Kushiel's Avatar (Kushiel's Legacy) by Jacqueline Carey Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Kushiel's Avatar (Kushiel's Legacy)
Book Review: Superb Conclusion to this series
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a little bit of a departure from the previous two books of the series, in that it was more introspective and a lot deeper. I loved it, and loved the way it ended the series.
I felt the characters had grown, matured, and it was wonderful to read about them as they discovered more about themselves. I can't recommend this series highly enough. It's just a wonderful read, with characters you almost wish Carey would write about incessently, Gabaldon-style.
5 Stars: Great book, wonderful series. In my dreams I could write this well.
Book Review: Wonderful well-written and creative series!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my second reading of this book. I am getting ready to start reading the second series having to do with this character set; so I wanted to give the last book in the series a quick read-through. I forget that these are not quick books to read and I also forget how enjoyable they are.
This book follows Phedre' and Josceline in a whole new set of adventures. Phedre's quest to free Hyacinthe from the curse of being the Master of the Straights leads her into a greater adventure than she and Josceline could ever imagine. Phedre has further dealings with Melisandre and ends up on a sidequest to recover Melisandre's missing son. The quest takes Phedre and Josceline on a more hellish journey than either of them could have imagined; the burning question remains will they be able to survive it both physically and in spirit?
I love these books. There is no character that I admire more than Phedre. She seems to be so graceful and at peace with what she needs to do. Even though Phedre often despises herself for what she must do; the book is written so beautifully that you can't help admire her commitment. Throughout that book I often thought of the phrase that formed the thought behind the previous books "that which yields is not always weak." (or something to that effect).
The book is beautifully written and wondrously crafted leaving me with a content and peaceful feeling upon reading the book. There is something for everyone; action, love, adventure. Some how Carey makes you really care about the characters; even those that only make a brief appearance. In Melisandre's son, Imriel, we meet a wonderful new character.
I love the way that Phedre's and Josceline's relationship has matured. So often characters are left right after the happily-ever-after happens; we never find out what happens after the boy gets the girl (or vis versa). In this book you see how Phedre and Josceline's relationship has matured into the type of relationship "normal" people are more often in. Of course throughout the book pervades the premise of these novels; the following of Elua which is simply to "love as thou wilt". This book reminds us that love comes in many forms from children, to spouses, to the love of the pursuit of knowledge or pursuit of the game.
Again I should say I have just loved this series. Just keep in mind this is not a quick read. The writing is a little bit more advanced and the descriptions take some time to get through. Still the time spent reading is worth it. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to reading the next series; which is written from Imreil's point of view.
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Book Review: Powerful! Sensual!Erotic! Action-packed! WOW! WOW!
Summary: 5 Stars
The 3rd instalment in this trilogy is as strong and powerful as the first! Jacqueline Carey is one of these rare authors who can write ad infinitum - but IMO with excellent skills in describing the plot, the action,the land,the adventures, the pleasure of pain of Phedre,the sensual and deep love of Josceline and Phedre, the fear and terror in the seraglio and the characters in each plot! Ms. Carey includes s&m but describes it in such a way that we almost feel what Phedre feels. The human degradation of slavery mixes with the exultation of defeating another enemy! The utter helplessness, yet sexual yearning of Phedre in the presence of Melisande. I could read the story of Phedre, Joscelin,Imriel & Melisande forever.
What makes these stories so compelling Carey's attention to every detail of each country that Phedre travels through including the language,customs, beliefs, clothing,etc. Ms.Carey puts you BESIDE Phedre and Joscelin and you see and feel what they both do! Joscelin is sexy and beautiful and Phedre puts his courage and love to the test at every turn, only to find themselves falling more deeply in love with each other. Then of course Phedre faces the Master of Straits in hopes of releasing her beloved friend Hyacinthe. Don't let me get started there!
Have already started reading the second trilogy. I want more!
Book Review: Now That's How it's Done!
Summary: 5 Stars
The first time I attempted to read this book, I believe a couple of years ago, I put it down shortly in, frustrated with the meanderings through Carey's mythology. Okay, okay...my bad. I should have stuck it out and just kept reading.
This is the proper way to end a trilogy. Yeah, I know, all 5 of the books out now are supposed to be part of "Kushiel's Legacy" but the first three are obviously separate from the following books.
While there was plenty of adventure to be had in the first two, in Kushiel's Avatar things get extremely fascinating. There are the downtimes typical in Carey's novels, of course, so there are some parts that bog down a bit. However Phedre's quest this time is more than interesting enough to make up for it.
It isn't just the trek across a large portion of Carey's world, which is a mixture of myth, history, and alternate history, and extremely impressive in the amount of research the author has obviously done. As intriguing as the journey is--massively, so you know--I'm please with Carey's character work here more than anything else.
Okay, yeah, Phedre has some pretty good Mary Sue potential, being clever, intelligent, and divinely beautiful. What I like is that Phedre remains what she is: a courtesan and a spy. She never becomes a warrior in any sense of the word. Often enough such characters will in time become great fighters, making them utterly self-sufficient and independent. Not Phedre. She grows and changes most definitely, though.
In Avatar her "gift" really shows itself as a curse in many ways. Her frustration with it, and her horror at the things it causes her to enjoy, are well-wrought and come across very human. That she achieves many of her goals through use of Kushiel's Dart has been a fact of all 3 books, but never before has Carey set it to such a dark, macabre purpose. (To note, if you've found such things disturbing in the previous two, this one may be downright upsetting for you.)
And Joscelin! Now there is a beautiful peice of character work. Throughout all three books his growth has been consistent and written well. By the end of Avatar he is a long way from the uptight Cassiline Brother he used to be, but the path he's taken has been such that his development doesn't ring false in any way. It's easy enough for an author to just decide to change a character but here you can clearly see the connection between the trials Joscelin goes through and the person he becomes.
I've read enough trilogies to know that plenty of authors drop the ball at this point. Why that is, I don't know. But Carey most emphatically doesn't in Kushiel's Avatar. She's done what should be done: improved the whole way through, making the last book the very best one.
Book Review: "Dark" is not enough of a description
Summary: 4 Stars
I love the characters of Phaedre and Joscelin. And despite the sadism I enjoyed Kushiel's Dart and this book, for the lush descriptions of clothing, cultures and travels; and the characters themselves. But to warn anyone who has not yet read these books, there are very, very graphic descriptions of sadistic sex including cutting, burning, and flesh tearing. Most of the reviewers coyly sidestep this issue by simply saying the story is "dark". The sickening, horribly sadistic sex scenes when the characters are in Drujan in this book really bothered me. Perhaps I have too good of an imagination... reading scenes like that or seeing them in a movie, they are much too real to me.