Is The Cruel Prince Worth The Hype??? | Hyped Books #3

Hi friends! It’s been FOREVER since I’ve done one of these posts because…I forgot.

BUT thank you guys for reminding me of this, because I have been in a creative desert recently. Not the point.

Today we shall be discussing what is one of the most hyped books of the year, THE CRUEL PRINCE!!!

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 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.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal 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.

I read this book in a physical format, and my only prior experience with Holly Black was the Magisterium series.

Just wanted to throw that out there because I didn’t go into this biased towards the author AT ALL. I was mainly terrified because hype and me don’t get along.

SOME THINGS Y’ALL SHOULD KNOW:

1. The writing? It’s so flipping fast-paced yet descriptive but not too descriptive. Combined with short short short SHORRRRRT chapters, it’s very readable! And surprisingly cinematic. However, if you’re looking for any kind of flowery prose, close your eyes. Don’t look here.

2. The first half is rather slow. I mean, I wasn’t bored exactly, but it’s definitely not worth the hype (at first). There’s a lot of Jude running around screaming “I QUITE HATE YOU CARDAN” and “KNIGHT ME SQUIRE TOAD*”.

*i’m only slightly exaggerating

3. BUT THEN. The second half delivers on that plotting and twisting and tension you’re expecting. Don’t expect thriller level twists, at least not in this book. But the things that do happen are spectacularly done!

4. Finally, if you’re looking for enemies to lovers, I would recommend this. BUT only if you’re looking for a very slow-burn relationship.

basically, what’s I’m trying to say is this: the writing is great, the twists are good, the relationships are LIFE: but it takes a while to get there. And depending on who you are, you might predict the twists.

I would definitely suggest checking this book out but adjusting your expectations? And if you find yourself bored, attempting the second half might make life a lot easier.

If you need more convincing: check out my review HERE

Tell me: have you read this yet? What did you think? Do you want to? Catch ya later, au revoir!