Kushiel's Justice: Jaqueline Carey

Imriel de la Courcel has been through more in his young life than anyone else in Terre d'Ange, with the exception of his adoptive parents, Phedre and Joscelin. Imriel was born to the the two greatest traitors ever known to Terre d'Ange, a legacy that haunts him no matter how much good he tries to do. Even after a year away studying at university and his quick and dirty lessons at siege warfare, Imriel returns to a home that still mistrusts him and his motives. Unfortunately, this is only going to be made worse once it becomes obvious that the spark between himself and his cousin Sidonie is quickly flaring into something that could consume them both and destroy the kingdom. Imriel is left with a handful of decisions that he will have to make for the benefit of everyone else and hope that in the end there will something left for himself.

Upon his return from Tiberium Imriel makes the decision to enter into a political marriage with Dorelei mab Breideia, the neice of Drustan mab Necthana, the Cruarch of Alba. He enters the contract with a heavy heart but with the hope that, perhaps, this will change some of the public opinion about him. As the time draws closer however, his feelings for Sidonie deepen, as do her feelings for him. They allow themselves to fall into an intense and secret affair, knowing that if anyone were to find out the realm would be horrified and most likely splintered along too many lines to survive.

When Imriel's bride arrives he devotes himself to being the best husband he can be. He truly likes Dorelei but she isn't Sidonie and when the wedding party reaches Alba a series of events is set in motion that will leave Imriel at the brink of death and grief-stricken. Upon his recovery he will undertake a journey of vengeance that will lead from Alba to the snowy wilds of Vralia. His journey will teach Imriel lessons about himself and the nature of what drives people to do the things they do, whether good or evil. The most important lesson he has to learn though, the precept of Blessed Elua, "love as thou wilt", may be the hardest one for him to accept.

It's hard to believe that after four previous novels set in Terre d'Ange, Jacqueline Carey would be able to take us back to her world and immerse us so completely in her lush settings and political intrigues. The beauty inherent in her writing has not suffered from the first novel to the fifth and I'm continually amazed by her ability to "discover" new lands to take her characters, tossing them, like fallen angels, to find their way back home, tattered and torn but still beautiful and always following the precepts of Blessed Elua.

I sincerely hope that this latest effort will be followed by a sixth novel as Imriel's story is far from over and I'm not ready to leave that world just yet.
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Hardcover: 720 pages
Publisher: Warner Books (June 14, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0446500038
ISBN-13: 978-0446500036
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