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  • The Wicked King

  • The Folk of the Air, Book 2
  • Written by: Holly Black
  • Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
  • Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (577 ratings)

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The Wicked King

Written by: Holly Black
Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
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Publisher's Summary

The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times best-selling novel The Cruel Prince.

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.

©2019 Holly Black (P)2019 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"A stunning and compelling sequel." (SLJ, starred review)

"The Wicked King has satisfying twists and turns, sizzling passions, brutal violence, spies and revels of all sorts - no one brings the intricate courtly politics of Faerie to life quite as well, or with as much intelligence, as Holly Black." (Shelf Awareness, starred review) 

"A heady blend of courtly double-crossing, Faerie lore, and toxic attraction swirls together in the sequel to THE CRUEL PRINCE.... Black's writing is both contemporary and classic; her world is, at this point, intensely well-realized, so that some plot twists seem almost inevitable." (Kirkus, starred review) 

What listeners say about The Wicked King

Average Customer Ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars
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My Absolute Favourite Book!

What a sequel! Completely unexpected and amazing. I enjoyed it even more than the first book. Work of art and I will reread this many times over. The audio performance was also amazing and a perfect company to the story.

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  • Liz
  • 2019-01-11

Yesss! Very good!

This second novel in the series was much better than the first. How am I going to wait until the next one?!?!?!

Holly Black has the perfect amount of action, love, twists and turns! Woven into an exciting novel.

The narrator is also perfect!
Love it!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another winner*****

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.

I read this through Audible in succession with The Cruel Prince. I don't normally do that but I just had to know what was in store for Jude and her sisters. Readers, Holly Black did not disappoint.

Jude's transformation from the weak mortal to the most powerful person in faerie was complete after she tricked Prince Cardan into taking the crown and become the High King of Faerie. This was achieved by Jude securing Cardan's word to do her will for a year and a day. That means she is the true ruler of Faerie, not bad for a mere human. That being said, ruling is not as easy as it seems since no one can know that Jude is pulling Cardan's strings. As Cardan's seneschal, Jude schemes to keep the realm from war. Jude faces all kinds of enemies from outside and inside her circle of spies and allies. It doesn't help that Cardan has effectively chosen to become a reckless drunk puppet King. Without help from Cardan, Jude navigates attacks from the Realm of the Sea and she uses every tactic with a firm determination to keep her control over Elfhame.

Where the theme of The Cruel Prince was primarily about family, The Wicked King is all about the attaining of power and the stress of keeping it from unraveling. It was exciting to watch Jude move from a position of weakness to attain the ultimate seat of power. I loved watching Jude use the strategies learned at her father, Madoc's, side and use them against him.

Jude's hunger for power aside, she and Cardan start as frenemies but slowly are realizing their attraction for each other. The one thing that Holly Black excels at is extremely good at twisting us up in knots as we work our way through the plots. The world of Elfhame is full of allies, spies, tricks, lies, distrust and questionable motives. I love the way Holly Black does not give us the typical romance, she gives us the messy complicated relationship that we all can relate to.

I highly recommend this book, two thumbs up. I am on to the final book of the series "The Queen of Nothing"

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Caused me to turn even more antisocial

I sequestered myself away in different parts of the house, sometimes pretending to do chores, so I could listen to this book in piece. I've hardly spoken to the other people in my house since I started listening.

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Great story building.

This book was an awesome story building adventure. I found I have listened to it several times now because it has just enough romance to keep you hooked and the perfect amount of Jude being a great female lead!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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I’m absolutely loving this series!

What a great second book to the Cruel Prince.

A strong ambitious female character in a world made to trick & harm humans. There’s so many twists & turns in this book, lots of backstabbing and intrigue.

My only complaint is that it’s so PG 13 we don’t get to enjoy any of the passions just fade to black kissing scenes 🤦‍♀️

I can’t wait to start the next book, I’m going to dive in right now!

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    4 out of 5 stars

Perfect

One of the best audiobooks I've listened to. I keep coming back to it to relisten while getting work done or during drives. The narrator gives the protagonist, Jude, such a believable and vibrant voice, all while keeping tensions high in scenes that would otherwise drag on page.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Soooo good

Amazing second instalment, fantastic world with dynamic characters. Love love love the narrator as well - her voices for characters really add to the book.

