In this vivid conclusion to the second Kushiel trilogy (after 2007's Kushiel's Justice), young Prince Imriel and his beloved, Sidonie, heir to the Terre D'Ange throne, struggle to come to terms with the deaths of Imriel's wife and unborn son. Queen Ysandre threatens to forbid Imriel's marriage to Sidonie unless he hunts down his traitorous mother, Melisande. Then a spell convinces everyone in Terre D'Ange's capital that Sidonie loves the prince of Carthage, and she sails off to wed him. Only Imriel remembers their romance. He must evade deluded loved ones and work with erstwhile enemies to rescue Sidonie and pull the country back from the brink of war. Carey delivers a heady mix of adventure, power struggles and romance, but fans of the first Kushiel trilogy may be disappointed by the few appearances of Phèdre, Imriel's adoptive mother, and by the relatively tame sexuality, which serves more as a spice than a larger theme. (June)
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Starred Review Imriel and Sidonie, the dauphine of Terre d’Ange, have been in love for some time and finally admit it publicly in the court of Queen Ysandre. The people are in an uproar and divided in support for the lovers; far too many recall the treasonous betrayals of Imriel’s mother that ignited a long, bloody war and claimed the lives of thousands of d’Angelines. Ysandre will not acknowledge the affair, and if the couple marries without her blessing, Sidonie will lose her claim to the throne. Imriel knows that only an impossible act of faith on his part will satisfy the demands of Blessed Elua, the queen, and the people of the realm. For love of Sidonie and country, then, he pledges to find his mother and bring her back to execution. But there are foreigners who command powerful dark magic and want Sidonie and the throne themselves. On Longest Night, they loose that magic, plunging the d’Angelines into forgetfulness and insanity. Imriel must come to himself to rescue Sidonie from the invader and prevent the country from destroying itself. Carey has wowed us throughout the second Kushiel trilogy, which this book sensationally concludes, leaving faithful readers feeling both deliciously sated and hungry for more from her. --Paula Luedtke