Anni's Reviews > The Wicked King

“Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to.”

Can someone say political intrigue? I have to start by saying that this book isn't laced with a lot of physical action, if you're looking for fight scenes and bloody battles in open fields, that's not what you're going to get in this story. What you will get is a lot of plotting, scheming, and treachery. The action is there, but you have to keep your eyes open and your wits about you, most of it will happen with the subtle artistry that only the fey can achieve.

There is one fight toward the end of the book, that I will say I wished would have lasted a bit longer then it did. I feel almost like it was quickly brushed over and we weren't given the action that perhaps we where all anticipating. At least for me, this was a fight I had desperately been waiting for. And I was a little disappointed that one of the opponents, someone who seemed to boast such skill, was struck down with little to no fight. That has to be my one and only critique. There was an opportunity for an epic fight, and it was left just...Meh.

Now, I love characters and I have feelings about these characters, so I'll address that.

Jude

Jude, Babe. Please sleep. You need to rest. If you keep going the way you are, you're going to burn out and be of no use to anyone. I understand what you're trying to achieve, but maybe take a breath and center yourself? Practice some yoga, I don't know. Plus, I really think you need to do some introspective work and perhaps start being very honest with yourself about what you want. Are you really doing this all for Oak? Maybe...You kinda somewhat want all the power for yourself? Or maybe you just really want to spite Madoc.

Cardan

"Kill him before he makes you love him."

Too late. It's done. How could you, you cunning, beautiful, terrible jerk. Why'd you have to play us all this way?
Now to be real though, I'm honestly hoping that there is a reason for everything that took place at the end of the book. Is it too much to hope that perhaps Cardan has a plan? He always seems unremorsefully cruel until you step back and really look at the details of the situation. And I can't shake the feeling that we have been given all the details here. Taryn is playing a bigger role here, and I think in that lays the piece that I'm missing.

Taryn
She's kind of a piece of shit. She's perfect for Locke and I know understand Cardans words to Jude in Cruel Prince. The thing is, I think he got his twins confused.

“You think I don’t deserve him,” I say to Cardan.
He smiles slowly, like the moon slipping beneath the waves of the lake.

“Oh no, I think you’re perfect for each other.”

If Jude forgives Taryn after the stunt that she's pulled this time, I'm going to lose my mind. I will rage. Let's just say, I hope Jude pays her sister a nice little revenge visit in the next book. Please Holly Black, give me that.


Locke
He's unimportant. He's scum. I hate him. I hope he gets squashed like a bug. I hope Cardan sees through his spineless ladder climbing bull crap.

Oak
I wanted to mention him only because he's pure and sweet and he doesn't even know the craziness that is taking place in the world and that's ok.


Alright so I know that I rambled, I know this review is probably a mess. It was extremely hard to get everything I wanted to say to make sense. To speak technically, the pacing of the book was great and I literally read the whole thing with a ball of suspense stuck in my throat. ESPECIALLY the last few chapters.

10/10 would recommend. 10/10 will read again.