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“Jude has finally found her place in Elfhame, but itโs come at great cost to her. Now at odds with her family, sheโs adjusting to life without them while also learning how to navigate a world where she has far more power than she ever has. As difficult as that already is, itโs made more difficult through her uneasy alliance with Cardan, formerly Prince and now King of Elfhame. Once enemies, their relationship begins to evolve as theyโre forced to rely on one another, revealing truths neither wants to admit to the other. Amid further betrayals centered around plays for power and the crown, both their lives are in danger. Jude must now figure out how to not only protect her family, but also herself and her King. With the same brilliant writing and world building as The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King will leave you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next while also giving you greater insight into who exactly Cardan really is in a way that may just make him one of your favorite characters.”
— Dany • Rediscovered Books
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 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.
Holly Black is the bestselling author of contemporary fantasy novels, including Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick series. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award and the Eisner Award, and the recipient of the Andre Norton Award. Holly lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, in a house with a secret library.
Reviews
* "Another fantastic, deeply engaging, and all-consuming work from Black that belongs on all YA shelves."โSchool Library Journal, starred review *"A rare second volume that surpasses the first, with, happily, more intrigue and passion still to come."โBooklist, Starred Review "An epic saga of palace intrigue and deception."โEntertainment Weekly "The plot itself twists, turns, and dovetails perfectly with the assured character development; in this way, Black proves herself a master storyteller writing in the tradition of Megan Whalen Turner."โHorn Book The Wicked King has satisfying twists and turns, sizzling passions, brutal violence, spies and revels of all sorts--no one brings the intricate courtly politics of Faerie to life quite as well, or with as much intelligence, as Holly Black.โShelf Awareness, starred review *"A heady blend of courtly double-crossing, Faerie lore, and toxic attraction swirls together in the sequel to THE CRUEL PRINCE...Black's writing is both contemporary and classic; her world is, at this point, intensely well-realized, so that some plot twists seem almost inevitable."
โKirkus, Starred Review "I require book two immediately. Holly is the Faerie Queen."โVictoria Aveyard, #1 bestselling author of The Red Queen series * "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."โBooklist, starred review "The Wicked King is so fast-paced and intense, you won't be able to put it down."โThe Missourian *"[A] dangerous journey filled with mystery, betrayal, intrigue, and romance....Larger-than-life action in a kingdom packed with self-centered, evil, and manipulating characters also doles out real life issues."โVOYA, Starred Review Praise for The Wicked King: