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I have spent a few days reading Naamah's Kiss. I read voraciously and quickly but this book was meant to be savored. It's one of those big enjoyable long reads that you don't run across often enough.
Part of the book is set in the world created in the previous two trilogies Terre D'Ange and Alba but 100 years later than the last of Imriel's books "Kushiel's Mercy". The story features Moirin, a descendant Princess Alais, a descendant of Amarante, Princess Sidonie's companion and a descendant of the Maghuin Dhonn an old magical tribe of Alba.
Moirin has grown up in the wilds of Alba with her mother and the author really captures the isolation and the societal curiosities and ignorance it would cause a young girl to experience.
I could feel the author reining herself in so as to keep Moirin from becoming as epic a character as Phedre from the first trilogy. Phedre was a weapon of the Gods and a legend. Moirin is very much a descendant of legend, a simple girl with magical gifts she doesn't fully understand. The Gods use her but not so much as a weapon, more as a tool. Her guidance from her Gods are clearer than Phedre's ever were and even though Moirin doesn't understand why, she does understand when she's directed to one path or another. Her joy in discovering and using her gifts is sweetly written. Her spiritual growth is such a great read that it makes you wish it were that simple. If you take out the very graphic, HOT love scenes, this would have been an awesome young adult novel. It's full of magic and has a fairy tale feel to it. But, I'm not a young adult so I totally enjoyed the hot love scenes. This isn't a romance, Moiran is part D'Angeline, whose precept is to "love as thou wilt" and this wild child "wilt's" a LOT!
The author retained her skill in how she creates characters that are not wholly evil or good. This is a very good writing skill, it's too easy for authors to portray bad guys as totally bad and good guys as totally good. The bad guys in this book have reasons and justifications for their actions and the good guys make mistakes and sometimes make wrong choices for the wrong reasons too.
As I said earlier this book is set 100 years after the last trilogy and about the time I noticed the lack of any kind of advancements in technology/ industry the author introduced various things that were believable improvements in things such as travel and in warfare. The decision to keep growth or destroy it is conflicting. It raises many questions as to the ethics of the decisions made in the story. I didn't agree with all of them but it's the first book of a trilogy, some of these questions and scenarios are going to feature in the next two books I'm sure.
The story has a great geographical scope, from Alba to Terre D'Ange to Ch'in. A beautifully described Asian nation based on China. If you like Asian fables the last 1/4 of this book is especially wonderful to get lost in. I loved it. The beauty of the people, their lore and most especially the landscape and scope of the country were awesome.
The character Bao was great, once he accepted Moiran for who and what she was, his joy in being part of her life was palpable. How to describe Bao? Well, if the characters Josselin and Hyacinthe from the former books were to have a child it would be Bao. He is a streetwise boyish snot, a warrior and a romantic hero all wrapped up in a lovable sexy package.
I am conflicted about the Celestial Dragon that Moirin is supposed to help free. He is a complex character. Celestial and mighty but physically a prisoner of his own instincts, a sexual creature and also described as childish or a puppy. He is however a vividly described creature who really brings myth to life.
I kept wanting to read about previous characters and they ARE mentioned some in the book but as legend or history. I kept wanting to read how they lived, what other adventures did they have, how did they die, did they even HAVE to die, can't they be written as still alive???? Oh well, this wouldn't be Moirin's book if all that were included would it?
You can read Naamah's Kiss as a stand alone book if you haven't read the previous two trilogies but why wouldn't you have read the previous two? They are great reads!
(This review originally posted on my blog, linked on my profile page)”
rebyj wrote this review Wednesday, June 24 2009.
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