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    Kushiel's Mercy
    Kushiel's Mercy
    Kushiel's Mercy
    Audiobook24 hours

    Kushiel's Mercy

    Written by Jacqueline Carey

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Having learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-crossed romance, defend the couple. Many others cannot forget the betrayals of Imriel's mother, Melisande, who plunged their country into a bloody war that cost the lives of their fathers, brothers, and sons.

    To quell the unrest, Ysandre, the queen, sets her decree. She will not divide the lovers, yet neither will she acknowledge them. If they marry, Sidonie will be disinherited, losing her claim on the throne.

    There's only one way they can truly be together. Imriel must perform an act of faith: search the world for his infamous mother and bring her back to Terre d'Ange to be executed for treason.

    Facing a terrible choice, Imriel and Sidonie prepare ruefully for another long separation. But when a dark foreign force casts a shadow over Terre d'Ange and all the surrounding countries, their world is turned upside down, alliances of the unlikeliest kind are made, and Imriel and Sidonie learn that the god Elua always puts hearts together apurpose.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 6, 2008
    ISBN9781400179541
    Kushiel's Mercy
    Author

    Jacqueline Carey

    New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey was born in 1964. After receiving BA degrees in Psychology and English Literature, she embarked on a writing career. Kushiel’s Avatar is her third fantasy novel, completing the Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy, which also includes Kushiel's Dart and Kushiel's Chosen.

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    Reviews for Kushiel's Mercy

    4/5

    543 ratings36 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A wonderful journey so well written and full of immaginative turns. I never get tired of Jaquelin Carey and the beautiful growth of her characters.
    • 4/5
      It's odd to think how much I love the first trilogy and how much I struggled with the second trilogy. They're different kinds of stories, really, I think. The first trilogy definitely has love in it, and to some degree, magic, but there's also a lot of heroism-in-unlikely-places and politics. Politics and heroism definitely have their place in the second trilogy, but love and magic hold centre-stage. I wasn't expecting it. Another issue is that Imriel is a less mature hero than Phèdre, and his trilogy covers shorter spans of time.

      The plot is definitely Jacqueline Carey all over, but Sidonie and Imriel just don't carry it as well as Phèdre and Joscelin, for me. All the same, I enjoyed it quite a lot, when I didn't stall with reading it. I think it's best to just bear in mind that it's a different kind of story. And that Imriel isn't Phèdre -- where Phèdre opens doors with her body, Imriel has to wait and chafe, and that carries through to the reader, I think!

      In terms of this book alone, it definitely brings the trilogy to an amazing finish. The very last chapter made me grin and clap my hands. A lot of the events of the book are painful -- Jacqueline Carey, once again, spares the readers nothing. I think it's partly my hatred of lying/deceit/seeing people being deceived that makes this book very hard to read. There's a lot of that.

      In terms of characters, Phèdre and Joscelin are unimpressive, in this book, for plot reasons. It makes me uncomfortable to see them so wrong, for once. I know they're spell bound, but I also feel like somehow they should doubt, somehow they should realise Imriel is right... Melisande is also another interesting point. It feels odd seeing her with much less ambition, content, mellowed out some by motherhood. I don't really like the point it makes about motherhood, in one sense. It shouldn't make you "soft". But I also like that she was redeemed somewhat.

