This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of The Cruel Prince, The Lost Sisters, The Wicked King, and The Queen of Nothing on my blog, now!
Cardan my little misunderstood king with a tail, I will always be your number one defender. I never doubted you for a second, even when you were throwing dirt into food or throwing people into rivers. I will always hate Balekin with a burning passion, and this novella just further justified the hate I harbored towards him. Absolutely obsessed with these little crumbs we have from Cardan's perspective of Jude throughout his childhood, how he notices her and Taryn from afar, how he slowly becomes fixated on her presence whenever she is near.
I feel as though many readers go into the original trilogy not truly understanding that Cardan is in fact cruel, but even more so, they do not understand that he has clearly been morphed and formed into the cruel prince that everyone knows. It was such a nice chance to see the background of Cardan's upbringing outside of the palace, and see how he viewed himself and how various people in his life directly impacted the way he guarded himself. Jude becoming a more prevalent figure in his life, even when he did not understand what he felt towards her, was a pleasant insight of Cardan's curiosity.
This novella's pacing is quick - full of a number of short stories and instances of Cardan's youth and current day experiences, readers are given a deeper look into his characterization and interactions throughout the years. I would have read double the amount of stories, as I find Cardan so interesting and multi-dimensional - I would have loved to see more of his perspective throughout the series.
It was refreshing to see Cardan's sense of self and his train of thought when it came to protecting others, especially in the way that he cares for Jude and her family. He is very much aware of the fact that if he and Jude are confronted by others, it will be Jude that picks up the sword and himself that watches the battle unfold, but he surely will be there by her side nonetheless.
The illustrations were a complimentary touch to this novella, and it was a treat to see Cardan in mortal clothes, considering we always have seen him dressed to the nines as the High King of Elfhame. I can finally go on with life knowing what he looks like wearing a hoodie, and if this novella was just two hundred pages of Cardan in varying mortal clothes, I would give it just as much love. I cannot wait to see what is in store with The Stolen Heir duology, and hopefully the High King and Queen will make an appearance, as I will never want to be rid of them.
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