Does Jude End Up With Cardan In 'The Cruel Prince' Series?

Question

I'm halfway through the Folk of the Air trilogy and avoiding spoilers, but that enemies-to-lovers tension between Jude Duarte and the High King is killing me!

Becky Lynn Everhart · Answer

No. Jude and Cardan rule together as King and Queen of Faerie in the end. Their relationship is a complicated and often adversarial one. If you enjoy reading about characters who are on opposite sides of a conflict and have a tense, power-driven relationship, then ‘From Betrayed Luna to Crowned Princess’ may be the story for you. The main character, a rejected werewolf, eventually marries the enemy king in order to ascend to the position of princess and the story follows her and the king’s political machinations as well as their reluctant alliance and the tie that binds them.

Owen · Answer

The epic love story between Jude and Cardan is at the heart of the series. They started out as enemies, but by the end they are co-rulers and it was an amazing journey to get there. We see the growth of Cardan from the selfish, spoiled prince to the devoted king he is today. His journey is parallel to that of Jude, from outcast to queen. Their ending is not perfect, but it is realistic. They fight each other and they betray each other, but in the end they always come back to each other. This series shows that love can grow in the darkest of places, even between a mortal and the faerie who broke her heart first.

Josie · Answer

One of the major relationships in The Cruel Prince series is that of Jude Deveraux and Cardan Greenbriar. This pair’s relationship is complicated and full of ups and downs as the two engage in power struggles, and even a little bit of betrayal. At the very beginning Cardan makes it very clear he dislikes Jude and enjoys her being a mortal. Much of the book follows Jude discovering the different world of Faerie and the different courts that exist. As the story progresses and things begin to fall apart in the Faerie courts Jude and Cardan’s complicated relationship evolves as they work together and eventually the two are openly in love, ruling side by side as they work together in order to try and put out the fires that they have created. They both are able to admit that Cardan’s throne and his heart both belong to Jude, and that she is his equal. In the end their complicated relationship is nothing but bittersweet but in the end they are triumphant as the two prove that even in the world of Faerie the cruelest of beginnings can lead to the most passionate of ends.

A fantastic read for those who enjoy complex relationships which are not developed from ‘fluff’ but from mutual respect, shared struggles and scars. There is much to admire about how this book turns enemies-to-lovers tropes on their head whilst still remaining true to a passionate and intense romance between a mortal and a faerie, with all the strategems, intrigue and understandings that their partnership entails.

Olivia · Answer

Jude and Cardan’s relationship arc in ‘The Cruel Prince’ is not an easy one to follow. Initially, they both hate each other – the golden-eyed prince detests the mortal girl for who she is, and she in turn loathes the spoiled prince for his condescending cruelty. However, as the two of them get entangled up in treason and all-out war for the throne, you cannot deny the chemistry that begins to simmer between them. As the series progresses, Cardan reveals glimpses of his vulnerability beneath his haughty exterior, and Jude, perhaps for the first time in her life, lets her hardness down and learns to trust. In the end, they present a united front to the world – messily, hesitantly, and imperfectly, but ultimately true.

Owen · Answer

Mortal Jude and faerie Cardan king of EmeraldCARDath rule over Faerie together! Viewers rooting for Jude and Cardan will not be disappointed! The co-lead characters clash, engage in power struggles and much scheming until they eventually form an alliance. In fact, the darkest point in the story for Cardan is when he is exiled from Faerie, stripped of his title and his magical powers – and he has to rely on Jude to save him. Jude and Cardan’s story is sharp, political and wrapped in thorns – but in the end they rule Faerie together. It’s a perfect ending for two sworn enemies who came to love each other in the end – but it’s never sweetness and light.

Apratyashita Thakur · Answer

This book is also full of folklore and the way that Jude and Cardan interact with each other to form a relationship is so interesting. Jude is a mortal brought to Faerie, and Cardan is the cruel fae prince who makes a bargain with her. But Jude is so much more than that- she learns the ways of the fae and acts better than they do. And Cardan is more than just the villain- he’s a product of a very toxic court, and his cruel actions are mostly just a performance. His relationship with Jude is a test of wills, with Jude using her cunning mortal mind to battle against the powerful fae prince, Cardan. But in the end, Jude learns to use her own brand of power to get what she wants, and she brings Cardan along for the ride.

Instead of having the mortal escape from Faerie forever or getting trapped there for life, Jude conquers Faerie with her brand new morality, and she brings Cardan with her. Cardan is bound by Jude in ways that are equally freeing for him. So in the end, Jude and Cardan do end up together, and they create a completely new mythos for themselves. As a literary and folkloric invention, it is incredibly satisfying.

jobless.dreamer · Answer

It’s hard not to admire Holly Black here. Holly Black has managed to create two deeply, disturbingly flawed characters, and make us care about them enough to wonder if they’ll manage to get each other in the end. Jude is a bitter, vengeful, challenging, stubborn girl. Cardan is a slimy, manipulative, vain, egotistical, self-centered little prick. But we see, too, Cardan’s self-loathing and Jude’s deep need to belong. They have sharp, rough edges, and in some way, they fit together.

And by the end of it, Jude and Cardan haven’t exactly mended their rough edges. No, instead, they’ve learned to clutch each other, to stave off harm when necessary. It’s not a pretty relationship, no – but it’s powerful. And hey, if you’re looking for a soft, snuggly romance, then this probably isn’t the thing for you. But for those of you with a certain fondness for the thorny rose over the soft and pillowy? Oh, it’s going to kill you. But in the best possible way, I suppose – because in the end, Jude and Cardan’s relationship is one that shows love isn’t about the perfect, the spotless – it’s about finding someone whose greatest challenge is to keep up with you.

