Amazon.com
In this engrossing adult fantasy tale, the fascinating Phèdre nó Delaunay fights to save her queen and country in a battle whose greatest weapon proves to be Phèdre herself. This sequel to Carey's accomplished debut novel, Kushiel's Dart, finds Phèdre, now Comtesse de Montrève, once again plying her skills as an anguissette--a courtesan for whom pain becomes pleasure--and her talents as a spy. She uncovers a conspiracy of treason and murder and begins an adventure that takes her once more to distant lands in the company of an intriguing cast of characters--and a new confrontation with her old enemy, Melisande Shahrizai.
There's some evidence of haste in this novel: the writing is not always as tight and controlled as it was in Kushiel's Dart. Nevertheless, Carey's fans will certainly enjoy this return to Terre d'Ange, and those new to her work will find a satisfying combination of fantasy, sex, and adventure, as well as a smart and engaging heroine. --Roz Genessee
Book Description
Following hard on the heels of Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey's spectacular debut novel, comes Kushiel's Chosen, a glittering and riveting historical fantasy.The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It is said that the angels found the land and saw it was good, and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phegrave;dre noacute; Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye and sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with a very special mission--and the first to recognize her for who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one.Phegrave;dre has trained in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Having stumbled upon a plot that threatened the very foundations of her homeland, she gave up almost everything she held dear to save it. She survived, and lived to have others tell her story, and if they embellished the tale with fabric of mythical splendor, they weren't far off the mark.The hands of the gods weigh heavily upon Phegrave;dre's brow, and they are not yet done with their charge--for while the young queen who sits upon the throne is well loved by the people, there are those who believe that other heads should wear the crown. And those who escaped the wrath of the mighty are not yet done with their schemes for power and revenge. To protect and serve, Phegrave;dre will once again leave her beloved homeland. From the sun-drenched villas of La Serenissima to the wilds of old Hellas, from a prison designed to drive the very gods mad to an island of immutable joy. Phegrave;dre will meet old friends and new enemies and discover a plot so dreadful as to make the earth tremble, masterminded by the one person she cannot turn away from.
Customer Reviews:
A Heroine that commands armies and the hearts of those who love her........2007-08-07
I couldn't believe I read 912 pages in a few days! The power & imaginative writing is nothing short of incredible as Ms. Carey weaves a tale that includes everything from light S&M to love, respect, passion & obsession to murder, torture, hatred and deception. The action is written so clearly that even when many duels and hand to hand are being fought, it was easily followed. The description of the places she has travelled is excellent as are the interesting people she meets. She is constantly portrayed and called a [...], a [...] spy, a pain-bearer, but in the end she wins the hearts and souls of all and they find in her an ally, friend, lover bar none. And then there is Joscelin....the man who has her heart. I am so glad I found this series.
THIS BOOK IS BLESSED BY ELUA.......2006-12-30
LOL.... I LOVE THE IMAGINATION AND THE FACT IT IS WRITTEN SO... FOR ME TO SEE THROUGH A WOMENS EYES IS VERY INTERESTING... I LOVE HER FIRST BOOK AND I HAVE FRIENDS WANTING TO BORROW THIS BOOK, "I TOLD THEM TO GET THEIR OWN!"
Good adventure fantasy.......2006-10-11
"Chosen" continues the adventures and political intrigues of one of the most unusual characters I've seen as star in a fantasy story.
The story itself is good, workmanlike, and sustained (i.e. long) adventure. Phedre, the heroine, knows of a plot against the queen, and gives up her life of relative ease and comfort to hunt the traitor down. She succeeds, and that's where the adventure really begins: to an island prison where people are sent to be forgotten, into a stormy sea, off with the pirates, into the cave of sacred torment and wisdom, and more. It's right down to the wire, but Phedre succeeds in the end. She's no fighter herself, but is always surrounded by soldiers or armed adventurers, and usually in charge of the band.
Phedre herself is a striking character. Some god-given quirk of genes has given her a magical ability to heal from wounds, and an equally magical short-circuit between her senses of pain and pleasure - leaving her with urges that give plenty to heal from. Maybe they're god-given talents, but it wasn't a very nice god. Also, Phedre is a priestess in a cult that holds the body to be a temple, and it's the priestess's holy duty to encourage active kinds of worship at that temple. For all its steamy potential, the author describes only one passage of Phedre's carnal devotions. Given that pain thing, one is all I wanted.