      I definitely liked this trilogy, even though I stalled with it, but my feelings are much more conflicted than with the first trilogy, and I don't think I'll be taking it up to reread very soon.
    • 4/5
      It'd be easy to pick apart the flaws of this book - most noticeably, it's heavily padded, especially the first and last 100 pages or so; and Carthage and Aragonia aren't the most interesting countries in Carey's generally engaging alternate world - but the fact is I read this through in about eight hours and barely noticed the time passing. I don't think I've been so absorbed in a book since the last Kushiel novel.
    • 3/5
      The final volume of a trilogy. I enjoy Carey's storytelling so much that I've decided to forgive her for thinking that "yolk" and "yoke" are synonymous. (Her editor, however, remains on my sh*t list for that.)LATER: Done. Will miss this particular set of characters, but Carey wrapped it up well. She provides a satisfying conclusion to the series, without going too far, as fantasy writers tend to do (I'm looking at you, J.K. Rowling).
    • 4/5
      In this last part of the Imriel trilogy, Imriel and Sidonie are as in love as ever but face tremendous difficulty from the court. No one in Terre D’Ange can forget Imriel’s mother’s treachery. However, Imriel and Sidonie’s relationship becomes the least of anyone’s worries when an emissary from Carthage bewitches the City of Elua, causing Sidonie to forget Imriel. Imriel must then unravel the spell to restore Sidonie and his country, but the answers may lead him back to an unlikely source: his mother.I thought Kushiel’s Mercy was a solid conclusion to the trilogy. Certainly, it isn’t perfect. Now that Sidonie and Imriel are officially lovers, many scenes are dedicated to them being together, having sex, or declaring their undying love. It gets a little purple and wearying at times. I also thought the middle of the book lagged a bit with the war of independence in Euskerria.However, Kushiel’s Mercy rolls with many of the same strengths that has made the series so popular: political intrigue, sensuality, travels to exotic lands, and interesting characters. Carey knows how to use preexisting mythology to build a world with details in every corner. Mercy is also trickier. Magic has a much larger role this time around, and Carey plays games with the narrative. I enjoyed the Imriel/Leander switch a lot. Many old characters return, new characters emerge, and my personal favourite character Barquiel L’Envers gets the recognition he deserves. Kushiel’s Mercy isn’t the best in the series but it continues its tradition and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.
    • 5/5
      Holy Fucking Shit Peeps, this book was amazing. A beyond prefect ending for the trilogy. To be far and honest, it took me 3 try's to get through the 1st book, but once I just said fuck and started reading, I started to get into the character and began to enjoy it.

      Then I got to book 2 and it made me freaking cry and I was Shocked, because there have been maybe, and that is a slim maybe, a handful of books/stories that have done that in 48 years.

      And now back to this book, book 3 in the trilogy and book 6 in the series, and I remember why I love this author so damn much; damn she weaves a fucking amazing story once she gets into her groove and she clearly was. So many things you just don't see coming and some you just knew it had to happen.

      Anyway I enjoyed this immensely and hope others will too!
    • 5/5
      This is definitely my favorite of the Imriel books. Part of it is simply that Imriel has grown up a lot, but the core of it is the deep, intense love he and Sidonie share, and what it enables them to do. This is an incredibly romantic story, although not in a traditional way.

