If you haven't read Kushiel's Dart and are one of those who hates to be spoiled, you'd best wait to read this review, as major plot developments from the last book are revealed from the start of this one. This review is spoileriffic, folks.
Continued below... spoilers start here, avert your eyes if you care....
Our girl Phedre's come up in the world. She's an established countess(!), with a loving companion and three stout chevaliers at her back... and in this book, she's willing to risk it all to once again play a game of wits against Melisande Shahrizai.
At the end of the last book, Melisande sent Phedre her old sangoire cloak, hinting at her being in La Serenissima and that someone loyal to the Queen was really loyal to her after all in order to help her get away from her execution. Phedre takes the bait, sure that she can outwit both Melisande and her mysterious ally by once again going to bed (and other things) with the folks of the court. She's not the only one looking for the traitor, either, as it turns out.
Joscelin, as you can imagine, has Big Problems with Phedre going back into Naamah's Service again, and their big conflicts are a major part of the story. He's also not too thrilled with her going to La Serenissima to search for her beloved enemy, or her being proposed to by a Prince of the Blood that was once a patron of hers. Of course, if you go into the viper's nest that is La Serenissima, you'd better watch your back... because you never know who's going to strike and from where...
This book's just as excellent as the second one, and once again one can' t help but be amazed at Phedre and what she pulls off in one way or another. And the ending is truly satisfying.
Posted by Jenmoon at June 12, 2003 09:43 PM