An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant #1 Indie Bestseller!
Return to the opulent world of Elfhame, filled with intrigue, betrayal, and dangerous desires, with this second book of a captivating duology from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black.
An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.
With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the stunning blood-soaked conclusion to the Stolen Heir duology.
2 of 2 copies available
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
March 5, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780316592734
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780316592734
- File size: 16051 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 1, 2024
Damaged people damage each other as they fight for love and power. Oak, the reluctant heir to Elfhame, shows the world an insouciant, feckless facade, but secretly he's cunning and ruthless like his sister Jude, the High Queen of Faerie. Readers began to see Oak's layers, filtered through Wren's traumatized and not always reliable gaze, in the first half of this duology, 2023's The Stolen Heir. Here, the near-third-person perspective follows Oak and reveals the truth: He's a gancanagh (or love-talker) who commands devotion through speaking but who fears that no one sees, much less cares for, his real self. In love with Wren and imprisoned by her in the Court of Teeth, he proposes marriage to avoid his sister attacking Wren's court. Oak then must negotiate family, enemies, and a very fraught courtship with someone who may be too damaged to love him back (but who may also be the only one who sees through him), all amid the glittering poison that is his own home court. Black's Faerie world, which is filled with diverse Folk (Oak has hooves; Wren has blue skin and pointed teeth), manages to be both alluring and terrifying, with love and betrayal as constant companions. This volume will appeal to the author's old fans; new ones should start with the previous entry. Another bewitching tale: love-talker indeed. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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