Kushiel's Justice

This is the fifth book in Carey’s “Kushiel” series and also the second book in Imriel's subtrilogy . In an almost unprecedented development, this middle book is actually better than the first. Fantasy fans know what I'm talking about - it's an unwritten rule that the second book of any trilogy is the weakest link. It even held true in Phedre's trilogy . "Kushiel's Chosen", while still fantastic, didn't quite measure up to "Dart" or "Avatar". However, "Justice" takes the bar set by "Kushiel's Scion" and blows it out of the water, if I may mix my metaphors. It is at once darker, more personal, and yes, more erotic than "Scion" - in fact, perhaps more than any other book in the series.

At the beginning of Kushiel's Scion", Imriel was show more a moody teenager, reckless and rude. His treacherous mother bequeathed him a violent side and scores of enemies are determined to murder him for her crimes. Imriel had to deal with these threats, as well as with the emotional damage done long ago during his capture by a king of great cruelty and evil. During this testing time, and despite his best efforts and intents, Imriel often seemed childish and naïve – and it was not clear that he would live up the example set by his heroic and loving foster parents, Phedre and Joscelin. Then he grew up.

At the start of this book, Imriel is twenty and he has matured into a likeable and honest young man. However, because of his history and the treachery of his parents, many still fear his potential threat to the throne of Terre d’Ange.

Imriel longs to escape from the constant gossip and suspicion of the cloistered and safe court of Terre d’Ange – and from the shadows of his adoptive parents, and his mother, the traitor Melisande. He convinces Phedre and Joscelin to allow him to attend university in Tiberium with just one attendant, the faithful Gilot. Through a series of challenges and disastrous events, here he grows into the man those close to him knew he would become.

When he returns to Terre d’Ange, he is older, wiser, and prepared - he thinks - to finally prove to his enemies that he is not tainted by the treason of his parents. He will cede to pressure to marry Dorelai, a princess of the Cruithne, and provide Alba with a half-d'Angeline heir. This will cement political ties between the two countries and thus secure the inheritance lines of both. Imriel hopes this will establish once and for all his devotion to his country.

But we all know what they say about the best-laid plans.

Before the royal wedding plans are too far advanced, Imriel finds himself head over heels with the last person he ever expected to capture his heart - his first cousin, the Dauphine Sidonie who is heir to the throne of Terre d’Ange. I must admit this was a development that seemed most unlikely when it was first hinted at in "Scion." But Carey makes it clear that everything we've seen of Sidonie to date is her public face and that, in private, she is very far from the cold, spoiled girl she appeared to be. She is highly intelligent and focussed on the responsibilities she bears as the future queen of Terre d’Ange. She is also a practiced voluptuary, schooled in the arts of the bedchamber. Even knowing the risks they take, Sidonie returns Imriel’s affections. That she is only sixteen certainly does not detract from the intensity of the couple's passion, though their knowledge of their own youthful inexperience leads them to doubt the reality of their love. Because of the past, they also know there will be strong opposition to their relationship and they decide to keep their secret until Sidonie comes of age. This delay, they believe, will test the truth of their love. If it survives separation, they will find a way to overcome these challenges and eventually be together.

So, although it breaks their hearts, they choose duty over love. Imriel marries the Cruithne princess, Dorelei, and leaves Sidonie for Alba. Whilst this arranged marriage satisfies the political needs of two nations, it violates Elua's cardinal rule ‘Love as thou wilt’ - which is a huge no-no in Terre d'Ange. Inevitably, this draws the notice of the gods and even Kushiel's Scion is not safe when dark powers take notice of his trespass.

Once in Alba, a power darker and older than even Earth's Eldest Children seeks to control him by using his love for Sidonie against him. Tragedy ensues and Imriel vows vengeance, never realizing how far his vow will take him, nor how much it will cost.

At its essence, this is a book about Imriel's personal journey, rather than the save-the-world plots that characterized Phedre's trilogy. Imriel's quest for vengeance alienates him from the world and from his loved ones, and we accompany him on a complex journey of emotional growth, physical strength, and political maneuvering. Along the way, he faces real challenges and loss, he finds out where he really stands and who his true allies are. He is forced to confront his own worst failings and weaknesses, and realize that he can't blame Melisande for all of them. In fact, irony of ironies, it is in part his mother's tenacity and perseverance that sees him through the worst of his trials.

