Comparing The Cruel Prince and Harry Potter: A Look at Sexuality, Gender, and Non-Magical People

*If you’re planning on reading The Folk of the Air series or the Harry Potter series and have not already, just a heads-up: this post is not spoiler-free. I’ll mostly be focusing on the first book of The Folk of the Air series, but there will be mentions of scenes from the sequels as well.

The Cruel Prince is the first book in Holly Black’s Folk of the Air fantasy series, following Jude Duarte. The story begins when Jude is seven years old and her parents are murdered by Madoc, a Faerie general. He reveals that her older sister Vivi is his daughter and also a Faerie, while Jude and her twin Taryn are mortal. Despite this, Madoc raises all three girls in the High Court of Faerie.

Because Madoc is the High King’s general, Jude grows up in the High Court of Faerie. The story skips ahead ten years, when Jude and Taryn are now seventeen. They attend academic lessons with the other children of the King’s court, but as mortals, they are easy targets for harassment and bullying. They must wear protective charms to keep themselves from being glamoured — a kind of magical compulsion that works as mind control, very similar to the Imperius Curse in Harry Potter.

Jude, unlike Taryn, is determined to carve out a place for herself in Faerie. Madoc trains her in combat and military strategy, and Jude dreams of becoming a knight so she can protect herself and secure her role at court.

Meanwhile, King Eldred announces that he is stepping down and that one of his children will inherit the throne. Succession in Faerie does not automatically pass to the oldest son; the King may choose any of his children as heir. Prince Dain, the third-born, is the most likely candidate. At a tournament where Jude hopes to prove herself as a knight, Dain notices her talents and offers her a role as his spy. In exchange, he grants her an enchantment ensuring that she can never be glamoured again.

But chaos erupts when King Eldred’s eldest son, Balekin, murders most of his siblings to seize power. Only his youngest brother, Cardan, survives. Cardan, who has tormented Jude and Taryn for years, finds himself in reluctant alliance with Jude. Neither of them wants Balekin on the throne, but Cardan also has no desire to be King.

When Jude discovers that her young stepbrother Oak is the true heir, she devises a plan: Oak will be crowned King, but only once he is old enough to rule without being manipulated by Madoc. To achieve this, she tricks Cardan into swearing an oath of loyalty to her for a year and a day. Then, in a shocking twist, she betrays him by placing him on the throne instead, under her control. The book ends with Jude reveling in her newfound power over the King himself, her hunger for authority now fully awakened.

On the surface, the two series share an obvious parallel: a fantasy story about a child whose parents are murdered, who is then taken into a magical world they know nothing about, and who struggles to find their place there.

But beyond that, there are fascinating differences in how the series treat three key areas: sexuality, gender, and non-magical people (mortals in Faerie and Muggles in the wizarding world).

In The Cruel Prince, Jude’s older sister Vivi is openly bisexual. She has a girlfriend, Heather, who becomes an important figure in the story. Heather helps care for Oak, welcomes the family with open arms, and doesn’t judge Vivi for being a Faerie. Long before she ever sets foot in Faerie, Heather is portrayed as kind, accepting, and deeply supportive.

Though Heather is technically a side character, Holly Black gives her a surprising amount of depth. We learn that she makes comics, works at a copy shop, and attends community college. Her characterization goes beyond simply being Vivi’s girlfriend, which is refreshing and important.

This representation stands in stark contrast to Harry Potter. The only supposed LGBTQ+ “representation” comes from J.K. Rowling revealing, outside the text, that Dumbledore is gay. Yet there is no real evidence of this in the books themselves, nor does it play any role in the story. In this regard, Holly Black’s series offers much more explicit and meaningful representation.

Gender representation is another area where the two series differ dramatically.

In Harry Potter, many of the female characters are defined almost entirely by their roles as mothers or villains. Molly Weasley, Narcissa Malfoy, and Lily Potter are primarily portrayed as mothers. Dolores Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange are primarily portrayed as villains. Even Hermione Granger, one of the most developed characters, is often framed as the “motherly helper” to Harry and Ron.

By contrast, The Cruel Prince centers its story on Jude, a mortal girl who is fully fleshed out as a character. Because the book is written in first person, readers get direct insight into her thoughts, ambitions, and struggles. Jude’s identity is shaped not by motherhood or villainy but by her determination to belong in a world that constantly rejects her. She trains relentlessly in combat, masters political strategy, and even poisons herself in small doses to build resistance against assassination attempts. She stitches up her own wounds, kills in self-defense, and navigates trauma without a support system. Her character is complex, intelligent, and resourceful.

Other female characters in the series are given similar depth. Vivi, Taryn, and even Queen Orlagh of the Undersea each have distinct motivations and personalities. None of them exist solely as mothers or villains.

