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 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.
Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.more
Can I have my very own Cardan? I love him and Jude so much!
One of the best enemies to lovers books around.
Holy crap the last few pages of this book! I was enjoying it before but those final moments really blew me away in regards to the twists in the writing.
Okay, let me back up for a bit, The Wicked King is a wonderful sequel to the Cruel King and is everything I wanted it to be. Jude, as a main character is determined, but with a lot of trust issues for good reason. Cardan has evolved a lot as well, though he’s trying to hide it, even from himself it seems, which is super interesting.
Those trust issues I mentioned are a bit of a hindrance for Jude though. I couldn’t help but wonder that if she just talked to the right people the right way some plot elements would have been a lot easier. It’s a little spoilery here, but I know Jude is very stressed with her new “job” basically ruling the kingdom. I won’t go into details though, but I think people will know what I mean, partially in regards to her adoptive father Madoc and her sister Taryn. The same could be said with Cardan, they could have honestly talked more and worked together. Then again, there are complications on all sides, and the situation with Cardan flipped on its head, which I loved. So mixed feelings, but overall very good ones, and I am so excited for Queen of Nothing.
Something that did bother me a little was the tense it was written in. It’s first person, presence tense: so when Jude is walking down a hall it’s described as “I walk,” as opposed to “she walked.” It’s a small thing, and I got through the book fine, but I wasn’t used to reading a book that way. I actually forgot that the Cruel Prince was written this way too, it was like by brain reverted it to third person, past tense so I was more confused with the Wicked King. I’m all for the author writing as she wants, and I will read more of her work, but it felt artsy for the sake of it alone. The style didn’t add anything to the story itself.
I love all of Holly Black’s novels. This one though has stuck with me long after finishing it and I’m thinking of going back and reading it again.
It was amazing!! I was so shocked but I love it and can’t wait for the 3rd book!!!
There are books so good that keep you up at night long after you’ve read them. The Wicked King is one. It’s official. Holly Black is one of my fave authors now.
I went into this feeling confident that I would be able to guess even just a little of what would happen. Because yes, I accidentally read some spoilers — a few lines here and there. But apparently, it still wasn’t enough. I could never guess the way Holly Black is thinking and I admire her so much for it.
This series is like wine and it’s intoxicating. I want to drink every page over and over again. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words after reading it. All I can come up with is that it’s perfect — deliciously breathtaking and fearlessly cruel.
Is it entirely possible to love and hate a character at the same time? (Yes, I am looking at you, Cardan.) I am really awed by how Holly Black wrote her characters. They are each their own but you can never truly guess what they’re thinking. Everyone has their flaws and as frustrating as some of them were, you can never fully hate them (except you, Locke). Jude is still my favorite and as twisted as it sounds, she’s someone I wish to be — reckless and brave. Cardan is indeed a wicked king but beneath the mask of arrogance lies someone who just wants to be seen and appreciated. Madoc, although a murderer through and through, is not someone I could truly hate because of how he loves his daughters in his own way. Taryn made me want to slap her so many times but I also see where she is coming from and I can’t hate her for being so human. I like books that challenge me like this. I secretly enjoy the frustration.
Honestly, I want to hug this book and recommend this to everyone I know. Because I can assure you, this is a book worth reading. You won’t be able to stop thinking about it. Right now, I have succumbed to combing Tumblr and Twitter for fan theories about what happened. There are endless questions with a hundred possible answers. Everything is not what it truly seems. As Holly Black said, “Remember, the wording is always important in Faerie”. And boy, did I want to analyze every word.
Please, I need answers and I want them now. Suddenly, November never seemed so far away.
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Twists and turns with cunning intrigue that has all the players in a constant state of activity!! I am utterly blown away by Cardan’s last moves!! I knew that something was brewing but never thought it would play out in quite the manner that it did! I feel so badly for Jude but at the same time… it’s almost what she deserves! I so wish that she and Cardan would be honest about their affection/attraction to one another. Madoc is one evil dude that you both loath and respect. He’s such a mastermind and watching him do his thing is eye opening. I still dislike the twin (let’s just call her she who shall not be named). I found the glimpses into the water very interesting!! I can’t wait for November to arrive so that we know what is next for these beloved and feared characters! This is a series that you’ll want to re-read! It’s so wonderfully quotable! Holly Black is a genius who creates such complex plots that will leave you breathless and begging for more!! Her faerie world is captivating and has it’s own uniqueness.
I am very bouncy for book 3. Love this series hard!
Overview:
A fast-paced romp in Faerie. I read this whole book in a day and a half, and I can’t wait to see how the story ends in the final book. A word of warning: like many middle books, The Wicked King creates more questions than it answers, so you may want to pick up the third book before you dive in to save yourself from my current frustration.