A sensuous, exciting book, “Kushiel's Justice” offers enticement to turn every page and draws you along in a whirlwind ride to its satisfying conclusion. I'm glad I don't have to wait for the next instalment in this fantastic trilogy. Book 3 is sitting on my nedside table already. show less

Summary: Imriel, the son of Terre D'Ange's most famous traitor and third in line for the throne, has returned home after a year in Tiberium, determined to do his part to help his queen and country... and what Queen Ysandre requires of him is to wed an Alban princess, to help quell fears that the Albans are gaining an unfair influence in Terre D'Ange politics without an equivalent exchange. For Sidonie, Ysandre's eldest daughter and heir, is half Alban... and she is also the woman with whom Imriel has fallen madly in love. And madly it is, for Sidonie is perhaps the most dangerous woman in Terre D'Ange for Imriel, given that his mother's designs on the throne are far from forgotten. The two young lovers agree to put their passions second show more to their political duties, and Imriel travels to Alba to wed the princess Dorelei. But once he is there, he quickly gets caught up in a plot borne of ancient grudges and even older magic, and Terre D'Ange's gods have no power in that foreign land, especially over one who has already broken the precept of "Love as thou wilt."

Review: Cue obligatory bit of incoherent fangirly caps-lock-y babbling: AAAAAAAAAHHHH JACQUELINE CAREY'S BOOKS ARE SO GOOD YOU GUYS! SO GOOD!

I'm actually going to keep this review fairly short, because I've more or less said everything in my reviews of Carey's other books. The writing is gorgeous, the stories are epic and sweeping and never draggy, the worldbuilding is immersive and lovely, and the characterizations are incredible. I still love Imriel (although still not *quite* as much as Phèdre and Joscelin), and my heart still aches for him, as he tries and tries to be his own man, free from the shackles and scars of his past. All of that I have said before, and all of it is 100% still true in this book.

On to some of the specific points of this book. As expected, my favorite parts of this book were when Imriel was in Terre D'Ange, surrounded by Phèdre and Joscelin and all of the other familiar characters. But to my surprise, I liked Imriel in Alba almost as much; Carey does a good job at both making this Celtic/Pictish-England-analog feel familiar but also adding in enough twists to keep it interesting. (Imriel doesn't spent the whole book in Alba, either, although I don't want to give away too many details. The new places he visited were also interesting, although I'm less familiar with their real-world history so I couldn't always tell what twists had been applied to Carey's interpretation.) But as much as geography matters in this book, it still falls secondary to the story and the characters, which were both great. Although I did miss familiar characters when they weren't around (P&J, of course, but also Eamonn to an extent that surprised me), I quickly came to love the new characters as well. Also pleasantly surprising was that there was no sense of middle-of-the-trilogy-itis in this book. Imriel gains a lot of maturity in this book, but it's not entirely (or even majorly?) character-driven; the plot and the characterization play off each other perfectly, and tell a whole, complete story. Plus, enough bits are set up that I can't wait to dive into the final book; threads from the first trilogy and from this trilogy are all going to come together, and it should be fantastic.

I do, however, have two tiny quibbles about this book, both related to the characterization of Imriel's voice. First, I really wished that everyone, but especially Imriel, would have stopped referring to Sidonie as "your girl"/"my girl". She is 17 when this book starts, but even so, she is already a grown-ass woman, and it struck me as incongruous and jarring that Imriel wouldn't refer to her as such. The second dialogue tic that bothered me, on the other hand, wasn't a problem because it was out of character, but just because it struck my ear wrong. Namely: I found Imriel's and Sidonie's bedroom banter unfortunately un-sexy. Their interactions and flirting in public, fine, but alone together, not so much. But these books are so much more than just the sexytimes (although the sexytimes are fun too) that that really is just a minor quibble, and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Yes! Read it! It's moderately well self-contained, but all of them are so good, and make this one so much richer, that you should really read them all. show less

Absolutely beautifully done -- a step up from Scion, in my opinion. Carey has quite solidly found Imriel's voice, as he finds himself and faces heartbreak and almost insurmountable challenges. The themes here are, while less epic than the first trilogy, in some respects getting darker, and more philosophical in nature. Carey's alternate history is absolutely entrancing, every detail well-planned, a delicious blend of historical fact and her imagination -- I can't wait for the next volume!

I just finished reading this novel, and first, let me to say that I'm convinced that Carey cannot write a bad book. Her characters always live and breathe with the flaws of their humanity and their own personal virtues, and the events flow and build on each other. This novel was no exception. Imriel continues his self-journey, learning most of all about what it means to follow Elua's precept of love, and it's done with that touch of epic adventure and that knack of lovely words that Carey commands so wonderfully.

That said, this book is a step below the Phedre novels, and also below Kushiel's Scion, the first Imriel novel. In general, I wish there was less pining, doting, and bodice ripping and more of... I don't know. I really can't put show more my finger on what made me feel slightly sour towards the novel towards the end, but I think it had a lot to do with finding the relationship between Imriel and Sidione tiresome. There was also an event towards the middle that I saw coming, and I didn't like the purpose it was destined to serve in the building of their relationship.

