Name: Meghann Harmon's review of The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
Item: The Queen of Nothing
Rating: 4
Author: Meghann Harmon

Holly Black

The intoxicating and bloodthirsty finale to the New York Times bestselling The Cruel Prince, nominated for the CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019, and New York Times bestseller The Wicked King After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watching reality television, and doing odd jobs, including squaring up to a cannibalistic faerie. When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking a favour, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal. When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

The Folk of the Air #3

The Queen of Nothing

A powerful curse forces the exiled Queen of Faerie to choose between ambition and humanity in this highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author. He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her twin sister, Taryn, whose life is in peril. Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict's bloody politics. And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity . . .

kaii

“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. Even now, it is a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it is yours.” He walks to the door to the royal chambers, as though to end the conversation. “You probably guessed as much,” he says. “But just in case you didn’t.”

Taylor Grace

Edna Aviles

"She is my wife, Cardan says, his voice carrying over the crowd. "The rightful High Queen of Elfhame. And most definitely not in exile." 

Louise D'haens

And when he kisses me, I feel as though I can finally breathe again.

"I missed you," I whisper against his skin and feel dizzy with the intimacy of the admission, feel more naked than when he could see every inch of me. "In the mortal world, when I thought you were my enemy, I still missed you." "My sweet nemesis, how glad I am that you returned."

Paige Leitner

"'Mock me all you like. Whatever I imagined then, now it is I who would beg and grovel for a kind word from your lips.' His eyes are black with desire. 'By you, I am forever undone.'"

"Cardan gazes at a rosebush with petals so black and glossy they look like patent leather. 'It was terrifying,' he says, 'watching you fall. I mean, you're generally terrifying, but I am unused to fearing for you. And then I was furious. I am not sure I have ever been that angry before.' 

'Not you,' he says in a way that sounds a little like a lament. 'You never break.' 

Which is ridiculous, as hurt as I am. I feel like a constellation of wounds, held together with a string and stubbornness. Still, I like hearing it. I like everything he's saying all too well. 

'When I came here, pretending to be Taryn, you said you'd sent me messages,' I say. 'You seemed surprised I hadn't gotten any. What was in them?' 

Cardan turns to me, hands clasped behind his back. 'Pleading, mostly. Beseeching you to come back. Several indiscreet promises.' He's wearing that mocking smile, the one he says comes from nervousness. 

I close my eyes against frustration great enough to make me scream. 'Stop playing games,' I say. 'You sent me into exile.'" 

"'I knew you liked her,' says Locke. 'That's why I had to have her first. Do you remember the party in my maze garden? How I kissed her while you watched?' 

'I recall that your hands were on her, but her eyes were on me,' Cardan returns."

Kaitlyn

I raise a plastic glass. "To family." “And Faerieland," says Taryn, raising hers. "And pizza,” says Oak. "And stories,” says Heather. "And new beginnings," says Vivi. Cardan smiles, his gaze on me. "And scheming great schemes." To family and Faerieland and pizza and stories and new beginnings and scheming great schemes. I can toast to that.

🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹💔💔💔💔💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

"I knew little else, but I always knew you." And when he kisses me, I feel as though I can finally breathe again.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words," he says. "You don't want me dead." "If you joke about this, I am going to-“ "Kill me?" he asks, raising both black brows. I think I might hate him after all.

He's every bit as terrifying as any serpent. l don't care. I run into his arms.

OKKKKKKKKK IM OKKKKK I AM SO OK NOW WE ARE SOOOOOO BACK

And then, through that, Cardan steps out. Cardan, naked and cov- ered in blood. Alive.

PAUSE. THIS IS A JOKE. IT MUST BE. WHAT THE FUCK

In one movement, I swing Heartsworn in a shining arc at the serpent's head. The blade falls, cutting through scales, through Aesh and bone. Then the serpent's head is at my feet, golden eyes dulling.

“Well, even if the serpent bites off your head," says Tatterfell, "the rest of you will still look good." "That's the spirit," I tell her.

WHAT THE FUCKKKKKK I FORGOT ABOUT THE CURSE

On the throne, the remaining flowers turn the same inky black as Cardan’s eyes. Then the black bleeds down his face. He turns to me, opening his mouth, but his jaw is changing. His whole body is changing-elongating and ululating. And I recall abruptly that Grimsen has cursed everything he has When she came to me to forge the Blood Crown, she entrusted me with I want my work to endure just as Queen Mab wanted her line to ever made. a great honor. And I cursed it to protect it for all time. endure.

And with his bare hands, he cracks the Blood Crown in two.

HSIABDAIDJWJFJSKDJ JUDEEEEE no but he deserves it YOU CAN’T JUST CONFES SYOUR LOVE AND LEAVE WITHOUT HEARING WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY??/&:!-&:!2&:!2;&/$;&

"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 didnt have one at all. Even now, it is a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it is yours." He walks to the door to the royal chambers, as though to end the conversation. "You probably guessed as much," he says. "But just in case you didnt." He opens the door to prevent me from responding. Abruptly, we are no longer alone. Fand and the rest of our guard stand ready in the hall. I can't believe he said that and then just walked out, leaving me reeling. I am going to strangle him.

"My sweet nemesis, how glad I am that you returned."

I wish I could add photos. I would post that little creature that’s ugly crying and screeching on all fours because that’s me currently.

On my knees, it is a small thing to lie back on the cold stone. I reach up my hands, like a supplicant. "You may do with me whatever you like," I say. "Please oh please. All I want is you." He sucks in a breath and gets down so we’re both on the floor and he's on his hands and knees, making a cage of his body. He presses his mouth to the pulse point of my wrist, racing in time with my heart. "Mock me all you like. Whatever I imagined then, now it is I who would beg and grovel for a kind word from your lips." His eyes are black with desire. "By you, I am forever undone."

ISN’T THIS YOUNG ADULT WHY IS THIS SO PROVOCATIVE? I’m not complaining though 😁

I might be inexperienced in love, but I know a lot about provoc tion. I slide to my knees in front of him. "Is this what you imagined Id be like, back in your rooms at Hollow Hall, when you thought of me and hated it? Is this how you pictured my eventual surrender?”

“You looked like a knight in a story tonight," he says softly against my neck. "Possibly a filthy story." I kick him in the leg, and he kisses me again, harder.

Cardan is gazing at my sister as though attempting to puzzle some- thing through. "You know him, don't you?" he asks. She nods, crossing her arms over her chest. "He would visit Locke sometimes. But he didn't have anything to do with Locke's death, if that's what you're thinking." "I wasn't thinking that," Cardan says. "Not at all."

Meghann Harmon

୨ৎ : "to you, i offer honey wine and the hospitality of my table. but to traitors and oath breakers, i offer my queens hospitality instead. the hospitality of knives."

i wish jude got to see carden’s letters because for the first like 60% of the book she truly thought carden didn’t care about her. which made me want to strangle her through the pages. 

the ending was absolutely perfect, she saved him despite believing he would die, and carden knew he’d save her despite everything. i just love them so fucking much and i’m so glad they got their well deserved ending.

*** updated: i forgot how much i missed this world. nothing will ever compare to them. i need this trilogy injected into my veins thats all. *** 

୨ৎ : "to you, i offer honey wine and the hospitality of my table. but to traitors and oath breakers, i offer my queens hospitality instead. the hospitality of knives."

— ☆ 5/5

i wish jude got to see carden’s letters because for the first like 60% of the book she truly thought carden didn’t care about her. which made me want to strangle her through the pages. 
the ending was absolutely perfect, she saved him despite believing he would die, and carden knew he’d save her despite everything. i just love them so fucking much and i’m so glad they got their well deserved ending.

*** updated: i forgot how much i missed this world. nothing will ever compare to them. i need this trilogy injected into my veins thats all. *** 

ngl reading this felt like doing shadow work i am also not a very forgiving person these days

rain

i love how you can never see what direction the plot is going. like cardan getting absorbed into a snake? that was sick. i love how there wasnt an instant fix between cardan & jude, it felt realistic and the way it wrapped up was great :-)

I am attached to this trilogy so much that when I finished this book I felt sad. Holly Black will be one of my favorite authors for fantasy.

ovgun

if he doesn't have a tail i don't want him

Jordan Chan 

Cut straight to the point, thankfully, as that was an issue i had with the other two books. Anyway, heather, they can never make me hate you. I liked the addition she had to this novel and the greater reach of how the mortal world intertwines with the faerie world. Jude  completely going through ego death, and yk what, still getting her work doneee. 

I liked how this book emphasized the difference taryn and jude were treated not only by madoc and oriana (good) but by the rest of the world (at least worse than jude was when she had real power) I think it really kicks in that reminder on why jude wanted power in the first place and why taryn acts so coddled. Because while jude has obviously aged mentally between the events of book 1 and 2 because of the swift change of her environment and relationships, taryn has not. She practically stayed the same because she had the same role in the two books.

It also uses Heather to show how vivi isn’t human and how she doesn’t understand how humans think. Jude says how the faeries are very straightforward and how vivi interprets heather’s words and doesn’t argue and just blindly agrees shows that.

also it brought up the concept that jude doesn’t trust herself, even when being crowned queen last book, when she gets banished she doesn’t trust herself as queen and cardan not to betray her so she takes the banishment without considering the loophole.

and cardan, poor guy is getting absolutely obliterated by jude for a misunderstanding (also him keeping the snow globe vivi got him is so cutie).  im sorry for ever doubting your game cardan because the amount of time he repeats jude is his wife or stands up for judes disrespect when he doesn’t really when its himself (in this book, there has been instances in the last books where he def overreacted or smth but im just speaking abt this book here)and they upped his sarcasm game and i love it.

chapters 13-15 were amazing, i lovee battle scenes that have so much more embedded into them. I am a sucker for character dynamics. I felt like this was a reunion and ever other line i was grinning ear to ear at what was unfolding in-front of me while also being very sad over some of the decisions made.

I also like how we see the characters grow into their positions. We really see jude become more sure of herself and simultaneously become a bit more ruthless. She lets her mortality that everybody sees as a weakness as a strength. And it’s really nice to see as a kind of closer to the series. Cardan also seems to grow, while jude becomes unapologetic like he was (but also not for no reason  of course) cardan in this book seems a lot more diplomatic, and it’s really nice to see. 

The ending of this book is so satisfying too. My only “issue” is that i wish it was a little longer, but really i dont want that too much either. And the epilogue is so sweet, who would i be to complain.

side note: i would love a novella of jude being absolutely insane in the mortal world.

melanie

Cut straight to the point, thankfully, as that was an issue i had with the other two books. Anyway, heather, they can never make me hate you. I liked the addition she had to this novel and the greater reach of how the mortal world intertwines with the faerie world. Jude  completely going through ego death, and yk what, still getting her work doneee. 

I liked how this book emphasized the difference taryn and jude were treated not only by madoc and oriana (good) but by the rest of the world (at least worse than jude was when she had real power) I think it really kicks in that reminder on why jude wanted power in the first place and why taryn acts so coddled. Because while jude has obviously aged mentally between the events of book 1 and 2 because of the swift change of her environment and relationships, taryn has not. She practically stayed the same because she had the same role in the two books.

It also uses Heather to show how vivi isn’t human and how she doesn’t understand how humans think. Jude says how the faeries are very straightforward and how vivi interprets heather’s words and doesn’t argue and just blindly agrees shows that.

also it brought up the concept that jude doesn’t trust herself, even when being crowned queen last book, when she gets banished she doesn’t trust herself as queen and cardan not to betray her so she takes the banishment without considering the loophole.

and cardan, poor guy is getting absolutely obliterated by jude for a misunderstanding (also him keeping the snow globe vivi got him is so cutie).  im sorry for ever doubting your game cardan because the amount of time he repeats jude is his wife or stands up for judes disrespect when he doesn’t really when its himself (in this book, there has been instances in the last books where he def overreacted or smth but im just speaking abt this book here)and they upped his sarcasm game and i love it.

chapters 13-15 were amazing, i lovee battle scenes that have so much more embedded into them. I am a sucker for character dynamics. I felt like this was a reunion and ever other line i was grinning ear to ear at what was unfolding in-front of me while also being very sad over some of the decisions made.

