Kushiel's Chosen (Kushiel's Legacy Series #2) Book

*** 4.35 ***

A Buddy Read with the FBR group!

This second book in the Phedre Trilogy was, in my opinion, better than the first. The pacing was much better and it kept you on your toes throughout. It had some lull moments, but they were well spaced and gave the main heroine time for some angst and going through all the facts and things she had done wrong and has to plan to do still... The more dynamic format might have positively been assisted by the smaller page count, although at 678 pages it is still a hefty tome.

"..."Why is there ever this perverse cruelty in humankind, that makes us hurt most those we love best?" ..."

This book starts about an year after the end of the first. You would have thought that Countess Phèdre nó Delaunay would be satisfied with her new title, estates, and the love of the man she seems to love as well, the ex-warrior monk Joscelin, but the Chosen of Kushiel doesn't seem to be satisfied with kicking her heels in the genteel country society, so she decides to take the bate and go on a search for the treacherous and very alluring vileness Melisande Shahirizai , who escaped her imprisonment and death sentence. In order to pursue her quarry she goes back to the seat of the royal family and rededicates herself to the goddess Namaah, thinking that by bedding as many nobles as she could, she might find who conspired and helped Melisande, and might be able to figure out where to find and detain her. This of course puts a big dent into the relationship she has with Joscelin and that comes to a complete halt when he decides to start studding with this alternative World's Christians, who actually read much more like the Hasidim Jews of our world. He fits perfectly with them, since they have been promised in a prophecy a country of their own, and he gets to train them to fight. Things between him and Phedre really go bad and this rift comes in play when he is not there to protect her.

"..."And having once chosen, never to seek to return to the crossroads of that decision-for even if one chooses wrongly, the choice cannot be unmade." ..."

Meanwhile, Phedre gets introduced to a young noble with a temper, a brother and sister who love to chat about court intrigue, a very crabby prince and another beautiful and charismatic woman, which Jacqueline Carey is obviously very good at writing. Queen Ysandre de la Courcey puts on a good show as well, but nothing and no one can compare with Melisande Shahirizai and the heat that comes off the pages when she is in any proximity to Phedre!!! Wow! I hate her, because she is infinitely cruel, but I can't help but love her too!!! Now that is a women of which even the big boys have to be terrified! Good for girl power, but still a bad person in the end....

"..."They are fools, who reckon Elua a soft god, fit only for the worship of starry-eyed lovers. Let the warriors clamor after gods of blood and thunder; love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides, and life and death alike follow in it's wake." ..."

I love the mish-mash of cultures, religions, deities, and characters so much, that I even choose to overlook the heavy irregularities of time periods of different countries co-existing at the same time in the Ms. Carey's world. I will go with "this is Fantasy" so things like that can happen and it is OK! I also love that in the main land where Phedre comes from, love is acceptable in all forms as long as it is between consenting adults. Yes, this whole series is full of sexual relationships - after all, Phedre is a servant of Namaah, which makes her a highly paid prostitute and is also chosen by Kushiel. which makes her really appreciative of the pain and domination which comes with it at times. So yeah, she is using her skills as a sex professional to spy for Queen and Country!!! She is a true patriot:):):):)

"..."The pain of the flesh is naught to that of the heart" ..."

If you are willing to accept the sex as just her job and take it as a background, this story is actually pure adventure and very good one at that! I was even toying with going for 5 stars, but there were things I couldn't overlook, so almost 5 stars it is. I am very glad that some friends encouraged me to start the series and I am looking forward to the next installment with trepidation!!! You have to give it a try!

"..."If you thought better of me, you would not be so surprised" ..."

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful Books to come!