If you liked
Books like The Cruel Prince
by Holly Black
The Cruel Prince drops a mortal girl into a treacherous faerie court where the boy who torments her might be the one worth an alliance. Holly Black writes enemies-to-something-else with knives out and never a dull scene. If you want more scheming, morally grey fantasy with a sharp heroine, read on.
The shortlist
What to read next
Six of Crowsby Leigh Bardugo
“Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 2015 review. A crew of six outcasts attempts an impossible heist in the corrupt city of Ketterdam. The YA fantasy heist novel that defined the contemporary Grishaverse and made Bardugo the major YA fantasy writer of her generation.”
A Court of Thorns and Rosesby Sarah J. Maas
“A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 2015 review. A human huntress is taken to the faerie kingdom of Prythian after killing a wolf in the woods. The first ACOTAR book and the romantasy series that set the table for the genre's BookTok-era explosion.”
Fourth Wingby Rebecca Yarros
“Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 2023 review. Violet Sorrengail, a fragile scribe, is forced into the brutal dragon-riding war college. The first book of the Empyrean series and the romantasy novel that defined the 2023-2024 BookTok moment.”
The Atlas Sixby Olivie Blake
“The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake 2022 review. Six powerful magicians are recruited for the Alexandrian Society. Only five will be initiated. The first Atlas trilogy book and the canonical BookTok-era dark academia romantasy.”
The Priory of the Orange Treeby Samantha Shannon
“The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon 2019 review. A standalone epic fantasy across four kingdoms preparing for the return of a banished ancient dragon. Canonical contemporary literary epic fantasy.”
Children of Blood and Boneby Tomi Adeyemi
“Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 2018 review. In a West-African-inspired fantasy kingdom, a young woman fights to restore magic to her people after the king has it eradicated. The YA fantasy debut that defined the late-2010s book-club moment.”
FAQ
Common questions about The Cruel Prince read-alikes
- What is the closest match for the intrigue and the banter?
- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. It runs on a crew of clever, dangerous teenagers, a heist that should not work and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers thread, exactly the register The Cruel Prince lives in. The Atlas Six brings the same morally grey ensemble to dark academia.
- I want the romance turned up.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros are the romantasy heavyweights: fae courts in one, dragons and a war college in the other. Both keep the enemies-with-tension dynamic and add a lot more heat.
- I want epic fantasy scope.
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon gives you sprawling political fantasy with dragons and a queer romance in a single standalone. Bigger canvas than the faerie court, same appetite for power struggles.
- I want big magic and a fight against a regime.
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi delivers West-African-inspired magic and a teenage heroine taking on a brutal monarchy. A good match if the rebellion and the stakes were your favorite part of Elfhame.
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