Look, if you’ve spent any time on BookTok or scrolled through fantasy romance hashtags, you’ve seen the fan art. You’ve seen the knife-to-throat aesthetic. But figuring out the cruel prince series book order is actually a bit of a headache because Holly Black didn’t just write a trilogy and walk away. She built an entire ecosystem of faerie politics, backstabbing, and surprisingly small novellas that most people skip—even though they shouldn't.
Most readers think they can just pick up The Cruel Prince and stop after three books. You could. But you’d be missing out on why Cardan is actually a disaster and why Taryn, as much as we love to hate her, did what she did. Elfhame is a messy place. The reading order should reflect that messiness.
The Core Folk of the Air Trilogy
This is the meat of the story. If you're here for Jude Duarte being a human disaster in a world of immortal jerks, this is your starting line.
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1. The Cruel Prince (2018)
Jude is seven when her parents are murdered. She’s spirited away to the High Court of Faerie by the man who killed them. Fun, right? Ten years later, she’s a mortal girl trying to prove she belongs in a place that wants her dead. This is where you meet Prince Cardan. He’s mean. She’s meaner. It works.
2. The Wicked King (2019)
The stakes get stupidly high here. Without giving too much away, Jude is now the power behind the throne. She has to keep Cardan in check while navigating a literal sea of enemies. This is usually the book that cements people’s obsession with the series. The tension? Incredible. The betrayal? Iconic.
3. The Queen of Nothing (2019)
The "finale" of the main trilogy. Jude is in exile in the mortal world, which is basically her worst nightmare. But then she has to go back to Elfhame to save her sister. This book moves fast. Like, really fast. It wraps up the Jude/Cardan arc, but it leaves enough threads hanging that you’ll immediately want more.
The Novellas and "Hidden" Stories
Honestly, this is where the order gets tricky. You’ve got digital-only releases and illustrated hardcovers that feel like they should be optional but actually change how you see the characters.
The Lost Sisters (Book 1.5)
Read this right after The Cruel Prince. It’s a novella from the perspective of Jude’s twin, Taryn. It’s basically a long letter explaining why she betrayed Jude for Locke. Is she still annoying? Yeah, kinda. But it adds a layer of "oh, I see why you’re like this" that the main books lack.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (Book 3.5)
Save this for after The Queen of Nothing. It’s a beautiful, illustrated collection of short stories from Cardan’s point of view. It jumps around in time—showing him as a neglected child, then during the main events of the trilogy, and finally a bit after the end of book three. It’s essential if you want to understand why Cardan is... well, Cardan.
The Letters from Cardan to Jude
These aren't a book, but they are canon. They were originally exclusive to the Barnes & Noble edition of The Queen of Nothing. You can find them online now. Read them after the trilogy. They are heartbreaking and hilarious in that specific "Cardan is a dramatic idiot" way.
The Next Generation: The Stolen Heir Duology
You thought you were done? Nope. Holly Black came back to Elfhame for a sequel duology. It takes place about eight years after the main trilogy ends.
- The Stolen Heir (2023) – This follows Prince Oak (Jude’s younger brother) and a girl named Suren (Wren) from the Court of Teeth. It’s darker and feels a bit more "wild faerie" than the courtly intrigue of the first books.
- The Prisoner’s Throne (2024) – The conclusion to Oak and Wren’s story. It’s heavy on the romance and the consequences of the original trilogy’s politics.
The "Secret" Prequels: Modern Faerie Tales
Here is the thing no one tells you: The Cruel Prince isn't the first time Holly Black wrote about this version of Faerie. Back in the early 2000s, she wrote the Modern Faerie Tales trilogy.
- Tithe (2002)
- Valiant (2005)
- Ironside (2007)
Characters from these books, like Kaye and Roiben, show up as major political players in The Cruel Prince. You don't have to read these first, but if you do, you’ll get a massive hit of "I know them!" when they appear in Jude’s story. If you’re a completionist, read these first. If you just want the Jude/Cardan drama, you can save them for later.
The Absolute Best Way to Read Everything
If I were handing these books to a friend today, this is the exact path I'd tell them to take. It balances the narrative flow with the world-building "Easter eggs."
- The Cruel Prince (Book 1)
- The Lost Sisters (Novella 1.5)
- The Wicked King (Book 2)
- The Queen of Nothing (Book 3)
- The Letters from Cardan (Found in special editions or online)
- How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (Illustrated novella)
- The Darkest Part of the Forest (This is a standalone set in the same world; read it here for a palate cleanser)
- The Stolen Heir (The new duology, Part 1)
- The Prisoner’s Throne (The new duology, Part 2)
The Reality of the "Cruel Prince" Experience
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People love these books because they don't treat faeries like sparkly Tinkerbells. They are dangerous, they can't lie, but they can sure as hell twist the truth. If you read them out of order, you lose the slow burn of Jude’s transformation from a terrified kid to a ruthless queen.
Don't skip the novellas. I know, usually "companion stories" are fluff. Here, they actually fill in the gaps of the political schemes. If you skip The Lost Sisters, Taryn just seems like a random traitor. If you skip Cardan’s book, he stays a bit of a mystery.
What to do now?
Start with the main trilogy, but keep a copy of The Lost Sisters ready on your e-reader for as soon as you finish the first book. You'll want the context immediately before diving into The Wicked King. Once you finish the original three, decide if you're "Team Elfhame" enough to go back and read Holly Black's older stuff like Tithe—it makes the cameos in the later books way more satisfying.