Kushiel's Chosen (Kushiel's Legacy) by Jacqueline Carey Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.17 You Save: $3.82 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.88 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Kushiel's Chosen (Kushiel's Legacy)
Book Review: Great sequel for a great beginning
Summary: 5 Stars
Phedre ne Delauney, the courtesan/masochist/spy heroine of the superb "Kushiel's Dart" is back for this strong sequel. In this story she finds herself enmeshed in a plot in La Serenissima (Venice), hatched by her old enemy Melisande de la Courcel, which threatens both the local leadership and her own homeland. To defeat it she will have to survive being captured by pirates, thrown in prison, and even the desertion of her beloved Joscelyn.
The story is strong, with interesting characters, complex politics, multiple locations, and lots of adventures. All of it is dominated by Carey's wonderful and paradoxical heroine; submissive, as befits an accomplished masochist and courtesan, but never weak.
Some reviewers have complained that readers of the prior novel will just find this more of the same. They're right, and the problem with that is? "Kushiel's Dart" is one of the very best fantasies I've ever read, and I read a LOT of fantasy. This book is quite similar, and just as good. The series, good as it is, might well become tiring if stretched to the infinite horizons of the "Wheel of Time" or "Sword of Truth" series. But Carey wrote only three books about Phedre and shows no signs of writing more. The character and setting are more than good enough to justify a trilogy, and similarity in approach is not a major flaw for a writer as skilled and resourceful as her.
Book Review: Not Bad
Summary: 3 Stars
The book was not a bad read, but I found the main character to be quite Mary Sueish. She's just a little too perfect for my taste.Book Review: Just as Good as the First--Possibly Better
Summary: 5 Stars
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm not going to argue with their right to state it. However, I have to admit, I don't get what the problem is here. People calling this "more of the same"...well, that statement isn't wholly accurate. Yes, it's true, the basic premise and pattern of this novel is the same as the first. Which, quite frankly, I don't mind in the least, since I enjoy this sort of thing. Now, that's not to say that if this was the fourth book, or the fifth or the sixth, I wouldn't be rather irritated. But it's only the second and at this point "redundant" is a bit too strong a word.
Chosen moves throughout a large portion of the fascinating world that Carey has created. On the surface it may seem like the same as the first, but this one deals much more in Phedre's relationships than the last one, and also highlights more effectively our heroines flaws.
People have said that Phedre is too perfect, that she resolves everything by sleeping with everyone, and so on. However, that's really thinking on the surface. Phedre is far from perfect; she's actually a bit too trusting and naive. She blunders into things she really never should have.
Nor does she solve everything--or even anything--by sleeping with someone. Whether it be gold or glory, the people with whom Phedre makes her deals ALWAYS have something to win out of it. She is merely a bonus, not the main prize. Again, the world has narrowed down to Phedre's vision, so it's easy for people to lose track of the fact that the world continues to revolve--and not just around the heroine.
The same goes for her relationship with Joscelin. We only see Phedre's side of the resolution, not what goes on in his mind. Personally, however, I liked the way Carey resolved it. Phedre is who she is and she makes no apologies for it. She knows it hurts the people she loves, but she won't change it. Why should she have to?
In reality, this is merely a role reversal that some people seem to miss. How many fantasy stories--generally written by male authors, unfortunately--have this sort of relationship? A flawed man, who is what he is, who won't change it, and so...the heroine, who loves him so, just accepts him for who he is! After she's gone, possibly dead, in Joscelin's mind, he realizes he loves her for who she is. It's a mark of his character growth, that he accepts himself, her, and their relationship.
Honestly, reading the editorial reviews puzzles me. One reviewer says the writing isn't as tight as the first one...huh??? The writing in Chosen is so much smoother than Dart. Phedre hardly ever rambles about something pointless and useless. The pacing works better, moving quickly into the story, rather than dwelling on this, that, and the other thing.
Another such reviewer complains that Melisande has become a tiresome harridan. Again...huh??? You hardly even see her in Chosen! Of the 600 some odd pages, she appears in MAYBE 50. She was far more tiresome in Dart. I was much happier that she was hardly in this novel.
Carey's characters have become richer, as well. I adored Phedre's Boys and Kazan. They had so much life to them and, seeing through Phedre's eyes, you got a real sense of her fondness for them.
And personally I loved the little trip to Hellene. As someone who has studied the history of ancient art, Greek included (and there for much ancient history, period) it was fun to recognize so many of the things I'd learned of. For those that don't know, Kore does mean 'maiden'. Notable from the Peplos Kore, a work of sculpture from ancient Greece, of a young woman wearing a Peplos (the type of gown the pirates give Phedre to wear). Easy to see that Ms. Carey has done more than her fair share of studying.
Still with the cheapo ink, though. At least Tor seems to have provided the poor woman with a proofreader this time.
Book Review: A Worthy Sequel
Summary: 5 Stars
How does one follow up one of the greatest debut novels since "To Kill a Mockingbird?" Obviously, Harper Lee retired, but thank goodness Jacqueline Carey has kept writing. Most of the reviewers of this book indicate that if you liked "Kushiel's Dart," you'll like "Kushiel's Chosen" as well. I agree. Carey displays the same bravura talent in this sophomore effort that made her debut so shockingly good. The few complaints I've seen in other reviews seem to center on the "it's just more of the same" issue. Well, I agree with that, too. By all means, Ms. Carey, give us more of the same for a good long time.
That having been said, I'll admit that I felt the political machinations weren't quite as tightly plotted as in the first book. If the plotting seemed a little looser, however, the characterization was even stronger. Phedre keeps surprising me with new complexity, as her life becomes ever more god-ridden. Unless something drastic happens with Carey's writing, I'll be buying everything she writes from here on in.
Book Review: An impressive creation full of detail
Summary: 5 Stars
Kushiel's Chosen is the second volume of a trilogy. In the first book, Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey introduces the reader to an alternative past for France called Terre d'Ange which is a land founded by Jesus and Mary Magdalene's son Elua and his 12 followers. Kushiel's Dart is Phedre, a young woman who was sold into prostitution by her mother, but who was raised to be a spy. After many adventures she foils the plot of Melisande Shahrizai to take over the country and becomes a national hero and a comtesse. However, Melisande escapes punishment in a mysterious jailbreak.
This second book picks up the action when Phedre receives a clue that Melisande may be hiding in La Serenissima, our modern Venice, and goes in search of her. As with the first book, there are lots of adventures, narrow escapes, and court intrigue. Many new characters are introduced and the struggle between Melisande and Phedre continues. There is even less BDSM than in the first novel, although the theme is still present.
There are enough background details in Kushiel's Chosen that it can be read without having read Kushiel's Dart. However, I can't see too many people wanting to do this. The plot structure of the two books is very similar which might irritate some readers of both books. Hopefully in the third, the author mixes it up a bit. Still, an impressive creation full of detail and very tightly developed for such a large book.