Buddy Read-Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (Spoilers)

[Ms. Nikki]

~Read at your own pace or choose a pace

~Post your thoughts, questions, and interesting quotes, etc.

~Could you be so kind as to let us know the page/percent you are at when commenting so we know if we want to read it or not in case someone has not made it there yet?

~Also, to add spoilers tags

< spoiler >Type what you want here< /spoiler >

click on (some html is ok) and it will show you.
Left bracket, type the word spoiler, right bracket, type what you want here, then left bracket, forward slash, type the word spoiler again, then right bracket
No spaces :)

Feel free to join in at any time :)

So far it's:
Nikki
Maxine
Ctgt
Walter

[Walter]

You can add my name in as well, Nikki. I'm on page 734 of the paperback (out of 912).

Sounds terribly intimidating, but (at least for me), it's gone by fast. And I'm a sluggish reader. Most of the time.

[Ms. Nikki]

I added you, Walter :)

I think I may start a few days early as I finished one of my reads ahead of time.

[Eileen]

I read this a few years ago and will be interested in seeing what others think.

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 1- I love this line~
(view spoiler)[When Love cast me out, it was Cruelty who took pity upon me. (hide spoiler)]

[Ctgt]

It hasn't been too long since I read this, a year and a half or so, but I had forgotten how much I enjoyed her prose style. I think Walter had mentioned something similar in another thread.

[Walter]

I did indeed, Ctgt. Her prose style is like the literary equivalent of comfort food. For me anyway.

And for anyone who's interested, the Sword & Laser folks here on Goodreads did a video interview with Carey recently. Here's a link to it:

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/39418...

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 6 The writing is flowing now and so is the story~

I feel like a stubborn child when starting a new read and the author has to take me by the hand and introduce me to this new world I am to live in until the story is finished. I want to quit, roll my eyes, throw my hand in the air, find no pleasure in it. But as soon a I find my place in it all, the hardship it caused my mind to think and understand things that weren't natural to my way of thinking, the story grabs me and starts to flow and I find myself reading easier and more fluidly, careless as to which direction it will go, only knowing I want to get there.

For some reason that point came as soon as she left Cereus House.

[Maxine Marsh]

Going to start this one soon!

[Ms. Nikki]

Hiya, Maxine! Wondered where you were. Chat soon :)

[Ctgt]

I agree Nikki, world building can be a bitch.

I found the Judeo-Christian references interesting. I'm not sure I picked up on that the first time through.

[Maxine Marsh]

I'm out of town, so it may be a couple days before I get far enough into this one to comment.

[Ms. Nikki]

No problem.

[Ms. Nikki]

pg 75

~All knowledge is worth having~

[Ms. Nikki]

After the Showing and lesson have started.
(view spoiler)["There is no fulfillment that is not made sweeter for the prolonging of desire." (hide spoiler)]

[Maxine Marsh]

I'm a little ways in now. The book is intriguing, but I've got a sinking feeling for Phedre, lol. I like her friend, Hyacinthe.

[Walter]

Nikki wrote: After the Showing and lesson have started.(view spoiler)

Such a familiar truth, but so beautifully expressed.

[Ms. Nikki]

Walter wrote: "Nikki wrote: After the Showing and lesson have started.(view spoiler)

Such a familiar truth, but so beautifully expressed."

Beautiful indeed~

[Walter]

Chapter Eighty-One: A quote that resonated particularly well for me: (view spoiler)[After Grainne commiserated with Phedre:

"There are those who are awkward in the face of sorrow, fearing to say the wrong thing; to them, I say, there is no wrong in comfort, ever. A kind word, a consoling arm . . . these things are ever welcome." (hide spoiler)]

[Ms. Nikki]

I love the little nuggets of prose that resonate. They are spaced here and there throughout this read. I look forward to catching them :)

[Ms. Nikki]

pg 136

(view spoiler)[ Delaunay was shocked that Alcuin's intuition surpassed his own on the subject of the Straits and in front of guests (hide spoiler)]

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 22
(view spoiler)[ Phedre catching Alcuin chatting with a patron really showed how he felt about his status.