Other than that, another good novel by Carey, even if it is so far my least favorite of the series. show less

‘Justice’ begins with just the right amount of background to catch us up, without covering too much old ground. Imriel continues to engage with his depth and complexity. He‘s become more mature since ‘Scion‘, but still demonstrates he has much to learn and subsequently grows throughout this volume. If I was to be critical of one thing about ‘Justice‘, it's that occasionally this comes across as rambling fantasy travelogue; but this being one of the fantasy worlds I'd most wish to visit, touring any part of it is hardly a chore. The author may also sometimes seem overly fond of her characters, reluctant to let anything truly bad happen to them, but this only makes it all the more startling and wrenching when something does. show more Less politics and Phedre/Jocelin this time, more magic and Imriel taking fate into his own hands. We’re granted a satisfying resolution, but there’s more than enough still hanging in the air unresolved to keep me looking forward to ‘Mercy’. As long as she keeps writing these, I’ll keep reading them. show less

These books should be disastrous, with the overwrought prose, fabulously beautiful characters and a fantasy of ancient Europe full of adventures and gods and a philosophy of free love. Somehow it works and the stories are really fun.

89 points/100 (4.5 stars/5).

Imriel is back from Tiberium, ready to marry the sweet Dorelai from Alba. However, Imriel also loves Sidonie - the one person in the entire realm he can't have. While Dorelai is a matter of duty, Sidonie is a matter of the heart.

Well, that was a heartbreak I didn't need. I slept on this because I wasn't sure what to say about this book, how much to say. I'm not certain I have a lot to say here.

If you're on the fence whether or not to read Imriel's Trilogy after the first, I say give it a try. The first book was kind of boring. This one is what you're looking for, though you do need the knowledge of the first book to really enjoy this one. This book has the adventure and the heartbreak and the love in it. This show more was on par with the stories we got from Phèdre and Joscelin, but Imriel has his own story to tell. He isn't piggybacking off their story (much).

Phèdre and Joscelin are actually in this book quite a lot. I'm not certain how I feel about this. I love being able to see them again, don't get me wrong. I just feel like parts of the story rely on them being there, when this is Imriel's tale to tell. They're not even around during the one time he needs them the most, either. I love them, but I really hope they take more of a backstage the next book.

In this book we see Imriel's biggest growing up as a person. He finds himself here. He doesn't always like what he sees, either. Imriel is better after his enslavement in Darsanga, though the scars are still there. This book continues the healing from the first, though not exactly the way you would expect. Imriel is more rooted in his life now this time around, instead of his life in the past. Perhaps that is part of what makes this one so much better than the last one.

You know, at some point Imriel brought up that he was cursed, and who he said it to told him to stop being silly. But, is it really silly? I mean, some of this Imriel definitely brings on his own head. That boy makes some of the dumbest choices, I swear to Elua. However, it is undeniable that Imriel is suffering because of some larger plan. Just as Phèdre and Joscelin suffered for some larger plan. You can call it a curse, you can call it the will of the gods, or you can call it god-touched. It is all the same thing. And it means a life of trouble for our poor Imriel, who had already suffered enough by the time we get to his story at all.

Something was introduced this time that I absolutely fucking love. Fae!!! Okay, they're never called fae. They're called the Old Ones, on the island of Alba, which is an England stand-in. They live in forests, disappear, can change shape, and they can divine the future. They're fucking fae. I LOVE FAE! I'm so glad for this new addition. Even if it did end the way it did.

The biggest theme of this book is the idea of duty versus love or to put it another way: the duty to your country versus the duty to your religion. Their entire religion, their entire belief system, is to love as thou wilt. Imriel has to choose between the two. He has to make some really rough choices this book. Whether they were good choices or not seems clear, but I still feel like it isn't that simple. This whole thing was so rough that it makes the entire series worth it. Yes this theme, what happens in this book, makes the entire trilogy worth reading, and I haven't even read the third book yet.

This is a tale of two girls, of two loves. I'm actually really glad Carey writes this. There is the love that burns hot, hotter than anything these two had felt prior to this. Imriel and Sidonie assume this love would burn out fast, they ignore it, they try to cool it off, hell, Imriel runs to another country to try and get away from it. They do everything in their power to try and keep it from becoming reality. Then there is sweet, kind Dorelai. This is the love that grows over time, with proximity. It is also a mismatch in the level of love, because Dorelai loves him much more than Imriel loves her. I really do love the way this romance is written.

There is more I perhaps could say. Like the internal turmoil Imriel goes through, or how much Queen Ysandre annoys me. However, I think I'll leave it here. I really liked this one. show less