Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey, readalong week No.1
Last week was the first week of our readalong of Kushiel’s Chosen. I was away and so missed the post and am now catching up. Nancy from FaeStruck’s Reviews and More was the host. Below are the first week’s Q&As. Please be aware of spoilers. And, if you’re interested in joining the schedule is here: SCHEDULE.
1. The book opens with Phédre and her household happy and content at Montrève. Phédre is faced with the question of returning to the Service of Naamah. The sangoire cloak is the what pushes her decision. Do you agree with her choice? Do you believe that Phédre would have returned to her calling eventually, regardless of the cloak?
I think her choice was inevitable really – it’s her nature. I do think that she needs the thrill of a chase though, it’s not simply about serving Naamah really, I don’t think she would just go back in order to gain patrons, I think she wants the mystery, the danger and the linking together of clues.
2. With Phédre returning to the Service of Naamah, Joscelin is also forced to make his choice as well. Who do you think had the harder decision to make and why?
I think both decisions were difficult, I can see why Phedre is going down this route but I think it’s really tough on Joscelin. It’s just really not in his nature and I guess it must feel like a rejection in a way – like he’s not really satisfying Phedre? At the back of his mind he must be thinking that if she was happy with him she wouldn’t return to the danger?
3. Phédre’s return to court unveils how Queen Ysandre is faring in the absence of her husband Drustan. Politically, should she take a lover while he is away?
No, I don’t think so. There’s something of a romantic element with these two and in a way, if either one of them took a lover I think it would spoil that element at the moment. Plus, I think given the differences they have to overcome, they need a stronger foundation between them before they start delving elsewhere.
4. Favrielle nó Eglantine designs Phédre’s Midwinter costume. How do you feel about the way in which Phédre repays her?
This is very odd. I wasn’t expecting her to pay the marque but I thought it was an interesting gesture. I’m not sure what to make of Favrielle at this point. She seems very bitter and I can understand that to a certain extent but there’s something nagging in my mind, almost as if there’s something more about her. I guess time will tell. It will be interesting to see if she has any allegiance to Phedre now after her grand and rather unexpected gesture – it will be interesting to see if her sourness becomes less so in the face of such generosity.
5. Joscelin is spending quite a bit of time with the Yeshuites. Is it the pain of Phédre returning to Service that prompts this or would the Cassiline’s faith, pushed so far already, have led him there if Joscelin and Phédre were simply looking for the answer to breaking the geas on Hyacinthe?
I don’t think he would have made this choice if Phedre hadn’t made hers. In some respects that may make him sound weak because it suggests he’s just reacting to Phedre’s choices. In a way though, I think that’s probably true – not that he’s weak, but he comes across a little as though he doesn’t really have his mind made up himself, or, perhaps that he doesn’t really believe his own feelings or convictions. I’m not describing it very well! Sorry. Week 2 to follow shortly.
And here is the current list of participators:
Allie at Tethyan Books
Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow
Grace at Books Without Any Pictures
Nancy at FaeStruck’s Reviews & More
James at James T. Witherspoon
Emily at Emma Wolf
Susan at Dab of Darkness
The Secret Life of a Book Blogger
Ana, from Ana’s Lair was kind enough to think of me for a game of tag. This is a very blogging-centric tag – here are the questions:
1. How long have you been a blogger?
I started my blog in 2011, but, I started it more as a book diary for myself in fact I was fairly unaware of the whole blogging community at that point and for quite some time. Then, I was fortunate enough to start receiving comments and started to become more aware of other blogs and like minded people which was brilliant for me as it has opened my eyes to so many new books.
2. At what point do you think you will stop?
I don’t know – stopping isn’t something I really think about. This is a hobby for me, I read for pleasure and I enjoy blogging. I guess it depends what else is going on in life really in terms of time or whether I stop enjoying it.
3. What is the best thing?
I enjoy a number of things about blogging. Writing about the books I read gives me an outlet for my feelings. Talking and discussing books with other like minded people raises my awareness of other books and makes me excited for new releases. The fact that I now have so many people who I can discuss books with is the best thing though. I didn’t realise quite how badly I needed to vent my feelings!
