Kushiel’s Scion: So glad to be back in Terre d’Ange

Kushiel’s Scion by Jacqueline Carey

Return to Terre d’Ange with Kushiel’s Scion, sequel to the Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy. This book follows Phèdre’s adopted son, Imriel, son of the treacherous Melisande and third in line for the D’Angeline throne. Carey does an excellent job of developing Imriel into a complicated, troubled young man without in any way betraying the character he was in Kushiel’s Avatar: haunted but with the proverbial heart of gold.

Imriel is coming of age here, and coming to terms with desires he finds hard to face. Between his molestation at the hands of the Markhagir of Drujan, his anger with Melisande, and the dominant tendencies inherent in his bloodline, Imriel finds sexuality a minefield of issues. He wants more than anything to be a good person, but fears he’s fated to be something else.

His quest to find maturity and inner peace will lead him to the Night Court (fans of the Night Court rejoice — we see more of it here than we have since Dart), into court intrigues, and to an Italy still clinging to the ghosts of its glorious past. Imriel finds himself surrounded by schemes, plots, and conflicted desires, and truly comes of age in this hotbed of troubles. I really love what Carey does with his character, and can’t wait to see what comes next for him, as it’s clear there will be further Imriel books.

The one thing I didn’t like at first was that the climactic battle didn’t seem to have much to do with Imriel; it was more that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But on further thought, I realized that Phèdre, too, was sucked into things she never meant to be involved with, in Dart and Chosen. I’m just so accustomed to the Phèdre of Avatar, plunging herself headlong into adventure because she knows she has to — but this is a mature, 30ish Phèdre. Like the younger Phèdre, Imriel ends up in situations he never intended to be involved with, but becomes a stronger character through these tribulations. In the end, I think the plot works, and really shows how far Imriel has come since the beginning of the book.