The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of Air #3)
Author: Holly Black
Published: 2019
On Goodreads
My Rating: 
Rated Q for A queen having unfinished qualms.
He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.
As Jude know well, power is easy to acquire but hard to hold on to. Exiled from Elfhame by King Cardan after the two form a union that made her his queen, Jude is determined to reclaim her power. She just has to venture back into Faerie Court, win a war, and confront her feelings for Cardan.
Unfortunately, a terrible curse unleashed puts a kink in her plans. And, for the first time, she must choose between her ambition and humanity.
The Fold of Air Reviews
What a stellar and epic end to a trilogy. Jude didn’t only face a war but a curse inflicted upon her king, Cardan. More so, Madoc is no longer hiding his intentions or desires for the throne. I think the only bit that got me was that he still believed he was doing this for family. Still, I was impressed that he held his honor and pride for his daughters so closely. There was also no shortage of surprises that were both heavy and sweet. The balance of the two was impeccable.
Black had one last perfectly fae-magic trick up her sleeve. While the war of faerie was still on the horizon, something horrifying still awaited Jude and Cardan. A dreadful curse that could cost them both. I was surprised, but it was such a fae thing to happen. Of course, there’d be one last, ultimate hoop to jump through. The fae love their tricks and riddles, most of which is always that simple and obvious. Still, seeing Jude’s resolve tested put her crown to work and proved that she could handle this role and power she wanted so badly. I, of course, had no doubt in her.
Jude truly met her match in Cardan. I can’t say that enough. Exiled, she was forced to go back to the world she used to want to return to. Now, she wanted nothing more than to return to Elfhame and to Cardan. Doing so also included crazy ideas, but only Jude could, would, and did go through with it. The wild ideas that she has and commits to are why she’s such a great character and why she was perfect for becoming queen. She is as daring as Cardan and they challenge each other. Together, through their push and pull of dangerous games, they broke thousand-year-old boundaries and rules, breaking ground for a whole new world. It was remarkable and beautifully mystifying, not to mention my heart oozed so many feels for these two! From sheer hatred to undeniable love, two lines they both crossed and would always cross for one another. So beautiful. One of my ships. I would die for these two.
Grima Mog and Vivi came swinging in like the epic warriors they are. This was one of the many delightful surprises, the others being the reunion of the court of shadows and Heather determined to find her way back to Vivi. Heather was such a good and honest representation of a human adjusting to the idea of magic and coming around to embrace it. Her character brought such a realistic touch to this world of pure magic and deadly wonder.
The writing and world have consumed me as if I ate the fae fruit and am now stuck in faerieland for eternity. I’m not made about it. Well, actually. Not true. I wish it didn’t end. I may actually add this trilogy to my reread collection and that’s a very special and small section. I don’t reread just any book.
Overall
This has been such a special and phenomenal adventure. Black never disappoints. She came to an ending that I had a feeling was coming but was eloquent and timely about it. Fae have nothing but time, and she expressed that beautifully as well as gave way to a fantastical, dream-like tale of two worlds colliding like magnets. I’m always in awe and The Folk of Air has been incredible.
Quotables:
“We don’t always have a choice in our fate.” (Jude, p. 9)
“Even though I am the queen in exile, I and still the queen. And that means Madoc isn’t just trying to take Cardan’s throne. He’s trying to take mine.” (Jude, p. 81)
“I hate being a fool. I hate the idea of my emotions getting the better of me, of making me weak. But my fear of being a fool turned me into one.” (Jude, p. 172)
“A king is not his throne nor his crown.” (Cardan, p. 215)
“It is the nature of the child to achieve what a parent can only dream.” (Madoc, p. 240)
More to come soon…
-K.
Song Today? Never Really Over by Katy Perry
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The Scarlet Reader 
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