Jude Duarte is a mortal girl whose parents were murdered when she was a child, living in the fantasy world of Elfhame with magic, power and hierarchy.
In the fantasy trilogy “Folk of the Air” by Holly Black, Jude and Taryn Duarte’s parents were killed by Madoc, the General of King Eldred. He then took them to Faerie to raise as his own daughters. Jude, the protagonist, faced much discrimination from the people of Faerie, mostly from Prince Cardan. Jude becomes involved in the conflicts of the Faerie Court and needs to navigate her way around political alliances and betrayals.
There are a lot of controversial opinions on the “Folk of the Air” series. Many people disliked the first book, “The Cruel Prince,” but enjoyed “The Wicked King” and “The Queen of Nothing.” The first book had lots of world building and started off quite slow. It is hard to get involved in the story right away, but after the world building and character introductions are over, the story picks up quickly, making it impossible to put down.
The characters in the series had lots of depth and complications, but they didn’t take up the whole story. There was a perfect balance between romance, character development, and politics that got many people interested very quickly. It is extremely well written, keeping the readers sitting in suspense and wondering what will happen next. With the mix of character relationships, political intrigue and plot twists, the story was a wild ride that once picked up, cannot be put down.
The “Folk of the Air” series is a 4 out of 5 star read, great for anyone who loves fantasy, politics and romance.
