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alexalily's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hippievamp's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Racism
spiderelsa's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow, I didn't know what I was getting into with this book, and it's been a real journey. Engaging all the way through. Sometimes stressful, sometimes beautiful, sometimes harrowing. With love woven throughout.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, and War
nofys's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Rape
mlweih's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Racism, Torture, Violence, Murder, and War
tafeeeeee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This has long been on my TBR, and I have almost picked it up so many times, but it's a chonky one, and that's always a bit intimidating. But a recent overseas trip, with lots of travel time, felt like the perfect opportunity to start a book like this. I'd have lots of time and, since it's such a tome, I wouldn't have to pack as many other books. Plus, I was able to get the audiobook from my library, so I'd have flexibility in reading style vibes. Perfect.
In the land of Terre d'Ange, nothing is more important than beauty, and the people that live there follow one rule above all others" love as thou wilt. Into this land is born Phèdre nó Delaunay, unique even in this land of beautiful things for the scarlet mote in her left eye, marking her as one blessed by Kushiel, chosen to always experience pain and please together as one. Phèdre's benefactor chooses to train her not just in the arts of, essentially, sex work (the way it could be, if it were properly monitored and protected as a legitmate job by policy and public opinion, but I digress), but also in the intimacies of courtly intrigue, political machination, interpesonal relationships and psychology, and general public policy/global studies/langauges. This dual role of courtesan and spy thrusts Phèdre into a complex and dangerous world of power-grabbing and violence, in which she is betrayed gravely and experiences much beyond her original duties. But honor of her benefactor and love of her country goad her ever further into drama and danger, while her connection grows ever stronger with one (a *celibate* priest-warrior named Joscelin) oath-sworn to protect her.
Whoa. This was some real old school classic fantasy writing vibes, with the high formal language and unnecessarily high-handed ways of saying basic things. I mean, it's absolutely as long as it is because of that writing style. Although, to be fair, the complexity of the political machinations and personal motivations for power/influence and interpersonal relationship drama (which, if I'm honest, I definitely did not follow all of) were *chef's kiss.* And while a simpler writing style could have conveyed just as much complexity, the slightly overblown style added a lot to the vibes of the novel. It is for sure a style not everyone will be into, nor be able to tolerate for the length of the book, so do be cognizant of that. Another writing note, the foreshadowing was...heavy...as in: not subtle and a lot of it. That probably grated on me more than the style of the writing, if I'm honest. Mostly just, I want readers to know what kind of book they're picking up, as this is a situation where incorrect expectations can ruin the experience.
And speaking more to that experience. As I said, the complexity of the world-building and characters was spectacular, deep and detailed. There is a very clearly recognizable parallel to many of the nations and histories of our own (Western) world, and those inspirations and shades did help a bit, as the many elements of the story grew in scope and intricacy. There are many classic, for a reason, epic fantasy tropes included in this novel and I was really here for them. It took me until about forty percent of the way in to really feel caught up in things (pretty standard for world-building of this extent), but it happened. And then all the alliances and betrayals, slow burn opposites relationship, journeys/quests, loyalties formed and fought for, the magical entraption of best friends (and let me take a moment here to say I did really like this side plot of Hyacinthe's) the final major battle, and the surprise inheritances from dead benefactors - all the cornerstone fantasy tropes were there as they should be.
And there were some bonus things as well that I really loved. The way pleasure, in all its forms and variations, with consent on all levels because of the widespread social acceptance and its connection to worship and godliness, is fascinating. And wonderful. And I loved it. It feels akin to what Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness does with gender, as far as the casual reality of how it’s incorporated into the world-building and storytelling. On that note, specific to Phèdre's specific experience with the conflation of pain and pleasure, content warning for pain and injury, both wanted (due to Kushiel's Dart) and unwanted (because it's fantasy and that's a trope too...). Andddddd at the two thirds mark, when we finally got the long-awaited encounter between Phèdre and Joscelin, which everyone see coming from a mile away because that's how these things work - I was here for it. Though it would have been easier (and wanted!) for more sexual interaction on the part of our MC and her emotional love after that, I’m happy with how it played out true to their characters. It's that love it-hate it kind of tension that makes reading such a visceral experience.
Well. I wasn't sure for a while if this was going to be"for me" or not. But, y’all, the hardcore epic fantasy nerd still lives within me. I don't regret a single minute of my thirty hours with the audiobook. And though I think it'll be a hot minute before I read further (if I ever do, because I may have convinced myself that the ending of this first book is just...the end), if you're feeling some classic, bombastic, high political intrigue, sex-positive (at least within the central cultural belief system of the book) female-hero/MC epic fantasy, this one will hit the spot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
karanextweek's review against another edition
3 reasons for DNF:
1. I really hate the writing style. It’s exhausting and feels pretentious.
2. The first 30th pages are lore. I don’t want to start a book with all back story. Tedious and boring!
3. I’m so tired of fantasy books that sexualize CHILDREN. It’s so unnecessary. I do not want to read a book about a SEVEN YEAR OLD discovering they’re a masochist.
1. I really hate the writing style. It’s exhausting and feels pretentious.
2. The first 30th pages are lore. I don’t want to start a book with all back story. Tedious and boring!
3. I’m so tired of fantasy books that sexualize CHILDREN. It’s so unnecessary. I do not want to read a book about a SEVEN YEAR OLD discovering they’re a masochist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Slavery
Moderate: Pedophilia and Trafficking
savvypotions's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Slavery, Violence, and War
Minor: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
bkmckown's review against another edition
2.0
This book was recommended to me by MANY people. It’s was such a slog to finish. Over 1,000 pages and I would’ve quit if I hadn’t needed it for many of my reading challenges. I’ll start with the positive:
The overall story was fairly interesting. The sexy parts were indeed spicy. That’s about it.
Now for the stuff I did NOT like:
Let me preface this to say that I don’t like fantasy that much. Especially the ones who refer to characters in full name, the ones that have names that are difficult to pronounce, the ones that have exotic names for every group of people, location, position, etc
The main character is basically a child who is taught in the erotic arts. HUGE WTF! She’s a sex slave. Her first “master” just enjoys inflicting pain- which part of her “curse” makes it pleasurable to her. I felt like it wasn’t BDSM, but just abuse. Maybe there was a time in my life where I’d find this read enjoyable, but this isn’t it.
I did give it 2 stars because the author did create and intricate cast of characters and story, but honestly, I would’ve DNF at any other time.
The overall story was fairly interesting. The sexy parts were indeed spicy. That’s about it.
Now for the stuff I did NOT like:
Let me preface this to say that I don’t like fantasy that much. Especially the ones who refer to characters in full name, the ones that have names that are difficult to pronounce, the ones that have exotic names for every group of people, location, position, etc
The main character is basically a child who is taught in the erotic arts. HUGE WTF! She’s a sex slave. Her first “master” just enjoys inflicting pain- which part of her “curse” makes it pleasurable to her. I felt like it wasn’t BDSM, but just abuse. Maybe there was a time in my life where I’d find this read enjoyable, but this isn’t it.
I did give it 2 stars because the author did create and intricate cast of characters and story, but honestly, I would’ve DNF at any other time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Cultural appropriation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism