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How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories — Content Guide for Parents

By Holly BlackLittle, Brown2020ISBN 9780316540889192 pages
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories

Themes present

Violence
Sexual identity

Not found

Scary contentReligious themesRacial/cultural contentProfanityClimate changeGender rolesLGBTQ+ themes

Content themes

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Religious themes

PRESENT

Contains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.

About this book

Once upon a time, in Faerie, a cruel prince met his match in Jude, a human raised in his world. An entire trilogy tells their tale from her perspective; now the prince gets center stage. This lavishly illustrated tome, more a series of vignettes than a complete novel, shows critical moments in Cardan’s life, including moments previously seen through Jude’s perspective. The entirety is framed within a moment that takes place after the end of The Queen of Nothing (2019), providing a glimpse into the maturing relationships between Jude and Cardan and between Cardan and his responsibilities as High King of Elfhame, a land whose multihued, multiformed denizens cannot lie. Woven throughout are three iterations of a story, initially told to a young Cardan, each version different in specifics and moral but all centered on a boy with a heart of stone and a monstrous, cursed bride. Readers familiar with Cardan and Jude’s tumultuous and sometimes troubling love will recognize notes within this repeated tale, but each telling also stands alone as a complete tale, one that feels both inevitable and fresh. Black continues to build an ever expanding mythos with her Faerie stories, and while this volume requires prior knowledge of The Folk of the Air trilogy, it offers new delights along with familiar moments retold.--Kirkus.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories appropriate for a 7-year-old?

    The book contains some violent scenes, as indicated by multiple reviews. These scenes are part of the narrative and involve elements of court intrigue and bloodshed, which are typical of the fantasy genre. The book does not contain genuinely frightening content. While it includes elements of fantasy and dark themes, there are no descriptions of horror or traumatic events that would cause fear.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have violence?

    The book contains some violent scenes, as indicated by multiple reviews. These scenes are part of the narrative and involve elements of court intrigue and bloodshed, which are typical of the fantasy genre.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have scary content?

    The book does not contain genuinely frightening content. While it includes elements of fantasy and dark themes, there are no descriptions of horror or traumatic events that would cause fear.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have religious themes?

    No religious content in the book itself. While the story is based on Celtic mythology, it does not include explicit religious practices or beliefs.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have racial/cultural content?

    Race is not a central theme or plot point in the book. The narrative focuses on fantasy elements and character development rather than racial issues.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have profanity?

    No profanity is mentioned in the search results, and there is no indication that the book contains any strong language.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have climate change?

    No climate themes or environmental issues are present in the book. The narrative does not address climate activism or related topics.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have sexual identity?

    The narrative includes a scene where a character takes a girl to bed with him to 'swive,' which is an archaic term for sexual intercourse. This indicates the presence of sexual content in the book.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have gender roles?

    The book does not actively discuss or critique gender roles. It features a fantasy narrative centered on the character of Cardan without a focus on gender dynamics.

  • Does How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories have lgbtq+ themes?

    No LGBTQ+ themes explicitly mentioned in the book's narrative. The search results do not provide any indication of LGBTQ+ representation or themes within the story itself.

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