If I had to describe my thoughts on this series with one common phrase it would be this one: "its greatest strength was also its greatest weakness."
Carey's attention to detail in regards to worldbuilding is some of the best I've read within the speculative fiction category, not just fantasy. I feel like many authors who write in this genre overlook that the little details are just as important to the world you're crafting, and this is something that Carey seems to understand well. There's so many elements about all of the cultures, locations and lore featured in these books that make everything so lively and real.
However, its this exact attention to detail that can make certain scenes drag. Carey doesn't always know when to summarize and that makes novels like Kushiel's Avatar and Naamah's Blessing feel boring after awhile. It never gets to the point of a precise moment-by-moment recount, but there are times when it comes awfully close.
There's other aspects of the writing that stuck out to me as the series when on: by Kushiel's Avatar, I started noticing how often Carey kept reusing certain words and phrases regardless of who was speaking them. (I hope the word "mayhap" doesn't annoy you, because you'll see a lot of it here!) All the books are written in first person and each trilogy has a different main character, but Carey doesn't do enough to make each MC's narration stick out from each other, at least not in any of the less obvious ways.
My biggest complaint is that Carey seems to confuse lust with love. A common saying throughout the series is "love as thou wilt", but none of the main romances feel like they're based on a genuine emotional connection. Carey tried to do an "enemies-to-lovers" thing with each of the main pairings and none of them really worked for me; Phèdre and Joscelin don't officially become a couple until after they overcome a particularly traumatic situation together. They do have some cute moments afterward, but it felt like the only thing they had in common was that event. Not the best basis for a healthy relationship. Imriel and Sidonie make even less sense, and I hate what Carey did to try to validate their relationship. (I can't go into it without spoiling most of Kushiel's Justice, plus I'm running out of room.) I also disliked the direction Moirin and Bao's arc took. Again, can't go into it without spoilers but let's just say Carey takes the soulmate thing a bit too literally.
So, yeah, to say I have some mixed feelings about the series as a whole wouldn't be inaccurate. While I can't picture myself rereading the whole series again (certainly not anytime soon), at the end of the day, I did enjoy it overall. As for recommendations, I'd say at least read Kushiel's Dart.
When An Author's Greatest Strength Works Against Them
If I had to describe my thoughts on this series with one common phrase it would be this one: "its greatest strength was also its greatest weakness."
Carey's attention to detail in regards to worldbuilding is some of the best I've read within the speculative fiction category, not just fantasy. I feel like many authors who write in this genre overlook that the little details are just as important to the world you're crafting, and this is something that Carey seems to understand well. There's so many elements about all of the cultures, locations and lore featured in these books that make everything so lively and real.
However, its this exact attention to detail that can make certain scenes drag. Carey doesn't always know when to summarize and that makes novels like Kushiel's Avatar and Naamah's Blessing feel boring after awhile. It never gets to the point of a precise moment-by-moment recount, but there are times when it comes awfully close.
There's other aspects of the writing that stuck out to me as the series when on: by Kushiel's Avatar, I started noticing how often Carey kept reusing certain words and phrases regardless of who was speaking them. (I hope the word "mayhap" doesn't annoy you, because you'll see a lot of it here!) All the books are written in first person and each trilogy has a different main character, but Carey doesn't do enough to make each MC's narration stick out from each other, at least not in any of the less obvious ways.
My biggest complaint is that Carey seems to confuse lust with love. A common saying throughout the series is "love as thou wilt", but none of the main romances feel like they're based on a genuine emotional connection. Carey tried to do an "enemies-to-lovers" thing with each of the main pairings and none of them really worked for me; Phèdre and Joscelin don't officially become a couple until after they overcome a particularly traumatic situation together. They do have some cute moments afterward, but it felt like the only thing they had in common was that event. Not the best basis for a healthy relationship. Imriel and Sidonie make even less sense, and I hate what Carey did to try to validate their relationship. (I can't go into it without spoiling most of Kushiel's Justice, plus I'm running out of room.) I also disliked the direction Moirin and Bao's arc took. Again, can't go into it without spoilers but let's just say Carey takes the soulmate thing a bit too literally.
So, yeah, to say I have some mixed feelings about the series as a whole wouldn't be inaccurate. While I can't picture myself rereading the whole series again (certainly not anytime soon), at the end of the day, I did enjoy it overall. As for recommendations, I'd say at least read Kushiel's Dart.