If you have a long trip coming up, this book's 600+ pages of thud factor will keep you amused for at least a few hundred miles. I've read better, but this one was good enough to keep me interested in Phedre and her adventures
//wiredweird
A wonderful sequel!.......2006-10-03
Once again, Carey delights with this new addition to her Kushiel series.
Phedre is once again discovers a web of trechery that could lead to the fall of her country, and her Queen. Pitted against old foes, aided by her ever constant Joscelin, a man who broke all his vows to aid her, Phedre once again saves all she holds dear.
A brilliant continuation of this gripping saga.
Good though not as good as the first.......2006-09-18
The first book was brilliant one of my favourite ever and most likely if it never existed this book would be a 4. Its still a good book but when its the continuation of the story of phedre and josceline it becomes a must read.
Plot - Phedre finds out melisande is in la sessimistra and starts playing her game again to find her. Lots of travelling happens josceline and her fight alot much the same as the first book.
I find where this book lacks is in the 2nd half where it just seems there is a lot of filler, you can see the ending coming half way through the book and then suddenly it detours and phedre just seems to be filling in time far from the action till the exciting stuff begins again. In contrast kushiels dart was a constant roller coaster till the very end.
I havent mentioned much of the positives here but hopefully you have read kushiels dart and that should tell you what to expect here, rest assured 'chosen' is very well written and enjoyable to read just not the perfect book the first one was.
In the end i give it 4 and a half stars, a well made continuation but no classic like the first. Reading the third soon, ive heard i wont be dissapointed.
Book Description
REVIEW: "A very sophisticated fantasy, intricately plotted and a fascinating read." (Robert Jordan) REVIEW: "Perhaps once in a decade, if you are fortunate, you discover a debut novel as intoxicating as Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart. Part reimagined history, this sumptuous, spellbinding fantasy is kaleidoscopic in breadth, intimate in detail. It is sure to be read and talked about for years to come." (Eric Van Lustbader) REVIEW: "Kushiel's Dart takes fantasy into shadowy, exotic corners it rarely dares to tread. The standard of the writing is so high, it's hard to believe this is a first novel. Jacqueline Carey is a writer to watch, as the clich goes, but more important a writer to read." (Storm Constantine) EXCERPT: She will sell me to this cruel old woman, I thought, and experienced a thrill of terror. My mother stood with my hand in hers and gazed down at my upturned face. It is my last memory of her, those great, dark, lambent eyes searching my own, coming at last to rest upon the left. Through our joined hands, I felt the shudder she repressed. Such a small thing on which to hinge such a fate. Nothing more than a mote, a fleck, a mere speck of color. If it had been any other hue, perhaps, it would have been a different story. My eyes, when they had settled, were that color the poets called bistre, a deep and lustrous darkness, like a forest pool under the shade of ancient oaks. Bistre, then, rich and liquid-dark, save for the left eye, where in the iris that ringed the black pupil, a fleck of color shone. Thus did I enter the world, with an ill-luck name and a pinprick of living blood emblazoned in my gaze. "Take her, then." Letting go my hand, she shoved me violently. I turned my head at the last for one final glimpse of my mother, but her face was averted, shoulders shaking with soundless tears. I had entered a different world. Is it any wonder, then, that I became what I did? Delaunay maintains that it was ever my destiny, and perhaps he is right, but this I know is true: When Love cast me out, it was Cruelty who took pity upon me.DESCRIPTION: A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger.... a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm....Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phdre n Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy.... and unlikely heroine. But when Phdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d'Ange, she has no choice. Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phdre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond. Phdre n Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm's deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age and the birth of a new. It is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. A world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, deposed rulers and a besieged Queen, a warrior-priest, the Prince of Travelers, barbarian warlords, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess.... all seen through the unflinching eyes of an unforgettable heroine. AUTHORBIO: Jacqueline Carey is a researcher in art history and currently resides in Michigan. Her previous publications include various short stories, essays, and a nonfiction book. Angels: Celestial Spirits in Legend and Art. Kushiel's Dart is her first novel.
