Damn, it feels like I have read this years ago. It has only been a few months actually, but I definitely had trouble remembering things. To make it worse, I apparently had not taken too many notes during my read. Writing this review was definitely a challenge. Luckily, I write spoiler free reviews, so I can’t discuss too much detail surrounding the plot.
“My greatest weakness has always been my desire for love. It is a yawning chasm within me, and the more that I reach for it, the more easily I am tricked. I am a walking bruise, an open sore. If Oak is masked, I am a face with all the skin ripped off. Over and over, I have told myself that I need to guard against my own yearnings, but that hasn’t worked.”
The Stolen Heir is a the first book in the Stolen Heir duology by Holly Black. This duology takes place in the same universe as the Folk of the Air series and we will see a lot of character we have seen in that series. I always try to write my reviews as spoiler free as possible. Therefore, I won’t be able to discuss some of the most wonderful things that happen in this book. If you do wish to talk to me about these things, feel free to contact me directly on one of my social media accounts. I am most active on Instagram.
The Story
A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.
Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.
“My sister thinks that she’s the only one who can take poison, but I am poison,’ he whispers, eyes half-closed, talking to himself. ‘Poison in my blood. I poison everything I touch.”
Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.
“Perhaps it is Oak who is the fool, who caught a wolf and thought that by putting it in a gown and speaking to it as though it were a girl, it would become one.”
Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.
My Thoughts
As always, I don’t want to say too much about the plot because I am trying to keep these posts spoiler free. I can tell you that her writing in this book is similar to her writing in The Folk of the Air series and not so similar to her writing in Book of Night. Despite having the same world building as in The Folk of the Air, she manages to surprise us with some details about this world that we had not been aware off before. As for the plot itself, it is nothing like the Folk of the Air, but it still has Holly’s signature plot twists, and this book has such an amazing cliff hanger at the end. Just wow!
It makes me kind of sad how Wren thinks of herself as a monster. As far as I can tell, she is anything but a monster.
So you have razor sharp teeth? Who cares?
In typical Holly Black fashion, she starts the story by introducing some of the key players. She also almost immediately gives us some action. The world building is slightly less in this book, because we already know a lot about Elfhame, though there is obviously still much for us to learn.
I feel like Oak is completely and utterly in love with Wren. I am not sure if he knows that though…
There is a very different dynamic between Wren and Oak, than we got used to in the Folk of the Air. Jude and Carden were the enemies to lovers type. Oak and Wren are, dare I say it, even more complicated. They knew each other when they were much younger. They used to be friends back then and Wren was supposed to marry Oak. A lot has happened since then and they are basically strangers when they meet again. There’s a lot of miscommunication about Oak’s and Wren’s feelings for the other. However, these two are obviously in love with each other. Either they are not aware of this or they think the other is not in love with them. I absolutely loved the tension between these two and I am very curious to see how this will develop in the second book.
Oh she just immediately went for it. She kissed him and then he kissed her. Can these two just admit they are in love with each other?
I loved that, despite it also taking place in Elfhame, we definitely saw a different part of it. The story also does not feel like the Folk of the Air at all. It is something completely different and I enjoyed that Holly took this road for it. Initially, I wasn’t sure I was going to like Oak, but the guy definitely grew on me.
And she still thinks it is a bluff to keep her on a leash or something. I thought we were making progress… Clearly, I was wrong. Wren, darling. You are only punishing yourself here. Man, this is going to take a while.
I am going to be honest here and tell you that I had hoped to see Jude and Cardan in this book. I absolutely loved these two and I need more of them. They are only mentioned here and we never actually see them in the here and now. Though I am glad that Holly didn’t let these two take over the Stolen Heir, I would have loved to see them at least once in the book. However, there is a chance we will see them in the next book, but that fully depends on which route Holly is going to take.
Wrap Up
Somehow, Holly always hits me with a knife through the heart with her plot twists. I thought I would get better at seeing her plot twists coming. I knew it was coming. There was no change she’d write this book without one. However, I can honestly say that I did not see this coming. I was actually heart broken and crying. I can’t wait for the next book!
“It is hard to explain the savagery of hope.”
I gave this amazing book 5 stars out of 5 stars. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do. Especially if you enjoy Holly Black’s writing.
Have you read the Stolen Heir yet or are you planning to read this soon? Did you enjoy it? Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day and happy reading!
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