Melisande really creeps me out. I would not like to be alone in a room with her. (hide spoiler)]

[Ctgt]

I had forgotten what a good job Carey did with Phedre. Many times when authors write younger characters they lose track of how a kid would act and what they would say. There are many times early on here that Phedre acts just like a child, jealous, petty and impetuous. (Not that adults don't act like that but you know what I mean)

[Ms. Nikki]

Jealous for sure :)

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter28 pg 258 Things are heating up. Phedre is good at spying and really enjoys what she does. I was sorry to (view spoiler)[ see Guy go although the new guy may make things interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Walter]

Nikki, in reference to your last spoiler, lol.

May make things interesting indeed. :)

[Ms. Nikki]

O-ho! I'm on the right track. I must read on to see what transpires :)

[Ms. Nikki]

Joscelin is having a hard time with his new position.

Was it smart for Phedre to make a promise to a client that she may not be able to keep? I think not.

[Maxine Marsh]

I've come to really like Joscelin. I'm a little farther ahead and he's becoming my favorite character of the book!

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 38 (view spoiler)[ Gah! I am actually saddened by this turn of events. Phedre had just agreed to stay on in Delauney's household. And Alcuin gone too. I'm afraid to read on. (hide spoiler)]

[Maxine Marsh]

Nikki wrote: "Chapter 38 [spoilers removed]"

That was some pretty gut wrenching stuff :( But inevitable in a book this long, I think.

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 41 (view spoiler)[ Melisande was looking out for herself, I see. I was In the moment with Joscelin and Phedre when they were being drugged

I don't blame Joscelin one bit for being enraged at the prospect of being a slave even if Phedre was trying to keep him alive.

Let us see what the Skaldic chieftan Gunter has to offer this read (hide spoiler)]

[Maxine Marsh]

FYI, The third book in the series, Kushiel's Avatar, is on sale at Amazon. Kushiel's Avatar for $2.99.

[Ms. Nikki]

Yeah, I got it even though I already have the paperback. Thanks.

[Ms. Nikki]

Chapter 68+ (view spoiler)[ So many things are happening. Joscelin has been through so much, especially at the hands of the Skaldi. I was glad when they were able to escape. If Phedre and he didn't have a bond, they do now.

I also felt bad for Hyacinthe and the chance for him to belong to a family. They don't deserve him though after the way they treated his mother.

Phedre did save the day when she agreed to be contracted to Mr M. to be able to pass into the city.

They are now on the water and Joscelin's idea of the Skaldi's song and Phedre singing it assuaged the Elder.
(hide spoiler)]

I hope to finish by tomorrow. I definitely can't wait to find out how Melisande reacts when in the presence of Phedre again.

[Maxine Marsh]

Nikki wrote: "Chapter 68+ So many things are happening. Joscelin has been through so much, especially at the hands of the Skaldi. I was glad when they were able to escape. If Phedre and he didn't have a bond, t..."

I hope to finish today too! Getting into the book was slow going for me but I am attached to the characters now. I'm impressed with Phedre's growth as a character.

[Walter]

I love hearing from other folks who are enjoying the book as much as I did.

In fact, it so impressed me that the viewpoint character of my work-in-progress has turned into a fan of Carey's work, and of Phedre in particular. :)

[Ms. Nikki]

I have finished one of my monstrously big reads of the summer and I am proud of myself and of Carey for being able to carry me through her entire read with curiosity of what was to come.

I loved it. I read some reviews that said they weren't into barbarian kink and I have to question whether they read the book at all. She did not want to be with the Skaldi, but did what she must to survive and in doing so, she learned about being taken without permission and that even though she was a servant, she was a pampered one and people in other cultures lived their lives by different rules.

[Walter]

One thing I'm wondering, prior to beginning the second novel in the trilogy: (view spoiler)[How will Joscelin react to Phedre's apparent intention to continue practicing her profession in an attempt to combat Melisande? I've known no few number of folks who define themselves as submissive/masochistic, and one thing I've learned about the bdsm lifestyle is that those who practice it have a deep and visceral need to do so. Since Joscelin does not appear to be dominant and/or sadistic, how will Phedre reconcile that with her needs? Should prove interesting. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Ms. Nikki]

(view spoiler)[ I believe he understands to a certain point, but I'm sure it does/will not make it any easier for him to watch her be in service to others.
Phedre herself mentioned something of the anger in him and how he goes into a sort of trance-like state when he fights. Maybe he can come to be what she needs?

I already miss reading about Hyacinthe. I really hope they she keeps her word to find a way to free him from the island.

Having Melisande still roaming about is sure unsettling. I wonder who set her free? (hide spoiler)]