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The Black Jewels #11
As Armas da Rainha
Eles são as armas da Rainha, nascidos para servir e proteger
Apesar de jovem, Daemonar Yaslana já é um líder — característica que partilha com o pai, Lucivar, e com o tio, Daemon. Protetor da sua irmã Titian, é igualmente responsável por refrear as ideias mais aventureiras da prima Jaenelle Saetien. Contudo, quando uma jovem eyriena ataca Titian, a retaliação de Daemonar é implacável, deixando-o sob a tutela de Feiticeira, a Rainha que muitos pensam ser apenas um mito antigo.
Quando alterações perturbadoras começam a afetar a família, Daemonar apercebe-se de que uma maldição pode estar a ressurgir. Juntamente com o pai e o tio, ele terá de descobrir a fonte deste mal — e Daemon Sadi, o Senhor Supremo do Inferno, pode ser forçado a fazer uma escolha devastadora.
Apesar de jovem, Daemonar Yaslana já é um líder — característica que partilha com o pai, Lucivar, e com o tio, Daemon. Protetor da sua irmã Titian, é igualmente responsável por refrear as ideias mais aventureiras da prima Jaenelle Saetien. Contudo, quando uma jovem eyriena ataca Titian, a retaliação de Daemonar é implacável, deixando-o sob a tutela de Feiticeira, a Rainha que muitos pensam ser apenas um mito antigo.
Quando alterações perturbadoras começam a afetar a família, Daemonar apercebe-se de que uma maldição pode estar a ressurgir. Juntamente com o pai e o tio, ele terá de descobrir a fonte deste mal — e Daemon Sadi, o Senhor Supremo do Inferno, pode ser forçado a fazer uma escolha devastadora.
560 pages, Paperback
First published March 9, 2021
About the author
Anne Bishop
47 books10.3k followersAnne Bishop lives in upstate New York where she enjoys gardening, music, and writing dark, romantic stories. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the award-winning Black Jewels Trilogy. She has written a new series, the Others, which is an urban dark fantasy with a bit of a twist.
Crawford Award (2000)
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Crawford Award (2000)
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
March 26, 2021
The Queen's Weapons was a great addition to the Black Jewels series!
A dark seed has had years to move around the realm and her tentacles are closing in around unsuspecting victims. The Queen's Weapons will need to stop this taint before another Dorothea emerges.
The kids have grown. What are they doing?
Titian has found the strength to request going to a new school to further her painting.
Daemonar just like his father (Lucivar) and his uncle (Sadi) is a Warlord Prince. He is loyal to Witch and to his family. He will protect and serve. As a child, he was always there to help Jaenelle. However, Jaenelle is not acting like her old self. He wants to keep an eye on her and his sister.
Jaenelle wants to forge her own path. She wants nothing to do with the name she was given. She believes her new friends at the school are guiding her into the right aristo ways.
Zoey, a Queen, who as a child befriended Daemon Sadi and later on became friends with Titian and Jaenelle will be attending the same school.
A line is drawn and each of them will pick up a side.
Who will survive the cold fury of the Lord of Hell?
~~
I was so happy to be back in this world. I love that Deamonar has become such a great warrior. He is ready to help and defend. He also listened and learned. He understood Sadi and he loves Witch. He was a great big brother too.
Jaenelle was such a disappointment. I don't think she really learned her lesson. She hurt everyone with her words and her actions. She was so spoiled and rotten. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she still did it. Her punishment was too small.
Other thoughts:
-I love how strong Jillian has become. Kiss Kiss.
-Surreal was less impressive in this one but I think it's because Witch is more prevalent in it.
-I liked Zoey but I didn't love her. She might be something better in the next book.
-My hats off to Mrs. Beale. She sure showed them what she could do in the kitchen🔪.
-Love all the Kindred in this installment.
-Daemon and Lucivar were vigilant and ready to pounce.
I'm still not sure how Jaenelle can redeem herself enough but I'm ready to read it.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Ace Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
A dark seed has had years to move around the realm and her tentacles are closing in around unsuspecting victims. The Queen's Weapons will need to stop this taint before another Dorothea emerges.
The kids have grown. What are they doing?
Titian has found the strength to request going to a new school to further her painting.
