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A review by monopolyllama
Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
5.0
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.
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.