      I seldom read books more than once anymore, but this is my second time to read this one, and I'm sure I'll read it again.
    • 5/5
      My second favorite of the six books, the strength of the characters is just amazing.
    • 4/5
      If you've come this far, you like this series as much as I do. The over the top romantic adventure erotica continues and this trilogy ends satisfactorily.
    • 5/5
      Note: While this is Book 6 in Kushiel’s Legacy (also referred to as the Terre D’Ange Cycle) it is Book 3 in the second trilogy and focuses on Imriel de la Courcel, who we met in Book 3 of the first trilogy, Kushiel’s Avatar. Kushiel’s Mercy is best read as part of the second trilogy, if not as Book 6 in the larger series, since there are plenty of characters and situations referred to from the previous books.Imriel de la Courcel, a Prince of the Blood, and Sidonie de la Courcel, Terre D’Ange’s princess and next in line to the throne, are in love. This doesn’t sit well with much of the realm because Imriel’s estranged birth mother, Melisande Shahrizai, betrayed the nation a generation ago. Imriel and Sidonie are faced with a difficult choice: Bring Melisande to justice or Sidonie will not inherit the throne. After beginning their search for Melisande in earnest, an unlikely city nation, Carthage, comes with luxurious gifts, promises of alliance, and an apparently heartfelt hope that Sidonie will consider their General Astegal for marriage. Things do not go as expected, for anyone.This historical fantasy is another beautiful addition to the Terre D’Ange cycle. Through the adventures of Imriel and Sidonie, we learn more about this alternate world Carey has created. Carthage is a budding empire, rich in gold and gems but also dependent on slavery. General Astegal comes off as a very charming man, willing to bend to Terre D’Ange’s way of things when it comes to love; for instance, he wouldn’t be in a miff if Sidonie decided to have a harem of pretty young men. The other culture that really stood out for me was the Euskerri, which is akin to the Basque. Deeply proud and also demanding equality from their two neighboring countries – Terre D’Ange and Aragonia.In the previous books, there has been some magic, though much of it is left up to the reader’s interpretation. In this novel, the magic is direct and has immediate consequences. Even though this is a reread for me, I always find myself surprised by how not subtle the magic component is in this story, as compared to the previous books. So how do you fight strong magic when you only have a passing experience with it? That is something that Imriel and Sidonie will have to figure out, though I do like all the hints that Elua, Terre D’Ange’s primary deity, may be giving them a hand. The magic does follow certain rules, which I liked, though it was quite the trial for Imriel to figure out what those rules were.There’s plenty of adventure and sneaking about in this story. Imriel must make alliances with the most unlikely of people to even make a solid attempt to not only rescue Sidonie but the entire capitol of Terre D’Ange, the City of Elua. Indeed, spying, misdirection, and disguises make up a good part of the book. I think it was hardest on Imriel to deceive his beloved foster parents, Phedre and Joscelin. There’s some pretty intense scenes that had me holding my breath! Also, those scenes with Barquiel L’Enver, a man who has disliked Imriel since he was born, were quite worthy.Sidonie really shines in this book. Even with everything told through Imriel’s eyes, Sidonie had some tough decisions to make and was at the center of some dangerous situations. Carey has this magical way of writing female characters behaving in feminine ways and still getting important stuff done. While Imriel is the character that carried me forward in this story, there’s a strong argument for Sidonie being that star of the story.Each time we think our heroes have found the key to winning the day, there’s another twist or another spell or another hurdle or another bad guy that must be vanquished. One of the hardest things about this was that sometimes they had to find a way to sneak past, trick, or even fight friends and family that were ensnared in the magic. My poor nails! I was biting my nails too often with this story!As with the series, there are incredible sex scenes that range from playful to desperate to healing to sad to joyful. Carey is just as detailed in her love scenes as she is with her use of cultures and linguistics. I always enjoy these scenes because they reveal something further about the characters.The ending was well done. I was very satisfied that things were not easy to unravel and iron out. Not everyone gets everything they want. There’s plenty to be forgiven all around. Still, it was beautiful and satisfying.The Narration: Simon Vance does this final book in Imriel’s trilogy justice. He had to take on further accents as our heroes experienced new cultures. There were also plenty of complicated emotions and intense scenes and Vance did a great job capturing the subtleties of those emotions in his voice work. Also, he did a fantastic job with the sex scenes.
