Jude, who lives in Faerie, is a mortal. Cardan, who is the youngest son of the High King Eldred, is a faerie. Jude wants to win a place in the High Court as a knight and prove her skills even as a mortal. Cardan and his friends will do anything to humiliate Jude and hinder her chances of getting a place in the High Court. Jude becomes tangled in the Court’s secrets but then is able to find her ability to deceive and keep those close to her safe. In order to keep her sisters and Faerie safe, Jude plays her cards in a dangerous alliance as a betrayal that could lead to lots of violence in the Court becomes known.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is one of my all-time favorite books because of the mirror aspect between the struggles of being a mortal living in a land where there are mostly Faeries, and the path you have to take in order to prove yourself to them. Going into this book, one cannot think that it will only be a romance. This book is mainly about Faerie politics, with a few hints of romance in between. Nevertheless, the plot itself will keep a reader engaged and not want to put the book down. This book reminded me that despite all odds if I want something, I should fight to get it. I would recommend this book to eighth graders and above!!