Decades ago a sacred oath was broken. And as it broke, the magic held by the oldest tribe in Alba was shattered. Their power over the natural world lost, the gift of foretelling gone, now only the small magics are left to Moirin and her people: the ability to conceal themselves from sight, and a skill to coax plants to grow. But Moirin also has strange gods in her life, who hint at another part of her heritage. While Moirin's mother is of the tribe, her father was a priest dedicated to the service of Naamah - the goddess of desire - and as Moirin undergoes the rites of adulthood it become clear that an unexpected destiny is unfolding at her feet. Moirin's path lies across the ocean, past the elaborate dazzle- and intrigue-filled courts of Terre D'Ange, and up into the unknown land of the Ch'in. But, even gifted as she is, how can her destiny be linked with that of the blindfolded Ch'in warrior-princess, and how can Moirin's small gifts ever hop to stand against the power of a vengeful, ambitious mage? Magic is at work, war is looming, and the fates of nations hang in the balance ...and if she is to fulfil her destiny, Moirin must find her way through it all ...
Though I’ve had Carey’s Kushiel series on my "want to read" list for quite a while, this is the first of her books that I’ve read. It absolutely won’t be the last. Carey has created an incredibly complex yet easily understood world, and has a knack for introducing us to it without boring us with rote history lessons. I was immediately pulled into Moirin’s world, and gladly followed her on her epic journey as she searched for her divine purpose. The D’Angeline are obviously based on the French, and the Ch’in on the Chinese, but it only adds to your ability to visualize what is happening. Considered "wild" by most every other culture, Moirin still manages to find away to fit in without losing herself, even if she does have to learn how to handle living in man-made structures and eating with utensils rather than her hands. This story was a little bit coming of age, a little bit romance, and a lot of adventure. It ends with a cliffhanger of sorts, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I’ll also be picking up that first Kushiel book much sooner than I expected.
