A review by a_l_deleon
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

I did not expect to like this book, and by the end, you can not help but be invested in the main character, Phedre, and her plight. Recommended to me years ago, I finally decided to give Kushiel's Dart a shot. It did take me a bit to get used to the writing style, but that adds to the world building and gives a sense for the time period it's set in.  Kushiel's Dart is an ambitious epic tale. There are some adult themed elements that might not sit well with some audiences. Keeping in mind it is fictional,  I know I was not comfortable with how young some of the characters are taught intimacy skills in the name of religion. However, once you understand the world and cultures within it, the rest of the story pulls you in. I was glad that I did not give up reading it, as I was tempted to do at first.