Tagged: kushiel’s legacy
Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
(Cover picture courtesy of Coverbrowser.)
Having learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-cross romance, defend the couple. Many others cannot forget the betrayals of Imriel’s mother, Melisande, who plunged their country into a bloody war that cost the lives of their fathers, brothers, and sons.
To quell the unrest, Ysandre, the queen, sets her decree. She will not divide the lovers, yet neither will she acknowledge them. If they marry, Sidonie will be disinherited, losing her claim on the throne.
There’s only one way they can truly be together. Imriel must perform an act of faith: search the world for his infamous mother and bring her back to Terre d’Ange to be executed for treason.
Facing a terrible choice, Imriel and Sidonie prepare ruefully for another long separation. But when a dark foreign force casts a shadow over Terre d’Ange and all the surrounding countries, their world is turned upside down, alliances of the unlikeliest kind are made, and Imriel and Sidonie learn that the god Elua always puts hearts together apurpose.
As with all books that bring an end to a series or trilogy, I was more than a little skeptical of Kushiel’s Mercy. I mean, other than bringing his mother to justice what could Imriel possibly do next? In all honesty, I need not have worried.
Kushiel’s Mercy isn’t just about Imriel’s heart-breaking hunt for his own mother. It’s about the ruthlessly ambitious Astegal of Carthage and Imriel’s fight to stop him before Astegal destroys everything Imriel holds dear. I suppose Astegal could have became this stereotypical over-ambitious general type we get so often in fantasy fiction, but this was not the case. He was ambitious and at times completely ruthless but he had good reasons for his actions and most of his moves made sense in the wider political context. Readers can certainly draw similarities between Astegal and Hannibal of the Second Punic War, but they’re not so similar that you feel like Jacqueline Carey is rehashing history.
As with all of Jacqueline Carey’s books, I love the characters the most. I loved how Imriel developed and how his personality did nearly a 360 at a certain point in the story. (I can’t explain without giving away too many spoilers.) However, this change made sense and I liked it when it was reversed in a way. Imriel’s other self had developed, but also the real Imriel had changed at the same time. His love for Sidonie is reminiscent of the love his foster parents shared and you get the feeling that he will do anything to save her.
The plot never really dragged because there was constant character development and there were enough twists and turns to keep my on my toes. Truly, I never know what to expect from Jacqueline Carey’s great writing style and I was pleasantly surprised that even in her later books (which can go downhill for some authors) she still has that old spark that made Kushiel’s Dart appeal to me so much.
Of course there is quite a bit of graphical sexual content that may not appeal to everyone which is why I’d recommend it for those at least 16+. Probably more like 18+ to be on the safe side. Still, Jacqueline Carey has created a wonderful fantasy world that’s believable based on her alternate version of history, populated it with wonderful character and brought her Imriel trilogy to a sound conclusion. What more could I ask for?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Kushiel’s Justice by Jacqueline Carey
(Cover picture courtesy of LOVEandLIVEtoREAD.)
Imriel de la Courcel’s blood parents are history’s most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Phèdre and Joscelin, are Terre d’Ange’s greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in beauty, art, and desire.
After a year abroad to study at university, Imriel returns from his adventures a little older and somewhat wiser. But perhaps not wise enough. What was once a mere spark of interest between himself and his cousin Sidonie now ignites into a white-hot blaze. But from commoner to peer, the whole realm would recoil from any alliance between Sidonie, heir to the throne, and Imriel, who bears the stigma of his mother’s of his mother’s misdeeds and betrayals. Praying that their passion will peak and fade, Imriel and Sidonie embark on an intense, secret affair.
Blessed Elua founded Terre d’Ange and bestowed one simple precept to guide his people: Love as thou wilt. When duty calls, Imriel honors his role as a member of the royal family by leaving to marry a lovely, if merely sweet, Alban princess. By choosing duty over love, Imriel and Sidonie may have unwittingly trespassed against Elua’s law. But when dark powers in Alba, who fear an invasion by Terre d’Ange, seek to use the lovers’ passion to bind Imriel, the gods themselves take notice.
Before the end, Kushiel’s justice will be felt in heaven and on earth.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at Kushiel’s Justice. Not only did we get to see more of the politics in the countries around Terre d’Ange, but Imriel really grew as a character. He’s so much more mature by the end of the book than he was at the beginning, let alone the beginning of his trilogy.
Poor Imriel! Contrary to the precepts of Elua, Ysandre sends Imriel off to marry an Alban princess named Dorelei in a political match. This is especially heartbreaking as Imriel and Sidonie finally realize just how much they really do love each other. What surprised me most about Imriel is his maturity about the whole arranged marriage, especially by the end of the book. Although he loved Sidonie he put duty first and I don’t want to give too much away, but you just know that it will end badly for Imriel and Dorelei. And although Imriel is heartbroken at having to part Sidonie, he still sucks it up and eventually learns to treat Dorelei as she deserves and learns to love her in his own way.
The plot is not what I’d call fast-paced, but that’s really not the point of the book. The point is Imriel’s amazing adventure across Jacqueline Carey’s vivid fantasy world as well as his own inner journey. Jacqueline Carey is hardly easy on poor Imriel, which makes him a better character for it. Background characters like Sidonie and Dorelei are three dimensional as well and although we only see them through Imriel’s eyes, you get the feeling there’s far more to them than just being love interests/plot devices.