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Love!

Loved this book so much! I didn’t care for the series when I tried to read the books but listening to them has made it so much better. The voice acting is phenomenal as well!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic voice work and a memorizing story

This story really sucked me in. Quite sure I would like few of them in real life but loved spending time with these flawed, complex characters and seeing their story unfold. the readers ability to do voices is incredible.

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  • Kristal
  • 2019-01-12

You're Killing Me, Holly!

Holly.... with all due respect... you need to knock it off with this "waiting one year between books" schtick. Just... stop. I demand satisfaction !
In all seriousness, loved the book. Waited a year and devoured it. I need more. Need to know what happens.
This is a serious problem I have with most of Holly's books. Can't get enough and have no self control and just devour them and then whine and beg for Holly to give me more.
2019 just started and I'm already crying for 2020 so Holly will put me out of my misery.

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  • LexiLikesLiterature
  • 2019-01-18

Masterful Storytelling

"As though you wanted him to know that the thing dearest to him was worth nothing to you"

This story is delivered delicately. It implants a subtle thought and throughout the story you feel as though there is something nagging at you from the inside. By the end, the story has left you exposed and you wonder how you didn't notice until last minute. The suspense is done well. It's subtle but impactful. There are enough small enlightenments through out the story that it doesn't feel drawn out or overdone.

"...the cruel beauty of his face"

Book 2 of this series goes alittle further with its messy love angles and even gives a brief love scene. It isn't anything that wouldn't be allowed in a PG-13 moment, but to me it fit really well with the character personalities.

"I'll take a coffee as black as the eyes of the High King of Elfhan"

There are a few chapters that take place in the Human World and it makes me more curious about why the Fae aren't enchanted with our world. There are cars, candy, electronics, and guns. Would not one Fae take those things back to Fairie?

"If faire land is the way you say, why do you live here?"

Yes, I understand that the three sisters were raised in Fairie and it's what they consider home. Being the only true fae, Vivi is drawn to the Human World. The human sisters are both desperate to be a part of Faire, when life would seem so much easier if they returned to the Human World. The story seems to highlight how living beings always desire something they can't have. The grass is always greener on the other side.

The story is still told from Jude' s point of view, but this go around we get to see more of how her actions and decisions impact others. We also get to see more of Jude's flaws. She isn't the sweet innocent bullied girl from Book One. She has power now. That power becomes heavy.

After finishing this book, I sat here looking up at my ceiling trying to bring myself back to reality. For 10 straight hours I listened and for 10 straight hours I vacated this realm. I left this place and followed Jude through Fairie. Jude and I had swords fights with assassins. We exchanged verbal lashes with the counsel, and we endured through our embarrassment and torture.

There were times that I tried to tell Jude that she was going too far and there were times when Jude just completely surprised me. However, despite her imperfections, I find myself glued to Jude. She is like the best friend that you know if she jumps off the bridge then you're jumping too (even if you think its stupid). As Jude faces betrayal from all around her, I want to scream.

I don't know if these random thoughts give this book justice. It's a beautiful story and the narration is perfect. The last sentence of the love scene was done so well by the narrator it gave me chills. I've listened to the scene over and over... and still the emotion she puts into that particular sentence starts an ache in my chest.

This is obviously going to be a hit if not the best book of 2019. I just wish it didn't take a full year to get the third. Gonna be a long wait...

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  • Jenn
  • 2019-01-18

Nothing is ever what it seems... or is it?

Holly Black sets a high bar for YA authors with this masterful series. Few authors can make the second book as compelling as the first. Few authors can write a trilogy where most of the characters are pretty terrible "people," and yet the story seems all the better for it. Few authors can end each book in a way that can be interpreted as a cliffhanger... or not.

There are plot twists that you see coming combined with ones you'll never guess. You may know the what, but she's very good at throwing you an unexpected how something happens.

