Saturday, January 19, 2019

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) by Holly Black

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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.

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I borrowed an ARC from a friend because she's amazing. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I honestly don't know where to start with my review! There are so many things that I want to talk about, but I'm worried I'll accidentally give something away. Everyone is constantly scheming, and plotting, and planning -- it's hard to keep track! I'm amazed Jude has survived for as long as she has.

First of all, there were multiple betrayals that I never anticipated. I still cannot wrap my head around the complexities of this story! Faeries are unable to lie, so Black has to twist their words until they sound like the truth. It's really amazing. Jude can lie, but it also has its disadvantages. She's always looking over her shoulder, constantly taking risks that have dangerous consequences, and forever trying to stay one step ahead of everyone else. It's impossible for her to predict every move the Folk will make, and she can barely trust her allies. 

Seriously, this was an insanely good book! It didn't have as many physical confrontations, but that didn't keep people from waging war in their heads. Everything is a game, and everyone is looking for ways to outmaneuver their opponents. I held my breath and waited for something bad to befall Jude or Cardan, because they seem to have more enemies than anyone else. I also really wanted more romance between the two, but Black is being subtle and evasive. 

Madoc -- I can't decide if I like him or not. I believe he still has fatherly feelings regarding Jude, but he also sees her as his equal. They're on opposing sides for most of the book, and it was nice seeing them work together (briefly).

Taryn and Locke -- I'm not even going to go there. 

Balkekin -- He's still a bastard. 

Oak and Vivi -- They're two of my favorite characters! I really want them to play a larger role in the next book. Also, I like how protective Jude is of her siblings. She's a fierce friend and a formidable enemy.

There's so much going on in this series, it's hard to predict anything (believe me, I've tried). There are numerous players, and they all have different agendas. Two people might seem like friends one moment, only to betray each other with their next breath. It was insane!

The Wicked King definitely kept me on my toes, and I'm already jonesing for the next book! All of the players are in new positions, and it'll be interesting to see which of them strikes first. I know what I want to happen, but I'm going to expect the worse and hope for the best!


24 comments:

  1. The betrayals and twists just kept on coming, didn't they?! Jude's position was so precarious, as she well knew, and every bargain/alliance had a high price. So complexities were crazy! I think Madoc has underestimated Jude for the last time. I have such a love/hate relationship with him. I think I just love to hate him. LOL Vivi disappointed me with how she was with Heather (not cool, Vivi) and Taryn... gah!!!! So done with her!

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    1. Even though she can lie, she still has to honor her word or she'll seem weak. I honestly don't think Madoc will underestimate Jude again, but he might overestimate what he thinks Taryn is capable of. I hate him for what he did to Jude's parents, but like that he decided to raise them as his own. He's also very manipulative and good at getting away with trickery. I think Jude owes a lot of her own abilities to him. And then the friend that betrayed her -- wow. I didn't see that one coming, and I hope we get a better explanation soon. Viva disappointed me, but I think Jude has a point. She and Taryn hid the worst of their problems from her so she wouldn't worry, and I think that is its own tragedy. Vivi doesn't know what they went through and endured just to scrape by.

      I've never liked Taryn. She's too willing to be someone's puppet, and too eager to please the wrong people. Jude is her sister, her twin, and that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Locke and Madoc are more important to her. Jude has sacrificed a lot for her sister, too. Gah! <3

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    2. Madoc is totally manipulative. I think as a mortal it's hard for Jude to separate his genuine (I think) care for her with his unrelenting quest for power and willingness to betray anything and anyone to get it. I agree with your thoughts on Vivi. Jude and Taryn kept the worst from her and now that has backfired.

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    3. I do think he genuinely cares for her, but in his own way. The Folk show affection in really strange ways, and he seems to treat Taryn and Jude the same way he treats Vivi. Vivi seems powerful in her own right, so I want to see her doing more in the next book! She also needs to make things right with Heather, or potentially let her go forever. She never should have taken her to Faerie unprepared. That was selfish and stupid.

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  2. Unable to lie. You'd have to do some fast talking and twisting in order to get around that if you didn't want to tell the truth all the time.

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    1. Faeries are always twisting their words and speaking in riddles in order to avoid a lie! It's why you have to constantly look for tricks and double meanings. It would be exhausting!

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  3. I really need to start this series. I do love Holly Black's writing, it's fresh and original, but I have to say I'm a little intimidated by this series. It does sound quite brutal.

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    1. Which of her other books have you read? I remember reading Tithe years and years ago, but I don't recall much about the series. I own White Cat (found it on sale at a used book store), but haven't had a chance to read it yet! I've heard it's a good one. :)

      There is some brutality in this series, but faeries can be cruel. They play with humans and scheme against one another, but I don't think it's overdone.

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  4. Oh yeah sign me the heck up for this one! I need to read the cruel Prince ASAP so I can get started on this.

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    1. Yes! Yes! You should definitely read this one. There are so, so many twists and turns. It's impossible to know what's going to happen next. <3

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  5. Yay, I'm so glad this turned out to be such an epic read for you! I need to hurry up and order a copy for myself.

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    1. I hope you love this one as much as I did! :)

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  6. I'm going to read these this year. Yes, I am... :)

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  7. Yeppp I agree with all of this. How has Jude navigated this world??? How has Taryn survived this long??? I can't wait to learn more about this Queen of Nothing.

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    1. It seems insane that they've both survived, but I think Madoc and Jude are the only reason Taryn is alive. She doesn't think for herself, and she's not cunning, but I think her ability to lie has some value. She also looks like Jude, which can benefit Madoc to some degree (which we've already seen). I really hope Jude and Vivi team up in the next book! Do you still think someone is vying for the crown?

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  8. I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to reading this, but if there was something I liked about the first book, it's definitely all the crazy betrayals and insane twists! It's fantastic to see that Black keeps that up in this one. ♥ She's a fantastic writer in that aspect. Glad you loved this, Lindsi!

    - Aimee @ Aimee, Always

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    1. If it's possible, there were even more insane twists and betrayals! Faeries are constantly looking for loopholes they can exploit, and Black's writing was very creative and precise. There wasn't a misstep unless she'd planned it ahead of time! Also, I'm so happy to see you've returned to blogging! I haven't stopped by your blog in awhile, so I wasn't aware you'd come back from your hiatus. I'll definitely be stopping by soon! <3

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  9. I still have the first book sitting on my bookshelf! I really need to get busy reading it soon. This installment sounds really good and I am so happy that you enjoyed it as much as you did.

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    1. Yes! I hope you're able to find time for it this year! The romance is very minimal and not really a focal point, and I love what Black's doing with it. If anything does happen, it will definitely be a hate-to-love situation, haha. Also, the unexpectedness of the story is thrilling! I never know what's going to happen, and I'm constantly being surprised by the characters and their decisions. Everyone is playing a game, and we're only privy to what's happening in Jude's head -- it's insane! :)

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  10. So many people are loving this series so far. I really do need to make sure and add the first book to my reading list this year.

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    1. I'm surprised you haven't read it already! Eeep! I really hope you have a chance to read it this year. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. :)

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  11. I had to skim a little Linds because I still haven't read book one, I know! I really need to get around to reading it and soon because I'm totally missing out. It's one of the few series I've seen in a long while that is so universally loved. This sounds like a brilliant sequel overall, moving it up my list immediately. Brilliant review Linds and so thrilled you enjoyed it!

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    1. If you enjoy books that keep you guessing, you'll love this series! Black has been so creative with her writing, and I love trying to anticipate what's going to happen next! It's impossible, but I still try. ;)

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless