Say Yes to the Dress: The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
But alas! Hope (or lack thereof) comes in the form of Taryn.
Well, here it is. The conclusion to The Folk of the Air trilogy.
This book didn't blow me away, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I've heard snippets of spoilers all across the internet in the months between the book's release and now. I wasn't particularly surprised by anything except the ending. I felt it was uncharacteristically messy for Black, and it was the only part of the novel that left me unsatisfied.
But I still really enjoyed this book. I felt that it was a fitting send-off for Jude, Cardan, and most everyone else. As always, Black's writing is meticulous and flawless, and her ability to humanize her characters remains unparalleled. Even if people scorn the book for being "fan service," it is still a lighthearted read, full of adventure, drama, and grit.
The first three chapters were thrilling. I remember reading the Epic Reads sample way ahead of the book's release, and nearly falling off my chair with excitement.
I thought that the decision to include Cardan's childhood as the prologue instead of Jude's childhood (as Black did for the first two novels) was the right choice. I was immediately hooked. For so long, Cardan has been the mysterious prince whose decisions the Jude (and the reader) could not rationalize. Now, we have the chance to see what exactly made him the way he is at the start of the series.
She couldn’t attend balls with an infant in tow, so she found a cat whose kittens were stillborn to act as his wet nurse. That arrangement lasted until Prince Cardan was able to crawl. By then, the cat was heavy with a new litter and he’d begun to pull at her tail. She fled to the stables, abandoning him, too.
Cardan's prologue gives the most powerful testament to the cruelty of the Faerie. His own mother was not willing to take care of him. Nor was the cat who fed him. I felt this passage pulling at me when I read it; never before did I feel such sympathy for Cardan. It is precisely this sympathy that hints to the reader that the story is no longer just Jude's—it is Cardan's as well, inextricably tied to her.
Shifting perspectives to Jude—I think it's downright hilarious and sad that she keeps working for the faeries even though she's been exiled to the mortal world. There is a strong parallel between Jude and Vivi that's existed since book one, and it's only become stronger since then. Though Vivi has many bad memories in the mortal world—like losing Heather, for example—she refuses to leave it. Jude, on the other hand, cannot imagine existing anywhere else besides Elfhame, and it tugs at her like barbed wire in her heart. The clearest evidence of this is her midnight escapades, fighting beasts to earn money despite the fact that Vivi can easily glamour leaves to act as dollar bills. Jude isn't doing it to earn money; she's doing it to solve her homesickness, her longing for something that she believes can never exist again.
But alas! Hope (or lack thereof) comes in the form of Taryn, sitting like a crumpled-up flower in Vivi's living room. I, for one, was less than pleased to see her. Her betrayal of Jude in the first book I could accept, but her blind loyalty to Madoc in the second book I could not. To me, Taryn was irredeemable. I was waiting for her to betray Jude again. And I didn't believe her story about killing Locke until Jude returned to Faerie and investigated it.
I loved the scene with Jude and Cardan in the palace. Jude desperately trying to convince the king that she is her twin; Cardan having absolutely none of it. And, of course, Madoc swooping in and "saving Taryn." It is classic Holly Black, heart-pounding adventures and twists.
I think the most interesting part of Jude masquerading as Taryn in Madoc's camp was Oriana's attitude towards her. In The Cruel Prince, Oriana was someone to be resentful and wary of. But that was with Jude. With Taryn (or Jude-Taryn, I suppose), Oriana is affectionate and understanding. Jude is not used to it, and neither is the reader. But Oriana is not completely cold to Jude, either. When she discovers Jude's true identity, she agrees not to raise the alarm, which in Faerie is a great gift. Oriana is one of the most multifaceted characters in this series, and I wish we'd gotten to see more of her. It feels as though she has more story to tell.
But my absolute favorite part of this first third of the story was Jude's escape from Madoc's camp. I loved having the Court of Shadows reunited and I loved that Cardan was with them. There's a sweet comparison to be made here: Jude, an acolyte of the Court of Shadows and her husband, also an acolyte.
I cheered when Vivi and Taryn came to aid the rescue effort. After so many books of them being at odds with each other, it was so sweet to see all of the Duarte girls together, a true family at last. Family—and lack thereof—is one of this series' greatest themes. Jude has struggled to understand who she can trust in her family, and at the end of this novel, she knows.
I found the middle portion of the story somewhat lacking. The plot branched off into rivers that I wasn't entirely approving of, and I found myself wondering where Black's voice had gone.
But all throughout the crazy twists and turns is Jude and Cardan, effectively and efficiently leading the story. I was, however, more than a little bored by the reveal that Jude could have pardoned herself. I was expecting a bigger twist, since the "pardoning herself" theory had been floated by multiple readers months ahead of the release. But I still loved Jude and Cardan poking and teasing each other, their interactions brimming with banter.
“Stop you?” I echo. “Sure. If you’re a huge jerk and a threat to Elfhame, I’ll pop your head right off.”
I'm unsure of Nicasia's role in this book. Everything about the Undersea seems awfully tangential, especially considering the fact that the Undersea was the main antagonist in the last book. But in this book, it's as if Jude and the rest of the characters have forgotten about Orlagh and Nicasia and the awful things they did. Nicasia and Orlagh seem to exist solely to provide minor conflict, and I'm not entirely convinced about the necessity of their roles in this book.
Another character I didn't really care about: the Ghost. Was he really necessary in this novel? He never interacted with the main cast aside from Jude during her escape and Taryn at her Faerie residence. I don't see why it was necessary for him to be included in this story. Everything he did felt tangential and too convenient.
I have many, many questions at the end. Why does Lord Jarel's bridle work on Serpent Cardan? Why did Jarel, Madoc, and Jude reach such a quick conclusion on the matter of killing Cardan? I would have chalked it up to Jude scheming under the surface, but her narration makes it clear that she was acquiescing, and nothing more. Why did Cardan reemerge, unharmed, after Jude slayed the snake? Wasn't he part of the snake? Why did Madoc fold so quickly after seeing Cardan reemerge? He could have kept fighting, so why didn't he? The last few chapters of this book are a veritable stew of unanswered questions.
But I enjoyed the epilogue. Jude, Cardan, and their families have been through so much, and to see them peacefully celebrating is a balm to soothe the soul.
