Book Review: The Wicked King

By Holly Black  

5 Stars 

The Wicked King by Holly Black is the second book within The Cruel Prince trilogy, and I loved this book so much. It follows Jude Duarte, a strong-willed and ambition-driven character, as she tries to figure her way as the brains behind the crown within the world of Fae, despite being a human. Something the Fae have an untoward attitude against her. Throughout the story, I struggled to keep up with the process in which Jude could strategize. At first, I could understand the process behind it, but as she tries to best the Fae and make a place for herself, her ambition and hunger for power take over her brain. I didn't know what was coming next, but because of this unpredictability, I was always kept on my toes. The balance between plot, characters, and the ruthless drive of character growth is why I rated this story so high. Although some parts of the story might feel a bit slow, the small parts where you see Jude interact with others, like her sister Taryn or Cardan, are what truly made me cling to the story. The tension between each character and the complexity of their relationships helped me feel a strong connection to the characters and brought real emotions into reading this book. Although I love this book so much, it felt more of a filler book to help set up the final book of the trilogy and show more of the characters, so we grow to love them. This book, although it wasn't fully necessary, but is still something which makes this story so lovable. It creates a deep connection to its characters.   

Reviewed by Shantel as part of the Teen Reviewer, opens a new window program

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