The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1) by Holly Black Book Review

28 Feb

*This post contains affiliate links to products I recommend. If you make a purchase through these links I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Title- The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1)

Author- Holly Black

Publisher- Little Brown Books

Links- Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

My Rating- ★★★★

Goodreads Rating- ★★★★4.17

Fantasy | Young Adult | Fae | Romance | Magic | Urban Fantasy | High Fantasy

check the price

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Blurb
MY REVIEW
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Blurb

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black returns to the opulent world of Elfhame in the first book in a thrilling new duology, following Jude's brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren.

“That’s what I’ve been for years. An unsister. An undaughter. An unperson. A girl with a hole for a life. How appropriate to have my tongue cut out, when silence has been my refuge and my cage.”

— The Stolen Heir

My Review

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black is a whimsical and captivating fantasy read that will appeal to both new readers and fans of the Folk of the Air trilogy. Holly Black expertly blends elements of fae and fantasy with urban grittiness and dark fairytale vibes.

The book wasn’t as complex or exciting as the Folk of the Air trilogy, but still well worth the read.

Plot

The story centres around two main characters, Wren and Oak, and their quest that takes us between both the mortal and fae worlds. It’s pretty much a classic fantasy adventure with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Characters

The dynamic between Wren and Oak is great. They can never trust each other, and the tension between them adds an enjoyable element of unpredictability.

Oak is interesting, charming, and is very likable. But I kept thinking of him as the cute kid with little hooves from the Cruel Prince. Still, it was nice to see him all grown up.

Wren is harder to read, and I felt somewhat distant from her, despite the story being told from her perspective. But she is still likable, and I was really rooting for things to go her way. She had such terrible luck so far in life, she’s due for a win!

World Building

One of the highlights of this book is the beautiful writing and descriptions that paint a vivid picture of the fae world with all its strange beings and court rules. I loved the attention to detail that the author put into creating this world.

The mix of references back to the characters from the Folk of the Air trilogy was great. This was a good reminder and tied the books in nicely together.

Summary

Overall, "The Stolen Heir" is a fun and enjoyable read with great world-building and dynamic characters. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy adventure with a touch of romance.

“Perhaps it is Oak who is the fool, who caught a wolf and thought that by putting it in a gown and speaking to it as though it were a girl, it would become one.”

— The Stolen Heir

About the Author

Holly Black

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.