A review by eak1013
Kushiel's Avatar, by Jacqueline Carey
4.0
A little deus-ex-the-plot-goes-this-way-now!, but should I have really expected anything different from a series of books with a god's name in the title?
This was the book where I finally saw the transition from the little-bit-shallow-little-bit-irritatingly-self-centered Phedre to the touched! by! the! gods! Phedre really come out. I like Phedre #2 better than Phedre #1, but she does walk the line awfully close to too-precious-for-this-world from time to time.
Points to Carey for not just telling us (repeatedly) that Darsanga was creepy and evil but also showing it. Also points for making really long trips feel really long - though not in a bad way. Simply in a way of conveying how far apart these places are and how freaking long it takes to get there.
Points again for actually making me care about Phedre and Joscelin. Again, it's the lighter-hearted moments that really flesh out the characters. Plus, who doesn't love a giant fish?
This was the book where I finally saw the transition from the little-bit-shallow-little-bit-irritatingly-self-centered Phedre to the touched! by! the! gods! Phedre really come out. I like Phedre #2 better than Phedre #1, but she does walk the line awfully close to too-precious-for-this-world from time to time.
Points to Carey for not just telling us (repeatedly) that Darsanga was creepy and evil but also showing it. Also points for making really long trips feel really long - though not in a bad way. Simply in a way of conveying how far apart these places are and how freaking long it takes to get there.
Points again for actually making me care about Phedre and Joscelin. Again, it's the lighter-hearted moments that really flesh out the characters. Plus, who doesn't love a giant fish?