The Cruel Prince

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By Holly Black

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$10.99

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$13.99 CAD

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.

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 years old 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.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war 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.

Genre:

  • Praise for The Cruel Prince:
    A New York Times BestsellerAn IndieBound BestsellerA Boston Globe Best Book of 2018An ALA 2019 Children's Notables List Pick
  • "Black is a master at world-building, conveying integral details without that information ever seeming tedious or encyclopedic, whether you're well versed in faerie or a newcomer to the genre....the experience of reading a novel like this is something like being surrounded by magic."
    The New York Times Book Review
  • "Lush, dangerous, a dark jewel of a book. Black's world is intoxicating, imbued with a relentless sense of peril that kept me riveted through every chapter of Jude's journey. And Jude! She is a heroine to love--brave but pragmatic, utterly human. This delicious story will seduce you and leave you desperate for just one more page."
    Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom
  • "I require book two immediately. Holly is the Faerie Queen."
    Victoria Aveyard, #1 bestselling author of The Red Queen series
  • * "[S]pellbinding....Breathtaking set pieces, fully developed supporting characters, and a beguiling, tough-as-nails heroine enhance an intricate, intelligent plot that crescendos to a jaw-dropping third-act twist."
    Publishers Weekly, starred review
  • * "Another fantastic, deeply engaging, and all-consuming work from Black that belongs on all YA shelves."
    School Library Journal, starred review
  • * "Jude, who struggles with a world she both loves and hates and would rather be powerful and safe than good, is a compelling narrator. Whatever a reader is looking for--heart-in-throat action, deadly romance, double-crossing, moral complexity--this is one heck of a ride."
    Booklist, starred review
  • "This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life. Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in."
    Kirkus Reviews
  • * "Black, quite rightly, is the acknowledged queen of faerie lit, and her latest shows her to be at the top of her game, unveiling twists and secrets and bringing her characters vividly to life."
    VOYA, starred review
  • "With complicated characters, a suspenseful plot, and a successful return to the Faerie setting of many of her popular books, Black's latest is sure to enchant fans."
    The Horn Book
  • "Another enthralling story in Black's fantasy catalog."
    PASTE.com
  • "Black has a compelling series about fairies, politics and finding your place in the world, starting with this novel, which I read in a single day."
    USA Today
  • Praise for Tithe:YALSA's Teen Top TenALA Best Book for Young AdultsNew York Public Library's "Best Book for the Teenage Reader"
    * "A gripping read."
    Publishers Weekly, starred review

On Sale
Jan 2, 2018
Page Count
384 pages
ISBN-13
9780316310284

About the High Queen of Faerie

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels, including the Novels of Elfhame, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and her adult debut, Book of Night.  She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.

#FolkoftheAir

From NOVL Nation

About The Cruel Prince

“Trust is a dangerous thing to play with in this world, and the weight of it isn’t light. There is so much depth to the politics in The Cruel Prince that, to me, it felt like a real place.”

—Shelby, A Bookish Fangirl

The Cruel Prince is now my new current obsession, I’m going to be rereading this again before the end of the year, I’m going to be tumblr-ing on it every single day until the sequel comes out. I’m going to be talking about this book until the end of my existence, I’m going to be still be talking about this book even when my bones in the grave turns to star dusts. That’s how much I adore this book.”

—Chia, Sincerely Chia

About The Lost Sisters

“With a narrator as unreliable as Jude and with a story that delves so deeply into family dynamics, The Lost Sisters is necessary and completely changed my perception of Jude and Taryn’s relationship. After having read, I’m left with a much deeper appreciation of Jude and Taryn, their positions in Faerie, how they view one another in this land of monsters, and how much they ultimately love each other.”

—Lindsay, Lindsay Bilgram

“You will feel every single emotion that you felt in The Cruel Prince all over again, but this time you’ll learn something deeper; that what we read in The Cruel Prince is really just the tip of the iceberg.”

—Amy, A Court of Crowns and Quills

“I was completely riveted. You can feel the emotions, sorrow and regret from Taryn and though I felt so much anger towards her actions I could see her reasoning a bit clearer. It also fills in some questions I had from The Cruel Prince (like what did Cardan whisper to Taryn?? We find out here!)”

—Kristen, My Friends Are Fiction

“Though Taryn is still a character I love to hate, her side sheds some light on the way she was feeling and the way her relationship with Locke developed. I have to admit, the girl has a bit more backbone than I thought she did.”

—Erin, As The Book Ends

“It’s captivating and enchanting, with poetic language that turns vices to feasts and love to battle. I actually really enjoyed this glimpse into Taryn’s story and found her transformation and motives to be fascinating and so real.”

—Robby, Robby Reads

About The Wicked King

“THAT ENDING, holy mother of pearl!”

—Shelby, A Fangirl Life

“Let me abate your fears. The Wicked King is just as good, if not better than The Cruel Prince. I was definitely worried the ‘second book slump’ would come into effect here—as it usually does with some of my favorite books. The Wicked King doesn’t slump. Instead, it flies.”

—Emily, Emily’s Writing Diary

“The undeniable attraction between Jude and Cardan is as fiery as ever, and their every interaction is a memorable moment that simmers with an array of emotions.”

—Angie, Sparks in Words

“Holy sweet mother of cliff hangers.”

—Ash, Ashes of a Book Dragon

“One constant of the book is the reminder of how faeries are different from humans in their viewpoints, violence, cruelty, and capriciousness.”

—Daphne, Daphodilli

Bookclub Guides

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Holly Black

About the Author

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy books, including the Novels of Elfhame, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the Spiderwick Chronicles, her adult debut, Book of Night, as well as an Arthuriana picture book called Sir Morien. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library. She invites you to visit her online at blackholly.com.

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