Ratings118
Average rating3.9
I first heard about this many years ago shortly after it was initially released, and finally picked it up about two years ago to read. I loved it from the start, but life is full of distractions, so I ended up setting it aside only to pick it up again about a week ago. I'm so glad I did. The world is incredibly rich, and heavily based on historical fact, while winding a subtle magic and mythology through the world we know that feels as though it belongs.
Phedre's story is intriguing, and she is everything I love in a character. Smart, strong, and able to stand on her own, despite (or really because of) the people she loves. Too, the story does not shy from non-traditional pairings; two secondary pairings are of the same-sex variety, though Phedre spends most of her time with men. Still, she services both men and women in her trade, and never seems to differentiate between either.
The darker aspects of the story, and particularly Phedre's world, are excellently wrought in the way only someone who truly comprehends the needs of those who enjoy BDSM. Her need for it echos in her path as she finds herself lost in plots not of her own making.
The characters are lovely and memorable. Despite having a two-year gap between readings, I still was able to remember most with ease, and those I did not slotted quickly into place after a bit more description.
Carey is a master of this art, and I very much look forward to reading the sequels. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, historical, and even darker sexual stories, particularly those interested in BDSM, as this is not a common theme to find in a genre story of this sort, or caliber.