Daemonar just like his father (Lucivar) and his uncle (Sadi) is a Warlord Prince. He is loyal to Witch and to his family. He will protect and serve. As a child, he was always there to help Jaenelle. However, Jaenelle is not acting like her old self. He wants to keep an eye on her and his sister.
Jaenelle wants to forge her own path. She wants nothing to do with the name she was given. She believes her new friends at the school are guiding her into the right aristo ways.
Zoey, a Queen, who as a child befriended Daemon Sadi and later on became friends with Titian and Jaenelle will be attending the same school.
A line is drawn and each of them will pick up a side.
Who will survive the cold fury of the Lord of Hell?
~~
I was so happy to be back in this world. I love that Deamonar has become such a great warrior. He is ready to help and defend. He also listened and learned. He understood Sadi and he loves Witch. He was a great big brother too.
Jaenelle was such a disappointment. I don't think she really learned her lesson. She hurt everyone with her words and her actions. She was so spoiled and rotten. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she still did it. Her punishment was too small.
Other thoughts:
-I love how strong Jillian has become. Kiss Kiss.
-Surreal was less impressive in this one but I think it's because Witch is more prevalent in it.
-I liked Zoey but I didn't love her. She might be something better in the next book.
-My hats off to Mrs. Beale. She sure showed them what she could do in the kitchen🔪.
-Love all the Kindred in this installment.
-Daemon and Lucivar were vigilant and ready to pounce.
I'm still not sure how Jaenelle can redeem herself enough but I'm ready to read it.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Ace Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 12, 2021
To sum up the problems with this book (and the last one) is simple: too much fan service and retconning in order to provide that fan service and not enough originality.
The premise behind the book was simple: to let the reader see how a Dorothea, though not actually Dorothea, might come to power. In this case the wannabe Dorothea is a girl named Delora (not that creative with the naming in this book) who covers who cruelty and ambition with the veneer of thoughtful concern. Jaenelle Saetien undergoes a radical personality shift from how she was as a small girl (though this is completely implausible) in order to become one of the patsies for the new Dorothea. Jaenelle Saetien becomes callous, self-centered, cruel, and incredibly stupid. This transformation is largely blamed on adolescence and the desire to fit in, while being stifled by her famous family and her even more famous namesake. It seems that Ms. Bishop has never known children who grew into teenagers; they don't normally get dumb and cruel if they didn't start out that way unless severe trauma intervenes. If this was the story that she wanted to tell, Ms. Bishop should have just gone ahead and done a prequel. Indeed, it would have been far more interesting, and far less character destroying, to get the backstory of Hekatah or Dorothea. Were they simply psychopaths or were they made that way?
Even more retconning occurs in the relationship between Surreal and Daemon. At the end of The High Lord's Daughter it was strongly implied that Surreal was in love with Daemon and he was falling in love with her. Though not the same kind of love he shared with Jaenelle, it was a logical solution to the corner the author had painted herself into since Witch was not allowed to become demondead and she was from the short-lived races. It only made sense then that, as in This is Us' Rebecca and Miguel, two friends who had known and loved the departed fell into a kind of mature love, having been drawn together by their mutual grief. Unfortunately, this was a pairing that was hated by the majority of the fans. As such, then, Ms. Bishop retconned so that they were not really in love with each other and ended with the promise of Witch and Daemon being together in death. It was a huge disservice to the character of Surreal, requiring her to undergo a personality change as well; it wasn't until late in this book that Surreal regained some sense of who she was. Ms. Bishop even tried to throw a sop to the Surreal fans by suggesting that, after Daemon dies prematurely, Surreal will finally find the love of her life. It was also a huge disservice to the character of Daemon. Much of Daemon's character growth in learning how to be all that he was, even without Jaenelle to hold the leash, was blown up in the last two books. Instead, we get a Daemon who is largely the same as the Daemon of the early books. What is worse, though, is that both Daemon and Surreal were incredibly stupid parents who somehow didn't notice that their little girl, the dreams made flesh of both Surreal, Daemon, and Jaenelle, was going sour. Several times it is implied that this is because they didn't have the example of good parenting before them when they themselves were growing up. And yet, in the Shalador Nehele books, witches who were like Jaenell had an unpleasant psychic scent; Jaenelle Saetien's should have also started being unpleasant, but nope.... The lack parenting examples as an explanation is incredibly hollow since Surreal, at any rate, got to see Jaenelle and the Coven interact with Saetan, an excellent parent, and they both watch Lucivar and Marian parenting their own children. Worse than all that stupidity that they suddenly acquire is the fact that Surreal's maternal bond could be severed by Jaenelle Saetien's words. It suggests a shallowness to that bond that is more than a little suspect, given the High Lord's Daughter. In contrast to all this is Saetan's reaction to the death of his son; it pushes him to destroy an entire civilization. Daemon, in contrast, cries a little, but this was mostly so that the author could find an excuse for him to go to Witch so that she could weave her fanservice couplehood.
