moverton's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.75
cnoelle's review against another edition
1.0
Think watered down Tolkien (yet with a clunky naming system and complicated religious history) meets Fifty Shades of Grey. If you like graphic sex (s&m), drawn out historical fiction, and unnecessarily wordy writing, this is the book for you.
nataliegriffin's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book completely prepared to put it down. There was so much backstory placed in one spot it read like an info dump. The story took forever to start. This happened again several times throughout. But, when the story was actively going on, I couldn't put it down. It just seemed so different.
It's not a socially acceptable type of story idea. But, that almost is the draw to it. Certain things in fantasy lands just manage to work, you know?
SPOILER (but still keeping it vague) PART:
The biggest disappointment for the entire story to me wasn't the info dumps, though that is usually what will ruin a book for me in an instant. Instead, it was that love scene between the main character and who you are SURE is the love interest. It builds and builds until finally, they give in and do it one time and one time only. It's emotional, and you're so ready for it.
And it fades to black.
There are so many "lovey" scenes throughout, it hurt my soul that we were left hanging on that extra important one.
It's not a socially acceptable type of story idea. But, that almost is the draw to it. Certain things in fantasy lands just manage to work, you know?
SPOILER (but still keeping it vague) PART:
The biggest disappointment for the entire story to me wasn't the info dumps, though that is usually what will ruin a book for me in an instant. Instead, it was that love scene between the main character and who you are SURE is the love interest. It builds and builds until finally, they give in and do it one time and one time only. It's emotional, and you're so ready for it.
And it fades to black.
There are so many "lovey" scenes throughout, it hurt my soul that we were left hanging on that extra important one.
laviskrg's review against another edition
5.0
I have had this book on my shelf for the past two years. I am not exactly the most eager person to throw myself into a series, but I was really tempted with this one.
I loved this book so much! Many have judged its adult content, but I really enjoyed the way everything was portrayed. The world building made so much sense to me, and, if you look beyond the fantasy and erotic elements, you will find a very well written historical fiction. I did not have any issues with the way young people grew up in the Night's Court because, like it or not, history has known many such elements, and more often than not, there was no protection, education or skill offered. Whether one's modern and civilized sensibilities accept or not, young children were often subjected to far more horrendous acts than in this book.
Also, the adult content I found to be extremely well handled. Are the scenes ones that I would re-enact? No. But then again, when I read a novel, I want to be entertained, amazed, frightened, enticed and even disgusted or shaken. The writing is so elegant, gripping and erotic, one cannot read this and be disappointed.
Once again, I was taught that not all heroines must be tom-boys and action girls to be likable and useful. Phedre is neither, yet she is such an enjoyable point of view to read and delve in. She is no less tough than a warrior, but her uniqueness is well designed and used. What she lacks in strength and ability to fight, she makes up for in intelligence, sensibility, adaptability and stubbornness. Her growth is not entirely obvious because, while she does grow and mature, it did not seem to me like she began at an extremely inferior level in the first place. Her voice is quite mature from the get-go, which may be a bit of a negative aspect if you are looking for a coming-of-age story with immense character growth. But I was not looking for such a story.
My favourite character was, needless to say, Joscelin. I cannot imagine who could fail to like him from his very first scene. Is he full of surprises and mysterious? Not in my opinion. But he was such a sweet, eager and adorable character and I really wanted these two to be together. The way in which that was achieved was no great game of twists and turns, but it was beautiful to observe nonetheless. I believe that a romantic liaison, while important, should never become the main goal or element in any story.
This novel is a true epic. The action takes place over an immense area and features a large cast of well-developed or, at least, well-described characters. It also has the noble barbarian trope (not sure if that is the name, but whatever), which is one of my all time favourite cliches. I loved the names, the special terms for certain acts or objects, and the whole reading process was an exciting, fun, kinky, emotional turning of the pages. Also, when the time came for violence and gore, the author delivered.
