The Cruel Prince follows the story of Jude Duarte, a seemingly normal human living an average life. However, after witnessing her parents’ murder at 7 years old, she was dragged to live alongside these magical and perfect faeries in Elfhame. Growing up Jude was always belittled and questioned because of her lack of powers. She was bullied by other faeries, especially the king's youngest son, Prince Cardan. Jude gets an opportunity to prove her worth and become a member of the high court, by serving another son of the king's. How can Jude navigate this tough life as an outcast to become an official knight and a member of the high court without getting herself in trouble or putting anyone else in danger?
I think that Jude Duarte is a very well-written character with strong emotions and lots of motivation. Throughout the book, Jude does whatever it takes to become a Knight and is such a strong character both mentally and physically. This book is part of a trilogy and is an extremely slow burn. If you are looking for more romance this first book doesn’t have much but the story is written in a way that wants you to keep reading and makes you not mind the wait. How Black wrote many of the characters makes you fully immerse yourself as Jude and live her life.