The Queen of Nothing is the third and final book in the Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black, concluding the story of Jude Duarte’s journey in the Faerie realm.
The Queen of Nothing Book Review
In this book, Jude faces the aftermath of the events in The Wicked King as she navigates the consequences of her actions and strives to reclaim her place in Faerie. The plot is filled with twists and turns, as well as high stakes and emotional moments that keep the reader engaged from start to finish.
It continues to be a nice read after the first two books, starting with The Cruel Prince. I enjoyed reading here as well.
Because I think I had a bad experience with a Fae story once since I tend to avoid them at some point. I had to push myself a bit to start reading the series in the first place and also to continue. But it didn’t turn out to be a bad experience for me, which is good here.
With Jude’s growth and transformation as a protagonist reaching its peak, her relationships with other characters, including Cardan, Nicasia, and her sisters, are further explored and resolved in satisfying ways. The sisters must work together when Taryn asks for Jude’s help; through the story, they grow closer together. For me, the relationship between her and Ocasia came a bit short, but I enjoyed the fight between father and daughter.
Holly Black’s signature with a lush and dark tone brings the Faerie realm to life. The world-building is expanded upon, revealing new aspects of Faerie and its denizens and delving deeper into its politics, magic, and history.
The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of action, intrigue, and romance that keeps the story engaging. The book resolves many of the conflicts and plot threads from the previous books, providing a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
It feels like the curse got added as another thing for Jude to do, putting an extra layer of drama here. I don’t know what to think of it besides that.
And the end of the book seemed to be not quite that. I admit to missing the character as I finished the books.
The themes of family, loyalty, sacrifice, and the pursuit of power are further explored in this book as Jude faces difficult choices and consequences for her actions. The story also delves into the complexities of morality and the blurred lines between right and wrong, adding depth and nuance to the overall narrative.
The siblings had a nice bond, even tho they got into fights. Ultimately, they helped each other, which is the most important thing.
Final Thoughts
“The Queen of Nothing” is a fitting and satisfying conclusion to the “Folk of the Air” trilogy. It was thrilling ’til the end, I enjoyed it, and – admittingly – I might be somewhat sad that it’s over.
One thing I didn’t quite get an answer to was about the curse Jude got put on after a certain event happened. I kept that one in mind and sought something to happen there. She remembered it, but I didn’t see it, or nothing happened.
Also, I already read many stories about a girl from the lowest (or at least some lower class in society) who reaches – for whatever reason – the top class and lands in a palace with a king or prince. And it tends to play a lot in that one place, which gets quite annoying after some time. Tho, it was quite okay here.
For me, The Folk Of The Air trilogy was a somewhat okay-ish book seriesānothing too spectacular, but definitely to enjoy.
I can recommend it for fantasy fans, but I also have to say, if you want it spicy, this trilogy is not for you.
Original Fanart by GabrielleRagusi
Have you read the The Folk Of The Air trilogy and finished it with The Queen of Nothing? What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments below!
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
2 comments
It seems interesting š¬
Ohh it was such a fun read! If you enjoy stories about Fae, you might like it!