Holly BlackFantasy · Fiction·b. 1971
The Stolen Heir
Synopsis
Eight years after the Battle of the Serpent, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel in the icy north, forging monstrous soldiers from stick and snow.
Her daughter Suren, the Court's child queen, escaped into the human world and lives half-feral in the woods, freeing mortals from foolish bargains and hiding from the horrors of her past. When the storm hag Bogdana comes hunting her, Suren is saved by Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame and the boy she was once promised to marry.
Oak needs her help on a dangerous mission into the north, and Suren must decide whether to trust the prince she has resented for years, in Holly Black's return to the world of The Folk of the Air.
How it reads
Prose complexity 4/10
Content warnings (8)
ViolenceGraphic ViolenceGoreTortureAbuseKidnappingTraumaSelf Harm
- Came for the Judran crumbs, stayed for a ice queen. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black 4.5/5 Stars This was a long awaited spin off for me. I LOVE the Folk of Air series will all my heart and I knew that I would probably love Oak just as much. I was honestly a bit surprised when I realized that this was actually told from Suren/Wren's POV, but I loved it. Suren is the queen of the former Court of Teeth and once upon a time, Oak's betrothed. When her mother, Lady Nore starts causing some noise in the North, Oak seeks Wren out to help stop her. Oh Oak, and your goat legs, I love you so much. No longer the cute little prince from the first part of the series. We are now introduced to older Oak, who knows how to play people almost as well as Jude can. It was so interesting to see his change and growth over the last 8 years. I feel like you can definitely tell his qualities are a great mix of Jude, Madoc and Cardan. Suren, my sweet queen, I cannot wait for you in book two. She really grows into her character throughout the book. And the plot twist at the end? My jaw is on the floor. Book two cannot get here fast enough.
- I’m not gonna say I’m disappointed but I feel like something is missing.<br><br>Holly Back is an amazing writer, Elfhame keeps getting bigger and you’re immediately transported into the right atmosphere. However this is something expected, since there’s a trilogy behind this new duology. I tried my best to start this without comparing it to the previous story but the book itself relies too much on The Folk of the Air not to do so.<br><br>I liked how the past events are mentioned and are somehow part of the new lore in this world, and of course reading about previous characters like Jude and Cardan (I need to meet the older versions of them), but even the small mentions of The Court of Shadows or Taryn made me very happy