How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories: a stunning full colour edition set in the faerie world of Elfhame where TikTok's Faerie Obsession Began

Newly available in paperback: the captivating world of Elfhame that started with The Cruel Prince, captured in colour, with stunning illustrations by Rovina Cai.

Once upon a time there was a boy with a wicked tongue...

Before Cardan was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. In this sumptuously illustrated tale, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame's enigmatic high king. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar but pivotal moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan's perspective.

This new instalment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humour and drama that enchanted readers everywhere.

Author: Holly Black
Publication Date: 08-01-2026
Format: Paperback / softback
Pages: 192
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Height (mm): 198
Width (mm): 132
Length (mm): 17

How long until I get my order?
Orders placed within the Republic of Ireland are normally processed, dispatched and delivered within 2 working days of placing your order.*
Orders placed to Northern Ireland and Great Britain are normally processed, dispatched and delivered within 2-5 working days of placing your order.
For time-lines on international deliveries, please refer to our Shipping & Delivery Page.
*Please note that during peak trade times this time-line may increase.

How much is delivery?
We offer FREE delivery on all orders over €10 within the Republic of Ireland.
Delivery is just €3.95 for under under €10
Delivery starts from just €9 for orders to Northern Ireland and Great Britain
For international rates, please refer to our Shipping & Delivery Page.

Do you provide tracking for my order?
We provide a Tracking Reference for all orders placed online as standard.
Once your order is dispatched, you will receive an email with a custom An Post link to track your delivery every step of the way.

Can I cancel/amend my order once it’s placed?
Once your order is placed we work as quickly as possible to dispatch your order to you so we cannot promise this is always possible.
However, if you’ve made a mistake on your order and you’d like to change it, please contact our online team at customercare@bookstation.ie and we will try to fix this for you before your order is dispatched.
Once an order is shipped and in transit, we can no longer offer any amendments to your order.

SHIPPING
FREE delivery on all orders over €10* ✅
Orders dispatched within 2 working days ✅
An Post Tracking provided on all orders ✅

Republic of Ireland
*FREE on all orders over €10
€3.95 for orders under €10

UK & Northern Ireland
Shipping from just €7

*Republic of Ireland only.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
Europe - Shipping from just €9
USA - Shipping from just €17
Canada - Shipping from just €16
Australia - Shipping from just €31.50
New Zealand - Shipping from just €26

RETURNS
Judged a book by its cover?
Don’t worry - at Bookstation you can return your order for a full refund within 14 days of delivery providing:

The item is in re-saleable condition ✅
It’s within the 14 day Return Period ✅
You have a  valid proof of purchase ✅