Even depictions of masculinity and gender expression are handled differently. In The Wicked King, Cardan casually wears a dress when circumstances require it, and no one mocks him for it. This moment reflects a fluid and inclusive approach to gender. In contrast, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban uses cross-dressing as a punchline: Professor Lupin instructs Neville to imagine Snape in his grandmother’s clothes, and when the boggart transforms, the entire class bursts into laughter. Holly Black presents gender inclusivity, while Rowling relies on outdated ridicule.

The treatment of non-magical people is another major difference.

In The Cruel Prince, Jude’s humanity is a constant source of ridicule and danger. Faeries force mortals to eat enchanted fruit, which makes them vulnerable to manipulation. In one disturbing scene, Cardan’s friend forces an Everapple into Jude’s mouth, compelling her to strip in front of her classmates. Faeries also create cruel illusions, steal belongings, and even attempt to drown Jude and Taryn. These experiences are central to Jude’s development—her suffering as a human fuels her strength and ambition.

In Harry Potter, Muggle-born discrimination exists but is less fully explored. Draco Malfoy’s insults toward Hermione (“mudblood”) are upsetting, but the narrative rarely delves deeper into the trauma of growing up under constant prejudice. While blood purity is treated as a central ideology for villains like the Malfoys, the series stops short of truly examining what it means for Muggle-borns like Hermione to endure this kind of systemic bias.

The consequences of magical manipulation are also explored more deeply in Holly Black’s work. In The Wicked King, Heather visits Faerie and has a horrifying experience when a Faerie transforms her into a cat for amusement. The transformation is painful and traumatic, and Jude is furious with Vivi for failing to prepare Heather for how dangerous Faerie can be.

Vivi responds by wiping Heather’s memory and replacing it with a false, harmless one. This decision devastates Jude and Taryn, who recognize that Vivi has stripped Heather of her autonomy. Eventually, Vivi comes clean to Heather, who is deeply shaken and chooses to move out. Here, memory manipulation has real, lasting consequences on relationships.

In Harry Potter, memory charms are treated far more casually. Hermione erases her parents’ memories with Obliviate, and Mr. Roberts at the Quidditch World Cup is repeatedly obliviated to the point of permanent damage. While the Daily Prophet even acknowledges Obliviate as one of the most dangerous spells, the story never shows any lasting consequences.

In conclusion, I love both of these series. They are both examples of incredible fantasy worlds with strong storylines and characters. That said, Holly Black’s work stands out in its handling of sexuality, gender, and non-magical struggles.

Harry Potter was one of the first fantasy series I ever read, and it sparked my love for the genre. But after reading The Cruel Prince and other works, Rowling’s limitations as a writer—especially in terms of representation—are easier to see. Still, both series are meaningful, and I continue to enjoy them immensely.

Sources

Black, Holly. The Cruel Prince.
bookworm, Published by FangirlFlax Lifelong, et al. “Book Gush: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.” FangirlFlax, 18 July 2021, fangirlflax.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/review-the-cruel-prince-by-holly-black/.

Contributors to The Folk of the Air Wiki. “Heather.” The Folk of the Air Wiki, Fandom, Inc., the-folk-of-the-air.fandom.com/wiki/Heather. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.

Contributors to The Folk of the Air Wiki. “Mortal Realm.” The Folk of the Air Wiki, Fandom, Inc., the-folk-of-the-air.fandom.com/wiki/Mortal_Realm. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.

“The Cruel Prince Summary and Study Guide.” SuperSummary, www.supersummary.com/the-cruel-prince/summary/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.

Janika. “Holly Black – the Cruel Prince.” Zeilenwanderer, 26 Feb. 2019, zeilenwanderer.de/holly-black-the-cruel-prince/.

“Jude Duarte - The Cruel Prince by Frostbite-Studios on Deviantart.” By Frostbite-Studios on DeviantArt, www.deviantart.com/frostbite-studios/art/Jude-Duarte-The-Cruel-Prince-885438251. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.

Jude, Jude, Jude, an Art Canvas by Nanna Arts - INPRNT, www.inprnt.com/gallery/nanna.arts/jude-jude-jude/canvas/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.

“Nicole on Instagram: ‘vivi and Heather from @blackholly 's the Cruel Prince . I Love Them #pridemonth’: Holly Black, Holly Black Books, Cruel.” Pinterest, 26 Feb. 2021, pin.it/kQ4vREnTK.

“Obliviate.” The Daily Prophet, 9 Aug. 2023, thedailyprophet.net/glossary/obliviate/#:~:text=Obliviate%20is%20the%20incantation%20for,memory%20loss%20if%20used%20incorrectly.

R/Harrypotter on Reddit: Minimalist Book Covers, www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/18fg0kg/minimalist_book_covers/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.

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Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter.