Kushiel’s Dart
Title: Kushiel’s Dart
Author: Jacqueline Carey
Series: Kushiel’s Legacy, Book 1
Publication Info: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
Genre: Fantasy
Packed with Machiavellian intrigue and BDSM, Jacqueline Carey creates a fascinating adventure unlike anything I’ve read before. The world building is complex and layered: set in a world resembling Renaissance Europe, with detailed religious beliefs, an impressive cast of characters, and political and sexual machinations that will make your head spin. Her lyrical writing style is smooth and authoritative, like a storyteller spinning her craft before the fire.
Ms. Carey came to visit us here in Sea-town for a reading and book signing of Kushiel’s Mercy, book 6 in the Kushiel’s Legacy series, which you can read about here.
A brief overview of a complex plot that spans 912 pages:
Part I: Training to Spy and Whore
As a child the heroine Phedre is sold into indentured servitude by her parents to the Night Court of the Blooming Flowers. She is raised in Cereus House, one of the thirteen courtesan houses of the Night Court, and at age ten the courtier and spy-master Anafiel Delaunay buys her mark. He recognizes that the red dot in her eye is not a defect, but a mark of the god Kushiel. She is the only living Anguisette, cursed to feel pleasure in pain. Delaunay trains her to be a spy and a courtesan, along with her fellow pupil Alcuin. At age 16 her virgin price is sold to an enemy of Delaunay’s, and she begins her career of pain and pleasure, using her Talents to procure information for Delaunay. After each assignation she is awarded a patron gift, which she uses to complete a tattoo from her tail bone to the top of her spine. When the tattoo is finished her indentured servitude will be over.
Part II: Slavery in Skaldia
After a huge betrayal, Phedre and her soldier-bodyguard Joscelin are sold as slaves to the Skaldi tribes of the north. Phedre uses her Talents to survive and spy, first on the small tribe and then on the new leader of the Skaldi, where she uncovers a plot for the Skaldi armies to overtake her homeland. She and Joscelin escape to warn the queen of treason and war.
Part III: Mission to Alba
Phedre, Joscelin, and Phedre’s childhood friend Hyacinth travel west to Alba to carry a message to the exiled king. On the way they are waylaid by a noble, and Phedre uses her Talents to persuade him to let them pass. In Alba, Phedre uses her Talents to persuade the twin rulers of the Dalriada to help the exiled king to reclaim his throne. Then they all sail back to Terre D’Ange to fight back the Skaldi.
Mythology: Love As Thou Wilt
Religion is very important to the citizens of Terre D’Ange and courtesans are an integral part of worshiping. The prophet Elua wandered the land with his Companions, making friends with nature and loving as he willed. Each of the Companions are worshiped for the way in which they followed Elua, with Namaah (a Mary Magdelene-like figure) ruling sensual love, Kushiel ruling pain, and Cassiel serving and protecting. At age 16, Phedre dedicates her life to serving Namaah. This means that when she has sex, paid or not, she is worshiping her gods. This takes love out of the equation and replaces it with religious zeal; a move I am personally uncomfortable with, but intellectually I accept it as an important part of her belief structure. Phedre sleeps with anyone and everyone: man, woman, slave lord, king. Only twice in her life does she ever choose her partner of her own free will. Though she singles out these choices as important events, she ultimately decides to continue to honor her vows to Namaah with multiple partners. The romantic in me was dissatisfied with this decision, even though I understand that she would be betraying herself to choose otherwise.
I personally wanted her to give up her whoring ways and live happily ever after with Joscelin. But this isn’t a romance novel.
Kushiel’s Dart pushed me out of my comfort zone, which is good for me. I grow too set in my ways. My reaction to the book was very similar to Ana of Book Smugglers, as opposed to Thea who chose it for her Desert Island Keeper. How are you, dear reader, to know what your reaction will be? Only by trying it for yourself. Those who like it, LOVE it. Ms. Carey is a new standard in the fantasy genre. Aspiring writers should take notes on the unique style of storytelling. Readers should challenge themselves to try something new.
Who knows? Maybe the next tattoo on Ms. Carey’s fan photo gallery will be yours.
Tags: book review, Fantasy, Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Legacy, Namaah, Terre D'Ange
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July 4, 2008 at 7:23 am
Ciara, what a thoughtful treatment of this book, and I love your call to move out of our comfort zones.
“Who knows? Maybe the next tattoo on Ms. Carey’s fan photo gallery will be yours.”
SNORT.
Yes, she really did set a new standard in fantasy! Asyou know, I’m one who loved the book, though it was jarring, coming to terms with Joscelin having to live with that decision. However, it wouldn’t have felt right to me the other way, either – there’s a way where she’s being true to herself as a whore, I think you are right on the money with that.
July 4, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Ciara, beautiful in-depth review! The Kushiel’s Legacy series is definitely one that pushes and challenges, and (as you know ;) ) one that I love with a passion.
“I personally wanted her to give up her whoring ways and live happily ever after with Joscelin. But this isn’t a romance novel.”
You and Ana both! Hee. But, as you say, and as CJ says, this is not a romance novel, and it wouldn’t have been right for Phedre to give up not just what she is, but who she is and settle down. She truly is not just a whore, but a weapon of Kushiel.
And I agree with everything re: Jacqueline Carey’s incredible, lyrical prose, and her setting a new standard for fantasy. Her world building gives the best, biggest names a run for their money.
So does this mean you will be continuing the series??? It only gets better :)
July 5, 2008 at 10:32 am
Wonderful review Ciara. You did have a similar reaction to mine. I can not fault the style or the narrative or the amazing worldbuilding. It was just not my type of reading. I still miss Joscelin though, what an amazing hero. I decided not to read any of the others in the series but I made Thea tell me everything that happens to them!
July 5, 2008 at 10:59 am
I’m sorry you didn’t like it more, Ciara. I think w/r/t Carey’s world, using the word “whore” is kind of loaded. For me, the best part of the Kushiel universe is that love and sex–any kind of love or sex– are completely disassociated with guilt and shame.
In later books, the “love conquers all” theme becomes more pointed. The notion that love is life’s highest aspiration, if not the actual meaning of life, isn’t incompatible with tradition Judeo-Christian(-Muslim?) beliefs; it’s the inclusion of sexuality in the definition of love that blows peoples’ minds. Personally, I love that ;-) … but I’m sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
July 5, 2008 at 11:03 am
ps, I actually wouldn’t recommend that you continue with the series. It gets pretty extreme by Phedre’s last book.
And I must need to re-read, because this: “Phedre sleeps with anyone and everyone: man, woman, slave lord, king. Only twice in her life does she ever choose her partner of her own free will” isn’t how I remember it at all. But it’s been awhile since I read “Dart.”
July 5, 2008 at 11:29 am
Yes, I meant to clarify that, Nicola. Phedre is not a “whore,” though some of her patrons call her that. She is more like an altar virgin of a greek goddess – having sex is an act of worship. I truly did appreciate the religious aspect of sex in this book. Long have I thought it a shame that something so beautiful has been degraded in christianity to something dirty and shameful. God is love – so sex should be something that brings us closer to Him. I shouldn’t have used “whore” when describing Phedre. She couldn’t have given up worshiping Namaah in her way and stayed true to herself. I appreciate her honor to her vows. I simply meant to say, as a romance reader, that my gut desire would have been for her to marry Josceline and live happily ever after, worshipping only with him. But this isn’t a romance and I’m fully acknowledging my bias.
The violence during sex made me squeamish. I support consenting adults loving in whatever way they choose. Training children to be “whores” sits worse with me. Especially in Valerian House, where children from age 6 are never allowed to feel pleasure without pain, training them to get their pleasure FROM pain. This smacks of child abuse, and is what I was most uncomfortable with in the entire book.
AS for her choice in her partners:
In the cave with J – “I had never, ever, chosen before,” (p 511).
With H – “Seldom enough have I had the luxury of bestowing my gift, Naamah’s art, where I chose. I chose that night, and I do not regret,” (p760).