Book 2 of 3 in The Folk of the Air
The Wicked King
by Holly Black
JUDE HAS BOUND THE WICKED KING, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were biddable. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
The Wicked King is the second book in the Folk of the Air series, the first of which is The Cruel Prince.
- Spice
- 1/5
- Burn
- Slow
- Pages
- ~336
- Ending
- Cliffy
Cliffy means it ends on a cliffhanger, mid-story.
Cliffhanger, but Book 3 is already out.
How spicy is The Wicked King?
The Wicked King is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
- Steam: Glimpses and kisses
- Burn: Slow burn
- Pairing: One man, one woman
- POV: Heroine's POV only
- Ending: Cliffhanger
Content warnings
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Show 8 content warnings
- Graphic violence
- Murder
- Child abuse (past or present)
- Kidnapping
- Self-harm
- Suicide / suicidal ideation
- War
- Bullying
Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.
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The Wicked King: quick answers
How spicy is The Wicked King?
The Wicked King is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
Is The Wicked King a standalone?
No. The Wicked King is book 2 of 3 in The Folk of the Air. Start with The Cruel Prince. The series is complete.
What tropes are in The Wicked King?
The Wicked King features fae, enemies to lovers, court intrigue, morally grey mmc, royalty. It is a slow burn M/F romance that ends with a cliffhanger.
Does The Wicked King have content warnings?
Our notes for The Wicked King include: graphic violence, murder, child abuse (past or present), kidnapping, self-harm, suicide / suicidal ideation, war, bullying. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.
What should I read after The Wicked King?
If you loved The Wicked King, try King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo, The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller, The Stolen Heir by Holly Black. They share its fae and enemies to lovers energy at a similar spice level.