Reviews with content warning for Slavery - Kushiel's Dart

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

37 reviews

willow1113's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

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hardbackednooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was a really great read, with the exception of about 20-25% of the book. I blitzed through the first 65%ish, then everything came to a screeching halt for the next 20%. The last portion of the book moved pretty quickly, comparatively, though it also got to be much easier to predict at that point.

With the first-person past tense narrative and occasional breaking of the fourth wall, it was hard to feel any tension about Phedre's fate, but my heart was in my throat any time one of the other characters was threatened or involved in some machination. There are some truly shocking parts of this story and I found my jaw hanging open on more than one occasion.

If you're one for worldbuilding, politicking, and fantasy religions, this might be the perfect fit for you. The layers and maneuvers playing out throughout the world are endless and fascinating; even with all the info now that I'm done, there were still things that surprised me when I was able to piece it all together. Overall, this could've been a 5-star read with more editing towards the middle/later third, but still very deserving of a read. I'll be continuing the series once my hold comes in.

All that being said, this is a very intense book. Definitely NSFW and 18+, and absolutely do not read if you are triggered by pain, abuse, or assault of any kind.

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arnoldrm's review

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adventurous dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

I love this book. Very intense world building, complicated characters, dense plot. I love the setting and the alt-history feel. This book is long, but it used every page. I’ve never read anything like it. It takes a very dark premise and treats it with respect. When I realized what the book was about, I almost gave up on it - the main character is sold into sex work as a child, although she doesn’t actually have sex with patrons until she’s of age in the world’s culture. The tone and style make it so that as a reader I never felt like a voyeur, or complicit in the things the protagonist faces. Phedre is one of my favorite fantasy protagonists of all time. It’s not for everyone but to me it’s a masterpiece.

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alexalily's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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hippievamp's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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spiderelsa's review against another edition

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5.0

Oh wow, I didn't know what I was getting into with this book, and it's been a real journey. Engaging all the way through. Sometimes stressful, sometimes beautiful, sometimes harrowing. With love woven throughout.

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nofys's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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mlweih's review

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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

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tafeeeeee's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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just_one_more_paige's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

This has long been on my TBR, and I have almost picked it up so many times, but it's a chonky one, and that's always a bit intimidating. But a recent overseas trip, with lots of travel time, felt like the perfect opportunity to start a book like this. I'd have lots of time and, since it's such a tome, I wouldn't have to pack as many other books. Plus, I was able to get the audiobook from my library, so I'd have flexibility in reading style vibes. Perfect.

In the land of Terre d'Ange, nothing is more important than beauty, and the people that live there follow one rule above all others" love as thou wilt. Into this land is born Phèdre nó Delaunay, unique even in this land of beautiful things for the scarlet mote in her left eye, marking her as one blessed by Kushiel, chosen to always experience pain and please together as one. Phèdre's benefactor chooses to train her not just in the arts of, essentially, sex work (the way it could be, if it were properly monitored and protected as a legitmate job by policy and public opinion, but I digress), but also in the intimacies of courtly intrigue, political machination, interpesonal relationships and psychology, and general public policy/global studies/langauges. This dual role of courtesan and spy thrusts Phèdre into a complex and dangerous world of power-grabbing and violence, in which she is betrayed gravely and experiences much beyond her original duties. But honor of her benefactor and love of her country goad her ever further into drama and danger, while her connection grows ever stronger with one (a *celibate* priest-warrior named Joscelin) oath-sworn to protect her.

Whoa. This was some real old school classic fantasy writing vibes, with the high formal language and unnecessarily high-handed ways of saying basic things. I mean, it's absolutely as long as it is because of that writing style. Although, to be fair, the complexity of the political machinations and personal motivations for power/influence and interpersonal relationship drama (which, if I'm honest, I definitely did not follow all of) were *chef's kiss.* And while a simpler writing style could have conveyed just as much complexity, the slightly overblown style added a lot to the vibes of the novel. It is for sure a style not everyone will be into, nor be able to tolerate for the length of the book, so do be cognizant of that. Another writing note, the foreshadowing was...heavy...as in: not subtle and a lot of it. That probably grated on me more than the style of the writing, if I'm honest. Mostly just, I want readers to know what kind of book they're picking up, as this is a situation where incorrect expectations can ruin the experience.

And speaking more to that experience. As I said, the complexity of the world-building and characters was spectacular, deep and detailed. There is a very clearly recognizable parallel to many of the nations and histories of our own (Western) world, and those inspirations and shades did help a bit, as the many elements of the story grew in scope and intricacy. There are many classic, for a reason, epic fantasy tropes included in this novel and I was really here for them. It took me until about forty percent of the way in to really feel caught up in things (pretty standard for world-building of this extent), but it happened. And then all the alliances and betrayals, slow burn opposites relationship, journeys/quests, loyalties formed and fought for, the magical entraption of best friends (and let me take a moment here to say I did really like this side plot of Hyacinthe's) the final major battle, and the surprise inheritances from dead benefactors - all the cornerstone fantasy tropes were there as they should be.

And there were some bonus things as well that I really loved. The way pleasure, in all its forms and variations, with consent on all levels because of the widespread social acceptance and its connection to worship and godliness, is fascinating. And wonderful. And I loved it. It feels akin to what Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness does with gender, as far as the casual reality of how it’s incorporated into the world-building and storytelling. On that note, specific to Phèdre's specific experience with the conflation of pain and pleasure, content warning for pain and injury, both wanted (due to Kushiel's Dart) and unwanted (because it's fantasy and that's a trope too...). Andddddd at the two thirds mark, when we finally got the long-awaited encounter between Phèdre and Joscelin, which everyone see coming from a mile away because that's how these things work - I was here for it. Though it would have been easier (and wanted!) for more sexual interaction on the part of our MC and her emotional love after that, I’m happy with how it played out true to their characters. It's that love it-hate it kind of tension that makes reading such a visceral experience.

Well. I wasn't sure for a while if this was going to be"for me" or not. But, y’all, the hardcore epic fantasy nerd still lives within me. I don't regret a single minute of my thirty hours with the audiobook. And though I think it'll be a hot minute before I read further (if I ever do, because I may have convinced myself that the ending of this first book is just...the end), if you're feeling some classic, bombastic, high political intrigue, sex-positive (at least within the central cultural belief system of the book) female-hero/MC epic fantasy, this one will hit the spot.

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