How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories

Return to the captivating world of Elfhame with this illustrated addition to the New York Times bestselling Folk of Air trilogy that began with The Cruel Prince, from award-winning author Holly Black.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

• Praise for How The King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories:
  "Offers new delights along with familiar moments retold...fans will rejoice in every dark, luscious moment."
  Kirkus
• Praise for The Queen of Nothing:
  *"Whether you came for the lore or the love, perfection."
  
  Kirkus, starred review
• *"A compelling final piece in a powerful set."
  Booklist, starred review
• "We're being promised a 'jaw-dropping' finale...Based on the ride she's taken readers on so far, we'd expect nothing less."
  Entertainment Weekly
• Praise for The Wicked King:
  *"A stunning and compelling sequel."
  SLJ, starred review
• *"A heady blend of courtly double-crossing, Faerie lore, and toxic attraction swirls together in the sequel to THE CRUEL PRINCE.... Black's writing is both contemporary and classic; her world is, at this point, intensely well-realized, so that some plot twists seem almost inevitable."
  Kirkus, starred review
• *"[A] dangerous journey filled with mystery, betrayal, intrigue, and romance.... Larger-than-life action in a kingdom packed with self-centered, evil, and manipulating characters also doles out real life issues."
  VOYA, starred review
• *"A rare second volume that surpasses the first, with, happily, more intrigue and passion still to come."
  Booklist, starred review
• Praise for The Cruel Prince:
  "Lush, dangerous, a dark jewel of a book. Black's world is intoxicating, imbued with a relentless sense of peril that kept me riveted through every chapter of Jude's journey. And Jude! She is a heroine to love--brave but pragmatic, utterly human. This delicious story will seduce you and leave you desperate for just one more page."
  Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom
• "I require book two immediately. Holly is the Faerie Queen."
  Victoria Aveyard, #1 bestselling author of The Red Queen series
• * "[S]pellbinding.... Breathtaking set pieces, fully developed supporting characters, and a beguiling, tough-as-nails heroine enhance an intricate, intelligent plot that crescendos to a jaw-dropping third-act twist."
  Publishers Weekly, starred review
• * "Another fantastic, deeply engaging, and all-consuming work from Black that belongs on all YA shelves."
  School Library Journal, starred review
• * "Jude, who struggles with a world she both loves and hates and would rather be powerful and safe than good, is a compelling narrator. Whatever a reader is looking for--heart-in-throat action, deadly romance, double-crossing, moral complexity--this is one heck of a ride."
  Booklist, starred review
• "This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life. Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in."
  Kirkus Reviews
• Praise for The Darkest Part of the Forest:
  A Kids' Indie Next List Book of the Year
• *"Black returns here to the dark faerie realm that spurred her initial success, and if anything, she's only gotten better, writing with an elegant, economical precision and wringing searing emotional resonance from the simplest of sentences."
  The Bulletin, starred review
• *"Black returns to the realm of faerie for her latest novel, and the results, as any of her fans would expect, are terrific."
  VOYA, starred review
• "Black's stark, eerie tone; propulsive pacing; and fulsome world building will certainly delight her legion of fans."
  Booklist
• "This edgy, dark fantasy will be a hit with young adults who like their magical creatures to live in a recognizably contemporary world."
  Library Media Connection
• "Like a true fairy tale, Black's story weds blinding romance and dark terrors, but her worthy heroes are up to the challenge of both."
  The Horn Book
• "It's an enjoyable read with well-developed characters and genuine chills..."
  Publishers Weekly