    • 5/5
      Okay. I wish it was a continuation of Phedre's story. Sighs.
    • 5/5
      Summary: Imriel de la Courcel, son of Melisande Shahrizai, the greatest traitor Terre d'Ange has ever known, now stands third in line for the throne. That fact makes his relationship with Sidonie, the heir to Queen Ysandre, quite inconvenient. Most people believe that it is a sham, that Imriel is making a bid for power, but Imriel and Sidonie have denied Elua's precept of "love as thou wilt" before, to disastrous consequences, and they are not willing to be separated again. Ysandre has decreed that she sanction their union only if Imriel can find his mother and bring her to justice, otherwise Sidonie risks being disinherited. But once again, circumstances intervene, and an envoy from Carthage comes secretly bearing dire magics that leave Imriel mad and Sidonie taken off to foreign lands, believing herself to be the willing bride of another. And now Imriel must sacrifice everything, down to the deepest core of his being, if he wants to rescue her and save his homeland from the delusions that are tearing it apart.Review: I have said before, many times (many many times), how amazing Jacqueline Carey's writing is, how incredible her characters are, how rich her worldbuilding is, how much I love Phèdre and Joscelin and Imriel and Terre d'Ange and the Kushiel books and just about everything to do with this series. In fact, my saying as much usually takes the form of a very caps-lock-y "OH MY GODS YOU GUYS THESE BOOKS ARE SO AMAZING WHY AM I ONLY READING THEM NOW EVERYONE I KNOW SHOULD BE READING THEM IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE EEEEEEEE! SO GOOD!" And this book didn't let me down on any of those fronts, so rather than spending paragraphs of this review in fangirly squee-ing mode, let's just take all of that as a given, shall we? Splendid.So, some particular things I liked about this book. Carey's very good about plotting long, epic books that each have satisfying and relatively stand-alone plot arcs but also function as part of a greater whole. This installment, like all of the others, had plenty of twists and turns, and complications, and details that muddy up the waters just when you think you see where things are going to go. This book in particular did a nice job of dealing with the idea of the sins of previous generations being visited upon the next generation, and of having to deal with your past, even when it's not of your own making, before you can embrace your future. I also absolutely loved the way that this book played with the ideas of personality and memory and free will and identity, and how all of those things interact, and the various ways each of those could be subverted, and the effects that it would have. (And although the overriding theme is essentially "true love conquers all", I definitely appreciated that true love didn't conquer all without a fair number of struggles. If all it took was Imriel and Sidonie meeting each other again and they instantly fell into each other's arms with all of the magic dissolved, I'd have been pretty disappointed, but Carey's much more subtle than that.) Overall, this book does an very nice job with bringing not only Imriel's trilogy, but also the Kushiel series as a whole to a satisfying conclusions. There are a couple of exceptions, and they're the reason I'm docking this book half a star, and they both have to do with my expectations that were fostered in previous books that didn't quite pan out in this one. And those things are: Melisande and the Unseen Guild. Especially in Kushiel's Scion, it's made out to seem like the Unseen Guild is going to have some huge role to play in the climax of the series, and they're mentioned a bit in the beginning of this book, but it winds up sort of fizzling out and becoming a non-starter. Secondly, I was hoping there was going to be a last bit with Melisande. She shows up again in this book, and she's instrumental in driving parts of the plot forward, but - like with the Unseen Guild - I was expecting her to have a more pivotal role in the climax. She also seems to have mellowed a bit since she's gotten older, and to some extent I buy that - there are some nice scenes between her and Imriel involving Elua's precept - but I was expecting her to have at least a little of her old spark, some final scheme or machination that came in to play at the end, but there just... wasn't. But, to be fair, on the whole, I was so busy enjoying all of the elements that *were* there that I didn't really bother too much over the few that I thought there should have been but weren't. This series was amazing, and I'm already torn between picking up Carey's newer books, or starting a re-read of the Phèdre books. 4.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: Don't start with the last book, but the Kushiel books (either the Imriel books or the series as a whole) are so amazingly good, and rich, and absorbing, and wonderfully written, and full of amazing characters, that if you like grown-up epic fantasy, you should definitely be reading them.
