The Wicked King by Holly Black

BOOK REVIEW: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Release Date: January 8th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

336 pages

Published by Little Brown for Young Readers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My Goodreads rating

BOOK BLURB:

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 younger 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.

MY THOUGHTS:

Well, well, well.
The wait was finally over and I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Wicked King. 

I was not disappointed. This book surpasses The Cruel Prince (and I didn't think that was even possible).

Holly Black is a master story weaver. Nothing in this book is cookie cutter.  When you think you're into what's going on, she takes you out for a spin! There were times that I hated Jude, then I hated Cardan. Next chapter I loved both of them. I never felt a love/hate feeling so strongly towards the characters in a book such as this and without even going into everything else, I'm rating it 5 stars.

We go thru the stages of seeing Jude recognize the power of her current state in the High Court. Being the "King Maker". She enjoys it, even though it's supposed to last only 1 year and 1 day. There are more secrets now than before and Jude can trust no one.

Cardan, oh Cardan. What do I say about you? Who are you? You're up to your old tricks but did I sense something else behind those dark eyes? Do you even have a heart? Are you able to love? 

"Go against me, and I'll show you what this boy would do."

Faerie can't lie but they can twist their words in a special way that makes the reader's mind spin. There are enemies everywhere. The amount of political intrigue and attention to detail is phenomenal. It's clear that the first book was setting the stage for the twists, plotting and betrayals of this one. Oh, and the last pages, I didn't know what hit me. I had to re-read them to believe them. I can't go into details because everything is a spoiler here but since nothing is what it seems in the land of Elfhame, I'm pretty sure the biggest surprise/twist is yet to come.

THAT's how good this book was. 

My sixth sense tells me that the grand finale on the third book will end with a bang.
I have so many questions and I can't believe that now I have to wait another year :-(


One advice that comes to mind is:
I feel sorry for any enemy (mortal or immortal) of Holly Black!
Think about it. She is able to orchestrate the plots, twists and evil strategies behind this book...I don't want to think what she can do to an annoying neighbor...or critic...or fan.... 

Just saying :-)


“The three of you have one solution to every problem. Murder. No key fits every lock.” Cardan gives us all a stern look, holding up a long-fingered hand with my stolen ruby ring still on one finger. “Someone tries to betray the High King, murder.
Someone gives you a harsh look, murder.
Someone disrespects you, murder.
Someone ruins your laundry, murder.”
― Holly Black, The Wicked King