Oh this was deliciously and wickedly exquisite.
Look, let me tell you how desperate I was to read this book. SO DESPERATE. For the first time in my life, I was in a bookstore ON release day to BUY A BOOK. This never happens to me because (1) I usually live in tiny towns without bookstores who stock new releases, (2) I prefer to buy things online anyway…less humans. But, okay I really hate being spoiled for these and apparently tons of bookstores in the USA put Queen of Nothing out early because I was seeing ti everywhere on instagram and pining away to my death.😫But I got it!!!! They had to unpack it from out back for me though. Smh. People, it’s: 9:30am why is it not on the shelves.
But it was so so perfect. It was thoroughly everything I wanted.
All spoilers in this review will be hidden!
Although I don’t recommend reading on if you haven’t read The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King. 😚
“By you, I am forever undone.”
I AM SO EXHAUSTED RIGHT NOW. I CAN’T EVEN EXPLAIN. I was so anxious waiting for it. I read it in a single afternoon. ANXIOUS. CLENCHED JAW.
For me the whole book was: Surprising. Captivating. Twisty. Phenomenal.
It’s easy to go into finales with intolerably high expectations, with this idea already set in concrete in our minds, of what the author has to do to make it “a perfect finale”. I’m trying to shake myself out of that habit, honestly. It ends up with me not loving books too much. I wanted to enjoy what Holly Black envisioned for the finale. 😍And YES I still had things I wanted — I really wanted it to be clever and brutal, dark, but also satisfying. I didn’t want a tragic ending okay?!?! I am sOFT. I needed hope.
And gah it gave me everything I wanted. We got the Jude and Cardan moments, this extraordinarily crafted arc for Cardan where we both see and understand why he is the cruel prince — and then we see how he isn’t shallow. The tricks, the lies, the encouragement that made him this way. I also don’t ever feel the book pardoned him for it? Cardan was wicked, and he paid for it. But when he was kind, he reaped those benefits too. When people yell about Cardan/Jude being toxic — I want to say YES IT IS BUT SEE HOW IT IS AN EXPLORATION OF DEALING WITH THAT. There is no happiness or resolution or resignation for the toxicity. It is dismantled, and I just am over here — clenches fist — relieved and impressed.
Also the plot is just packed with both lovely domestic moments (me: cheering every time Jude gets a freaking nap) and wicked ploys and plots, wrangled mind games, and the most SHOCKING PLOT TWISTS. It isn’t heavily like “battle” action featured, but the series has never been. I like how it kept with the theme of espionage and bargains.
High stakes and fates in peril. Stress was at maximum level of SUFFERING. Gah, I freaking adored this. Wicked fae and poisonous beauty and monstrous loves are just all my brand of favourites in books. I am starry eyed, content, and invigorated right now. All I ask for in a series finale. 😌👌🏻
✨SPOILER SECTION✨
“We have lived in our armour for so long, you and I. And now I am not sure if either of us knows how to remove it.”
“Is this another riddle?” I ask. “And if I answer it, will you go back to kissing me?”
“If that’s what you want.”
He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.
Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.
Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.
Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.
And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…
“Mortals are fragile,” I say.
“Not you,” he says in a way that sounds a little like a lament. “You never break.”
Which is ridiculous, as hurt as I am. I feel like a constellation of wounds, held together with string and stubbornness. Still, I like hearing it. I like everything he’s saying all too well.
That boy is your weakness.
what did you think of the finale?! 😍 tell me if you get nervous for excited for finales! do you read them straight away or procrastinate a bit?
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH I still can’t write coherent sentences. Perfection. I used to be reallllly excited for my fave series releases and it always was amazing (even Allegiant though I might be the only person lol) so I never actually got nervous… but then ACOWAR happened and I didn’t like it and now I’m getting nervous and even procrastinate reading because of it. And it’s stupid because all the other finales after ACOWAR were brilliant again soI have like a 1% chance I won’t like it, but still… I did read QoN the day it was released so yay!
I really need to stop placing such high expectations on finales too. Especially because I feel like I didn’t enjoy Queen of Nothing as much as I could have if I hadn’t been fantasizing about all the things I thought could happen. I almost feel like it would be really beneficial to read a post of yours explaining how you’ve been shaking high expectations for books because I need HELP lol.
Okay i have to admit. This book really left me disappointed, big time. I didn’t like how Locke’s death was dealt with so quickly and I felt the book overall just moved too fast and too many things were underdeveloped. However, this isn’t a place for my review lol I did really like your review though because you brought up a lot of aspects I glanced over! I like your point about getting Cardan’s arc and why he is the way he is. I still ADORE Jude and Cardan ugh they leave me undone (pun intended). Overall I wanted so much more! And maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think reading reviews opposite of my own is helpful because oftentimes they point out aspects I missed! Either way I am so sad to see this series come to a close!😭
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *deep breath* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
this book was FaNtAsTiC omjg I Loved It™
And this review brought back all the feels ughhhhh
(spoilers ahead!!)
I read QON as soon as I thought I would have a few undisturbed days to read it and I absolutely LOVED it. I’m so glad it was a happy ending too!
But the circumstances of my reading weren’t ideal (I’m going to be forever salty about this) because I was interrupted a page and a half before the whole “Jude slays Cardan the Snake” thing. I then had to wait a WHOLE day before reading again, and by that time the buildup had been lost and the it was less surprising 😭.
The one thing about the book itself that I wish hadn’t been glazed over was Locke’s death. I was surprised it was Taryn who killed him. On that note though, I was so happy with Taryn’s redemption arc! I feel like I was the only person going into QON hoping for a Taryn redemption lol.
I also loved Jude finally getting the respect she deserves. Our True Queen, a perfect role model, 11/10.
And Cardan’s letters to Jude were the end of me. I nearly cried ahhh.
Anyways all this is to say that while there were some teensy weensy things I didn’t love, overall this book was so perfect. (The last scene in the mortal world was SO cute!! I hope Vivi doesn’t mess up with heather again ahhh. Also Cardan in the mortal world, going to a pizza place??? 11/10. I’d love a short story on more mortal world shenanigans lol).
Very excited to see you like this! I haven’t read ANY of the series… yet. But I keep hearing how good it is and so I waited until the boxed set was available and it is on its way to my house! Looking forward to my week off work for Christmas so I read the whole thing.
AHHH excellent review Cait!! I literally just finished this about a week ago and cannot believe it is over!! Love Jude and Cardan with my whole HEART! While this book was totally not what I was expecting at some parts I liked it, and I too need a good soft ending for my fluffy heart to land on (I’m a romantic ok?? I cant take the stabby stab mood allll the time) Sad to say I am going to MISS THESE CHARACTERS!! but holly black is a goddess and I’m sure she’ll come out w another release to satisfy r need for dark fae inspired worlds ;)))
Reading this review gave me thrills and chills all over again… I just want to go back and read all three books again! Ah! Such a great trilogy. SO stressful. SO delicious.
I used to only read series when they were complete, because I LOATHE to wait for the finale. Haven’t been doing that lately, and it makes me procrastinate more… but i couldn’t with this one! I NEEDED to know what happened, and got my hands on it as quick as I could and read it in one day 😉
the way everyone loves grima mog WE STAN!!!!!
tbh, i had a lot of problems witoh this book but judecardan cou;dn’t have been any better and chapter 21 had me dead on the floor so,,, thanks holly black. now i need a cardan novella.
*Still aggressively thinking about this book and how the series ended and how Holly Black has me in an emotional chokehold and I DEFINITELY WANT TO REREAD IT AGAIN AS A WHOLE TRILOGY* I’m fine.