There were also numerous plot holes. For example, the whole ludicrous "stay visible in Amdarh while the girls suffer the Briarwood punishment." As if somehow Daemon couldn't punish them from the townhouse. Indeed, when Saetan destroyed Zuulaman, he didn't need to leave the Keep, I believe.
Much as I loved the early books and re-read them, I won't be either rereading these last two or revisiting them. They are a waste of time.
The premise behind the book was simple: to let the reader see how a Dorothea, though not actually Dorothea, might come to power. In this case the wannabe Dorothea is a girl named Delora (not that creative with the naming in this book) who covers who cruelty and ambition with the veneer of thoughtful concern. Jaenelle Saetien undergoes a radical personality shift from how she was as a small girl (though this is completely implausible) in order to become one of the patsies for the new Dorothea. Jaenelle Saetien becomes callous, self-centered, cruel, and incredibly stupid. This transformation is largely blamed on adolescence and the desire to fit in, while being stifled by her famous family and her even more famous namesake. It seems that Ms. Bishop has never known children who grew into teenagers; they don't normally get dumb and cruel if they didn't start out that way unless severe trauma intervenes. If this was the story that she wanted to tell, Ms. Bishop should have just gone ahead and done a prequel. Indeed, it would have been far more interesting, and far less character destroying, to get the backstory of Hekatah or Dorothea. Were they simply psychopaths or were they made that way?
Even more retconning occurs in the relationship between Surreal and Daemon. At the end of The High Lord's Daughter it was strongly implied that Surreal was in love with Daemon and he was falling in love with her. Though not the same kind of love he shared with Jaenelle, it was a logical solution to the corner the author had painted herself into since Witch was not allowed to become demondead and she was from the short-lived races. It only made sense then that, as in This is Us' Rebecca and Miguel, two friends who had known and loved the departed fell into a kind of mature love, having been drawn together by their mutual grief. Unfortunately, this was a pairing that was hated by the majority of the fans. As such, then, Ms. Bishop retconned so that they were not really in love with each other and ended with the promise of Witch and Daemon being together in death. It was a huge disservice to the character of Surreal, requiring her to undergo a personality change as well; it wasn't until late in this book that Surreal regained some sense of who she was. Ms. Bishop even tried to throw a sop to the Surreal fans by suggesting that, after Daemon dies prematurely, Surreal will finally find the love of her life. It was also a huge disservice to the character of Daemon. Much of Daemon's character growth in learning how to be all that he was, even without Jaenelle to hold the leash, was blown up in the last two books. Instead, we get a Daemon who is largely the same as the Daemon of the early books. What is worse, though, is that both Daemon and Surreal were incredibly stupid parents who somehow didn't notice that their little girl, the dreams made flesh of both Surreal, Daemon, and Jaenelle, was going sour. Several times it is implied that this is because they didn't have the example of good parenting before them when they themselves were growing up. And yet, in the Shalador Nehele books, witches who were like Jaenell had an unpleasant psychic scent; Jaenelle Saetien's should have also started being unpleasant, but nope.... The lack parenting examples as an explanation is incredibly hollow since Surreal, at any rate, got to see Jaenelle and the Coven interact with Saetan, an excellent parent, and they both watch Lucivar and Marian parenting their own children. Worse than all that stupidity that they suddenly acquire is the fact that Surreal's maternal bond could be severed by Jaenelle Saetien's words. It suggests a shallowness to that bond that is more than a little suspect, given the High Lord's Daughter. In contrast to all this is Saetan's reaction to the death of his son; it pushes him to destroy an entire civilization. Daemon, in contrast, cries a little, but this was mostly so that the author could find an excuse for him to go to Witch so that she could weave her fanservice couplehood.
