It has been just over 5 years since The Cruel Prince, written by Holly Black, was first published on the 2nd January 2018 and the book holds a place in the hearts of readers across the globe. The riveting story of a mortal girl, Jude Duarte, raised amongst fey in Elfhame, a world where her kind are looked down upon and abhorred, Jude yearns to prove herself. However, an obstacle lies in her path; Cardan, the youngest Prince of Elfhame, seems to hate her and although she despises him just thoroughly, there’s something else, a feeling that she cannot seem to place. Black grips the reader from the first page of her novel and does not let go.

Filled with twists and surprises the book kept me on my toes and I could not put it down, staying up late into the night wanting to read ‘just one page more’. Holly Black successfully created 3-dimensional characters, exploring the flawed aspects of all characters (though some more than others) meaning the story was full of betrayal and heart-wrenching moments. 

The romance in the book was also of utmost perfection and the tension which was always something more between Jude and Cardan was addictive. There were moments where I was left screaming into the pages and others when my jaw dropped and I looked around in shock, the rollercoaster of emotions was what made this book such an enthralling read.

Koel Sharma, an avid fan of the Folk of the Air series and the one who convinced me to start the captivating book shared her thoughts on the first book, and although she has expressed her love for the book many times before she could not wait to talk about it again. "This book is the perfect mix of fae politics and romance with a plethora of fantastical (and slightly morally grey) characters to tie it together,” she told me, “I would recommend this book to everyone!"