Moral Ambiguity and Identity in The Cruel Prince

I love Fae stories; I've read a bunch of them, even some by Holly Black. When I heard about The Cruel Prince, I was intrigued. It had been a long time since I read anything YA, and even longer since I read anything of this author. Finally, I got my hands on a copy and-- oh boy!

It was SO good. Deliciously dark and angsty. Definitely not a story you want to miss out on if you love fae stories. So, go read it if you haven't yet.

For those who have, let's dig into it!

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1. The Cruel Prince

Faerie is a Fucked Up Place

Sure, it's beautiful and enchanting. But underneath the magic is something untamed and viscious. The fae is described in this book as some kind of human and animal combination. It's both beautiful and grotesque. They've got body parts that are of an animal (ex. horns, tails) and their skin are of different colors (ex. green, pink). The most important trait that sets them apart from us mere humans is their immortality.

And that's where the fucked up part starts. When you can live forever, what value do you place on life? When you have endless time, what entertainments do you do to occupy yourself? And if you have magic, and thus the power to bend others to your will, what moral boundaries can contain you?

In this wild place, the only thing that has weight is power and influence. Both things Jude, the main character, doesn't have.

Prince Cardan's Crew by untilwesparagain

Characters are Complex and Multi-layered

From the reviews that I read beforehand, I expected to have a hate-love relationship with the characters in this story. I didn't, though. I didn't hate the characters per se, I just understood where they were coming from. Understanding that didn't excuse their actions. But it was something that helped me get into the story.

I liked the fact that there was no "good" or "bad" side. It wasn't black and white. All the major characters were flawed, but had redeeming qualities. Case in point:

• Jude - She was strong, courageous, and smart. She loved her twin sister despite her betrayal. BUT, she killed a stranger because someone told her to and she betrayed Prince Cardan to serve her own agenda.

Jude Duarte by Rosievision

• Prince Cardan - He was bullied and tortured by his brothers. In turn, he bullied and tortured people who got in his way. Doesn't excuse it; He's still a dick. BUT he never killed anyone. He had a line he never crossed.

Prince Cardan by Rosievision

• Madoc - He's Jude's Fae stepfather. He literally killed Jude's parents. BUT he took the kids in and raised them as his own. 
• Taryn - Jude's twin sister. She was nice, submissive, and optimistic. BUT, she would betray her own sister to secure power married to a powerful fae.
• Locke - He was not mean the way Prince Cardan and his crew were, BUT he abused Jude and Taryn emotionally. It's cruel on another, perhaps worse, level. Hated him SO much. 

Identity Issues

This story has got some Game of Thrones level political intrigue, but that's not what stood out to me the most. For me, it's the identity issues that Jude goes through. 

Is she human or is she fae? She's technically a human, but she was stolen away to Faerie since she was 5 years old. She could've gone back, but she hasn't. And it's because Faerie is the only place she knows how to live in. As a human, she's weaker and more vulnerable to the Fae. But, her mettle- her deviousness- is all Fae. She's physically weak. But she's a powerful strategist (thanks to her Fae dad). She's torn between these two facets of her identity as someone who was born human but raised Fae.

Jude Duarte by missbard

Love or hate dad? Jude's relationship with her stepdad is fascinating. On one hand, he murdered her parents. She literally witnessed the bloodshed. On the other hand, he took them in. Perhaps even doted on her. He wants her to have a good life. She wants his approval. But she also did everything in her power to thwart his hidden agenda. 

Sequel Thoughts

I can't wait to read the next installment! First of all, how's the romance going to play out? Because Jude and Prince Cardan are not on good terms. It's the start of a toxic relationship because she hates him like a fury and betrayed his trust. He, on the other hand, "can't stop thinking about her" and finds that "disgusting".

But they have to stick together in the sequel because, without him, she doesn't have any power. And without her, he doesn't really know how to hold on to that power. I personally don't want to read a toxic kind of romance. I really hope that Ms. Holly Black can tell a story about a genuine sort of love.

One more thing I'm looking forward to is the political landscape. All the maneuvering that Jude has done has come at a cost. People are going to want her to pay up. What is going to happen? Is someone going to try to steal the throne? What favors will she grant/not grant? Who's going to die? What happens to Madoc? Will someone want Prince Cardan's line to end?

Thoughts? Thoughts? Thoughts?