I spent much of my life guarding my heart. I guarded it so well that I could behave as though I didn’t have one at all. Even now, it is a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing. But it is yours.”
Cardan Greenbriar
I am not ready to write this review. The Folk of the Air series has been a favourite of mine from the day I started reading the first book and with each book in the series, I’ve become more and more thrilled with the story. Holly Black is an incredible talent and I will read every book that comes from her pen no matter what it is about. Welcome to the heartbreaking review of the last book in the TFOTA series friends, let’s get into the review before I get too sentimental about it and start crying, shall we?
Note: There will be spoilers in this review, please read if you accept learning about some new characters and plot!
The book takes up from where we exactly left the second book, our queen of Elfhame, Jude Duarte is now an exile and bored the hell out of her life. She spends her time doing small things here and there for the folk in the mortal world. She is devastated because all she knows is her life in Elfhame, being in the mortal world is something she does not enjoy, especially being exiled right after she became the High Queen. She gets a job about a cannibal fae and we meet one of the strongest characters in the series, Grima Mog. She is a bloodthirsty and quick-witted fella and reminds me of John Wick of the Fae. After a harsh battle with this lady, Jude goes back home, bleeding like nothing else and meets her traitor twin, Taryn. She had done something bad and she needs Jude to save her. I cannot tell you enough how much I hate Taryn, she is a useless mortal who literally does nothing but harm to our characters throughout the books. I love how Jude is apathetic towards her, and I love how real the idea of family is when it comes to her sisters. No matter what they do, she cannot refuse her and it is not only because they are sisters, but because she is curious about Cardan. She missed Elfhame. She missed her life and her power.
Nothing goes as planned per usual, and she has stuck in Elfhame once again, now an exile, being there can actually cause her to die. However it is where our High King Cardan comes in, he is still a trouble maker but his feelings towards Jude are more clear, he knows what he wants and he has actually gotten used to his new role. He is mature and no other character comes close to him. He is just perfect in every possible way. After learning that Madoc -her father- is planning to attack Elfhame once and for all, Jude decides to turn back completely and fight back with Cardan. She is the rightful queen of Elfhame and she needs to protect her subjects and land. The devotion she has for Cardan and the kingdom is a great virtue she has. Though she often mentions power and wanting it, it is clear that everything she does comes from her love towards her life. Cardan, being one of the most powerful characters in the book, decides that a king does not need a cursed crown to rule. He does what the prophecy says, he destroys the crown ignoring the fact that he will be cursed to god knows what (a serpent let me tell you lol) and puts his trust in Jude, his High Queen. The fight does not happen as a real fight, it is a political war between courts and this is the main reason why I love this series this much. I love the political part of it. I love how clever it is. Instead of shedding blood like some mindless monster, they all decide to sit down and smile and figure things out. Even the villain; Madoc has sense in him, I love when a villain is portrayed with some sense and not blinded by hatred or need for power.
Now that Cardan is cursed, Madoc and the lower courts are on Jude’s back, she decides to gamble. The Elfhame needs its High King and she decides to destroy the serpent to let him be reborn. That scene was so good and I both cried and screamed at the same time. After Cardan’s return, everything basically clears. Madoc surrenders and the way he accepts his defeat was fantastic. Jude is recognized as the High Queen of Elfhame and sits next to Cardan, who is connected to the land itself and finally calms down, enjoying the fact that he is next to the person he loves. The end of the book was amazing and while I loved everything about the side character’s stories. Vivi finally found love and figured out the right thing to do, Taryn -no matter how annoying she is- is now happier and less DANGEROUS TO MY PRECIOUS MAIN CHARACTERS. Madoc and Oriana leave and Oak is enjoying being a kid once again. No more pawns, no more mess. Everything is better now. I am very curious about the other series in the world, but I feel too connected to these characters, I don’t know how well I will manage with people other than Cardan and Jude.
Overall, this book was phenomenal and I do not agree with anything said otherwise. I loved every aspect of it! Let me know your thoughts on it too. Did you read The Folk of the Air series? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? Let me know in the comments! Until I see you in my new post, see you! 💖
Luster of Books 