Review by Kimaya Tushar Patil of "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

"If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse": The Cruel Prince by Holly Black drags the readers into the twisted realm of Faerie, where smiles equal danger and beauty hides ruthlessness. And for a mortal, most days, survival means walking a knife's edge between wit and wavering morals. The narrative follows Jude Duarte, a mortal girl who was abducted along with her twin and half-sister, and whisked to the realm of Faerie after the brutal massacre of her biological parents by the Grand General of Elfhame. 

Growing up in the realm of Faerie, Jude learned early on to tread with caution even when being protected by the General's reputation. The only way to rise above her oppressors was to gain power over them. 

Black's narrative revolves around Jude's metamorphosis from a victim to a cunning strategist fuelled by political ambition. She twists the familiar, captivating beauty of Faerie with moral ambiguity, exposing the cruelty hiding beneath. Her prose is succinct and adds deeper layers of emotions to the atmosphere of the world. And while the political intrigue is multifaceted, the pacing sometimes stutters as scenes of intimidation and violence recur. Her worldbuilding is extensive, but it sometimes focuses solely on ambiguous emotion, rather than information for the reader.

The subtle romantic tension between Prince Cardan and Jude lays a foundation for the character arc to progress emotionally in the later books. Unlike most Young Adult leads, Jude's desire for power, along with her readiness to deceive, exploit, and accept cruelty for it, adds a twist to the traditional "moral heroine."   

The Cruel Prince excels in its incisive rendering of its characters and political intricacy. Black presents us with a dark and cunning fantasy that instead of appealing to sentiments, appeals to readers who crave a morally multifaceted heroine and worlds where survival hangs between the right choice or the necessary choice.  

About the reviewer
Kimaya Tushar Patil is a graduate of the University of Leicester’s MA in Creative Writing programme. A lifelong reader, writer and poet, she is particularly interested in fiction, narrative voice, and literary craft. She enjoys engaging critically with books that leave a lasting impression. You can read more about Kimaya's work on Creative Writing at Leicester here. 

Review by Kimaya Tushar Patil of "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros

"A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead."

Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing plunges the reader's mind into the cut-throat world of Basgiath War College, where your only options are to survive or die. The narrative follows Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who has been training her whole life to become a scribe, only to be thrust into the elite and ruthless Rider’s Quadrant of Basgiath War College by her mother, against her own will. In a place built to eliminate the weakest cadets, Violet now faces threats and physical challenges that could claim her life every second of every day.

Albeit physically disadvantaged by her fragile body due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), Violet’s strengths lie in her observation skills and her ability to think outside the box. This creates a tense atmosphere, and her resilience against all odds and the normalisation of chronic disabilities is relatable and inspiring to many readers. 

This story teeters on the edge of military romantasy with an emphasis on a coming-of-age plotline. The magical creatures a.k.a. dragons are not just portrayed as objects, but as separate, sentient entities with their own private agendas. Rebecca Yarros masterfully wields the power of foreshadowing in her book, keeping the clues subtle enough to be overlooked at first glance, but seeming to fit seamlessly into the intriguing puzzle that is Fourth Wing. Her careful crafting of not just the world, but the characters and the magic-system is nothing short of awe-inspiring. 

This book falls under the new adult fantasy category and is perfect for people who are just beginning to dip their toes into the genre. With its exciting easter eggs, and a consistently intriguing plotline it keeps the reader hooked from start to finish, leaving them wanting more. 

About the reviewer
Kimaya Tushar Patil is currently pursuing a postgraduate Master’s degree in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester. She is a dreamer, and passionate about reading and writing stories in all forms and genres.