The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

 

Yesterday evening, I finished reading The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black. The conclusion to The Stolen Heir duology, this fantasy novel begins shortly after Wren locks up Prince Oak in the prisons of the Ice Needle Citadel for his betrayal. While Oak still loves Wren and wants to find a way for her to trust him again, he also knows that High King Cardan and High Queen Jude will do anything to bring him home to Elfhame. After Wren releases him from the prisons, he uses the opportunity to become engaged to her, so he has a reason to go back to Elfhame without any blood being shed. Aware of a greater conspiracy and the lingering possibility of war, Oak must decide if he can trust Wren or if he should remain loyal to Elfhame, even if it means ending Wren.

I was so excited to read this sequel and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I really liked how this book was from Oak's perspective after The Stolen Heir was from Wren's because I was curious about what he was thinking after everything that happened and it filled in the blanks. While I wanted to be right about the thoughts I had after reading the first book, because the story is told through Oak this time, I wasn't completely sure of Wren's loyalty, especially when it seemed like she was working with her biological mother, Bogdana, to take the throne of Elfhame. I didn't want Wren to be one of the villains, though, and I had hope that she and Oak would work things out. This book was filled with suspense and plot twists and it kept me guessing as to how it would end. I was definitely anxious that either Wren, Oak, or another beloved character would die and that feeling wasn't exactly misplaced, but the ending was beautiful and made the pain worth it. It also made me happy that the author left a loose end for another book taking place in Faerie. I read the Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition, so there was an interview with Holly Black at the end of the book, which I thought was super interesting because she discussed her inspiration for writing the duology. Anyone who enjoyed The Stolen Heir should read The Prisoner's Throne.