The Cruel Prince

How are gender and sexuality portrayed in the novel? How do Faerie’s norms about gender and sexuality compare and contrast with the mortal world as it appears in the book?

Is it significant that Jude and Taryn’s parents (and Vivi’s mother) die at the beginning of the story? Why does Black portray them as “orphans”?

Compare and contrast Jude as an orphan protagonist with other portrayals of orphan protagonists in the fantasy/science fiction genre. (Some examples could include Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy, or Rick Riordan’s The Lightening Thief.) Why does this genre make use of the orphan protagonist? How would the stories you selected be different if the protagonist had living parents?

How is Jude and Taryn’s relationship different than Jude and Vivi’s? Is there any effect from Jude and Taryn being twins? Why do the sisters’ relationships end up where they do at the end of the book?

Examine various characters’ attitudes toward death and violence. Is there any moral consistency between them? In Black’s world, what is the acceptable context for violence? How does Jude uphold and/or question this morality?

Compare Locke’s romantic relationship with Jude with her passionate encounter with Cardan. What similarities and differences are there in her experience with the two faeries? What do the differences say about her character development over the course of the novel?

Select at least two aspects of the physical landscape and creatures of Faerie (for example, the horses and toads that the characters use for transportation). What significance is there to Black’s use of the landscape and creatures? How does her portrayal align with or differ from traditional folklore?

How would the story be different if Oak were older and closer to ruling in his own right? Is there any significance to the fact that both Oak and Jude are seven when their worlds are upended? How does Black portray the effects of these childhood experiences?