    • 3/5
      Taut plotting, engaging characters. This is the 6th book in the Kushieline series, and I think it suffers from some credulity-straining plot devices. There's adventure and intrigue, certainly, along with true love and steamy sex but there are also fairly good-sized holes in the story and some inconsistencies that hurt. It's so Byzantine that I'm reluctant to go into any detail for fear of spoilers, but Melisande is back, her beauty undimmed. I recommend this with reservations to those of you who have read and loved the first five books.
    • 5/5
      very interesting twist that brings a whole new area of that world and culture into focus
    • 5/5
      Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey is the third volume of the trilogy featuring Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel as the protagonist. Or, depending on how you want to count it, the novel is the sixth volume in Carey's series Kushiel's Legacy. Regardless, it is an ending point. I've been reading Kushiel's Legacy from the beginning and I love the books. The series has gained a devoted following and many of the individual volumes have been nominated for and have won various awards and honors. Kushiel's Mercy was first published in 2008, so I'm a few years behind in my reading. I've been taking my time with the series. The books are fairly lengthy, and while the second trilogy's style is less flowery than the first's, there is still quite a bit going on. It was only a matter of time before I got around to reading Kushiel's Mercy, and now I have.After taking revenge on the person responsible for his wife Dorelei's murder in Alba, Imriel is able to return to Terre d'Ange and the woman he loves with all his soul--Sidonie, the heir to the throne. There are many people in the realm who are unhappy with this situation. Because Imriel is the son of Terre d'Ange's greatest traitor, many suspect his motivations and believe his desire to be impure. Imriel and Sidonie know better. However, in order to prove his intentions to the Queen and the peerage, and in order to be officially recognized as Sidonie's husband, Imriel is ordered to bring his mother to justice. Imriel has not had much happiness in his life, and he is willing to do what he must in order to keep it and the woman he loves. But before he can, Terre d'Ange falls victim to the schemes of Carthage and he must confront a foe even more dangerous than his mother.It has been wonderful to watch Imriel grow and change ever since his introduction in Kushiel's Avatar and as the protagonist of his own trilogy (Kushiel's Scion, Kushiel's Justice, Kushiel's Mercy). He used to be defined by those around him--his traitorous mother, his heroic foster parents--but in Kushiel's Mercy he has finally become his own person. Imriel has matured greatly throughout Kushiel's Legacy; he now knows who he is and what he wants, and he is willing to fight for his own sake. One of the things that I love about Carey's Kushiel books is that the characters' sexuality is integral to who they are as people and is important to their development. The sex isn't just there to be there (although I'm okay with that, too) but it's an important part of the story for a reason.I'll admit, there were some aspects of Kushiel's Mercy that I was hesitant about, particularly the prominence of arcane magic in the story. Honestly, I felt a little cheated. At least at first. Terre d'Ange doesn't really have a tradition of arcane magic. Although divine gifts and abilities have always played a part in Kushiel's Legacy, arcane magic's role has always been fairly limited up until now. But by the end of Kushiel's Mercy, Carey had convinced me that the incorporation of arcane magic into her world was the correct one. The story that she wanted to tell couldn't have been told in any other way. However, what probably impressed me most about Kushiel's Mercy, was how skillfully Carey not only ties together Imriel's trilogy but the entire Kushiel cycle as a whole. I found Kushiel's Mercy to be an extremely satisfying ending, but I still look forward to reading the next trilogy as well.Experiments in Reading
    • 4/5
      This part of Imriel's story surprised me a little. I anticipated Imriel's search for his mother, but not the completely different circumstances that make it happen. Which is silly, since I have read Kushiel's avatar. I should know better. I liked it very much, since it brought back Melisande in the story, which I liked very much, and it gave new information about Sidonie and more depth to her character. The only dissapointment were the "bad guys", who were quite flat characters in a way. They are not comparable to the Mahrkagir from [Kushiel's avatar] or Berlik from [Kushiel's scion]. Especially Berlik was a complex character with a whole story and sacrifice behind him. I guess you can't top that, but Carey spoiled me. I expected more...The adventure and danger the character's have to go through are exciting and make you want to read the night through. Imriel proves himself again and again (even to Barquiel l'Envers). A satisfying end this part of Kushiel's Legacy.
