Cassiel's Servant

I love this book so much! Joscelin is my favorite in the series and it was delightful to read about his perceptive, especially how endearing his feelings towards Phedre where. I also loved his interactions with other characters such as Hyacinthe. The first part was so immersive, I enjoyed reading about his boyhood and his dynamic with Selwyn.

I am thoroughly enjoying this retelling of Kushiel's Dart from Joscelin's perspective. I was a little skeptical at first. Retellings from another point of view have never been a favorite of mine. At most, they've felt like an easy way for an author to bring in more money. HOWEVER, I think Jacqueline Carey puts a lot of thought and quality into her novels, and this one is no different. Yes, it follows the same storyline as Kushiel's Dart very closely. I think the best time to read this is when you're craving a re-reading of Kushiel's Dart. I reread the Kushiel's Legacy series fairly often, so it was a joy to return to this world with a fresh perspective. There were some genuine laugh out loud moments for me, particularly when Joscelin is meeting Phedre for the first time and they don't exactly get along. His repulsion to her anguissette lifestyle is relatable; I don't know many readers who actually enjoy Phedre's assignations in the original novels. In general, Joscelin's perspective on sex is a lot closer to the American perspective on sex, so it's an easier lens to view Phedre's world through. They both grow a lot throughout the events of this novel, and getting Joscelin's internal dialogue during those events sheds a light on why Joscelin acts as he does, which isn't exactly clear in Kushiel's Dart.

I'll be interested to see if Jacqueline Carey returns to Joscelin's perspective for the events of Kushiel's Chosen. There is a good chunk of time during that novel where Phedre is off traveling the seas after her imprisonment and while we get a short summary of Joscelin's story during that time, there's certainly room for a lot more. Whether that story would be interesting without Phedre's presence, I'm not sure, but if anybody can pull it off, it's Jacqueline Carey. Whether she does or not, reading this book was exactly the return to Terre D'Ange that I needed.