If you loved Kushiel’s Scion, you’ll enjoy Kushiel’s Justice even more. Imriel grows as a character and does learn to overcome some of his demons from the past and confronts every challenge he faces. He’s a loyal, determined and caring person who makes for a great narrator that you can’t help but fall in love with. That doesn’t mean he does have flaws—he certainly does—but that he learns to overcome some of those flaws and is a better person for it. His unexpected action at the end of the book just reveals how much he has changed.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Look What Just Arrived! (#7)
Yes, I’m posting today. For real this time! And yes, I went to the bookstore. Again. So what did I get there?
- Hade’s Daughter by Sara Douglass
- Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
- Kushiel’s Justice by Jacqueline Carey
- Legends anthology
- The Josephine B. Trilogy by Sandra Gulland
- The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
Most of these, except for the Jacqueline Carey books, were completely random reads. I was in the Used section after finding nothing too interesting in the small YA section (way too much vampire stuff) and stumbled across most of these. Hade’s Daughter is completely random and frankly I know nothing about it, but I picked it up because it was about ancient Greece. The Legends anthology (volume 1) is also another impulse buy but I’m looking forward to this one because it has entries by Stephen King, Orson Scott Card and a couple other big names.
The Josephine B. trilogy sounds oddly familiar, but I know I haven’t read it before. Most likely I had been drooling over it on Amazon in the past, but never bothered ordering it. The Memoirs of Cleopatra is one I’ve had my eye on for a while, but for $30 it was never happening. This is one case where I love buying used because although it is over 900 pages, the price should not be that high for a paperback book. But hey, what do I know about the factors involved in pricing a book? (Not much, to be honest.) What I do know is that I bought all of these used books for less than the cover price of The Memoirs of Cleopatra new.
Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
(Cover picture courtesy of Lusty Reader.)
The land of Terre d’Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.
Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobelman, the first to recognize that she is one pricked by Kushiel’s Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. He trained Phèdre in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber—and, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze.
When she stumbled upon a plot that threatened the very foundations of her homeland, she gave up almost everything she held dear to save it. She survived, and lived to have others tell her story, and if they embellished the tale with fabric of mythical splendor, they weren’t far off the mark.
The hands of the gods weigh heavily upon Phèdre’s brow, and they are not finished with her. While the young queen who sits upon the throne is well loved by the people, there are those who believe another should wear the crown…and those who escaped the wrath of the mighty are not yet done with their schemes for power and revenge.
While it may disappoint some readers, Kushiel’s Chosen has much less sex and far more political intrigue than Kushiel’s Dart did, which suits me just fine. But hey, each to their own.
The thing I most admire about Jacqueline Carey’s novels is how she weaves mythology and history together to establish Terre d’Ange and all the lands around it. As I mentioned in my review of Kushiel’s Dart, Jacqueline Carey draws on real historical events and combines them with the tale of Elua and his Companions to create an alternate Medieval Europe. To truly appreciate the scope of her world-building it helps to have a background in ancient history, particularly that of ancient Rome. It’s not necessary to understand the books, but it really does enhance your reading experience.
There were a few times I was annoyed at Phèdre for being a Mary Sue, but then I realized something: she is a rarity, the first anguisette in three generations and was the ambassador to Alba for the Queen Ysandre. Of course she’s going to be revered and looked on with curiosity by people. That’s what happens when people achieve legendary status within their own lifetime. Phèdre also goes through a lot more character development, particularly when she’s in Kriti. She’s a lot more aware of her actions and how they affect people and by the end of the novel she’s a better person for it.
The plot of Kushiel’s Chosen is much faster than that of the first book, mainly because we don’t have to go through Phèdre’s childhood again. Instead, we can skip right to the action where she’s trying to figure out where Melisande escaped to and why she sent the sangoire cloak back. The search for Melisande is, of course, more complicated than it seems at first but it really is amazing what Phèdre goes through in order to find her. Hint: Melisande is not hiding where you would expect her to be. In hindsight I probably should have guessed where she was hiding, but I had no idea until the dramatic reveal. In the hands of most authors, a reveal like that would be very cliché, but Jacqueline Carey definitely pulled it off.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Look What Just Arrived! (#4)
I went shopping last Saturday and not only discovered that the bookstore owner knows my first name, but also seems to know my reading tastes. This would be normal if it was in my small town, but the bookstore I shop at is in a city an hour away. Okay, obviously I buy a lot of books. So what did I buy this time? (For those of you concerned about my spending, don’t worry. These were all in the ‘Almost New’ section.)
- Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
- Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
- Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey
- The Mummy or Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice
- The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir
- The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
Yes, I’m sticking with the Kushiel’s Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey. I love her writing style and her world-building. I am also very curious as to where the series will go right now. The Mummy is one I’ve had my sights on for years, but alas, it is mostly out of print. When I saw it in the used section I nearly caused an avalanche (the books are stacked up on the shelves so there’s more room) to get it. The last three books about the Tudors are evidence of the bookstore owner’s knowledge of my reading tastes. Of course Philippa Gregory is excellent, but after Lisa Jennings reviewed Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir, I discovered a new take on the Tudors.
So what are you reading this weekend?