Series: Book 2 in the Phedre Trilogy series
Rating: ****
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Historical, Lang:en
Summary
In this engrossing adult fantasy tale, the fascinating
Phèdre nó Delaunay fights to save her queen and
country in a battle whose greatest weapon proves to be
Phèdre herself. This sequel to Carey's accomplished
debut novel,
Kushiel's Dart, finds Phèdre, now Comtesse de
Montrève, once again plying her skills as an
anguissette--a courtesan for whom pain becomes
pleasure--and her talents as a spy. She uncovers a conspiracy
of treason and murder and begins an adventure that takes her
once more to distant lands in the company of an intriguing
cast of characters--and a new confrontation with her old
enemy, Melisande Shahrizai. There's some evidence of haste in this novel: the writing
is not always as tight and controlled as it was in
Kushiel's Dart. Nevertheless, Carey's fans will
certainly enjoy this return to Terre d'Ange, and those new to
her work will find a satisfying combination of fantasy, sex,
and adventure, as well as a smart and engaging heroine.
--Roz Genessee
After Carey's boldly imaginative fantasy debut, Kushiel's
Dart (2001), in which the dauntless Phèdre nó
Delaunay used intelligence and sexual skill to triumph in
politics and war in a Renaissance-like world, Phèdre,
elevated to the peerage and resuming her anguisette duties,
returns for further fabulous, if at times redundant,
adventures, determined to rest on something other than her
laurels. While the first novel told a coming-of-age story,
the sequel covers only a relatively brief period, though it
has enough plot lines and melodrama for six heroines. The
action first focuses on the recapture of Phèdre's evil
nemesis, the dominating Melisande Shahrizai, who has escaped
from prison and death. Alas, the initially fascinating
Melisande turns into a tiresome harridan. Later plot twists
include everything from a journey to the Venetian La
Serenissima to imprisonment at Melisande's hands in a
mountainous jail on a lonely island. For opulence, a costume
ball rivals that of Broadway's Phantom of the Opera. Carey is
adept at bringing both her exotic settings and vast cast of
characters fully to life. The dream of every man and not a
few women, Phèdre is too much to handle for all but her
faithful Joscelin, the Cassiline monk who defied his vows to
remain her loving companion. Phèdre's first outing
deservedly won her a host of followers, but wordiness and
needless complexity combine to make this hefty novel less of
a stellar achievement than its predecessor. (Apr.
16)Forecast: A push that includes national print advertising,
regional author appearances and targeting to romance readers
will bring back the faithful, but if too many of them are
disappointed, Carey might do well to give her heroine a rest
and apply her considerable talents to fresh challenges.
Amazon.com Review
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.