Book Review: Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey

Synopsis:: This brilliant and daring debut, set in a skewed Renaissance world (people worship Jesus-like "Blessed Elua" but also demigods), catapults Carey immediately into the top rank of fantasy novelists. In the character of Phèdre nó Delaunay, "a whore's unwanted get" sold into indentured servitude in opulent Night Court, the author has created a particularly strong and memorable female lead, and has surrounded her with a large and varied cast, from nobles and priests to soldiers and peasants. An engrossing plot focuses first on court intrigue and treachery, then, in a surprising shift, on high adventure, travel in barbarian lands including Alba (England) and war. Two demigods rule Phèdre: Naamah, for sensual love; and Kushiel, for sado-masochistic pain, his "dart" being a blood spot in Phèdre's eye. --Publisher's Weekly

I have to say-- I was not really expecting to like this book all that much. As a rule, I have very specific tastes in fantasy literature-- leaning much more towards the magical realism rooted in our world than in any kind of alternative world building. Kushiel's Dart, though, firmly rooted in an alternative Renaissance setting, struck a chord, nonetheless-- probably because it is so entrenched in a world that feels familiar because it is set in a world so like ours once was. If you look at the map provided just before the six page Dramatis Personae, you see terrain very much like Western Europe. Alba is England, Eire is Ireland, Skaldia is Germany, Aragonia is Spain, and Terre d'Ange is France... and so on and so forth. Likewise, the cultures match up... though not all precisely Renaissance. For instance, the Cruithne/Dalriada cultures of Alba and Eire are based upon a strong, martial Celtic culture that existed long before the Renaissance. Still, the cues are taken from worlds where we know the "rules" somewhat, and in its way, it is just as interesting as discovering a world that the author has created from scratch.

However, the mythology of Terre d'Ange is totally Carey's own. In this story, Yeshua ben Yosef (or Jesus, son of Joseph) bled out upon the land at the crucifixion, and the Mother Earth bore Elua from their union, who boasted a passel of Angelic (read: demigod) companions who influence the lives of the inhabitants of Terre D'Ange. Phèdre, for instance, is a child of Kushiel, who purifies through pain, and Naamah, who is Magdalenesque in her role as Sacred Harlot. Likewise, Joscelin is a warrior-priest sworn to Cassiel the apostate, and attempts to fight his own human desires due to his dedication to Cassiel. It's all very fascinating, discovering this complex overlay of mythology, and connecting it to our own.

Carey's best asset, I think, is her ability to draw convincing characters. Though these characters certainly are divided by stock and lineage, and act accordingly, they are always individuals-- even the lowliest messenger or servant has his or her own motives. They rarely ring as false. The closest that she comes to cardboard is in Joscelin, who can be a little too much The Insurmountable Hero-- the best fighter, very pretty, and of course, the consummate gentleman. She saves this somewhat-- Joscelin grapples with pride and jealousy quite convincingly, which is is a flaw that certainly saves him from the title of stock character. On the other hand, as a Firefly fan, Phèdre reminds me very much of a kinkier version of Inara. Naamah's servants fulfil almost the same role as Companions in this universe, and with 13 distinct flavors to choose from, they are much more diverse.

This book has a little of everything that makes it a choice read-- well-written adventures, brain-twisting court intrigue, wonderful pacing throughout its 900 pages, and decently-written eroticism. I think Carey was stretching a bit in her experience of S/M and B/D, but at least she did her research, and so those passages did not come across as shock-value or insultingly ignorant. It's true, Phèdre often does save the day through sex, but more often than not, she uses cunning.

Even the thing I disliked most about the book-- the early death of Phèdre's mentor, Delaunay, and her friend, Alcuin-- served the book well in the end. They were emotionally necessary to give Phèdre the resolve to get word to the crown of the Skaldi's impending invasion. Still, those characters were wonderfully drawn and very beloved-- I was almost heartbroken to see them go.

One other commendable thing about this book-- it is very GLBT-friendly. Sexual and love bonds occur regardless of gender lines, and are not out of place in the society-- which makes for some shocking discoveries and beautiful love plots, I must add. And there is much respect for the act of love itself-- it is considered an act of worship most of the time, and an art, at least. The Servants of Naamah are both male and female, lending a certain egalitarian air and somewhat diffusing the social misogyny that often accompanies paid sexual encounters.

There's so much more I could say here-- really, this is such a rich world that I could write at length-- but I'll just say that I'm already halfway through the sequel, Kushiel's Chosen. This is definitely a book I'd recommend.


2006 Book Log:: http://sihaya09.livejournal.com/439937.html