Reflections on this book series in 2024 as I start my year off with a reread.

I’ll start off by saying that I first read these books almost twenty years ago when I was a teenager. The original trilogy is very near and dear to my heart, and I have reread the first three books many times in the years following.

Thoughts on Daughter of the Blood in 2024:

- the world building that Anne Bishop has built in this series and explored in book one, for me, is excellent. The organization of social castes, blood ranks, and realms is straightforward and easy to latch onto. The power dynamics of different caste/rank combos makes for exciting tension and character building as well.

- I really enjoy that the “main character” of this series is explored through the perspective of everyone but herself. I find it so much more interesting to see everyone else’s internal thoughts, feelings and motivations rather than focusing on one single character who is narrating the story for you (I hate reading first person perspective and it is pervasive in fiction right now). This narrative choice also really emphasize and drives home the undercurrent political game of vying for control and power and good triumphing over evil.

- despite some of the dark themes, and the bulk of the narrative being told from a male perspective, I really appreciate the feminist bend to this world. Women rule, men serve. I appreciate the different power and gender dynamics that Anne Bishop explores in this trilogy through that lens.

- The prose sucks me right in. It’s easy enough for me to consume these books in a few days or less, but complex enough that I still feel like I’m getting an engaging story and can emotionally connect with the characters. I’ll admit there is likely some bias here, I’ve reread these novels so much, I feel very emotionally charged when good and bad things happen to the main characters throughout the book. The last few chapters of the first novel, predictably, had me weepy eyed and still concerned what was going to happen, despite knowing the novel practically by heart.

I’m not sure yet if I feel courageous enough to read past the original trilogy this time around. I’ve read all but the most recent three, but only once each. I was fairly disappointed with where Anne decided to take her characters post Queen of the Darkness. Perhaps I should try them on with fresh eyes this year as well anyways. I love the Blood Jewels world, it’s my favorite fantasy space to revisit.

Je ne sais toujours pas comment j'ai terminé ce livre.
Une narration quasi exempte de description, un monde flou aux règles nébuleuses, des personnages dont les noms sont à hurler...
Tout y était pour me faire perdre patience et me faire lâcher l'affaire.
Et pourtant me voilà à y coller une bonne note. Parce que la mayonnaise prend, je ne sais trop par quel miracle. La fin a su me donner envie de découvrir la suite. Je n'ai pas souvent été confrontée à un livre comme celui-là : je l'ai aimé mais ne le recommanderai à personne.
Résumé simple : anneau d'obéissance sexuelle, magie, régime corrompu, sexisme, matriarcat, viol.

Did I understand every thing that happen? No will I be reading book 2? Absolutely

I'm so torn about this book. I almost gave up on it multiple times. The world building was awful, and I had no idea who was who or what was even going on. And there was way too much melodrama. Everyone was always snarling, or grabbing onto tables to steady themselves, or the room blurred or spun, or they were trembling, or finding it hard to swallow, etc. It was just all too much, and made for a really annoying reading experience.

Everything Jaenelle did surprised and scared them, and they couldn't believe she could do it, even though they knew she was powerful and was Witch. I'm still a little unclear on what it means to be Witch, even after finishing the book, but I'm guessing it's like the most powerful person of the Blood. So why were they always so scared of what she could do, to the point where they thought they might have to strangle her? Again, I could sum up the entire reading experience with saying it's too much.

But then, there was something about it that kept me reading. Something that has me wanting to read the second book. Maybe I got used to the over the top writing, and the actual plot is good enough to keep me going. Since this was Anne Bishop's first novel, and I love her Others series, I have to believe that her writing gets progressively better.