The Cruel Prince

The novel’s protagonist and first-person narrator, Jude is a human teenager living in the magical realm of Faerie. She is impatient, independent, and passionate—and these traits are only emphasized through a first-person perspective that yields special access to the heroine’s inner life. At the beginning of the story, she tends to dwell on immediacy rather than the larger picture. For example, when Madoc forbids her candidacy for knighthood until after Dain’s coronation (no doubt in an effort to protect her, since he knows there will be a coup), Jude is focused on her own immediate gratification: “After the coronation, Madoc said. I try to focus on that. It only feels like never” (39).

Jude’s intense feelings—whether of attraction, betrayal, or trust—sometimes inspire behavior that gets her into trouble. Freeing the mortal girl in Chapter 17, done on the empathic impulse of a moment, is one example of how Jude sometimes acts before thinking through the possible consequences. Jude is therefore like many teenagers, which helps make the protagonist more relatable to the book’s young adult audience. However, Jude gradually learns to control her impulses and think strategically about what is most likely to get her the desired results.