I also like how we see the characters grow into their positions. We really see jude become more sure of herself and simultaneously become a bit more ruthless. She lets her mortality that everybody sees as a weakness as a strength. And it’s really nice to see as a kind of closer to the series. Cardan also seems to grow, while jude becomes unapologetic like he was (but also not for no reason  of course) cardan in this book seems a lot more diplomatic, and it’s really nice to see. 

The ending of this book is so satisfying too. My only “issue” is that i wish it was a little longer, but really i dont want that too much either. And the epilogue is so sweet, who would i be to complain.

side note: i would love a novella of jude being absolutely insane in the mortal world.

Lucy Williams

cute! liked the ending 

good fairytale like trilogy 

i loved it :) happily ever afters are my weakness 

officially my favorite fantasy series, hands down

ganda no notes, the story, the drama the yearning, i ate it all up finished din within a day. 12pm na ako nakatulog kanina

mirko

The best book in the series so good I I love the story the plot so much it’s the most amazing thing ever

The ending was pretty rushed and weak, but I still enjoyed it and still had a lot of fun with this series. 

i thought some parts of this book were a little anticlimactic but regardless i really enjoyed the ending and i’m gonna miss the characters

micki

Guys dont judge me but I read this in a day… I would have given this one a 4.5, but the ending really threw me off. The beginning was a total page turner as I tried to recuperate from the cliffhanger of The Wicked King. I really loved the passion that began to flare from all directions in this book. The internal fight between loyalty, family, honour, and love were amazing and now I will not be sated until I find another story that can compete.

Anna

Honestly for the last book of a series featuring a truly badass fmc, I don't ask for much. I think this book's pacing was interesting compared to the two that came before. I vibed. 

Overall good but some things stay unanswered, i also feel like the 2nd part of the prophecy was so obvious with Cardan and the serpent and im surprised Jude didnt figure it out sooner.

Gracie

a full book abt cardan and jude being whipped for each other 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

rara

Just finished it- and my god- this was sooo good and my favorite of the whole series.

romy

Wow!! This was SUCH a good ending to this series. No loose ends or anything that needs tied up. 

Cardan and Jude, I'm obsessed. They balanced each other so well and equally matched each other in so many ways. 

The series is YA, so it's easy to read and easy to follow. There are stronger political themes within it, though, which I really enjoyed. 

Wow!! This was SUCH a good ending to this series. No loose ends or anything that needs tied up. 

Cardan and Jude, I'm obsessed. They balanced each other so well and equally matched each other in so many ways. 

The series is YA, so it's easy to read and easy to follow. There are stronger political themes within it, though, which I really enjoyed. 

Królowa niczego

Maja

Jestem zakochana w tej serii. Ta część okazała się najlepszą ze wszystkich. Cardan i Jude, tak bardzo was uwielbiam i już za wami tęsknię

Holly Black’s writing is phenomenal, such a beautiful tying of threads. From the folklore to the devastating portrayal of love, in all its tortuous forms, this book will for forever be close to my heart. I don’t remember the last time a books ending made me cry so hard, but BOY did this one - partially because I didn’t want it to be over, but also because th ending was so beautiful and everything I wanted it to be. Will be rereading this series for years to come.

Caitlin

WOOP WOOP!!! FINISHED A SERIES IN SO LONG!!!! I actually really liked this book and this series. Liked the character development and romance. I actually was really happy the romance was not the major part of the story. Loved the plot but would have liked if everything was not very convenient.

Chourouk

** spoiler alert **
           Well i FINALLY ended the trilogy and i am happy that i am done with it. Although i LOVED all of the books and everything.. sometimes it was a slump. 

ANYWAYS i loved the book and i especially loved the part where jude and cardan FINALLYLYLY confess their undying love for each other uhhh 😔

I love how the character development is very clear in all the 3 books and how clear it is what they represent and every thing. 

So the whole series? 5 stars periodt.

Meghann Harmon &
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

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Meghann Harmon &The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

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Meghann Harmon &
The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black