Character & Voice:
The characters are where Black’s story really shines. Each and every character in her story is unique, with rich histories, individual motivations, and compelling personalities. Even the characters I don’t like pull me into their stories and enrich my reading experience.
As in the first book, the main character and narrative voice is Jude, a mortal taken to Faerie as a child and raised by her parents’ killer. In this book, she is the seneschal of the High King, Cardon. Jude is already quite hardened from the events of book one, so her character feels more consistent than it did in Cruel Prince. She is still proud and head-strong, and she still makes some decisions that make me want to shake her, but her motivations are clear and believable.
The secondary characters are expanded upon in this book. We see a lot more of Cardon’s backstory and get to know him a bit more as a person. We also get more insight into the members of the Court of Shadows. Jude’s family remains about the same. Her father, Madoc, is still the General with his eye on becoming the power behind the throne, but now he sees Jude as standing in his way. Her brother Oak is in the mortal world with her sister Viv. And Jude’s twin, Taryn, who remains my least favorite character, completes her marriage to Locke and proves she is every bit as conniving as I thought her in book one.
World building:
While Black’s world remains rich and engaging, there was not a whole lot added in this second book. Jude spends some time in the Undersea, but she sees little of it. Other than that, most of her time is spent in the palace. We do get a little insight into the Tower of Forgetting, the prison where Cardon’s brother, Balkin, is locked.
Language & Mechanics:
Black’s writing style is smooth and clear. She expertly drops just enough details to keep the reader grounded and engaged while never coming across heavy-handed. I didn’t find any noticeable mistakes, so I was able to read straight through without interruption.
Overall, I love Black’s writing and the story she is telling with this series. I’d recommend this book for readers who like coming of age stories, dark fantasy, and love-hate relationships.
This review MAY contain spoilers.
Reading this is like having a revelry taking place in your soul. The emotions are bouncing off of each other like they are in a pinball machine, dancing, frolicking, and rioting inside your heart. It’s a bloody beautiful feeling. I like that this book is different from most young adult books. It is darker and rawer and oh so perfect.
This series is truly a masterpiece. The story of Jude, Cardan, Taryn…this is what a story about the fae should be like. Exactly this. All of the cruelty, all of the debauchery, all of the stomach curdling wickedness…all of it! It is all woven into not only the characters and the plot but into the world building as well. I love how Black weaves the wickedness and the whimsy into something that is both and neither at the same time. The story is full of small details that really bring the world to life. Things like how many of the clothes are made from plantlife or from insects, the descriptions of the strange creatures in faerie and the odd physical characteristics that many fae have, and the customs of faerie. Everything is described so vividly that you can imagine yourself in the story without hesitance. It is a world that reader is both in awe of and frightened of at the same time.
The plot of this book is phenomenal! All of the characters, ALL of them, are plotting and scheming for power, love, honor…just wow! The political intrigue is off the charts! So many shocking things happen in this book that your mind may straight up deny what is happening. And that staggering ending has all of my nerves in a bundle. I keep asking myself of Cardan, “to what point and purpose?” I am just reeling from it, okay?
The character development in this book is so impressive. I love how the character progressions affect the plot and really propel the story. First of all, Jude is such perfection. She is the antihero dreams are made of. She uses her tragic past to make herself into a force to be reckoned with. I love her strength, her honor for her family (even when she is at odds with some of them), her unwillingness to back down or be made less, her resourcefulness, and her drive. I am team Jude all day long until the day the Earth stops turning or until stars crash into this little rock and we blink out of existence. And Cardan…what words could really do him justice? None. But I love him, oh how I adore him. He is so complicated that I can only guess at his motives. He hasn’t had a painless existence, and pain can shape a person in ways that can surprise us. It can make us terrible, or it can make us great. Who knows which way Cardan’s pain has shaped him? Perhaps both? The side characters also really make this book shine. I loved all of the tension coming from different angles.
The romance in this book is pure bliss. It had my mortal heart rampaging like mad. It seriously has one of THE BEST enemies-to-lovers romance that I have read. It is hot, it is messy, it is full of angst and hatred, and it is full of truth. It is the best kind of slow-burn romance too. I loved every bloody moment that Jude and Cardan spent together.
In conclusion, the hype about this book, about this series, it totally justified. This series is beyond anything I could have wished for in a book series. These books burn brighter than the sun and they will leave a light inside your heart. And this is Holly Black we are talking about, so yeah, this fire will leave scars as well. But ones that you’ll beg for with reckless abandon. And this is one book series worth begging for.
Haha oh my god, that ending. Taste of my own medicine!! I can’t wait for Queen of Nothing!! I’m already booking myself out for the whole day so I can read it,
Fantastic follow up to book 1. Tightly plotted, great romance.
Loved this one even more than the first! Obsessed!