As for these murderers, maniacs, and malicious, manipulative monsters... well, you don't need to like them to understand them or, at times, empathize with them. For example, many of us know a girl like Taryn, someone who will do anything to get and keep her man, and that man is kind of a jerk, but she'll say he's good to her... she'll let herself be fooled or look the other way, she'll put him above all else. She gets from you empathy with a dash of pity and a smidge of disgust.

Jude is an anti-heroine through and through, yet, some of her experiences in this book... well, you wouldn't wish them on your worst enemy.

In the end, the one who was supposed to be the worst of all is the one you root for. You begin to suspect his cruelty is a facade, or, has been replaced with... something else. You wait in anticipation for him to realize it. You think he is manipulative, and he is, but who is he really manipulating and why. I believe Cardan is not at all what he seems.

The ending of this book is both shocking and expected. Once you read it, you'll know what I mean. You will sit. You will process all that happened. You will look at the ending, and you will know there is more to the story. After all... there's still book 3. Your pulse begins to race, but your heart shatters all the same because even as you realize this is not the end... you know it will be another year before you reach it. Even then you will be sad because no matter the ending, these are characters you won't want to let go.

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7 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2019-01-12

Infuriating ending

love the book and the story. the ending makes me want to throw something. in fact waiting a year for the next may be the most frustrating.

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  • Tory Cottingham
  • 2019-01-10

Good but 1st book was better

This was a good book but not as good as the first. It seemed slow to me. I also wish there was some loyalty somewhere in the book. Everyone is constantly lying and it just makes life harder for all of the land.

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  • Yvonne den Besten
  • 2020-01-24

Overhyped, still worth my time

After what's happened in the last book, Jude may think she safe in Fairy. As it turns out nothing is less true, It's a book that reads a lot like a chess game, lot's of interesting moves, twists and turns. I shared Jude's sense of danger, of not being able to trust anyone; you really feel everything that's at stake constantly.

But, people praise this book mostly for the twisted romance, and I think our characters share so precious few moments, though admittedly more more than in the first book. The amount that they do share just gave me all the feelings. I liked getting to know Cardan better in this one, too

The other thing I really liked was the relationship between Jude and her 'adoptive' father, it will be interesting to see where that goes. As for the ending, let's just say; I'm definitely intrigued.

Caitlin Kelley narrates this, and while I think she does a great job, I also think that she sounds a bit young and overly feminine for such a complex character as Jude

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  • Ominee
  • 2019-01-19

Yup

I enjoyed this, even the parts where I didn’t like Jude and felt she was unjustified. Caitlin sells it. Holly did that. I’m still mad at Taryn. And even as I felt like Jude wasn’t justified towards the end, I was shook because they didn’t have to do her like that. ( you’ll find out if you haven’t listened )But as we know, revenge is so sweet . Also... I have until 2020 to get my hands on the next Audio/book? That’s real torture because I love this story. The writing is next level.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2019-01-18

FUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKK!

Holly, didn't disappoint. I'm still shaking. Good Luck to all who read this before book 3 comes out.

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  • Book Bruin
  • 2023-07-03

Much Better Than Book 1

After having mixed feelings about book 1, I'm really glad I continued on with the series. This book was much better paced and I really enjoyed seeing Jude and Cardan settle into their roles and continue to maneuver themselves to maintain control. Jude still isn't my favorite, but she's growing on me. It's a great contrast between Jude, who is a murderer, and Cardan, who is not. Both can be manipulative and cruel, but it's clear a lot of that is armor/a mask to survive. I definitely felt more romance between them in this book, even if it's reluctant. The book had some good twists, even if you could see where it was going, and I'm glad I don't need to wait to read the conclusion! Caitlin Kelly's narration was wonderful again and the variation in her voices made the audiobook really enjoyable.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 4 stars

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  • Kelly Albury
  • 2020-08-20

Still dislike the narration, story was meh

I find the narrator's voice for Male characters to be annoying. The plot just didnt do it for me either. I've decided to give up on this story, and won't be reading book 3.

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  • Vanessa
  • 2023-01-19

Perfect

Strong book from the beginning to the end.
The pace is amazing I wasn’t bored even for a second

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