NUMBER: 53TITLE: Kushiel's Avatar
AUTHOR: Jacqueline Carey
STARTED: July 23, 2005
FINISHED: August 1, 2005
PAGES: 750
GENRE: Fantasy
FIRST SENTENCE: It ended with a dream.
SUMMARY: [From barnesandnoble.com] Trained as a courtesan and dedicated to the service of Naamah, the goddess of love, and Kushiel, the god of pain and punishment, Phedre no Dalauney, now a countess and friend of the Queen of Terre d'Ange, finds herself drawn reluctantly into the service of a former enemy. When the traitor Melisande Shahrizai's child disappears, she offers Phedre a bargain: find her son, and she will give Phedre the information she needs to rescue a childhood friend trapped in perpetual service to the gods as the Master of the Straits between Terre d'Ange and the rest of the world. Phedre's search takes her on a trip to exotic and dangerous lands, from the fabled court of the Pharaoh of Mnekhet to the dark and deadly land of Drujan, where a mad king serves a dark god and makes plans to conquer the world. The dramatic conclusion of Carey's trilogy (Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen) provides enough loose ends for possible future tales set in an alternate Earth ruled by the descendants of fallen angels and forgotten gods.
REASON FOR READING: Conclusion to a series.
THOUGHTS: This novel was by far the darkest and the best of the trilogy. I felt the characters grow and morph as I read the book. Carey has the unique ability to make the reader actually feel what the characters are living throw. Her ability to explain and draw out Joscelin in particular made this book an extremely enjoyable read.
The plot was, as always, intriguing and addictive. Carey greets a world that is like non-other. The read is both drawn into the story and repulsed by it. In the end, however, they cannot stop reading. The narrative is complete in both style and substance.
This book, as opposed to the others, also made me think about matters brought up by the story. Carey's depictions of god/gods is so intricate that one cannot help but think about their own take on the matter.
Kushiel's Avatar is a phenomenal conclusion to a marvelous series.
MISCELLANEOUS: Another winner.
KEEP/SHARE/CRINGE(?): Keep
RATING: 9/10 [Excellent! Couldn't put it down]
CR: Her Perfect Earl by Bethany Brooks
RN: Beyond Temptation by Mary Reed McCall
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