    • 4/5
      i liked this a lot, and i didn't expect to. it looked like a romance novel with an S&M hook disguised as fantasy sf. instead it's a complex world, drawn deep. nice characterizations: even the heroine works. so now i need to go looking for the rest.
    • 4/5
      Great romance, exciting adventure, good writing.
    • 5/5
      This is the sixth book in a series; if you're new to Carey or the Kushiel books--do not start here. Go back and start with Kushiel's Dart--I definitely think you'd lose a lot if you don't. Although I don't quite love this second trilogy centered on Imri as much as the first three with Phedre, which I found more moving, I still found Kushiel's Mercy an entrancing read. There's a lot more than romance to Carey's books, even if the supreme law of her Terra d'Ange, is "Love as Thou Wilt" and the romance between Imri and Sidonie is what drives the plot. There's political intrigue and action to burn. Each volume is a hefty doorstopper but is of the page-turning kind so you don't feel the length. In this volume, Imri is directed by the queen to find his mother and bring her back for justice if he's to marry the Princess Sidonie. This not only allows for the usual quest ploy where we get to see more exotic lands in this alternate world--but having to deal with his treacherous mother goes to the heart of Imri's identity and so makes for an apt climax for a first trilogy that is basically about his coming of age. The ending disappointed me a bit--it seemed a bit facile, but truly it's a minor complaint given the pleasure this book gave me, and certainly the spell all in the land become entangled in and its unraveling is imaginative and resonates like the curse from a fairy tale.
    • 4/5
       This part of the series was good, but not as good as the original
    • 5/5
      I absolutely adored all 6 books in the Kushiel series. The final book was amazing. The plot never slowed or lulled. It was the perfect ending. I can't wait to read Carey's next series, and all her books.
    • 4/5
      This book drives home the notion that Sidonie and Imriel, together, /is/ political intrigue, and it uses their love as a driving force rather than a focus, and as a result, it's far better than the previous book.I struggled a bit here because, while we've had gods that are real and bits and pieces of magic dropped into the books previously, this is the first time that we're confronted with full out I'm-a-sorcerer magic, and it's in a big way. I know the seeds were set out, but it still felt like a jarring rearranging of what we know of the canon of Terre d'Ange. It would have worked a bit better had the magic been related to the gods in some fashion.Terre d'Ange is ensorcelled into an unlikely alliance, and Sidonie is likewise enchanted into an unlikely marriage. To save both his love and his country, Imriel is forced to confront the traitor-mother he hates (and has sworn to deliver to justice in order to be allowed Sidonie's hand), and in doing so, he's forced to confront where he comes from, and where he's going.This story is interesting, and Carey's deft touch with characters, politics, and relationships returns here. I cared about what happened to Imriel and to Sidonie, and in a huge improvement from the last book, I cared about what happened to them /together/ for the first time.
    • 5/5
      This book concludes the second Kushiel trilogy by Jacqueline Carey which features Imriel as the lead character. This book was a perfect conclusion to this trilogy. It's a long book, very long. Imriel's journey in this book is just as immense as in the last book. This book felt like it encompassed more than one story, it could have (again) been more than one book. Unlike the last book, I feel that that worked for this book. This book wasn't a struggle to get through. It flowed beautifully, was action packed, and had you holding your breath until the very end.Imriel and Sidonie confront Ysandre about their relationship; which threatens to tear the realm apart. Sidonie stands to inherit the throne and her relationship with Imriel is less than appreciated considering his mother was a traitor to the crown. When confronted Ysandre says only one thing will sway her into allowing their relationship; Imriel must find his traitorous mother and bring her back to Terre d'Ange for execution. As Imriel starts this difficult task, there is an unexpected entourage from Carthage. The visit from Carthage sets events into motion that no one could have imagined.I really enjoyed this book. I was sad that the characters were put through so much torment. There is no one in this book who is left unscathed in the end. As usual Imriel and Sidonie take the brunt of it. One again Carey