The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

In my opinion, this is the weakest of the Elfhame novels.

That said, it’s still a Holly Black book through and through, and I loved diving back into the enchanting world of Elfhame.

My main struggle was connecting with Oak in the same way I connected with Wren—or even Jude and Cardan. With the POV shifting from Wren in The Stolen Heir to Oak in this one, it was harder for me to stay fully invested in the story.

That being said, I did enjoy exploring Oak’s character as an adult. Getting a deeper look at his powers and perspectives was fascinating, but I couldn’t help but feel the duology would have been stronger if Wren had remained the primary POV.

It was a nice, lighter YA palate cleanser after my recent spice-heavy reads. But within the Elfhame universe, I think The Cruel Prince trilogy remains unmatched. This duology feels more like a pleasant side story—a chance to revisit familiar characters in a different light—than an essential addition.

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