Review by New York Times Review
Jude is a human girl who lives in Faerieland. But hold on: This is a book by Black, so it's not the pretty fairy story you might imagine. Jude, her twin sister, Taryn, and their half-faerie sister, Vivi, were "stolen from the mortal world" by their mom's former husband, Madoc, a faerie general who murdered their parents. The sisters have been living under the protection of Madoc, the closest thing they have to a father. "It's just not a comfortable kind of love," Jude explains. They know tricks for surviving as humans there, like salt for their food and dried berry necklaces to resist enchantments. Even so, they're bullied, especially by Prince Cardan and his friends, who call them "The Court of Worms." While Jude embraces toughness, seeking knighthood in the High King's Court - "I do not yearn to be their equal," she says, "I yearn to best them" - Taryn hopes to fall in love, marry a faerie, and fit into her adopted society. The twins' plans grow more disparate after the High King decides to step down and crown an heir the ruler of Elfhame. Of course, it's not as easy as all that, with conspiracies, intrigue and evil at every turn. Black is a master at world-building, conveying integral details without that information ever seeming tedious or encyclopedic, whether you're well versed in faerie or a newcomer to the genre. It's an especially neat trick because the experience of reading a novel like this is something like being surrounded by magic. Jude, who possesses just enough badness that you really root for her - faeries don't lie, but she can, and she uses that - will have fans eager to follow her. Good thing the book kicks off a trilogy.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [March 25, 2018]
Review by Booklist Review
*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 for heart-in-throat action, deadly romance, double-crossing, moral complexity this 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.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
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. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
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 The Darkest Part of the Forest, Black's latest is sure to enchant fans. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.Judebroken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessnesshas 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 Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
