The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3)

Book Title: The book title is absolutely appropriate to the story. Book Cover: The cover is symbolic and understood when you read the story. My review: After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. But when her twin sister shows up and asks for help to cover up a murder, the opportunity is too irresistible to pass for it is a chance to meet Cardan and seek revenge and answers for betrayal. Only there's an evil lurking and ready to strike with one wrong move to dethrone Cardan as the king of Elfhame. When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world. The end of this trilogy blew me off my game. After the way book two was concluded, I had mixed feelings towards Cardan. But this book made me absolutely fall in love with him. Jude was my hero for book 2 but book 3 for me goes to Cardan! He manifested himself to be a cruel and carless ruler but all the while he was dec+++ful and a clever king! I loved how during his was so formidable and always scheming ways to save Jude. Jude was always a force to be reckoned with and I was pretty impressed that even through the tough exterior she managed to show her vulnerability and lower her guards down for Cardan. I also enjoyed the fight she had with Grima Mog. Grima Mog is another character who I admired. She was positively wicked and loyal! Also, Madoc served as a formidable opponent and I really respect that! The end of the series is so perfectly executed that I definitely need to applaud the author! This series is plotted so cleverly and it's wicked, delicious and will give you all the feels! I breezed through book 3 and I loved how fast paced it was. If epic battle scenes, w++ strategies, spying, flirting while strategizing your next move in a war room, amazing costume, love-h++e back and forth is your thing -pick this series pronto! Final Verdict Title: 4/5 Cover: 5/5 Plot:5/5 Characters:5/5 Language and Vocabulary: 4.5/5 Final overall rating: 5 /5

Exactly as described. Thrilled to get a hardcover version for the price of a paperback!

Gerçekten verdiğim parayı hak ediyor. Orijinal yurt dışı baskısı ve boyutları bizim ciltli kitaplardan oldukça büyük. Bu sebeple okumak çok zevkli. İçindeki resimlerden bahsetmiyorum bile. Bizde yapılan kötü çeviriyi zevk almadan okumaktansa orijinalini okumak çok daha zevkli olacaktır.

The Queen of Nothing and there's 'nothing' much to criticise!!! “To new beginnings and scheming great schemes”. I too, can toast to this outcome!!! And this my friends concludes a superb trilogy of ‘The Folk of the Air’ series. A 5 star trilogy that has brought just about everything to this dark fairy tale; conspiracies, power struggles, broken relationships, love, greed, treachery, violence, brinkmanship, and at times ‘snarkism’ and a heavy dose of the fantastical, all of which just heightens the appeal. The will they?, won’t they? continues in this series but with a huge twist from the outset when the High King Cardan exiles Jude, the pronounced Queen of Faerie. Unmoored and now in the land of mortals with ‘Nothing’ but damaged pride, a poor sense of worth and a bruised heart that Jude tries to hide. Jude tries to start a new life without all the drama and intrigue she was clearly built for. This is when Jude must test her judgement, heart and sense of loyalty between her step father and her High King, that she conned into coming to the throne and then married for convenience. The characterisation is superb. I loved all these characters. Cardan the High King, who was the cruel prince in the first book has a unique gravitational force that pulls everyone towards him. His wit and snarky comments just make for amusing reading. Jude, rough, tough, and fearless is a woman who treats court politics as some kind of extreme sport. However, it is her determination and loyalty that won me over. A terrific character, who claims to be "like a constellation of wounds, held together with string and stubbornness.” Even the conniving Madoc, is a deliciously evil character. It was intriguing watching him close down the routes people could take, ‘pruning the variables’ and reducing everyone’s ability to surprise him so that it was his plan, not theirs that was most likely to succeed. A reader with ‘Nothing’ to complain about, except the use of the bridle in one of the plots and one of two of the minor sub plots did not tie up completely in the end. However, if you love Fantasy then treat yourself to this superbly well written and immersive book which completes this trilogy. Magical, absorbing, tormenting, and compulsive – what more could you ask for!!! Nothing !!!!