Cheryl Ann Young · Answer

Someone made a meme saying reading Jude and Cardan’s relationship is like watching two scorpions in a jar form a home. Yeah, that’s so true. Both of them are so very bad for you and both are defensive and have stingers. But, instead of turning on each other and using their stingers on each other, they agree to use their stingers on things outside of the jar. They form a really powerful relationship. So, to answer everyone’s question, yes they do end up together. But not in a typical sense because they are co-rulers of the jar.

They work together as two apex predators, forming a partnership that is mutually respectful. It is a love that is fiercely protective of the other, possessive in nature. I think this is perfect for readers who find typical romance novels too sweet, too external. This is a dark, gritty novel that gives a realistic portrayal of two individuals forming a powerful alliance in a brutal world. Rather than finding peace, Jude and Cardan work together to rule and find satisfaction in their dominance. This is their unique novel and it is amazing just the way it is.

Faith Odulesi · Answer

For comparison's sake, there are many other famous fantasy couples. However, Jude and Cardan are nothing like the endearingly destined noble love of Aragorn and Arwen. No, Jude and Cardan are more like the duo of Tyrion Lannister and Arya Stark all grown up and ruling the realm of Westeros. Together, they make perfect sense, for they are two people who know the depths of the darkest subterranean underbelly of the most twisted world of fantasy, and, thus, are able to rule in a most pragmatic, or even exemplary manner.

I think this is why their ending worked so well. Elfhame is not a utopia, even though it is so very beautiful. It needs people who understand treachery in order to rule well. So Jude and Cardan work so well together because they are the perfect solution for Jude’s world. And their love is just a bonus. I think that Jude and Cardan had the perfect relationship in the sense that they were both so torn between these different worlds, and they both found someone in each other. They had a shared vision for a kingdom that had been bruised and bloody for so long, and that took a lot of hard work and fight. But in the end, it was so worth it.

HOyindamola Faith Holuremi · Answer

I adore the banter in their relationship and half the fun of reading their books is their repartee. Sharp, witty, intelligent and always deliciously clever. Even when they’re together, their cleverness doesn’t have to change to become ‘lovey-dovey’, no, it can just become fond instead and that’s even more sweet. They’re going to be fantastic rulers, no doubt about it. They’ll argue passionately in council meetings and then remember some private joke to share with each other later. The ‘happily ever after’ of this book is going to be very, very interesting indeed.

Yes, they do end up together. But no, their life will not be dull. I expect much plotting, many debates, plenty of argument. All of it will be done by two of equals, and therefore it will be interesting to read. As rulers in a court full of intrigue, their relationship will be their greatest asset. And the romance is based on respect, understanding, and lots of conversation. Dialogue and character oriented readers will love their happily ever after.

magigulab · Answer

I have to give props to the amazing audiobook narrator Caitlin Kelly. Her performance of Jude’s inner-monologue is fierce and wonderful, and her portrayal of Cardan is so languid and mocking, which is perfect for the character. The dynamic between Jude and Cardan is so much better with the audiobook because you can really feel the tension between them and hear the shifts in their behavior as their relationship evolves. By the final book, Cardan’s voice just sounds warm when he’s talking to Jude, which is everything to me.

It does end very satisfactorily with Jude and Cardan together. Listening to the final scenes and having them all brought to life by the narrator's fabulous portrayal of Jude's emotions, etc. really did bring it all home to me. Relief, triumph and quiet affection all perfectly conveyed. If you are an audiobook person, then by all means read these in that format. The key moments, especially the romantic scenes, were made so much better by hearing them, and by the end of it all, I felt like I was in the throne room with them.

German Cruz · Answer

I appreciated so much of the substance of their storyline, particularly as it became thematic in the end. Jude and Cardan are a interesting combination – mortal and fae, both with their own sets of strengths and vice. Jude brings ambition, growth, change – so very much the mortal approach to life. Cardan brings tradition, magic, power – so very much the fae approach to life. In them joining to rule Elfhame, they create a brand new way for the land to be governed. And it is healing. The personal has become political in the most extreme way.

I agree with you about Jude and Cardan. So they end up together, which again is a historical moment. They break the cycle of cruelty and neglect that Elfhame is used to. Cardan, who grew up without love, learns to love. Jude, who grew up in a world that hated her, can now be Queen. It’s a very powerful partnership, and the end is right for so many reasons. It’s not just that two people are in love. It’s the beginning of a new age for Elfhame, created by the two hardest workers for it, most of the time fighting against each other.

James Murphy · Answer

I love how Holly Black writes in first-person. We experience everything through Jude’s eyes, so we feel all her pain at Cardan’s cruel words, a shiver of uncomfortable attraction to him, and all her plotting and strategizing. As Jude learns more about Cardan, our understanding of him shifts too, until by the time Jude realizes her feelings for him, we’ve already gone on that journey with her. The ending is therefore supremely satisfying.

You rationalize it all with Jude along the way. So by the time they do come together, it’s not a surprise, just the culmination of all those little insights that you had come to along with the protagonist. In the end, Jude feels that they are meant to be in a way that you feel in your bones. This is a powerful insight into the workings of highly problematic relationships and it comes from a character-driven story rather than any sort of plot device. Black’s made a great choice in making this work.

Does Jude End Up With Cardan In 'The Cruel Prince' Series?

13 Answers

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