The Wicked King by Holly Black

Book #2 of "The Folk of the Air" series.

Rating: 5/5

Spoiler Alert: Low

Summary:

The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

Praises:

Plot:

The second book did not disappoint at all. In fact, I think it's even better than the first book, The Cruel Prince. Why? It's because the plot develops so much. In The Wicked King, Jude has gained power, but no one knows that she's the one who "controls" Cardan. Basically, Cardea is the King now, and he rules the faerie lands. Jude is his so-called advisor, and she represents him. However, she struggles to keep Cardan in check. She also continues to grow stronger, both physically and mentally. At the same time, another conflict is happening, and it involves another ruler of faerie. Luckily, I'm not going to spoil anymore...

Characters:

I really like this fanart of Jude's family.

Jude is one of my favourite characters ever. She continues to show so much strength but is still dealing with her internal conflicts of a human living in the faeries' world. I would describe Jude as someone filled with rage and has a great desire to seek revenge. But, this does not affect how great she is. Frequently, Jude shocks the faeries with her many abilities, and she continues to do so, making her an impressive heroine to read. All I can say is that this character is on the top of my favourite fantasy characters list. I absolutely love Jude. *literally fangirls right now*

Cardan, oh, Cardan. He's such a beautifully complex character. He's dark, cruel, arrogant, and the perfect match for Jude. In this second book, with the help of Jude, Cardan is the King. And let me tell you...He is the PERFECT King. I'm not even exaggerating. You may think because he's dark and cruel, he would be a horrible King. But really, he isn't. Cardan is fair, powerful, and just the right amount of lethal.

Taryn, the backstabber, can die in a hole.

Honestly, I kind of feel bad for Madoc. He is Vivi's biological father and the foster father of Jude and Taryn. In his own way, he cares for all three sisters even though he murdered their mother and Jude and Taryn's father. I actually really like Madoc because he's ruthless, and he's quite cunning. I also completely understand Madoc's ambition, which is to gain power, specifically, the status of King. Overall, he adds a lot of depth to the book.

Writing Style/Narration

The Wicked King is written from the same point of view as the first book in the series. It is told in the first person with Jude as the main point of view. When it comes to the writing style of the second book, it exceeds my expectations. The story is written in such a unique and detailed way, pulling me into the book quickly. When I read this book, I can easily imagine what the faerie world and each character would look like. Black's writing style is just that descriptive.

Critics:

NO CRITICS WHATSOEVER.

Final Review:

Okay, I have a confession to make...I finished The Wicked King in only 3 hours. There's something about Black's writing style, plot development, and characters that causes me to read this book in one sitting. I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY excited to read the last book in the series, The Queen of Nothing. EVERYONE needs to pick up this series because it is one of the best fantasy series EVER.

I AM FULL ON FANGIRLING RIGHT NOW.

Happy Reading!

Cheers,

Jessica