The Cruel Prince (Folk of the Air Series #1) by Holly Black

4.4 (77)
$12.99
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Product details

Web ID: 14352388
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.

  • Product Features

    • Author - Holly Black
    • Publisher - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
    • Publication Date - 12-04-2018
    • Page Count - 416
    • Paperback
    • Age Range - 14-17 Years
    • YA
    • Product Dimensions - 5.4 H x 7.5 W x 1.2 D
    • ISBN-13 - 9780316310314

  • Shipping & Returns

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Ratings & Reviews

Here's what customers think
  • The book features an intricate fantasy world, complex characters, and a thrilling plot with unexpected twists.
  • The protagonist Jude is admired for her strength and determination.
  • The dynamic between Jude and the capricious Prince Cardan is a highlight.
  • However, some readers found the pacing slow at times, with excessive focus on violence.
  • A few also felt the plot had inconsistencies and the villains were easily defeated.
  • Overall, the majority of reviewers enthusiastically recommend the book for its beautiful writing, compelling characters, and immersive fantasy setting.
AI-generated summary from 77 customers reviews.
4.4/5

77 star ratings & reviews

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63.6% of reviews have 5 stars
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24.7% of reviews have 4 stars
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2.6% of reviews have 3 stars
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3.9% of reviews have 2 stars
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5.2% of reviews have 1 star
4
77 reviews
42753
14 days ago
from MO

Lovely world building!

I bought this book not knowing if I would like it—and I am so glad I did! This is the type of book that makes you want book two immediately.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

Grace21
1 month ago

4.5 stars, would definitely recommend!!

Loved this book!! It kept me hooked the whole time! Would definitely recommend if you’re a fantasy lover. The world-building was definitely a lot but she did it in such a natural way that it didn’t feel forced and it just kept me interested. Holly black is a genius. The enemies to lovers story is the best slow build of all time. It was so perfect. You’ll definitely love the romance in this one! The only reasons it wasn’t a dive was because sometimes I got annoyed with the man character Jude, but that’s pretty common with most main characters lol. It was mostly brief though I felt that Jude was a very real and relatable person. The other reason is because the books just kept getting better and better so this was my 4.5 out of the three. If you love fantasy this one’s for you!!

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

cons.i
2 months ago

this is such a good book

the fact that i'm not gonna read this for the first time again upsets me, it was so good and i absolutely loved it

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

kristy_10c
2 months ago

Pleasantly Suprised

I have walked by this book at Barnes and noble countless times. Each time, I have almost bought it. I’m so glad I finally did. I couldn’t put this book down. The author throws readers into the story immediately. I really loved the world building and the pacing of the book. I really enjoyed this book, and I am excited to finish the series!

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

ReadingIsMyPersonality
2 months ago

I love Cardan🫶🏼

This book is actually so good! The world it is set in is so interesting and the plot developed very nicely. Cardan is on top, love him! My only problem is how long it took to get into the book. The first half was tough for me, but eventually I fell head first and there was no going back. I definitely recommend, and If you wanna DNF, don’t because it gets better!!

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

AdorkableMeCosplay
2 months ago

Big fan of this book!

I absolutely loved this book. It sat on my TBR list for a while (simply because life hadn’t given me any room to read in a hot minute), but when I finally got to it I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed the world building and the descriptions used throughout the book. The author does a good job of making you feel with the main character and understand her motivations. Jude feels very fleshed out to me and honestly- she feels REAL. If I grew up a mortal surrounded by fae, I too would probably feel insecure and desire to prove myself and secure a future in the place I call home. Her relationships and desires are realistic and are built upon- none of her decisions come out of nowhere. You can follow her logic as a character and understand her. Everything in this book is complicated and many things aren’t exactly as you expect them to be. You’re definitely kept on your toes a little as a reader- especially towards the end of the book. This book had me wishing I had purchased the entire trilogy at one time before I had even finished reading it because I didn’t want to have to wait to start on the second one. 😂 I’m excited to continue reading this series.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

Waffles_and_books
2 months ago

Cardannnnn

This book is soooo amazing and holly is such a genius. The characters are so complex and i instantly bought the last two books. I recommend this book to everyone- even if ur not a fantasy or YA fan. I literally read it under a day.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

b0okre@deR
5 months ago
from idk

Great features!

I had seen this book a lot on booktube, so I decided to read it and was glad I did! It has a strong, captivating start, not to mention extreme details and amazing characters. There were some times when I got so rapped up, I forgot that I was reading. The plot twists nearly spun my head off. Overall, amazing book.

Recommends this product

Customer review from barnesandnoble.com