The Wicked King
Holly Black's "The Wicked King" is the second installment in The Folk of the Air series, a young adult fantasy novel that continues the treacherous political landscape of the fae realm, Elfhame. The story follows Jude Duarte, a human girl who has become the power behind the throne, secretly controlling the wicked High King Cardan. As Jude navigates complex court intrigues, shifting alliances, and constant threats to her life and power, she must also contend with her complicated and often volatile relationship with Cardan. The book is celebrated for its intricate world-building, morally grey characters, and intense "enemies to lovers" romance. It explores themes of power, ambition, sacrifice, and belonging, making it a compelling read for older teen and young adult audiences who enjoy dark fantasy with political machinations and strong character development. Given its themes and content, it is best suited for mature young adult readers.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe narrative includes significant violence, betrayals, and threats to life, consistent with its dark fantasy setting. Trigger warnings for the book include murder, death, bullying, abandonment, captivity, abuse, and general violence. The violence is often brutal and integral to the political struggles within the fae courts.
Reviews explicitly mention 'brutal violence' as a key element of the story. Jude's journey involves constant danger and threats to her life, with characters willing to resort to murder for power. The book includes 'murder, death, bullying, abandonment, captivity, abuse, talk of past child abuse, and for violence in general' as trigger warnings. For instance, characters engage in 'lying and backstabbing' as part of the thrilling political machinations.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe book features an intense "enemies to lovers" romance between Jude and Cardan, characterized by significant sexual tension, kissing, and implied intimacy. Reviews describe 'sizzling passions' and 'sexual tension' as prominent. While explicit sexual acts are not graphically detailed, the content moves beyond mild flirtation.
The relationship between Jude and Cardan is noted for its 'best sexual tension in existence,' with reviewers describing it as 'sizzling passions' and capable of causing them to be 'all googly-eyed like a schoolgirl.' Cardan asks Jude to 'Kiss me again,' and 'kiss me until I am sick of it,' indicating passionate encounters. There is also a scene where Jude and Cardan 'get steamy on a couch,' suggesting implied sexual activity without graphic detail.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central to the entire narrative, as the story is set in the magical realm of Faerie. Characters are fae with inherent magical abilities, and humans like Jude navigate this world through cunning, strategy, and sometimes by using magical items or poisons.
The setting of Faerie inherently involves magic, fae creatures, and their supernatural abilities. Jude actively engages in 'schemes' and manipulates situations using her intellect and knowledge of the fae world, which includes working with magical elements. For example, Jude is shown to 'whips up some poisons' for her strategies, indicating a practical engagement with the darker aspects of fae magic.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe world of Faerie is portrayed as inherently cruel and dangerous for mortals, creating a consistently tense and frightening atmosphere. The plot involves constant political intrigue, betrayals, life-threatening situations, and psychological manipulation. Trigger warnings include bullying, captivity, abuse, and discussion of past child abuse.
The story is set in a 'cruel, dangerous beauty of Faerie' where mortals live in 'constant danger.' Jude experiences intense fear and faces numerous threats to her life, including assassination attempts. The book features 'murder, death, bullying, abandonment, captivity, abuse, talk of past child abuse,' and Jude herself experiences nightmares.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighDisrespect and rebellion are central themes, particularly through Jude's character, who constantly defies authority, manipulates powerful fae, and engages in elaborate schemes to maintain her control behind the throne. Cardan also displays rebellious and disrespectful behavior, especially towards Jude despite being bound by her.
Jude is depicted as a 'morally grey protagonist' who 'does horrible things including (but not limited to): scheming, stealing and murdering,' often defying her adoptive father, Madoc, and manipulating Cardan. Cardan, even while bound by Jude, 'does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her.' A quote from Cardan highlights the prevalence of severe reactions to disrespect: 'Someone disrespects you, murder.'
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe book features confirmed LGBTQ+ characters and relationships. Jude's older sister, Vivienne, is openly lesbian and is in a relationship with a human character named Heather. Additionally, it is noted that the former High King, Cardan's father, had an open relationship with a human man, indicating that gay and bisexual identities are present and accepted within the Faerie realm's social norms.
Jude's sister, Vivienne, has a girlfriend named Heather, and their relationship is part of the narrative. Reviews highlight that in the Faerie realm, being gay or bisexual is not seen as out of the ordinary, and Cardan's father, the previous king, openly had a relationship with a human man.
Profanity
MediumProfanity is present in the book, with some reviews describing the YA series as 'mature about things like sex and swearing.' While not necessarily featuring constant harsh language, the inclusion of swearing contributes to its older teen rating.
A reviewer on Reddit noted that while they prefer books that are 'mature about things like sex and swearing,' 'The Cruel Prince' and 'The Wicked King' are 'YA par exellence' in this regard, implying the presence of swearing in the dialogue.
Substance Use
MediumThe book depicts casual alcohol consumption within the Faerie realm, particularly during 'revels' and parties. Cardan, the High King, is shown to be intoxicated, described as 'drunk and foolish' in certain scenes. This suggests mild intoxication rather than problematic addiction or illegal drug use.
Cardan, the High King, is explicitly described as 'drunk and foolish' in a scene where he asks Jude for a kiss. The narrative often mentions 'revels' in the fae courts, implying social gatherings where alcohol is consumed.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowNo explicit anti-Christian themes were identified in the content analysis. The book focuses on a pagan-like fae mythology and does not directly engage with or critique Christian beliefs or symbols.
The narrative is entirely immersed in its own fantasy mythology of Faerie, focusing on ancient fae courts, magic, and traditions. There are no mentions or depictions of Christian religious practices, symbols, or characters that are treated negatively or disrespected. The content is secular in its fantasy setting.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
14+ due to prevalent themes of violence, intense romantic tension, mature relationships (including LGBTQ+ representation), significant political intrigue, and morally ambiguous characters operating in a dangerous, magical world. Content includes murder, abuse, and explicit disregard for human life by fae characters.
Additional Notes
Parents should be aware that the 'enemies to lovers' dynamic between Jude and Cardan can be interpreted as a toxic relationship, where Cardan's abusive past and cruel actions are often romanticized. The political intrigue can be complex, involving significant deception and moral ambiguity from nearly all characters. The series progresses in intensity, and later books may introduce even more mature themes.
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