Customer Reviews:
Difficult beginning but stick with it..........2007-10-07
Phedre no Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond purchased by Anafiel Delauney (aka The Whoremaster of Spies), who recognises that the spot of blood in her eye marks her as one who is pricked by Kushiel's Dart (she experiences pain and pleasure as one - a masochist). She's trained as a courtesan, but is also taught how to observe and analyse what she sees - the tools of a spy. As Phedre's homeland of Terre d'Ange is drawn ever closer to conflict through treachery and betrayal, it will be up to Phedre to use all of the talents at her disposal to save what she holds dear.
For me this book has one of the worst beginnings I have ever read. The first time I read it I think it took me over thirty starts before I managed to get past the first page. If you can bear with it this is a story that is well worth reading. I have pin-pointed the spot where I was drawn into the story - page 11 where Phedre finally stops talking about herself. And by page 343 I am totally absorbed in the cruelty and beauty of Terre d'Ange, just in time for Jacqueline Carey to rip my heart out via my throat - metaphorically speaking.
I guess my main problem with the book is that I don't particularly like Phedre as a character. She has a severe case of Buffyitis only instead of 'I'm the slayer', it's 'I'm the anguisette'. Get over yourself already!
If you haven't read the book you may want to know that most of the love scenes are of a sado-masochistic nature, so if that's not your sort of thing perhaps you should give this one a miss. Though in my opinion these scenes are beautifully written and necessary to the plot.
This book has taught me that you don't need to love the protagonist in order to fall in love with the world she inhabits and the story she tells. Jacqueline Carey's worldbuilding is immaculate. Not only does she bring the myths, culture and beauty of Terre d'Ange to life. She takes us to the wild northern lands of Skaldia with a struggle for survival, and over the sea to the barbarian land of Alba and the battle for a stolen throne. This is an epic tale.
More than anything it is the characters surrounding Phedre who fascinate me - Alcuin, Delaunay, Joscelin, Melisande and Hyacinthe - and the history of the land that she is witness to and part of. Jacqueline Carey draws us into this world and makes it real, her storytelling has a depth and lushness that pulls you in (if you can just get past those first few pages).
Also available Kushiel's Chosen (book 2) and Kushiel's Avatar (book 3)
Better than I expected.......2007-09-25
A fictional romantic book with elements of western history mashed together but having all names changed. I didn't know you could make the story of a prostitute into an epic, but this book pulls it off while keeping you intrigued. I loved it and blew through it 2 nights. If you start this book you won't be able to put it down. The only one aspect I thought a little cliche was saving the character Melisande so that Carey could use her again in future books. Although I certainly didn't mind it, because she's one of the most dynamic villains I've seen grow in a book. Also you can also actually grow to love and symapathize with Melisande at the same. at the same time, the heroin, being a protitute that saves her nation through prostitution is rather overt; but I think Carey might be suggesting something of Women's actions in the past (but then again I may be reading too much into it). If you dont know what I'm talking about, read the book, it's more than just a "dime novel" romance.
Boring.......2007-09-19
I love a good epic story but Kushiel's Dart is not one of them. I had to force myself to get though the first 300 pages and then I gave up.
There was no excitment and I had no interest in the main character who to me comes off as shallow and emotionless. None of the characters were interesting enough to keep me involved, a page turner it's not.
I had high hopes for the book but it wasn't exciting, erotic or an adventure, everyone just seems bored and jaded. Yet I suppose if your entire life worth is based on your skills as a high priced courtesan then you're going to be jaded, but it still doesn't make you interesting.
A fascinating beginning........2007-09-17
Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Dart (Tor, 2001)
After my first day on Kushiel's Dart, I tallied up the pages I'd read, extrapolated, and budgeted a month for finishing this nine-hundred-page doorstop. It's now five days later, and I finished it last night. There's a lesson to be learned from this: sometimes the pace of the opening pages of a novel do not prepare the reader for what is to come. (Not that I advocate dropping the fifty-page rule, by any means, but just something to note.) I really should know better; Martin's now-iconic A Song of Ice and Fire has one of the slowest first hundred pages I've come across in a modern fantasy series.
