Holly Black was an American writer and editor who became most popular for “The Spiderwick Chronicles” in the early 2000s. However, her most recent series, “The Folk of the Air” has taken over the New York Times Bestseller List. The first book, “The Cruel Prince” came out in 2018, with new books in the series and universe being released every year since.
The story follows Jude Duarte, a mortal who was taken into the faerie world as a child along with her twin sister. She has grown up in the faerie world but has faced many challenges as she tries to survive and gain power and protection from the faerie people. However, Jude learns that to get the power she desires, she must play other people’s games—and she does not like that.
This book features amazing world-building of Elfhame, which we get to explore through Jude’s perspective. However, the best part of the book is the characters. Throughout the story, the reader meets many interesting characters, including Prince Cardan, Jude’s school rival and bully; Taryn, Jude’s twin sister; and Madoc, her murderous stepfather. This is a great book to dive into if you want to explore a fun yet deadly faerie world.
Rating: 9/10