There were also numerous plot holes. For example, the whole ludicrous "stay visible in Amdarh while the girls suffer the Briarwood punishment." As if somehow Daemon couldn't punish them from the townhouse. Indeed, when Saetan destroyed Zuulaman, he didn't need to leave the Keep, I believe.
Much as I loved the early books and re-read them, I won't be either rereading these last two or revisiting them. They are a waste of time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2021
A different book from the rest of the series, and one that is sure to upset some with its pacing and plot. This is a slow burn, a fast burn, and a character-driven exploration all at the same time. And yet. For those of us who have been waiting...this was a healing.
(I have a LOT to say, so strap in!)
Writing: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★ 1/2
Character decisions: ★★★★
Disclaimer: This is the 11th book in the Black Jewels world and the direct sequel to The Queen's Bargain. While I do not spoil anything for this particular book, there ARE spoilers for the other books in the world and for The Queen's Bargain. Please do not read if you do not want to be spoiled for previous books.
This is not an entry point novel for the series.
I really don't know where to start. For those of us who have been with Anne Bishop since Daughter of the Blood, we've been through some things. In particular, Twilight's Dawn imparted some shocking new developments for the plot and its characters and then left us to hang with that for several years—i.e., discovering that Daemon and Surreal decide to get married and have a daughter named Jaenelle Saetien. (There's other stuff too, obviously, but that was the mic drop.)
Then the The Queen's Bargain entered the scene in 2020 when we followed Lucivar Yaslana and Daemon Sadi as they embarked on the new frontier: parenthood. In particular, we got to watch Jaenelle Saetien grow up and Daemon's internal chalice crumble once again as his true nature as the Sadist fell apart with Surreal's fear and distrust. It was a painful journey, there's no mistaking that. But it ended on a hopeful tendril: Witch intervened.
Following the events of The Queen's Bargain, Lucivar and Daemon are now older, wiser, and soothed by the fact that their one true Queen, Witch, is not as lost to them as they had previously assumed. She's not back—not really—but her core remains sentient and she can speak with them in the Keep of Ebon Askavi. And for the two sides of the triangle, that is enough. For the Sadist, who needed the oversight and the acceptance, that is enough.
And for Daemonar, who is now old enough to be considered a young man, that is enough. His Auntie J is raising Daemonar to be the new third side to the triangle with his Uncle Daemon and his father. And a new storm is brewing in Kaleer. Before long, Daemonar will be needed. The queen will have need of her weapons.
For the long-lived races, several hundred years is not enough to forget the memory of Witch and the sacrifices made for the Blood of the realms. But for the shorter-lived races, that lesson has become a distant memory. When history becomes a distant memory, some decide to conveniently forget its teachings...
A new taint is darkening the pages. And Daemon, Lucivar, and Daemonar need to be ready.
This was... a journey. First off, I have to admit that the pacing of this book was difficult. The first 100 pages were a lot of recap and character interactions that I enjoyed as a Black Jewels mega-fan but did become tedious, even for me. So the plot itself took its sweet time to arrive.
But when it did, it really kicked off. To avoid spoilers, let's just say that while Kaleer might have forgotten that Saetan's sons have claws... the sons themselves have not. If peace isn't an option, they're happy to pick the other road. Whew boy, the boys are BACK.
The Queen's Weapons follows quite a few points of view. Daemonar is one of the main ones, along with Daemon and Lucivar. But we're also along for the ride with Surreal—who finally finds her backbone that was mysteriously absent for all of The Queen's Bargain—and with Jaenelle Saetien. (And a few others, but those are the main ones.)
Let's talk about Jaenelle Saetien. I mean, I really can't due to spoilers, but I want to. Desperately. This was an intense novel that Jaenelle Saetien made much more difficult to get through for us readers. But the pain and agony of dealing with her—there's no other way to put it, it felt like a chore to experience her behavior—was made worth it by the climax of the novel.
Anne Bishop doesn't need to keep outdoing herself with masterful writing and emotionally complex characters, but man does it feel like she outdoes herself with each new book. This was another masterclass from the queen of dark fantasy. I know I'm the last person to provide an unbiased review, and y'all can call me out on that I don't even care, but I loved this. It's always a joy to walk the roads in the Realms with our favorite people.
