The Cruel Prince is a fantasy novel by Holly Black, published in 2018. It was named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus Reviews and The Washington Post, among others. The book follows Jude and her brother, Cardan, as they venture into the Faerie realm to rescue their sister Taryn from the prince who kidnapped her.

In this tale of magic and adventure, Jude must navigate a treacherous world of Faerie glamour where nothing is as it seems. As she struggles to find Taryn before it’s too late, Jude discovers that she possesses a dangerous power of her own—an attraction to Melancholia, the Dark Prince. She also learns that Melancholia has plans for Jude that could ruin everything if they come to fruition.

This book is perfect for readers who love stories about dark faeries or faerie lore.

About The Cruel Prince Book

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 I can hardly breathe when I look at him.

Jude was seven 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.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal 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.