Kushiel's Dart is the story (or the first bit of it, anyway) of Phedre no Delaunay, who lives in an alternate-world France during what would seem to be (and my apologies if I'm showing my ignorance of European history here) an era roughly akin to the reign of Louis XIII. This land of Carey's, though, is about as different from Earth as could be. Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a son named Elua, and it is he and his disciples who form the basis of civilized religion in this world. France (Terre d'Ange) and England (Alba) are not trade partners, nor are they enemies; the English Channel is uncrossable, thanks to a figure named the Master of the Straits, capable of whipping up storms to sink any boat that tries to make contact with the other civilization. Italy (Caerdicci) is a land filled with plotting slithery-type folks (okay, so that doesn't really differ from Alighieri's description of Italy a few centuries before all that much). Everything from Germany eastward, as far as we know, is ruled by the Skaldi, northern barbarians. Terre d'Ange is not, to put it mildly, in a terribly strategic position. As if the threats from the outside weren't enough, politics is waged like war within the kingdom. Phedre's patron, Anafiel Delaunay, is one of the combat's most adept players, and he brings Phedre-- born into a house of courtesans-- up to be not only the courtesan she was born to be, but a spy as well. And while the first half of the book seems nothing more than Phedre's memoirs, eventually the plot is revealed in all its glory. And then the real adventures begin.
That the second half of the book is good is, to be fair, not much of an accomplishment. Once you start packing in the action, it's pretty easy to make just about anything readable. What truly impresses me about Kushiel's Dart is that, even with the slight pacing problems of the first fifty or so pages, the first part of the book is just as good. I should mention at this juncture that I don't really do memoirs. Why bother, especially in an age where one can become a star by writing a memoir (rather than writing a memoir because one is a star)? Writing of the "and so it went" variety just doesn't normally work for me. Unless you've got a really good, solid writer on your hands. And the first half of this book is constant, unrelenting "and so it went," to the point of the phrase "and thus it was..." being used multiple times. And I still lapped it up. Why? Because, unlike most of these wannabe memoirists writing actual memoirs these days, Phedre no Delaunay is actually an interesting character. Which, I guess, is easier to do if you're fictional, but Phedre's voice reads real. She's naïve in all the places you'd expect, with a gradually increasing sense of wisdom (and somewhat unavoidable cynicism, given her various plights). These characters interact with one another well, and they're very well-drawn. They could just move around and talk, and it would be interesting. (Oh, wait, that's the first half of the novel.)
There are a few weak points in the novel, most of which are first-novel-blues kinds of things. Chief among them is repetition; the repeated piece that stood out most to me was everyone's wryness. And I mean everyone. They all had wry grins, or spoke wryly, or what have you. I don't think I've seen the word "wry" that much since my last kosher meats convention. (I hasten to add that bad puns are entirely the fault of the review author, and the book is not cursed with them.) That said, such things are certainly not going to keep me from reading what promises to be the rest of an absorbing, fascinating series. ****
I am so glad I randomly picked this up!.......2007-09-08
I ran across this book at the library one day while browsing the sci-fi/fantasy section and checked it out on a whim. I had no inkling of what I was getting into. That was a few months ago; I've since bought it and read it twice more, along with the sequels, and I'm now reading the series for the fourth time thanks to the recent release of the fifth book ("Kushiel's Justice").
This is one of those rare books that causes me to miss my bus stop even on re-reads. The world Carey has imagined is just fascinating, and I couldn't help but love the characters who populate it. I suppose you could call this book a romance or a fantasy, but it's so much more than the labels suggest. It's got all of the above and more: sex (duh, the main character is a courtesan), intrigue, adventure, friendship, politics, culture clashes, battles, religion ... I still struggle to describe it, and usually just give up trying and insist that people read it so they can see for themselves.
I'm not really a big fan of the "romance" or "fantasy" genres in general -- or any genre, now that I think of it. I am a fan of creative stories with interesting, believable characters and gripping plots, whether they are set in 14th-century alternate-universe France (which this one might be?) or World War II England or 40th century Mars.
I can't say enough good things about this series. Give it a try. You will almost certainly be glad you did.
Average customer rating:
- Powerful! Sensual!Erotic! Action-packed! WOW! WOW!
- Now That's How it's Done!