I will soon return to this beautiful, immense and superbly sexual universe, but I needed a break from its intensity. I recommend this work to all those who like epic novels, but who are not scared of violence mixed in with sex. The world of an anguisette is not exactly tame and easily swallowed, but in the end, it makes for a fascinating read.
I loved this book so much! Many have judged its adult content, but I really enjoyed the way everything was portrayed. The world building made so much sense to me, and, if you look beyond the fantasy and erotic elements, you will find a very well written historical fiction. I did not have any issues with the way young people grew up in the Night's Court because, like it or not, history has known many such elements, and more often than not, there was no protection, education or skill offered. Whether one's modern and civilized sensibilities accept or not, young children were often subjected to far more horrendous acts than in this book.
Also, the adult content I found to be extremely well handled. Are the scenes ones that I would re-enact? No. But then again, when I read a novel, I want to be entertained, amazed, frightened, enticed and even disgusted or shaken. The writing is so elegant, gripping and erotic, one cannot read this and be disappointed.
Once again, I was taught that not all heroines must be tom-boys and action girls to be likable and useful. Phedre is neither, yet she is such an enjoyable point of view to read and delve in. She is no less tough than a warrior, but her uniqueness is well designed and used. What she lacks in strength and ability to fight, she makes up for in intelligence, sensibility, adaptability and stubbornness. Her growth is not entirely obvious because, while she does grow and mature, it did not seem to me like she began at an extremely inferior level in the first place. Her voice is quite mature from the get-go, which may be a bit of a negative aspect if you are looking for a coming-of-age story with immense character growth. But I was not looking for such a story.
My favourite character was, needless to say, Joscelin. I cannot imagine who could fail to like him from his very first scene. Is he full of surprises and mysterious? Not in my opinion. But he was such a sweet, eager and adorable character and I really wanted these two to be together. The way in which that was achieved was no great game of twists and turns, but it was beautiful to observe nonetheless. I believe that a romantic liaison, while important, should never become the main goal or element in any story.
This novel is a true epic. The action takes place over an immense area and features a large cast of well-developed or, at least, well-described characters. It also has the noble barbarian trope (not sure if that is the name, but whatever), which is one of my all time favourite cliches. I loved the names, the special terms for certain acts or objects, and the whole reading process was an exciting, fun, kinky, emotional turning of the pages. Also, when the time came for violence and gore, the author delivered.
I will soon return to this beautiful, immense and superbly sexual universe, but I needed a break from its intensity. I recommend this work to all those who like epic novels, but who are not scared of violence mixed in with sex. The world of an anguisette is not exactly tame and easily swallowed, but in the end, it makes for a fascinating read.
jd_jinkies's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
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: Murder, Racism, Torture, Violence, and War
sillypunk's review against another edition
3.0
God damn frustrating: http://blogendorff.ghost.io/book-review-kushiels-dart/
mel91's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lucrezi's review against another edition
4.0
Kushiel’s Dart is about Phedre no Delaunay, a courtesan and anguisette—someone who finds intense pleasure in pain—swept into political conspiracy. You’d think that this would just be some raunchy romantic fantasy, but it’s not. Sure, the romance is there, but it takes a backseat to more pressing matters (“There is no point in speaking of love when survival is at issue”), and BDSM was actually worked well into the plot. There are decent reasons for the sex scenes (which aren’t even graphic and are rather elegant), such as Phedre’s skills being vital to loosening lips and obtaining favors from powerful people.
The cast of characters felt real and not like those in your typical fantasy or romance. I didn’t think much of the characters introduced after Phedre and Joscelin came back from Skaldia, at first. Then I somehow found myself tearing up over the death of one of the Twins, had goosebumps for d’Aiglemort, and goddamn did I love Quintilius Rousse and Phedre’s Boys.
