Series: Book 3 in the Imriel Trilogy series
Rating: ****
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Epic, Kings and Rulers, Erotica, Lang:en
Summary
In this vivid conclusion to the second Kushiel trilogy
(after 2007's
Kushiel's Justice), young Prince Imriel and his
beloved, Sidonie, heir to the Terre D'Ange throne, struggle
to come to terms with the deaths of Imriel's wife and unborn
son. Queen Ysandre threatens to forbid Imriel's marriage to
Sidonie unless he hunts down his traitorous mother,
Melisande. Then a spell convinces everyone in Terre D'Ange's
capital that Sidonie loves the prince of Carthage, and she
sails off to wed him. Only Imriel remembers their romance. He
must evade deluded loved ones and work with erstwhile enemies
to rescue Sidonie and pull the country back from the brink of
war. Carey delivers a heady mix of adventure, power struggles
and romance, but fans of the first Kushiel trilogy may be
disappointed by the few appearances of Phèdre, Imriel's
adoptive mother, and by the relatively tame sexuality, which
serves more as a spice than a larger theme.
(June)
Starred Review Imriel and Sidonie, the dauphine of
Terre d’Ange, have been in love for some time and
finally admit it publicly in the court of Queen Ysandre. The
people are in an uproar and divided in support for the
lovers; far too many recall the treasonous betrayals of
Imriel’s mother that ignited a long, bloody war and
claimed the lives of thousands of d’Angelines. Ysandre
will not acknowledge the affair, and if the couple marries
without her blessing, Sidonie will lose her claim to the
throne. Imriel knows that only an impossible act of faith on
his part will satisfy the demands of Blessed Elua, the queen,
and the people of the realm. For love of Sidonie and country,
then, he pledges to find his mother and bring her back to
execution. But there are foreigners who command powerful dark
magic and want Sidonie and the throne themselves. On Longest
Night, they loose that magic, plunging the d’Angelines
into forgetfulness and insanity. Imriel must come to himself
to rescue Sidonie from the invader and prevent the country
from destroying itself. Carey has wowed us throughout the
second Kushiel trilogy, which this book sensationally
concludes, leaving faithful readers feeling both deliciously
sated and hungry for more from her. --Paula LuedtkeFrom Publishers Weekly
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