A review by phaedraismyusername
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
adventurous
dark
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I did not expect to love this as much as I did.
I know some people describe this as a romantasy, and while I understand why, I just don't agree?
This is a slow political intrigue fantasy that feels incredibly well crafted, the World feels unique but still familiar because you can see clearly what cultures the author has taken inspiration from to create the diverse peoples that exist in this world without it ever breaking the immersion of the story that's being crafted, the characters feel real and flawed, their relationships are complicated but heartfelt, and while Phedre could easily have fallen into a Mary Sue type chosen one role, her youthful arrogance and rose tinted view of her world keeps her overlooking danger and making mistakes that feel very genuine for a teenage girl in her position to make.
While I would strongly recommend checking for trigger warnings if you're sensitive to the kind of topics that are in this book, I really would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slower paced political fantasy story.
Also, "Love as thou wilt" as a tenet goes so goddamn hard.
I know some people describe this as a romantasy, and while I understand why, I just don't agree?
This is a slow political intrigue fantasy that feels incredibly well crafted, the World feels unique but still familiar because you can see clearly what cultures the author has taken inspiration from to create the diverse peoples that exist in this world without it ever breaking the immersion of the story that's being crafted, the characters feel real and flawed, their relationships are complicated but heartfelt, and while Phedre could easily have fallen into a Mary Sue type chosen one role, her youthful arrogance and rose tinted view of her world keeps her overlooking danger and making mistakes that feel very genuine for a teenage girl in her position to make.
While I would strongly recommend checking for trigger warnings if you're sensitive to the kind of topics that are in this book, I really would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slower paced political fantasy story.
Also, "Love as thou wilt" as a tenet goes so goddamn hard.