Kushiel's Chosen (Phèdre's Trilogy, #2) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Apr 10, 2010 Dichotomy Girl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, own-kindle-read, 2020, 2013, 2018, fantasy, 2019, 2010, favorites-previous-years, authors-i-love

After 1st Re-Read:

In many ways this is the "hardest" for me to re-read because I find the first half just a bit tedious with all the stregazza politics, but the 2nd half more than makes up for it!

Original Review:

I read this in a day. And it leaves me wondering how in the world I thought her first book was average. I am already a few hundred pages into #3, and am very glad that she writes very long books, and that there are 4 awaiting me. ...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-read-2015, read-audio-books, favorites

I always knew that reading this trilogy would be an amazing experience. It just took me years to take a dive and commit to the page count. And I’m so glad now I’m doing it. It’s so much more than I ever thought it could be. Phèdre nó Delaunay is one of the most complex and riveting characters I have ever read. Add to that the fact that Ms. Carey’s writing is superb and the epic story that unfolds in these pages is bound to stay with anyone who reads it forever.

KUSHIEL’S CHOSEN brings more lo

I always knew that reading this trilogy would be an amazing experience. It just took me years to take a dive and commit to the page count. And I’m so glad now I’m doing it. It’s so much more than I ever thought it could be. Phèdre nó Delaunay is one of the most complex and riveting characters I have ever read. Add to that the fact that Ms. Carey’s writing is superb and the epic story that unfolds in these pages is bound to stay with anyone who reads it forever.

KUSHIEL’S CHOSEN brings more love and a lot more loss to Phèdre’s life. At times I wonder how can she bear it, and at others I wonder how can I? But in between the hardships there is always a sliver of hope. That small glimpse that keeps us all going. Hoping for better days ahead. While she does what must be done to follow the right path. While battling sometimes her own desires.

A lot more intrigue and political turmoil plague the story in KUSHIEL’S CHOSEN. To protect her Queen, she may just have to give up everything she’s ever held dear. It is that strength of character that keeps me coming back to Phèdre. As does almost everyone in her homeland. With every situation she faces, she grows. She grows in understanding herself. She grows in understanding those around her.

One thing is for certain, this book is never boring and never dull. For such a long story (coming in at 678 pages) there is not one wasted word or added fluff. The lyrical way in which Ms. Carey writes kept me on the edge of my seat. Simple yet so deep, so intense. I can’t say this book was simply read, it was experienced. It was a tumultuous journey, action packed until the end. Not knowing which way it would go was the best part! Not knowing if there was a happy resolution to each event. Some yes, some no. But I loved every second of it.

I really love the combination of politics, religion and love as well as the lyrical prose of this series! And I think I’m ready for the darkness I feel coming ahead in the final installment.

Favorite Quotes:

“Well, I was living it, but a shared dream half-lived is a hollow thing.”

“There is a madness in love.”

“There is such a thing as a grief too immense for tears; this was almost one such.”

“In the end, I was what I was, Kushiel’s Chosen. Strength was not my weapon; only surrender.”

“…his love the dagger by which I fixed the compass of my heart.” ...more

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