Scheme after scheme after scheme

In The Wicked King, we follow Jude as she tries to rule Elfhame as the seneschal, doing her best under immense pressure. With Cardan offering little support, she’s left to handle things on her own, all while the entire realm watches her every move. As a mortal in a faerie world, everyone is automatically against her. Jude has to stay constantly on guard, everyone wants what she has.

Let me start with the positives: I’m truly intrigued by the world Jude lives in. Elfhame is a mysterious, magical place, and in this book, we get to explore even more of it. We’re also introduced to new characters, each with their own unique background stories, which adds depth to the worldbuilding.

The story starts off strong, but as I kept reading, I found myself gradually losing interest. Jude doesn’t trust anyone — and while that makes sense given her situation, it also keeps her from growing much as a character. Eventually, her distrust becomes predictable. Every time it seems like she might form a connection with someone, it leads to a dead end (trying to avoid spoilers here!). I missed seeing real development in that area.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the plot twists, but at times there are so many that it becomes hard to believe in any direction the story takes. It starts to feel like too much.

That said, I can’t shake the feeling that everything will come together in the next book. Maybe there’s a hidden clue I’ve missed. I’m definitely diving into the final book with hope — I’ve learned from reading ACOTAR that nothing is ever what it seems, haha.