In the fantasy genre, world-building is critical to the success of a book. Not only does it factor into a book’s overall tone and theme, but world-building is also essential when appealing to readers.
With that being said, it can be difficult for authors to go above and beyond with their world, especially when it spans multiple books.
Luckily, author Holly Black seems to have this talent in abundance.
Black has used world-building to its fullest capacity in her fantasy novels surrounding the fae, a term for various mythical beings. She is most notable for her series following “The Cruel Prince,” but Black’s experience with the fae expands far beyond this fantasy favorite.
In the last couple of years, Black has added to her fictional universe with a spin-off duology consisting of “The Stolen Heir” and “The Prisoner’s Throne.” In fact, this universe has grown so vastly popular that it earned the official title “The Folk of the Air.”
However, before discussing her success in carrying world-building through these most recent additions, one must understand just how far back Black’s world-building experience goes.
Black debuted her love for the fae with her novel “Tithe” in 2002. It later became the first in a trio of books called “The Modern Faerie Tales.”
These books started a revolutionary take on the myths of faeries. Black proved her writing skills through an eccentric story set in both a mortal and magic world.
In my experience with fantasy novels, it is not unexpected for authors to place mortals in magical situations. However, characters are usually swallowed up by the unordinary and forced to leave their world behind.
Rather than simply reference each world as its own, Black merges the two with grace and grandeur.
Throughout the early 2000s, Black also collaborated alongside Tony DiTerlizzi on “The Spiderwick Chronicles.” The series follows three siblings as they discover a fantastical world inside the Spiderwick Estate, their new home.
“The Spiderwick Chronicles” became very popular, no doubt due to the collaboration of both authors and their combined creativity. The series was so popular that it was adapted into a film in 2008.
Between all of these different series, Black also released several stand-alone novels with just as much elaboration.
In 2015, though, Black released the book that would become my introduction to her writing: “The Darkest Part of the Forest.”
This novel follows a girl and her experience in a town where mortals and fae coexist. Hazel, the protagonist, wakes up a sleeping faerie boy to protect her home when a sprawling mystery unfolds.
The complex world of magic that Hazel dives into is combined with mystery and romance, making “The Darkest Part of the Forest” the perfect first novel written by Black for me to read. I was immediately attached to her writing, and I wanted more.
This is where “The Folk of the Air” collection comes into play.
In 2018, “The Cruel Prince” became the first installment of a three-book series. With yet another mortal girl protagonist named Jude, Black introduces her readers to a new world called Elfhame.
Although the mortal narrator may seem redundant at this point, Jude is the perfect girl to clash with the fae. She is far from ordinary. Her determination to fit into Elfhame makes her a mortal warrior and the easiest target for “cruel” Prince Cardan to pick on, although he may regret it later on.
The way Black characterizes Jude also highlights the intricacy of her world-building.
Not only is Elfhame home to the diverse fae, but it has its distinct politics and rules that Jude inevitably becomes entangled with.
There would be two more books after “The Cruel Prince” to conclude the series, also punctuated by spin-offs like “The Lost Sisters” and “How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories.”
This brings us to the aforementioned “The Folk of the Air” collection. “The Stolen Heir,” the newest addition to the collection, begins with a new character, Wren, who unlocks a new perspective of Elfhame for readers.
Wren is from the Court of Teeth, which is north of Elfhame and is known for its cruelty. After she abandons her icy castle to live in the outskirts of the mortal world, Wren unites with Oak, who just so happens to be Jude’s little brother.
As Wren and Oak set out together to accomplish their contrasting purposes, readers are privy to a world outside Elfhame. Wren’s point of view exemplifies the multiple layers that Black has implemented into her world, and it is obviously well thought-out.
From this outside perspective, we see Elfhame without Jude’s filter. The faults of those in power become unclouded, allowing the reader to find even more appreciation for their characterization. Black’s ability to keep so much continuity despite showing completely different angles is astounding.
She does this again in the follow-up novel “The Prisoner’s Throne.” This time, from Oak’s perspective, we get an insider view of Elfhame royalty. His affection for Wren and loyalty to his family gives Oak an even more complex outlook.
When seeing Wren’s icy world compared to Oak’s home of Elfhame, it’s undeniable that Black has a firm hold on her world-building techniques.
Throughout her publications, Black has shown over and over again that she knows how to put together a fictional and fantastical universe, and I, for one, love her for it.
Sadie Self is a freshman at UT this year studying journalism and media. She can be reached at [email protected].
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