weird for having the coronation as my favourite part, but the main reason for it is all the surprises. It was definitely the craziest and most eventful coronation ever and I really liked how, every time you thought that it was finally settling down, something happened to make everything so much worse. Another reason why I really liked this part was because it was the start of an extraordinary plan and the start of Jude finally finding a place in Faerie. The events that followed the coronation showed Jude’s strength and bravery and that, even though the Fey didn’t believe it, she really was just as strong as them, or maybe even stronger. After that moment, Jude gave up any chance of a normal life and she did everything she could to save Faerie, the world she grew up in.
What was your overall impression of the book?
The Cruel Prince was an extremely extraordinary book and I loved reading it – every bit of it. One thing that I loved about the book was the prologue and the first chapter. I really liked how the prologue was written in the third person because it showed just how horrible the murder of Jude's parents was for her, as it was written in a way that suggested that Jude was so horrified by it that she never wants to relive that again and tried not to properly associate herself with it. I also loved the first chapter because of how quick and short it was. That one sentence started the whole book and set the tone for the rest of the story, and it was perfect. I also liked the poems in the book separating the 2 parts of the story. They weren't written by the author but they were amazing for the story, matching the themes perfectly. Another thing that I liked about the book was all the twists and turns. I really liked how the book always kept me on my toes expecting new surprises and more betrayal around every corner. I really liked how I was able to follow the clues and discover some of the twists before they even happened. However, I also liked when I couldn't unravel the mystery before it happened and how shocked I was by the curious new discoveries. One last thing I liked about the book was the ending. I really enjoyed the cliff-hanger type ending because of how badly it made me want to read the next book. As soon as I finished The Cruel Prince, the first thing that I wanted to do was pick up the second book and dive back into Faerie. I was so anxious to find out what would happen next and if the plan would be a success that I just wanted to read the second and the third book as quickly as I could, but at the same time I also wanted to take my time and fully enjoy the books. The best thing about the book was the fact that it didn't just have an incredible plot, but it also had an absolutely beautiful cover. It is so hard and so satisfying to find a book with a great story and a gorgeous cover, and I just love that this book is one of them. I loved The Cruel Prince so much and I am sure I will enjoy The Wicked King just as much.
Would you recommend this book?
The Cruel Prince was an incredibly book and I 100% recommend it. I particularly recommend it for readers over 14 and those who enjoy fantasy, romance and adventure. It is full of surprises and I am sure anyone who reads it will absolutely love it.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
Faerie: a world of surprises and betrayal around every corner.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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