It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a book. I’m a little weird about reading books that are very popular because I have been disappointed before, but boy, am I glad I picked up The Cruel Prince because it led me to the even more fantastic The Wicked King. Holly Black is a true black belt of the writing craft. Jude and Cardan will live in my memory for a very long time. They are perfectly imperfect and their relationship with all its twists and turns both shocks and entrances. I found myself going from a “aww” to a “What? What the hell just happened?” sometimes on the same page. The world Black created, however fictional and the stuff of dreams and nightmares, feels familiar and organic as Black’s mastery comes through in the way she describes it in much detail without ever breaking the flow of the plot.
It’s going to be hard to top this one but I have all faith that Holly Black will be more than up for the challenge. Now, what can I read while waiting for November’s release of Queen of Nothing?
Even better than The Cruel Prince! Give me all the Jude and Cardan scenes!!
Audiobook review: The Wicked King is quite a ride on strategy, game play, brutality, and mayhem. The story will have you scratching your head at the abilities this girl has. I honestly believe that the King cares for and may even love Jude. Many of his actions are protective in nature even if they appear revengeful. Unfortunately, Jude only “sees” treachery at every turn. The narrator did an ok job, but almost too teenage sounding.
John Green said it best: NOBODY writes like Holly Black. I love getting lost in her worlds. The writing is so unique and beautifully done, the characters are built and pulled apart like a Jenga game. Love, love, love these first two books so far and am eagerly waiting for the next!
This was a little less enjoyable for me than The Cruel Prince, mostly because there was less world building and for all her thinking and planning and mistrust, it was like she managed to make all the wrong choices. but at least it was a quick ready and I’m still excited for the next book.
“I hate you so much that sometimes I can’t think of anything else”
Just grab my heart straight out of my chest and crush it in front of me, why don’t cha?
So, it’s been a week since read this book and I STILL don’t know what to do with myself.
This book gave me EVERYTHING I wanted. The love story I was rooting for, the sense of adventure, the perfect mix of fantasy and real life.
AND THEN IT ALL HAD TO BE JUST RIPPED AWAY FROM ME. Why, Holly Black, why?
Let’s go more in depth:
“Oh, tell me the rest. I like tricks and snares. Even ones I nearly get caught in.”
This book continues the story of Jude and Cardan from the last book, “The Cruel Prince.” We follow the two as they try to balance their bizarre ruling situation, threats coming from all directions, and their confusing feelings for each other. We learn more about Cardan’s childhood that explains his many many problems and we also get to see some different sides of Jude that was not gone as in depth as the other book. Obstacles continue to pop up that keep both reader and the pair engaged in the action. And, their love story continuesss.
The Characters:
Jude Duarte – “Give me an order again,” I say, “and I will show you true shame. Locke’s games will be as nothing to what I make you do.”
Jude seems to always know the best comebacks. She is still the smart, calculating, and caring girl she was in the first book. She is honestly one of the coolest female protagonists that I have come across. By the end of the book, I cared so much about her. Which made the ending 1000000x worse.
Cardan Greenbrair – “Look at them all, your subjects. A shame not a one know who their true ruler is.”
My favorite male character in any book I have read so far. Yup, that’s right. The fact that he has so many walls up and struggles so much with who he is and his past makes my heart crumble.
ALSO: Cardan and Jude is BY FAR the best couple I have read about. Ugh, so cute.
Taryn Duarte – “You’ve got a bruise coming up on your cheek.”
Honestly, didn’t like her in the first book, DEFINITELY don’t like her in this one. I have always found her pretty irritating. This book just solidified my dislike for her.
Locke – “Maybe you thought I was too busy to take my revenge. Well Locke, I want you to understand that for you, I will make time.”
Never liked Locke either. I’m fine with Taryn and him being together, they both annoy me. Locke continues to play a decently big role in this book, but I tended to get pretty aggravated anytime he was around. But, I guess that is the effect he is supposed to have.
Madoc – “Oh, I’m angry, daughter, but I am also curious.”
Madoc plays an interesting role in this book. You never know if he is the enemy or a friend until it’s too late. I do like that about his character, but I feel like his story line was a bit underdeveloped compared to the last one.
My Opinion:
Ok, so this is definitely in my top five favorite books, may I dare say, even better than the first book. I mean, what an adventure. I felt as if I was witnessing all of this with Jude and Cardan. The introduction of new characters was seamlessly brought into the story. The dialogue had me invested from the first sentence. BUT, above all, THE PLOT TWISTS. When I thought I knew what was happening, boy was I WRONG. This story has you questioning everything you have read prior. ABOVE ALL THE ENDING. The ending has me wondering how I can go on without knowing what happens next. That cliffhanger was cruel for both me and the characters.
So, overall, absolutely fantastic book.
I’m going to be (un)patiently waiting for the next one.
She’s a mortal in a fairy world, trying to control the wicked king she put on the throne. I stayed up way too late reading this story and I certainly didn’t want it to end. Waiting for the next book in the series is going to be hard.