4. What is the worst thing? What do you do to make it okay?
Mmm, the worst thing. Well, I definitely think that I went through a phase of wanting all the books – and constantly seeing upcoming books does make you a bit covetous. In fact I think I’m still going through that phase a little bit – but I am trying to be a bit more reasonable. After all, you can’t read everything and so I now try and make a concerted effort to just let some books go – it’s difficult but you have to give it a shot (confession – it doesn’t always work).
5. How long does it take you to create/find pictures to use?
Not long really. Books covers for reviews are usually from Goodreads. I usually try and find a few pictures for amusement’s sake but I always have an idea of what I want so it’s not really difficult to dig something up.
6. Who is your book crush?
Okay, I can’t deny it – my book crush is Jean Tannen – created by Scott Lynch and, for me, the main star of the Gentleman Bastards. I do love this character. He’s funny, he’s clever, he’s devoted, he’s a great fighter and he reads! What else can you possibly want?
7. What author would you like to have on your blog?
Ohh, difficult questions – so many good authors out there who I love. I could make a very long list, but that would quickly become tedious for everyone else so I won’t go there. Plus, I become a bit star struck around authors – I’ve been to a few events where some of my favourite authors have been present and I just turn into a nincompoop with nothing to say!
8. What do you wear when you write your blog posts?
Haha, whatever I happen to be wearing at the time – I don’t dress for blogging! I suppose more often than not comfy things such as PJs.
9. How long does it take you to prepare?
My blog is very seat of the pants and I confess that I’m a bit shambolic and unorganised sometimes. I like to write my reviews pretty much as soon as I finish reading and in fact lose a bit of my impetus for the post if I don’t – in fact the longer I leave a book unreviewed the less passion I have for it.
10. How do you feel about the book blogger community/culture?
I love the blogging community – I’ve been involved in so many interesting things as a result of the book friends I’ve made and I’ve been introduced to so many authors and books that I would have simply missed. I think you have to find the blogs that work best for you where the bloggers are like minded and you have to bear in mind that you’re not going to agree on every book but friendly discussion is what it’s all about and having the freedom to openly discuss is the ideal.
11. What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?
Pfft – who knows! I think the blogs that I enjoy are the ones where I trust the reviews and where the bloggers have developed their own style/voice when reviewing. I also tend to visit the blogs who actually respond and talk back – otherwise you’re pretty much talking to yourself really.
I’m not going to particularly choose anyone to tag – I know everyone is busy with other commitments – but, I quite like ‘tag’ and so if you do too and fancy posting your answers then please considered yourself tagged. In fact – I’ll just tag everyone 😀
I’d love to hear from you.
Skin by Ilka Tampke
Just finished reading Skin by Ilka Tampke which is a very unusual and intriguing book.
The story gets off to an immediate and rather gory start – so be warned on that front. Set in Iron Age Britain around AD 43. Britain is poised on the brink of Roman invasion and in the village of Caer Cad the locals look to their ancient rituals in order to guide them.
The people of this age were superstitious, they lived by ritual and believed in the sacred laws of nature. They are governed by laws of skin whereby a mother passes her skin down to her children (not literally you understand!). The skin to which a person is born rules their future, enables them to learn and to marry and pass on their stories to future generations. The main character, Ailia, was abandoned at birth and therefore her skin is unknown. As such she lives outside of the tribe – she cannot marry or learn, not even to swim. Fortunately she was taken under the wing of the Cookmother and serves the Tribesqueen and she has already been fortunate enough to survive the clutches of death twice for it seems that the ancient Mothers may have use for her.
I don’t want to give away too much about the plot as to be honest the plot isn’t the strongest part of the story. Not that it’s weak, just it’s not the show stealer. For me, the writing and the descriptions of life are what chiefly make this novel so captivating. It’s fairly light on fantasy (at the moment at least) and I would say that the more fantastical elements of the story revolve around the druids of the time, the use of herbs and knowledge of the land.
As I said above the story gets off to a fascinating, if slightly gory start. The descriptions of village life, what they eat, how they live and the rituals they undertake were really captivating and all written in a simple and lovely style. I haven’t the first notion as to whether this is historically correct or bears any semblance of real lifestyles during that period but it certainly reads like a well researched and creative account of the time and I found it just hooked me completely.
