AWAY WITH THE FAERIES

Holly Black strikes a hard bargain in new series The Court Of The Air

After viewing the kingdom of the Fey from the outside in Modern Faerie Tales, Spiderwick Chronicles author Holly Black wanted to explore the ethereal realm from a more intimate perspective in her new series, The Court Of The Air.

“I’ve written a bunch of books with fairies in them, and a bunch of books where people discover the Faerie world,” says Black. “So this is the first time I’m writing from inside Faerie.”

Optioned for a film by Universal Pictures, first instalment The Cruel Prince introduces mortal teenager Jude, who, along with her two sisters, was raised in Faerieland by her sinister stepfather, Madoc. “I wanted it to be about somebody who straddles two worlds, which is something I’ve always been interested in,” she explains. “I really like the idea of someone who is brought up in Faerie but is human, and what would that be like and what kind of challenges would that present.”

Using her natural wits to get the better of her adversaries, Jude has to be careful not to lose touch with herself. “She has to figure out what power is worth to her, and how awful she will have to become to get it,” says Black. “She’s someone who has grown to be uncomfortable with her own humanity, so while she’s willing to do a lot of things to stay safe, I’m not sure if she’s willing to actually be human.”

Black refuses to confirm the identity of the titular Cruel Prince, though Jude’s main rival, the scheming Prince Cardan appears to be the prime candidate. “You’ll have to make up your own mind about that, although it’s certainly my intention that you dislike him,” she laughs.

The Cruel Prince is published on 2 January.