- Geography lesson
- "Dark" is not enough of a description
- Kushiels Avatar
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Kushiel's Avatar (Kushiel's Legacy)
Jacqueline Carey
Manufacturer: Tor Books
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312872402 |
Book Description
The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It's inhabited by the race that rose from the seed of angels, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phdre n Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobleman who recognized that she was pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. Phdre's path has been strange and dangerous. She has lain with princes and pirate kings, battled a wicked temptress, and saved two nations. Through it all, the devoted swordsman Joscelin has been at her side, following the central precept of the angel Cassiel: Protect and serve. But Phdre's plans will put his pledge to the test, for she has never forgotten her childhood friend Hyacinthe. She has spent ten long years searching for the key to free him from his eternal indenture to the Master of Straights, a bargain with the gods to save Phdre and a nation. The search will take Phdre and Joscelin across the world and down a fabled river to a forgotten land . . . and to a power so intense and mysterious, none dare speak its name.
Customer Reviews:
Powerful! Sensual!Erotic! Action-packed! WOW! WOW!.......2007-08-20
The 3rd instalment in this trilogy is as strong and powerful as the first! Jacqueline Carey is one of these rare authors who can write ad infinitum - but IMO with excellent skills in describing the plot, the action,the land,the adventures, the pleasure of pain of Phedre,the sensual and deep love of Josceline and Phedre, the fear and terror in the seraglio and the characters in each plot! Ms. Carey includes s&m but describes it in such a way that we almost feel what Phedre feels. The human degradation of slavery mixes with the exultation of defeating another enemy! The utter helplessness, yet sexual yearning of Phedre in the presence of Melisande. I could read the story of Phedre, Joscelin,Imriel & Melisande forever.
What makes these stories so compelling Carey's attention to every detail of each country that Phedre travels through including the language,customs, beliefs, clothing,etc. Ms.Carey puts you BESIDE Phedre and Joscelin and you see and feel what they both do! Joscelin is sexy and beautiful and Phedre puts his courage and love to the test at every turn, only to find themselves falling more deeply in love with each other. Then of course Phedre faces the Master of Straits in hopes of releasing her beloved friend Hyacinthe. Don't let me get started there!
Have already started reading the second trilogy. I want more!
Now That's How it's Done!.......2007-08-11
The first time I attempted to read this book, I believe a couple of years ago, I put it down shortly in, frustrated with the meanderings through Carey's mythology. Okay, okay...my bad. I should have stuck it out and just kept reading.
This is the proper way to end a trilogy. Yeah, I know, all 5 of the books out now are supposed to be part of "Kushiel's Legacy" but the first three are obviously separate from the following books.
While there was plenty of adventure to be had in the first two, in Kushiel's Avatar things get extremely fascinating. There are the downtimes typical in Carey's novels, of course, so there are some parts that bog down a bit. However Phedre's quest this time is more than interesting enough to make up for it.
It isn't just the trek across a large portion of Carey's world, which is a mixture of myth, history, and alternate history, and extremely impressive in the amount of research the author has obviously done. As intriguing as the journey is--massively, so you know--I'm please with Carey's character work here more than anything else.
Okay, yeah, Phedre has some pretty good Mary Sue potential, being clever, intelligent, and divinely beautiful. What I like is that Phedre remains what she is: a courtesan and a spy. She never becomes a warrior in any sense of the word. Often enough such characters will in time become great fighters, making them utterly self-sufficient and independent. Not Phedre. She grows and changes most definitely, though.
In Avatar her "gift" really shows itself as a curse in many ways. Her frustration with it, and her horror at the things it causes her to enjoy, are well-wrought and come across very human. That she achieves many of her goals through use of Kushiel's Dart has been a fact of all 3 books, but never before has Carey set it to such a dark, macabre purpose. (To note, if you've found such things disturbing in the previous two, this one may be downright upsetting for you.)
And Joscelin! Now there is a beautiful peice of character work. Throughout all three books his growth has been consistent and written well. By the end of Avatar he is a long way from the uptight Cassiline Brother he used to be, but the path he's taken has been such that his development doesn't ring false in any way. It's easy enough for an author to just decide to change a character but here you can clearly see the connection between the trials Joscelin goes through and the person he becomes.
I've read enough trilogies to know that plenty of authors drop the ball at this point. Why that is, I don't know. But Carey most emphatically doesn't in Kushiel's Avatar. She's done what should be done: improved the whole way through, making the last book the very best one.
Geography lesson.......2007-05-11
Once again we follow Phedre and the faithful Joscelin into the dreaded Kingdom of Drujan to face the dark Mahrkagir and rescue Imriel, the son of Melisande Sharizhai. When this task is completed Melisande will hand over the "Name of the One god" which could lead to a way to save Hyacinthe, the trapped Master of the Straits and Phedre's long lost friend.
"Kushiel's Dart" could safely be put under the realm of fantasy, and "Kushiel's Chosen" could probably nip past that line as well. The problem with "Kushiel's avatar" is that it isn't fantasy --it's cannibalism. In the past two novels we have been bestowed a number of situations that show a dutiful amount of imagination: Hyacinthe being trapped as the master of the straights, or even Melisande's political intrigue. In "Avatar" Carey seems to have exhausted the political and sexual tension surrounding the city of Elua and decides to expand the edges of the map, but this is where the problem starts. Instead of expanding the map it seems more likely Joscelin and Phedre fell off it and into Carey's own universe Terra Firma aka Earth (More specifically the Mediterranean sea, and what is either the Arabian peninsula or Egypt or quite possibly both). This must explain why the language of the kingdom of Drujan sounds so similar to pseudo-Arabic with it's vast insertion j's, s's, h's and n's, why Mahrkagir sounds suspiciously a little like Maharajah (although wrong country), and most definitely why the evil Skotophagoti cult sounds so similar to our word Sarcophagi. Readers can usually deal with a little change-a-letter-here-change-one-there (La Serrasina as Venice was okay). However it doesn't really stop at geography. Instead of trying to come up with some new cultures to flesh out the world of Terra d'Ange Carey inserts exoticism and Eastern mysticism in the hopes that it will distract enough from the lack of. The same old plot routines are followed, the Priests of Angra-Mainyu make human sacrifices ala Indiana Jones and the Temple of doom, the Mahrkagir's previous favorite was from the East, had long straight black hair and seemed to be from the land of Chi'in (China), the evil nature of the Mahrkagir is explained away with childhood trama, Drujan is a religious autocracy whose people live in fear etc etc etc.
As in any Jacqueline Carey novel the eroticism comes up like clockwork --maybe every 20-30 pages. They seem to follow the same lines as all the other books marked by roundabout euphemisms and bedroom exoticism. Although in "Avatar" the believability of Phedre's fortitude to the cruelty of the Mahrkagir, even as Kushiel's chosen, seems stretched as the scenes are dark and rather off-putting.
Putting all that aside we come to the main characters and most importantly Phedre no Delaunay herself. We can appreciate Phedre in a number of ways. Anafiel Delaunay taught her well: she's crafty, she has a great mind for politics and seduction, she's selfless, she's put with a lot of deaths, her gift is also a curse, she can even tumble. In "Avatar" the struggles become even more intense and as Phedre's skills increase exponentially Carey steers dangerously close to toeing the limit line of Mary-Sue (if she wasn't already. Look at the rhyme scheme and count the number of syllables in Phedre Delaunay then compare it to the author). Phedre seems beyond capable. Not only can she handle the cruel Mahrkabir, at the same time she can befriend his entire zenana (harem), look through acres of religious texts while learning the obscure language it is written in, and become a mother figure for Imriel, while balancing out her courtesan duties just to name a few. She seemed more human, more real in the previous books and perhaps that's why she seemed more sincere there. The one saving grace character in this book in Joscelin who is not only a constant presence at Phedre's side, but thankfully he remains the steadfast Cassiline monk whose love and tensions with Phedre remain about the same.
My own opinion --these differ-- is if you see it somewhere and want a quick 2 or 3 hour run-through book with some familiar geography you could consider trying this, or better yet consider the two previous ones --they're decent.
"Dark" is not enough of a description.......2007-04-21
I love the characters of Phaedre and Joscelin. And despite the sadism I enjoyed Kushiel's Dart and this book, for the lush descriptions of clothing, cultures and travels; and the characters themselves. But to warn anyone who has not yet read these books, there are very, very graphic descriptions of sadistic sex including cutting, burning, and flesh tearing. Most of the reviewers coyly sidestep this issue by simply saying the story is "dark". The sickening, horribly sadistic sex scenes when the characters are in Drujan in this book really bothered me. Perhaps I have too good of an imagination... reading scenes like that or seeing them in a movie, they are much too real to me.