And Witch, I'm glad you're with us again.
If you were upset with Twilight's Dawn, then let me promise you that this book is a healing. It's a painful, joyous ride—but the ending made me cry from happiness. We made it. The light at the end of the tunnel is glorious, and now I am unreservedly excited for whatever happens next.
Thank you to ACE/Berkley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
(I have a LOT to say, so strap in!)
Writing: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★ 1/2
Character decisions: ★★★★
Disclaimer: This is the 11th book in the Black Jewels world and the direct sequel to The Queen's Bargain. While I do not spoil anything for this particular book, there ARE spoilers for the other books in the world and for The Queen's Bargain. Please do not read if you do not want to be spoiled for previous books.
This is not an entry point novel for the series.
I really don't know where to start. For those of us who have been with Anne Bishop since Daughter of the Blood, we've been through some things. In particular, Twilight's Dawn imparted some shocking new developments for the plot and its characters and then left us to hang with that for several years—i.e., discovering that Daemon and Surreal decide to get married and have a daughter named Jaenelle Saetien. (There's other stuff too, obviously, but that was the mic drop.)
Then the The Queen's Bargain entered the scene in 2020 when we followed Lucivar Yaslana and Daemon Sadi as they embarked on the new frontier: parenthood. In particular, we got to watch Jaenelle Saetien grow up and Daemon's internal chalice crumble once again as his true nature as the Sadist fell apart with Surreal's fear and distrust. It was a painful journey, there's no mistaking that. But it ended on a hopeful tendril: Witch intervened.
Following the events of The Queen's Bargain, Lucivar and Daemon are now older, wiser, and soothed by the fact that their one true Queen, Witch, is not as lost to them as they had previously assumed. She's not back—not really—but her core remains sentient and she can speak with them in the Keep of Ebon Askavi. And for the two sides of the triangle, that is enough. For the Sadist, who needed the oversight and the acceptance, that is enough.
And for Daemonar, who is now old enough to be considered a young man, that is enough. His Auntie J is raising Daemonar to be the new third side to the triangle with his Uncle Daemon and his father. And a new storm is brewing in Kaleer. Before long, Daemonar will be needed. The queen will have need of her weapons.
For the long-lived races, several hundred years is not enough to forget the memory of Witch and the sacrifices made for the Blood of the realms. But for the shorter-lived races, that lesson has become a distant memory. When history becomes a distant memory, some decide to conveniently forget its teachings...
A new taint is darkening the pages. And Daemon, Lucivar, and Daemonar need to be ready.
This was... a journey. First off, I have to admit that the pacing of this book was difficult. The first 100 pages were a lot of recap and character interactions that I enjoyed as a Black Jewels mega-fan but did become tedious, even for me. So the plot itself took its sweet time to arrive.
But when it did, it really kicked off. To avoid spoilers, let's just say that while Kaleer might have forgotten that Saetan's sons have claws... the sons themselves have not. If peace isn't an option, they're happy to pick the other road. Whew boy, the boys are BACK.
The Queen's Weapons follows quite a few points of view. Daemonar is one of the main ones, along with Daemon and Lucivar. But we're also along for the ride with Surreal—who finally finds her backbone that was mysteriously absent for all of The Queen's Bargain—and with Jaenelle Saetien. (And a few others, but those are the main ones.)
Let's talk about Jaenelle Saetien. I mean, I really can't due to spoilers, but I want to. Desperately. This was an intense novel that Jaenelle Saetien made much more difficult to get through for us readers. But the pain and agony of dealing with her—there's no other way to put it, it felt like a chore to experience her behavior—was made worth it by the climax of the novel.
Anne Bishop doesn't need to keep outdoing herself with masterful writing and emotionally complex characters, but man does it feel like she outdoes herself with each new book. This was another masterclass from the queen of dark fantasy. I know I'm the last person to provide an unbiased review, and y'all can call me out on that I don't even care, but I loved this. It's always a joy to walk the roads in the Realms with our favorite people.
And Witch, I'm glad you're with us again.
If you were upset with Twilight's Dawn, then let me promise you that this book is a healing. It's a painful, joyous ride—but the ending made me cry from happiness. We made it. The light at the end of the tunnel is glorious, and now I am unreservedly excited for whatever happens next.