does an excellent job of character development. We really see Imriel and Sidonie grow into adults and it is wonderful to watch them become comfortable with who they are.The writing is beautiful and perfect, as with the rest of this series. I thought that the pacing of this book was much better than the last book. The action stays consistent throughout. The only point at which I found myself wanting something to happen was when Leander and Sidonie were spending time in Carthage together. I think this was done for a purpose though and did a good job in conveying the helplessness of their situation there.Some wonderful new characters were introduced in the way of Leander and Kratos. I am always amazed at Carey's skill in making even minor characters have depth and history.SPOILER ALERT*********I have to mention this because the skill with which it was executed amazed me! When Imriel took on Leander's self, the style of writing totally changed to reflect Leander's thoughts and actions. Then as Imriel's love begins to break down the spell that makes him Leander, you slowly see Imriel's personality revert back to Imriel's. I thought it was very cool that Carey could make this personality change so subtle and realistic.SPOILER ENDED************I really did love this book. Even though it was lengthy, I was a bit sad when it was over. Then ending was perfect and beautiful as it the rest of the book. I am beginning to wonder if we will see a trilogy focused around Sidonie's sister Alais next. Carey seemed to be hinting that Alais is going to go through some struggles in the future. Hopefully the two catch phrases in that book "Love as thou wilt" and "All knowledge is worth having" will carry on to any future work she does.
    • 5/5
      Jacqueline Carey's talent as an author has grown considerably over the six novels of her Kushiel series. She makes page after page fly by so easily that her novels feel half as long as their page count. She is a master (mistress?) of characterization; I often feel even her most briefly encountered characters have a spark of life to them that other authors can't achieve over hundreds of pages. As a further display of her talent, a third of the way through this novel she does something very risky with her point of view narrator that could have been a disaster, but she pulls it off very well and kept me invested.I like how Kushiel's Avatar has been continuously referenced throughout this second trilogy, unlike the way many series seem to dismiss the long-term effects of past events. This trilogy doesn't suffer from the comparison, and what's completed here is a potentially stronger overarching story than was constructed for the original trilogy: the growth and redemption of Imriel.Political intrigue, military strategem, dark magic - these fantasy elements are again all present, layered over with fascinating world-building that's easily among my favourites. I'm hoping for many more return journeys to Terre d'Ange in future.
    • 4/5
      I have enjoyed this series tremendously. I am a little sad to see it over with. I was really surprised when I discovered how much I liked it. Carey is really a good writer of intrigue, politics and love. I am excited to read the first book in her new series, [Namaah's Kiss]. I do have to wait for paperback though.
    • 3/5
      littlegeek's review captured my feelings on the book well. I will add that Carey got sentimental about ending her Kushiel line of books. Over and over her main characters would recount stories from the previous books and comment on how everything was coming full circle. The circle motif was nice, but didn't need to be hammered on so much.The biggest disappointment to me was the lack of political maneuvering. This has been my favorite aspect of Carey's books, and after the first quarter of the book, the political maneuvering was very sparse and instead action and sentiment took the lead.It was still an enjoyable read, just disappointing in comparison to Carey's other works.
    • 5/5
      Amazing end to Imriel's & Sidone's story. Loved it.
    • 5/5
      In a nutshell: This is the sixth book in one of my all-time favorite series! Another masterpiece filled with intrigue, passion, politics, age-old magics, loyalties, and love. Encompassing the arts, religion, culture and politics of a fantasy-Renaissance type period with hints of actual history create a strong and wonderous story that is sure to captivate readers. When I first started reading the second trilogy (this book completes the second set), I didn't think I would like it as well as the first, but it is just as good! Imriel de la Courcel (a traitor's son) is in love with the queen of Terre d'Ange's daughter Sidonie. The queen, her husband, and the people of Terre d'Ange are against the love-match (which goes against their basic beliefs of 'Love as thou wilt') because they fear treachery on Imriel's part. In order to marry, the couple must make a choice: Imriel must bring his traitorous mother back to Terre d'Ange to face execution, or