Description
The charming younger son of the King of Elfhame, Prince Balekin, has grown up in a world of privilege and expectation, but few people know how much it costs. Balekin is sent on a secret mission to get into the dangerous Undersea Court. He puts everything on the line, but he is caught and brought back in chains. He is locked up in the royal dungeon of Varen, where curses are said to be indestructible and escape attempts are sometimes deadly.
Linden, a smart new jailer, is sent to Balekin’s cell for a reason. She is the daughter of a disgraced nobleman who is determined to show her value. Linden knows the court’s terrible secrets, and she sees Balekin’s demise as her chance to get ahead. From the start, she sees him as a symbol of corruption, but also as a trap. He is powerful, attractive, and manipulative, and his presence threatens everything she has worked for.
Conversations that are not allowed in the dark hallway Veiled warnings, reading of old history, and furious refusals of mercy plant the roots of something unexpected. Balekin tries to captivate Linden with sweet words and subtle flattery from behind his iron bars, but she reacts with steely resistance and clever strategy. He is more vulnerable as a prisoner than he usually is in court, and she is more dangerous as a jailer because she feels in charge.
Their friendship develops against the backdrop of a political crisis with tremendous implications. The King becomes paranoid, and noble households make secret deals with each other. There is strange magic at the fringes of the court, and whispers of a curse that makes the faerie people angry are spreading. Balekin has to outsmart his older brother’s schemes and figure out a plot that could take the crown. Linden has to decide if winning over a prince’s heart is worth the risk of getting hurt in a court full of lies and murder.
As the two scheme and fight in dark cells and underground stairwells, layers peel away. Balekin’s anxiety of taking on responsibilities and being betrayed by his own family is shown. Linden’s relentless drive is softened by empathy and desire. Every new piece of information changes the balance of power and trust between them. Their attraction grows during hushed discussions at midnight and when they both refuse to obey during violent inspections of the prison’s underground tunnels.
When insurrection breaks out and the court is on the verge of war, it’s not enough to ask about allegiance. Balekin has to trust Linden’s knowledge of foes without faces, and Linden has to
trust Balekin’s claim to the kingdom. They have to choose between keeping the crown’s legacy or breaking down the walls of the prison that imprison both of their hearts. Everything is at stake: their lives, their love, and the fate of Elfhame.
Holly Black, a New York Times bestselling novelist, makes a dramatic return to faerie intrigue with The Prisoner’s Throne. This book is a new take on the Folk of the Air universe. It has characters who are ethically gray, alliances that change, and a slow-burn romance based on trust and freedom. Sri Lankan fantasy fans who want intellectual, sexy stories with high stakes should read this book. It has a lot of temptation, power, and loyalty.
About the Author
Holly Black is an award-winning author renowned for her dark and cunning fantasy worlds and morally layered characters. Best known for her Folk of the Air series (The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing), she crafts immersive tales of faerie courts brimming with politics and passion. When she’s not plotting betrayals, she enjoys exploring historical legends and gardening with her cats.
Product Details
Title: The Prisoner’s Throne
Author: Holly Black
ISBN‑13: 9780316310370
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: August 6, 2024
Pages: 336
Binding: Paperpack
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