I didn’t even like Joscelin at first. I thought he was meant to be the catalyst of some turbulent love triangle, to make Phedre have to choose between Hyacinthe (I really wanted them together) and the new kid. I got to love him after a while, because he’s such an angry, politically-naive summer child who is, at the same time, dangerous and loyal to a fault (see: terminus).
As for Phedre, I love that her being an anguisette is not the most important or interesting thing about her; she actually has a love-hate relationship with it and usually uses it as a means to an end, rather than for pleasure alone. Despite her age, she’s extremely grounded in reality, resourceful, observant, and analytical. She is fiercely loyal to her country and people, most especially her mentor Delaunay.
I applaud Carey for how she wrote Phedre’s voice, which actually has a personality, unlike more recent first-person novels. Phedre is careful with her words, and after becoming Delaunay’s pupil, her observations are more shrewd and analytical. I sometimes have to use the Kindle dictionary function because Carey uses a thesaurus, but she makes it work; Phedre would use big words to describe her luxurious environments (“We are D’Angelines; we know what it is to weep at the sight of beauty”). You can’t just blaze through her prose; you have to savor it. I was initially averse to it but I adjusted and enjoyed.
There are, of course, the negative things. Early in the novel (eighth chapter), Carey throws a whole bunch of history and geography at you. I skimmed that part, as it didn’t seem as important as Phedre sneaking about, but after a second reading—after meeting the players and people described—it’s easier to follow.
The endless foreshadowing reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events, but it was less darkly humorous and more somber and sad. I kept imagining dreadful scenarios a la GRRM but don’t worry, only a few important people die and we get a happy ending… which leaves you at a cliffhanger. But yeah, she went a little overboard.
Kushiel's Dart is a brilliant start to a series, with memorable characters and an interesting world. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants something like ASOIAF, with one point-of-view and far less rape and senseless murder.
The cast of characters felt real and not like those in your typical fantasy or romance. I didn’t think much of the characters introduced after Phedre and Joscelin came back from Skaldia, at first. Then I somehow found myself tearing up over the death of one of the Twins, had goosebumps for d’Aiglemort, and goddamn did I love Quintilius Rousse and Phedre’s Boys.
I didn’t even like Joscelin at first. I thought he was meant to be the catalyst of some turbulent love triangle, to make Phedre have to choose between Hyacinthe (I really wanted them together) and the new kid. I got to love him after a while, because he’s such an angry, politically-naive summer child who is, at the same time, dangerous and loyal to a fault (see: terminus).
As for Phedre, I love that her being an anguisette is not the most important or interesting thing about her; she actually has a love-hate relationship with it and usually uses it as a means to an end, rather than for pleasure alone. Despite her age, she’s extremely grounded in reality, resourceful, observant, and analytical. She is fiercely loyal to her country and people, most especially her mentor Delaunay.
I applaud Carey for how she wrote Phedre’s voice, which actually has a personality, unlike more recent first-person novels. Phedre is careful with her words, and after becoming Delaunay’s pupil, her observations are more shrewd and analytical. I sometimes have to use the Kindle dictionary function because Carey uses a thesaurus, but she makes it work; Phedre would use big words to describe her luxurious environments (“We are D’Angelines; we know what it is to weep at the sight of beauty”). You can’t just blaze through her prose; you have to savor it. I was initially averse to it but I adjusted and enjoyed.
There are, of course, the negative things. Early in the novel (eighth chapter), Carey throws a whole bunch of history and geography at you. I skimmed that part, as it didn’t seem as important as Phedre sneaking about, but after a second reading—after meeting the players and people described—it’s easier to follow.
The endless foreshadowing reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events, but it was less darkly humorous and more somber and sad. I kept imagining dreadful scenarios a la GRRM but don’t worry, only a few important people die and we get a happy ending… which leaves you at a cliffhanger. But yeah, she went a little overboard.
Kushiel's Dart is a brilliant start to a series, with memorable characters and an interesting world. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants something like ASOIAF, with one point-of-view and far less rape and senseless murder.