Kushiels Avatar.......2007-01-16
After much anticipation and being unable to find this book, ANYWHERE, in NZ, I turned to Amazon and had the book delivered unbelievably fast. Phedre's adventure has seen me through the summer holidays and I am looking forward to cracking open Kushiel's Scion. Not exactly happy with the quality of the book as pages are falling out after only one read. I will survive however !!
Book Description
This introductory study presents Racine's Phèdre as the culmination of French classical tragedy. It situates the play in its historical, literary and theatrical context, shows its relationship with other tragedies of Racine, and sketches its influence on later European literature. It analyzes the structures and language of the play, considers the major characters in action, and explores the ancient classical background and the mythological content. A chronological table of Racine's life and times and a guide to further reading are included.
Customer Reviews:
Jean Racine's neo-classical version of the myth of Phaedra.......2004-07-22
I often use Jean Racine's "Phèdre" as the one non-classical text in my Classical Greek and Roman Mythology Class. In Greek mythology, Phaedra was the half-sister of the Minotaur who was married to Theseus after the hero abandoned her sister Ariadne (according to some versions of what happened in Crete; other ancient writers tell different stories). Phaedra fell in love with her step-son Hippolytus, who refused her advances. Humiliated, she falsely accused him of having raped her and the story comes to a tragic end.
My students read "Phèdre" after Euripides's "Hippolytus" as part of an analogy criticism assignment, in which they compare/contrast the two versions, which are decidedly different, to say the least. In the "original" Greek version Hippolytus is a follower of Artemis, and the jealous Aphrodite causes his stepmother to fall in love with him. Phaedra accuses Hippolytus of rape and then hangs herself; Theseus banished his son who is killed before Artemis arrives to tell the truth. In Racine's version Hippolytus is a famous hater of women who falls in love with Aricia, a princess of the blood line of Athens. When false word comes that Theseus is dead, Phaedra moves to put her own son on the throne. In the end the same characters end up dead, but the motivations and other key elements are different. Most importantly, unlike Euripides, Racine gives us actual scenes between the Phaedra and Hippolytus.
While I personally would not go so far as to try and argue how Racine's neo-classical version represents the France of 1677, I have found that comparing and contrasting the two versions compels students to think about the choices each dramatist has made. Both the similarities and the differences between "Hippolytus" and "Phèdre" are significant enough to facilitate this effort. Additionally, "Phèdre" is considered by most scholars of the period to be the culmination of the neo-classical movement, which gives it additional value in the study of drama.
This particular edition of the play has an introduction that shows how the play was the culmination of French neo-classical tragedy as well as putting it in the context of Racine's other tragedies. Edward D. James and Gillian Jondorf also address the mythological background of "Phèdre" as well as the standard analysis of the structure, characters, action, and language of the play. Note: Other dramatic versions of this myth include Seneca's play "Phaedra," "Fedra" by Gabriele D'Annunzio, "Thesee" by Andrea Gide, and "The Cretan Woman" by Robinson Jeffers.
Book Description
A lean, high-tension version of a classic tragedy.
The myth of Phaedra is one of the most powerful in all of classical mythology. As dramatized by the French playwright Jean Racine (1639-99), the dying Queen's obsessive love for her stepson, Hippolytus, and the scrupulously upright Hippolytus' love for the forbidden beauty Aricia has come to be known as one of the great stories of tragic infatuation, a tale of love strong enough to bring down a kingdom.
In this "tough, unrhyming avalanche of a translation" (Paul Taylor, The Independent), Hughes replaces Racine's alexandrines with an English verse that serves eloquently to convey the passions of his protagonists. The translation was performed to acclaim in London in 1998, and the London production, starring Diana Rigg, was staged in 1999 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
"We are still catching up with Ted Hughes's gift for narrative verse after his Tales from Ovid," one English critic observed after the London premiere. "Little needs to happen on stage when there's a swirling action-packed disaster movie-riddled with sex and violence-in Hughes's free verse."
Customer Reviews:
I know you won't be posting this.......2007-02-01
This is ironic and cruel in a way. I've been waiting on this item to be delivered even though it was ordered on December 30, 2006, yet you found it funny to send me a request to review the item. The delivery estimate I was given (February 12) is 6 weeks from the time of order even though on the item page it says 3-5 weeks. I do need this item for class, but luckily it was not the first book on the agenda. So don't post this as I am reviewing you rather than the item because I know nothing of the quality of the latter. Thank you.
