Everyone has a dream; everyone wants to be remembered. Everyone wants to serve a purpose. As kids, we’re convinced we’ll make some huge impact on the world, like being a famous influencer, celebrity, or become the president. Most of us come to terms with the fact that these dreams are unrealistic; but the remaining few who don’t lose sight of their dreams are the ones who make it a reality. In the tale The Cruel Prince, Jude Duarte has aspirations of being someone important, someone of higher privilege and respect: a knight. This seems nearly impossible, considering she was brought from the mortal world and into the faerie world, which puts her at a disadvantage. There aren’t many mortals who reside in the land of Elfhame, yet she attempts to defy the odds. Mortals are mostly used as servants, so a mortal having any sort of power is unheard of; and that’s exactly why Jude wants to change this injustice. She wants to battle enemies, lead troops, and be praised by the folks of the kingdom; but what lengths will she go to in order to get there? At what cost? Maybe she will fail, or maybe she will turn into something far greater than what she dreams of.

Jude is a driven and seemingly ruthless girl who has been fighting since she could walk. Countless challenges arise as she attempts to pursue her desire to become a knight, but tempting opportunities arise as well. While dancing at a ball she was invited to, courtesy of her father’s role as the military leader, Jude becomes acquainted with Prince Cardan, who is said to be the cruelest of them all. She has experienced his bitterness firsthand, but after a series of events, is it possible he just might form a soft-spot in his twisted heart for Jude? Having connections with the prince might just be her ticket to knighthood, but no matter where she goes, there’s always an enemy lurking around the corner.

The Cruel Prince is one of my personal favorite fantasy trilogies because of the plot-twists and character development. To begin, Jude has always been a confident person, but she underestimated her own capabilities at first. This story is mostly about Jude discovering that she doesn’t have to just be a knight, she can be more. A quote I admire from the book is: “If you hurt me, I wouldn’t cry. I would hurt you back”- Holly Black, The Cruel Prince. The reason I admire this excerpt is because it demonstrates a strong mentality and is an effective use of powerful dialogue. Jude was betrayed and hurt many times in the book, but she never let it weaken the fire that fuels the fight in her. Instead, she chose to let the hurt build her persistence against her enemies. This quote should be analyzed because it speaks volumes to those who have been hurt time and time again, but don’t want to sit back and take it. One last quote I’d like to speak on is: “If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse”- Holly Black, The Cruel Prince. This is worth mentioning because it reflects not necessarily who she is, but rather how she thinks. It’s not her fault she thinks this way because her trauma and hardship forced these thoughts. She was taught to stoop low, not rise above. Our thoughts don’t determine our character because thoughts can change. Towards the end of the trilogy, she had changed greatly, becoming wiser and less paranoid. This excerpt exemplifies the element of ruthlessness I had mentioned earlier, but the truth is that most of the time, Jude wasn’t all that ruthless. She only thought this way because that’s how she was raised, but it’s not who she is anymore. The Cruel Prince was genuinely inspiring as well as entertaining. Typically when writing these reviews, I have one major takeaway, but I believe there are two worth mentioning. The first one is the concept that people can change. We’ve all done things we regret, but the crucial end result that should come from regrettable actions is how we use them to change. It is never too late to change for the better, no matter the depth of your situation. To change does not mean others will always believe or accept it, however, the act of changing yourself is not meant for others, it’s meant solely for you. The second takeaway I have is the idea of pursuing your dreams is an essential part of humanity and growth. To lose hope in your aspirations means to lose hope in yourself. If no one has faith in you, hold faith in yourself. Oftentimes, many say their dreams are too unrealistic; but the simple truth is that dis-spiritedness kills hopes and dreams, so grab your spirit with both hands, and never let go.