by Holly Black
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.
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.
Reviews-
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Starred review from October 16, 2017
When Jude Duarte was seven, she watched Madoc, general to the high king of Elfhame, slaughter her parents. Madoc then dragged Jude and her two sisters off to Faerieland, where he raised them as his own. Ten years later, Jude remains an outcast who is cruelly bullied by the other children of Faerie—the king’s youngest son, Prince Cardan, chief among them. Jude dreams of becoming a member of the High Court and the power that it confers, so when the opportunity arises for her to enter into the service of one of Cardan’s brothers, she seizes it, inadvertently placing herself at the center of a bloody coup and endangering the lives of everyone she loves. First in a trilogy, this spellbinding fantasy from Black (The Darkest Part of the Forest) reflects on the cost of ambition and explores the bomb-strewn border between love and hate. 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. Ages 15–up. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. -
April 1, 2018
Gr 9 Up-Jude Duarte, her twin sister Taryn, and her half-fey, half-human sister Vivienne are taken to be raised in Faerieland by Vivienne's father, Madoc, after he kills their parents. In order to survive, Jude must learn the ways of the Faerie Court, making enemies as she succeeds, including the youngest son of the High King, Prince Cardan, who is as cruel as he is handsome. Learning strategy from Madoc and becoming a spy for one of the princes, Jude attempts to outplay them all and must make sacrifices in order to save her family and the Faerie world itself. Caitlin Kelly captures the capriciousness and cruelty of the Fae, along with their sweet tones and charming but deadly personalities. Her Jude is both strong and vulnerable, and Kelly portrays her changing emotions well. Black's dark Faerie tale world draws listeners in and definitely leaves them wanting more. VERDICT Fans of her past works will want this one, as will those who enjoy Julie Tagawa, Sarah J. Maas, and Melissa Marr.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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In this series opener, narrator Caitlin Kelly perfectly crafts the fierce and determined voice of 17-year-old Jude, a human who is desperately trying to fit into the faerie world despite having arrived against her will and under dire circumstances. When the opportunity to become a spy for one of the princes comes to pass, she's finally given a chance to take control of her life and find her place. Kelly smoothly transitions from one character to the next, creating energized dialogue that reflects the drama of the story. Listeners will be enchanted by Jude and her fantastical world of fast-paced adventure, political intrigue, and a hint of romance. M.D. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
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October 15, 2017
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy. Jude--broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness--has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black's latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). 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. (Fantasy. 14-adult)COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from October 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* When Jude and her twin sister, Taryn, were seven, their parents were murdered by their half-sister Vivian's fae father, and all three girls were stolen away to the High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, raised by the very man who killed her parents, Jude has adjusted to the life as much as she can and struggles to earn her place in a world whose inhabitants scorn, and even despise, humans. While Taryn hopes to marry into a place at court, Jude wants to seize hers by becoming a warrior, and she chafes against the attentions of Cardan, the youngest and cruelest faerie prince, who hates Jude and viciously bullies her daily. Disgusted at her own human weakness, Jude finds herself accepting a dangerous role offered by his brother and is soon tangled in a complex political plot. Though the faerie world is a familiar setting, in this case, it is by no means stale; Black employs the same detailed world building, chilling suspense, and whiplash-inducing plot twists that allowed The Coldest Girl in Coldtown (2013) to make even vampires fresh again. 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 forheart-in-throat action, deadly romance, double-crossing, moral complexitythis is one heck of a ride. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Black got her start writing about faeries (Tithe, 2002) and both her talent and her fan base have only grown; this return to the faerie world will surely be met with thunderous enthusiasm.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.) -
July 1, 2018
Madoc, Jude's parents' murderer, raises Jude and her siblings in the realm of Faerie, where he is general of the High King. Mortal Jude is drawn into the web of lies, deceit, and political intrigue that swirls around the Faerie Court. With complicated characters, a suspenseful plot, and the Faerie setting of �cf2]The Darkest Part of the Forest�cf1], Black's latest is sure to enchant fans.(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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January 1, 2018
Jude is living with her parents, her twin sister Taryn, and their older half-sister Vivi when her mother's former husband tracks them down, callously murders her parents, and takes not just Vivi, his biological child, to the realm of Faerie but also Jude and Taryn, raising them as his own. Jude's parents' murderer happened to be Madoc, general of the High King of the Faerie Court, so she and Taryn now ironically benefit from privileges rarely afforded to mortals. Jude lives in a constant state of fear and loathing, however, wanting to become an official member of the Court by proving her fighting prowess and obtaining knighthood, while avoiding the unwanted negative attention of the youngest prince, Cardan. (Taryn, in contrast, hopes to gain access to the Court through marriage.) But Jude is drawn deeper into the web of lies, deceit, and political intrigue that swirls around the Court as the High King Eldred prepares to abdicate the throne in favor of his third son, Prince Dain. With complicated characters, a suspenseful plot, and a successful return to the Faerie setting of many of her popular books (most recently The Darkest Part of the Forest, rev. 1/15), Black's latest is sure to enchant fans. jonathan hunt(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
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Starred review from October 1, 2017
Gr 9 Up-Human Jude has been raised along with her twin, Taryn, and half-sibling, Vivi, in Faerieland by Madoc, the faerie who murdered her parents. This intricate realm is filled with beautiful, blood-thirsty, playful, and powerful faeries who seem to have no patience or use for humans beyond enslaving them with magic. Despite this, Jude is determined to earn respect and a place in it all by becoming a knight. First in a planned trilogy, this YA fantasy features a political scramble reminiscent of Game of Thrones, with spies, manipulation, romance, swordplay, betrayal, and an intoxicating darkness that manages to enrapture Jude and readers. Black has created a brutal and captivating world, filled with complex characters and their intricate and layered relationships. Jude is a mighty heroine; strong, smart, cunning, and yet completely vulnerable. Teens meet her as she's no longer interested in restraining her emotions and actions and is willing to give up anything in order to work for what she wants, which makes for a powerful and dangerous damsel getting herself out of distress. VERDICT Another fantastic, deeply engaging, and all-consuming work from Black that belongs on all YA shelves.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