“And I think you crave a little violence yourself.” It was amazing to see Jude fighting Grima Mog! First because I wasn’t sure what Jude would be doing in the mortal world and was glad to see her in action. Second, Jude Duarte is a badass and everything she does is just great. For a second, before she went to Grima Mog’s place I thought Jude would try to convince the redcap to eat Cardan or something (she was so pissed that if I were her this would sound like a good idea). I really like Grima Mog and I think she is a great add to the story. I still hate Taryn, the only good thing with her coming to ask Jude for help is that this was a great excuse for Jude to go home, because the girl betrayed her sister and never did a single thing to help Jude feel better about being exiled or whatever. Taryn Duarte is just not my favorite character. “I hate how much I want another bite at the everaple, another chance at power, another shot at him. Maybe there’s a way around my exile, too, if only I can find it.” I was so sad to see Jude trapped out of Elfhame, her exile broke my heart, and I even thought if it was just a trick and Cardan wasn’t serious, but I gave up along with Duarte. When she finally found out that she could have returned any time, because she is the QUEEN I thought Cardan was going to get stabbed. He was clever and Jude was so chocked that didn’t notice the details. When Jude pretended to be Taryn I was surprised to know how quickly Cardan discovered it was her, it proved me how much he truly knows her, much better than her own family. Lady Asha is just terrible and if she hadn’t stopped the letters Jude would have gone home and a lot of stress would have been avoided, but the woman made clear she didn’t want Jude there and anyway, I never liked her. “I am the Queen of Elfhame. Even though I am queen in exile, I am still the queen. And that means Madoc isn’t just trying to take Cardan’s throne. He’s trying to take mine.’ When I thought Jude and Cardan were finally going to talk and make everything clear between them, Madoc literally exploded my expectations. The fact that Jude had to keep pretending she was Taryn and took Madoc ages to realize it is just at the very least funny. If it wasn’t for Jude’s gaze on the map of the isles of Elfhame he probably wouldn’t have noticed it wasn’t his loyal Taryn. When I was reading The Cruel Prince I started liking Madoc, even with his flaws, but after a while I wasn’t so sure about how I felt. Madoc raised Jude, like she said she is what he made her, I know how Madoc values power but I don’t know. He almost killed Jude and that I cannot and will not forgive. He was never satisfied, like?? You are the redcap, general of the High King’s army, you have enough power. After what happened in The Wicked King with the Ghost I was surprised and angry, but when I found out he was being controlled it all made sense and I am glad he’s back at the Court of Shadows. When the Roach and Cardan went on a mission to save Jude I laughed so hard realizing Jude hit Cardan (sorry love, you kind of deserved it). Very funny to imagine Cardan in the mortal world talking to Vivi. When the Roach got poisoned I was worried, truly happy that Jude was able to save him (so proud of my queen). “If the High Queen of Elfhame gives us an order, we do it.” I mentioned that I like Grima Mog and must say it again, I really like her and totally agree with her words, if Hugh Queen Jude gives me an order I will just do it. Seeing the land help her was just breathtaking! “When his blood falls, things grow.” And it applies to Jude as well, the flowers… I couldn’t stop reading! “She is my wife,” Cardan says, his voice carrying over the crowd. “The rightful High Queen of Elfhame. And most definitely not in exile.” Fist I was terrified Jude fell and then that. I was scared and happy everyone would finally start treating my queen the way she deserves. “You never break” I must say, this man would die if anything ever happened to Jude. ”To you, I offer honey wine and the hospitality of my table. But to traitors and oath breakers I offer my queen’s hospitality instead. The hospitality of knives.” This speech, I need to mention this at any opportunity because to me it shows a little of who they are. “By you, I am forever undone.” “My sweet nemesis, how glad I am that you returned.” The Folk of the Air isn’t focused on romance and I believe that is what makes the romance so good. I could enjoy a bloodthirsty story of games and power and even have real relationship development. I love that. “It’s you I love,” he says. “I spent much of my life guarding my heart. I guarded it so well that I could behave as though I didn’t have one at all. But even now, it is a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it is yours.” Seeing Cardan through the 3 books I was surprised to read a confession like this one, it was so sincere and shows a lot of who he is. Character development is what I call this. It is amazing how things can go wrong so quickly, I was extremely happy Cardan and Jude had finally talked and were going to figure things out together, but then the curse came to make me feel like a clown… “The king is tied to the land,” says Baphen. “Cursing the king means cursing the land itself.” Cardan had made a decision I could never have dreamed he would, he destroyed the crown, but that destroyed him. Jude had to fight with herself, I believe she felt terrible, she finally was getting all she wanted and that happened. But seeing how Jude managed to keep herself alive and in charge was really interesting, even in unfortunate circumstances. “I do love you,” I whisper “I will always love you.” A moment later the serpent’s head was on the floor and I can’t imagine how Jude felt, she did what she had to but for a moment it was over, she had killed him and was going to spend a long time fighting to keep the power she acquired. “I don’t know what to apologize for first,” I say. “Cutting off your head or hesitating so long to do it. I didn’t want to lose what little there was left of you. And I can’t quite think past how wonderous it is that you’re alive.” “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear those words,” he says.”You don’t want me dead.” I laughed so hard reading this, Jude was trying to tell him how she felt about what happened and Cardan was being Cardan. Madoc got what he deserved and I enjoyed seeing that Jude was the one to exile him, he deserved what he got and never holding a weapon again is the worst punishment he could get. Jude and Cardan’s coronation was beautiful and they are the perfect people to rule Elfhame. It was also very funny to see how Cardan would behave in the mortal world. The Folk of The Air series will always have a special place in my heart, these books made me feel so many emotions and travel to an amazing world. Thank you Holly Black for creating such real and amazing characters that made my days brighter. “To family and Faireland and pizza and stories and new beginnings and scheming great schemes.”