MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

“So long as you’re begging, he doesn’t mind a bit.” Oh yes, we are back.

The King of Elfhame Visits the Mortal World

• Jeez, Jude. You’re already Queen of Elfhame. What more do you have to prove?

• He’s lazy and she’s beyond driven. They shouldn’t work. I love them.

• She teases if he is equal to a battalion and he really thought, “well I did raise an island from the sea.”

• Aspirations of heroism? Really, Cardan?

The Prince of Elfhame is Rude

• Baby (not really, he’s 9) Prince Cardan: unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. I hate his family.

• Troll! In the Barn! Telling stories! Thought you’d want to know.

• Boy, stop interrupting her!

• “A sharp tongue is no match for a sharp tooth.”

The Prince of Elfhame Hates (almost) Everything and Everyone

• Is early teens Cardan as pimply and awkward as the rest of us?

• All he wants is to be in Balekin’s inner circle because no one else wanted him; well if he didn’t have a hear to stone by now he’ll get it soon enough.

• You know what, I don’t blame Cardan one bit for all the hate he has for his family.

• “Not a heart of stone, but a heart of fire.”

• No wonder he and Nicasia are so close, they are both messed up. I still don’t like her.

• He’s hopeless. He thinks the only thing the Court expects of him is to be an uncaring and cruel prince even though he secretly wants to be more. I love this boy.

The Prince of Elfhame Gets a Moth Drunk

• There is good in him (Padme would approve)

• Aw, he’s already drawn to Jude in that “she’s annoying” sort of way

• Okay, this story is hilarious. He could have been cruel to the moth, but got him drunk instead.

The Prince of Elfhame is Mildly Inconvenienced

• Oh man, he notices everything about Jude; he didn’t have a chance.

• He admires her tenacity, something he never had. Other than a tenacity for wanting his family members dead.

The Prince of Elfhame Gets Wet

• I am loving how much he is intrigued by Jude, but I feel for Nicasia. That’s not fair. I still don’t like her.

The Prince of Elfhame is Given Two Stories

• Hello Aslog with a twist on the first story.

• He really didn’t learn his lesson from the first one.

• “A heart of stone can still be broken.”

• Oh that’s not a good sign.

The Prince of Elfhame Learns to Hate Stories

• Womp, there’s the heartache.

• Dang Nicasia, just when I was about to root for you.

• Showing up at school drunk and heartbroken, classic.

• Oh Jude’s hate for his privilege and getting away with anything while she can’t do anything right in anyone’s eyes. I get it.

• “I am nothing if not dramatic.” Yep.

The Prince of Elfhame Stomps Around

• This prince has a taste for human novels.

• Oh no Nicasia, you don’t get to come back just because Locke broke up with you.

• Jude will never grovel and that’s why you love her, Cardan.

The King of Elfhame Tries to Do One Good thing

• “Knives Out” shoutout!

• Hello again, Aslog.

• Classic trope, try to do the dirty work so his wife doesn’t have to.

• Oh boy, Jude’s gonna be pissed when she wakes up.

The King of Elfhame Gets What He Deserves

• His interaction with the gas station cashier is priceless, like Thor trying to get directions.

• This cashier is slick promoting his self-published book of local haunts

• Storyteller Cardan!

Final Thoughts

• This was so delightful. Every story was a perfect snapshot of Cardan’s evolution from little boy who wants to be loved by anyone to King who wants only to be loved by his Queen.

• These illustrations are perfection. Whimsical, dark, adds to the story in so many ways.

• This is probably my favourite novella.