they can marry and Sidonie will be disinherrited. Imriel begins searching for his mother when a leader from another country uses old magics to control the City of Elau in Terre d'Ange, and to get Sidonie to marry him. Now Imriel must find a way to save Sidonie and Terre d'Ange! He seeks help from unexpected places, including his mother! Carey writes in a flowingly eloquent manner, entrancing the reader from page one. The story contains darkness and light, evil and good, all cleverly woven together to complete a beautiful love-story! Readers will enjoy catching glimpses of actual history and culture that Jacqueline Carey has cleverly included in the the story of Terre d'Ange and surrounding countries! (Terre d'Ange is a cleverly told Paris/France, Aragonia is really Spain, Alba is our England, etc)My Review:There is so much I would like to say here, but I will keep to my promise to keep it short and sweet. In addition to my In a Nutshell comments, let me add that I loved the transformation that some of the characters from other books went through in this book. Barquiel L'Envers was a man I loved to hate - never thinking he would amount to anything good - I was pleasantly surprised here. Melisande Shahrizai was another such character - after being so power-hungry, it was nice to see a slightly softer side, a woman who has come to see her values change and her focus become less-destructive and more nurturing.Characters: Carey has brought back characters from the preceeding books, as well as introducing us to new ones. Each character is remarkable, and integral to the story-line! Some of my favorite characters are the supportive "thinking" or "learned" characters: those who are teachers or learners, providing extensive detail and knowledge to the main characters. Carey has done a marvelous job of bringing her characters to life, giving them strength of character, as well as a few weaknesses! I love the fact that many of the characters are strong, both men and women!Story-Line: With so much going on, the book is amazing. From time-to-time, I found myself wondering how on earth the author was able to keep everything organized (keep in mind that this book is over 650 pages). I was truely amazed. The story moved with grace from one area to the next, maintaining congruency throughout. The amount of details involved really helped bring the story to life.Readability: I found the book easy to read (once I got a handle on all the exotic names of people and places), and actually found reading it to be a beautiful experience. Jacqueline Carey seems to be able to write each of her books in a way that makes the words flow, sounding eloquent and amazing all at once. I was engaged from the first page to the last.Overall: PLEASE, if you haven't checked this series out already, give it a try - I am truely amazed at how wonderful these stories are. I have read each of the previous books at least two times, if not more. The books are amazing in their detailed descriptions and imagery, their character development and intricate plots. In a book this long (yes - I think 650+ pages is long), I think it is almost impossible not to get immersed in the characters, settings and the story. I couldn't wait to finish the book so I could see what happened to the characters I have come to know and love.Dare we hope for a third series within the Kushiel's Legacy story - perhaps focusing on Alias?? Or maybe giving us a look at a new era in Terre d'Ange with Imriel and Sidonie's children?Favorite thought of the book: Happiness is the highest form of wisdom. (This thought is found throughout the book, and wonderfully explained!)Reader Awareness (Caution): Each book in this series DOES have explicit sex and some violent scenes. These books are not for the faint-of-heart - some fetish-like preferences are explored by the characters, but the scenes do help to enhance the story-line, and I wouldn't remove them. In short, if explicit sex, and tollerance of sexual preferences and fetishes are offensive to you, you may want to skim past those scenes in the book.
    • 5/5
      A very satisfying finish to the Kushiel sequence. This was the best of the books featuring Imriel, and I particularly enjoyed seeing the bond between him and Sidonie develop and grow stronger through great adversity. The story arc begun in Kushiel's Dart was brought around full circle in a very believable and satisfying way. I'm looking forward to more books occurring in this universe!
    • 3/5
      A wonderful ending to a wonderful trilogy. I had my doubts when the point of view in this trilogy changed to Imriel (from Phedre of the first trilogy). I mean, a woman writing from a man's POV? But I think she pulled it off! I guess it would take a guy to confirm that. The magic in this book is inventive and original. And once gain, Carey had me reading way past my bedtime on a work night because I was so enthralled I couldn't put it down. I'm sure my boss is happy I've run out of Kushiel's books to read till the next series starts next year!