Young Adult Annotation

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About

 

Author: Holly Black

Title: The Stolen Heir

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publication Date: January 2023

Number of Pages:  352, hardbound.

Geographical Setting: The Mortal Lands and Elfhame

Time Period: Modern (21st Century)

Series (If applicable): Book Four of the Elfhame series (Cruel Prince)

 

Plot Summary

The story follows the heirs to rival courts, Princess Suren, the heir to the Court of Teeth, and Prince Oak, heir to the Elfhame Throne. Suren was abandoned by her family and has lived a life much like that of a stray cat, running from place to place and getting food wherever she can. Finally, she is nearly caught (and killed) by a hag named Bogdana sent by her mother. Fortunately, Prince Oak and a few of his companions are there to save her from certain death. However, this kindness isn’t without any strings attached; Oak certainly wants something from the Princess. Through fae magic, Suren is the only person who can control her particularly murderous and bloodthirsty mother from devastating all of the other courts. Suren must travel with Oak, his knight Tiernan, and Hyacinthe, a man cursed with falcon wings instead of arms, to ultimately face off with her mother, The Lady Nore. The story is filled to the brim with court intrigue, half-truths, and riddles, leaving the reader unsure of who to trust.

 

Subject Headings:

Fairies, Young Adult, Fantasy, Court Intrigue, Morally Grey Characters, Strong Female, Frenemies/Rivals to Lovers, Princes, Arranged Marriage (Novelist, n.d.)

 

Appeal

 

Terms that best describe this book

1. Suspenseful (Novelist, n.d.)

2. Intricately Plotted (Novelist, n.d.)

3. Well Developed Characters and Worldbuilding (Novelist, n.d.)

 

Similar Authors and Works

 

Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

 


1. Rowland, A. (2020). Finding faeries: Discovering sprites, pixies, redcaps, and other fantastical creatures in an urban environment. Simon Element.

This book is all about faeries, and it ties in well with Black’s world. Her later books are set in a contemporary period, even though they seem like straight high fantasy. In addition, the love interest’s father is a Redcap (Goodreads, n.d.). 

 



2. Turgeon, C. (2017). The faerie handbook: An enchanting compendium of literature, lore, art, recipes, and projects

Turgeon’s book is full of little articles about fairy history. Black’s novels are usually traditional to some of the more brutal tales of the fae or sidhe. This gives some of that history as well as contemporary style inspired by the fae (Goodreads, n.d.).

 


 

3. Moorey, T. (2008). The fairy Bible: The definitive guide to the world of fairies.

The Fairy Bible is like the first book, but it is more of an encyclopedia filled with illustrations. It describes some of the smaller details about the folklore of the fae, including the importance of names, as in the idea that names have power and they shouldn’t given out willy-nilly (Goodreads, n.d.)

 

Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

 


 

1. Ahdieh, R. (2015). The Wrath & the Dawn. Putnam. – Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Revenge, Princes, World Building, Strong Female Character, Morally Grey (Novelist, n.d.).

 


 

2. Dennard, S. (2016). Truthwitch. Tor Teen. -- Court Intrigue, Revenge, World Building, Strong Female, Intricately Plotted (Novelist, n.d.).

 

 

3. Maniscalco, K. (2020). Kingdom of the Wicked. Jimmy Patterson. – Worldbuilding, Princes, Revenge, Court Intrigue, Intricately Plotted, World Building (Novelist, n.d.)

 

Sources

Fiction

Novelist (n.d.). Kingdom of the Wicked. Novelist. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10928663&site=novp-live

Novelist (n.d.). The Stolen Heir. Novelist. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=neh&tg=UI&an=11094220&site=novp-live

Novelist (n.d.). Truthwitch. Novelist. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10451039&site=novp-live

Novelist (n.d.). The Wrath & the Dawn. Novelist. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10428137&site=novp-live

 

Nonfiction

Goodreads. (n.d.). The faerie handbook: An enchanting compendium of literature, lore, art, recipes, and projects. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34379324-the-faerie-handbook

Goodreads (n.d.). The fairy Bible: The definitive guide to the world of fairies. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/2011848

Goodreads (n.d.) Finding Faeries. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50891831

 

Images

Fiction

Kingdom of the Wicked. https://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafe/jacket.aspx?UserID=ebsco-test&Password=ebsco-test&Return=T&Type=M&Value=9780316428460

The Stolen Heir. https://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafe/jacket.aspx?UserID=ebsco-test&Password=ebsco-test&Return=T&Type=M&Value=9780316592703

Truthwitch. https://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafe/jacket.aspx?UserID=ebsco-test&Password=ebsco-test&Return=T&Type=M&Value=9780765379283

The Wrath & the Dawn. https://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafe/jacket.aspx?UserID=ebsco-test&Password=ebsco-test&Return=T&Type=M&Value=9780399171611

 

Nonfiction

The Faerie Handbook. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500891080i/34379324.jpg

The Fairy Bible. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388447557i/2011848.jpg

Finding Faeries. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1601212734i/50891831.jpg

 

Comments

  1. Erin CataldiApril 11, 2023 at 1:35 PM

    Not only does this book sound amazing - every readalike does too! Great annotation and full points!

    ReplyDelete

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