Beautiful.......2006-04-28
Hughes' modern translation is a masterwork. The highly structured form of the original is replaced with a stark minimalism, but the effect is the same: the reader cannot help but appreciate that despite the madness of their actions, the actors are entirely rational - indeed, merely human. The final act is particularly moving. At less than 100 pages, it can be, and should be, read several times.
Hughes translation of Phedre a triumph.......2005-05-23
Racine, and neo-classic French tragedy in general, have a pretty limited following, particularly in translation, and this is an enormous pity. Readers have difficulty accepting the strict forms of the genre and, sadly, miss the exquisite dramatic poetry that, in my judgement, stands at the same level of achievement as the best of the ancients, Shakespeare, and other masters of tragic art. As George Steiner has argued, this becomes recognizable when one accepts Racine's forms on their own terms, since "The the total action of a neo-classic play occurs inside the language".
Hughes' wonderful translation of Phedre does justice to Racine's language, and should go some distance to exposing the glories of this work to new generations of English readers and audiences. The style is spare, urgent, evocative, and also conveys the necessary restraint that was characteristic of Racine, and made his treatment of tragic events all the more powerful. Of course, we no longer have Hughes to do comparable justice to Andromaque, Berenice, Iphigenie and Racine's other masterworks. But other strong English translations are out there. Hopefully, exposure to Hughes' rendering of Phedre, important in itself, will increase readership and performance (and further translations) of the others.
An Intensly Taut Passion Play.......2005-01-09
It is not possible to read Ted Hughes' Phedre casually. I am currently rehearsing to perform the play and I find that if I ever try to just read it sitting down, I get cramps in my neck. The play is that intense. Like a flexed muscle, every moment of Phedre is taut with raw power. The play is extremely challenging to perform, but I think that any actor or audience member will find the catharsis enormous. Even those most wary of the "classics" will be sent reeling from Phedre.
Racine's version of the myth of Phaedrus and Hippolytus.......2002-05-14
This year I am using Jean Racine's "Phaedra" as the one non-classical text in my Classical Greek and Roman Mythology Class (yes, I know, "Classical" makes "Greek and Roman" redundant, but it was not my title). In Greek mythology, Phaedra was the half-sister of the Minotaur who was married to Theseus after the hero abandoned her sister Ariadne (albeit, according to some versions of what happened in Crete). Phaedra fell in love with her step-son Hippolytus, who refused her advances. Humiliated, she falsely accused him of having raped her.
My students read "Phaedra" after Euripides's "Hippolytus" as part of an analogy criticism assignment, in which they compare/contrast the two versions, which are decidedly different, to say the least. In the "original" Greek version Hippolytus is a follower of Artemis, and the jealous Aphrodite causes his stepmother to fall in love with him. Phaedra accuses Hippolytus of rape and then hangs herself; Theseus banished his son who is killed before Artemis arrives to tell the truth. In Racine's version Hippolytus is a famous hater of women who falls in love with Aricia, a princess of the blood line of Athens. When false word comes that Theseus is dead, Phaedra moves to put her own son on the throne. In the end the same characters end up dead, but the motivations and other key elements are different.
While I personally would not go so far as to try and argue how Racine's neo-classical version represents the France of 1677, I have found that comparing and contrasting the two versions compels students to think about the choices each dramatist has made. Both the similarities and the differences between "Hippolytus" and "Phaedra" are significant enough to facilitate this effort. Note: Other dramatic versions of this myth include Seneca's play "Phaedra," "Fedra" by Gabriele D'Annunzio, "Thesee" by Andrea Gide, and "The Cretan Woman" by Robinson Jeffers.
Average customer rating:
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Six Restoration and French Neoclassic Plays: Phedre, The Miser, Tartuffe, All for Love, The Country Wife, Love for Love
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
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Book Description
This edition offers an ideal introduction to the plays and theater of the late seventeenth century in England and France. It brings together key texts exploring the themes of sex, marriage and society. The English play texts are based on first editions, while those of the French texts are based on the earliest published translations. Textual notes explain unfamiliar terms, allusions and points of detail in the translations. A full introduction locates the plays in their cultural and political context and gives a comparative account of playhouses in London and Paris.
Product Description
Introduction and notes in English. Text of the plays in French.
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