The main character is Ailia. We are introduced to her in her early years and given a quick account that brings us up to date when she’s approximately 14 years old. Ailia, in spite of her poor start in life has led a relatively sheltered life under the protection of the Tribesqueen however she feels greatly the lack of her own knowledge and in fact she can’t even be taught to swim. Ailia is headstrong however, she has the gift of healing and has caught the eye of the ancient mothers – she longs to be a journeywoman but her lack of skin prohibits this. I liked Ailia although I confess she doesn’t always make the wisest choices – given her age I guess you could forgive her a little in that respect as she is only very young by our standards when she is given such a large burden to bear. She’s going to go down paths that should not be open to her and whether or not this will work out well remains in the balance.
We have a number of other characters. Heka, a bitter woman who plagues the life out of Ailia relentlessly. Ruther – who would take her for his wife and cares not for her lack of skin and then we have the mysterious Taliesin who catches the eye and heart of Ailia.
This is a very entertaining read with secrets waiting to be revealed and plot twists that I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed seeing the strong roles that the women of the age played and I thought watching these tribespeople as they stand on the brink of change made for compelling reading.
In terms of criticisms – nothing really to bring the book down. I thought the start of the book was probably the strongest part of the novel although it ends on a good note with the prospect of more good reading to come.
I received a copy of Skin from the Publishers through Netgalley for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
‘But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!…’
This week over at the Fantasy Review Barn Nathan is once again taking us Tough Travelling. This week we will be paying special attention to : NEW BEGINNINGS
A new leaf, a new life, a complete change of pace for a character in fantasyland is how most stories start. Bad people get a second chance, farm kids leave the farm, or a soldier gets a new post. From there adventure awaits!
Grim from Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier. At the start of the story Blackthorn, wrongly imprisoned, escapes prison with one of her fellow prisoners – Grim. This is a great book and all about new beginnings.
Ellie from The Legend of Ellie Quinn by Alex Scarrow – Ellie is a young girl, working on a dusty colonial farm, but she has ideas and she wants to travel and see the neon lights of the city – little does she know that she has a great destiny ahead of her.
Vin from Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. At the start of the story Vin is a street urchin, part of a gang of thieves until Kelsier realises her potential and takes her away to train in allomancy and kick start her new life.
James DiGriz from The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison. At the start of the first book in the series DiGriz is finally caught pulling a con – his punishment is to work for a crime solving organisation called the Special Corps. This is definitely a new beginning and a different use of his talents.
Roen Tan from The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu- this is probably a bit of a strange choice but Roen definitely goes down a different path to the one on which he starts the book on and changes his life dramatically – not into something quieter, for sure, but definitely different.
Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. Another unusual choice perhaps – Ebenezer doesn’t change until the end of the book. He spends his life as a miserly, curmudgeonly old sod with no friends – a visitation from three spirits are set to change all that.
Once upon a time…. they all lived happily ever after. The end.
3 August 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Fairytales retold, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
This week over at the Broke and Bookish the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is:
‘Ten Fairytale Retellings I’ve Read/Want To Read’
I do enjoy a good fairytale retold. My list this week:
- Poison by Sarah Pinborough – this and the next two books are awesome and I just love them. They’re all made up of more than one tale, they all hail from the same world and they read wonderfully. Plus, they’re really beautiful little books with gorgeous illustrations. In case of doubt – these are not children’s books! Pinborough has a wicked streak, she can be a bit naughty and her stories are a slightly more twisted version than the originals – Charm and Beauty follow in the series.
- Charm by Sarah Pinborough
- Beauty by Sarah Pinborough
- The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly – I absolutely love this book. Again, it’s a mishmash of stories all coming together in a beautifully dark coming of age tale.
- Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce – this is a werewolf story that takes in the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Very entertaining with nasty, smelly werewolves.
- Splintered by A G Howard. Based on Alice in Wonderland – I enjoyed the first and need to pick up the next in series.
- Beauty by Robin McKinley – I lovely retelling of the Beauty and the Beast tale.
- A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J Maas – this is another Beauty and the Beast retelling with mask wearing fae in place of the beast.
- The Storyteller and Her Sisters by Cheryl Mahoney a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses
- The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman – not my favourite of Neil Gaiman’s. A retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a twist.
Ten books that I would love to read or have waiting:
Books and travelling with Lynn 