Thank you to ACE/Berkley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
April 10, 2021
A story of child abuse guised as fantasy that doesn't know it's YA, this book made me cry and not in a good way. Between this book and the previous book I can't figure out which is worse. Once again, we get another novel dedicated to assassinating another beloved character. Who asked for this? Why did Bishop write this? Another example of why good enough should be left alone, the series should have stayed complete at Twilight's Dawn.
****SPOILERS****
The Queen's Weapons offers readers a conclusion to the horror that is Daemon's and Surreal's marriage. As if to please the fans who were upset by the previous book, Bishop tries to return them to pre-Twilight's Dawn where they are just friends and Surreal is Daemon's second in command. This doesn't work because Surreal's personality has been retconned so badly it's as though she's not Surreal anymore. She's distant and cold. She seems not to care about what goes on in her own home. Both Daemon and Surreal have been labotomised into being shadows of their former selves.
Daemon is now having an affair with the ghost of Jeanelle Angelline (JA). Surreal has accepted the fact that she's not the one Daemon loves but decides to remain married to act as a shield for Daemon. As long as he's married desperate women would be detered from making advances towards him. We know that's a lie because Daemon being married to JA didn't prevent the events of Kealeer's Heart from happening. Daemon's marriage to Surreal also serves as a ruse to hide the fact that JA still exists in some sense and Daemon is communicating with her.
The real meat of the story, however, happens with Jeanelle Satien (JS). There are a couple of time jumps in the story so we see JS as different stages in her life.
We get an honestly cute scene where JS and Daemonar retrace an adventure that Lucivar and JA had together when they were younger. Lucivar catches them and ruins the scene by wondering why Titian wasn't invited.
This is suppose to foreshadow the conflict between JS and Titian that is to come. We as the reader are suppose to infer that JS often overlooks people who should be important to her. The thing is, we don't know that. We never get a scene where anyone has an ernest conversation with JS about anything so we don't actually know what JS actually thinks and feels.
All the characters for this book are just puppets for the story Bishop wishes to tell. Nothing is throughly fleshed out so readers can go, "I understand why this happened." You essentially have to read the unwritten subtext while wasting time reading pointless drivel.
Almost all the scenes with JS interacting with adults are conflict driven. She's always fighting with Daemon or Surreal. Sometimes she even fights with Daemonar. We see through the private thoughts of characters that everyone thinks JS should understand how to behave and what is expected of her but we never get to see a scene where things are taught to JS and she truly understands and accepts the lessons she's taught. So when JS makes the wrong decisions we don't know if she's being willful or ignorant. (We're supposed to interpret that she's being willful because that's the story Bishop wants to tell.) The story would be so much stronger if we got to see JS actively disregarding a lesson we previously saw her being taught.
There's this one scene where Lucivar finds Titian crying because Orion told Titian real Eyrians don't draw. Titian is shy and sensitive and those words hurt Titian's feelings enough that she doubts herself and hides her talents. Daemonar flips on Orion and threatens to cut her if she makes Titian cry again. Lucivar runs to Daemon and Daemon tells Titian he's the High Lord of Hell in efforts to comfort her and convince her not to give up her passion. The three men in the family all work together to protect Titian and restore her love for art.
This scene is what truly foreshadows the actual narrative. It's the fact that JS, when compared to how the other SaDiablo kids are treated, isn't presented as worthy of being treated well. She's a tomboy and high energy. She outspoken and daring and the adults have no clue on what to do with her. They don't know how to raise her. While Titian gets coddled and guided, motivated to persevere JS gets the opposite. She gets stifled and punished. JS is seen as a character who goes too far with no respect for boundaries but no one tells her where the boundaries are until she crosses them. The world is explained to JS in a series of negative rules. "Don't do this. Don't do that. Go to your room." We've been seeing this since Twilight's Dawn and now that JS is older she's no better able to articulate herself so we have to suffer through a series of tantrums not even a toddler would engage in.
Fast forward a few centuries and Titian is ready to leave the nest. She wants to go to an elite boarding school because they have a good art program. Zoey (a young queen and friend) and JS are also trying to convince their parents to let them go to the same school. Lucivar agrees to let Titian go if she can create a shield that can last long enough for help to come. Titian is dismayed because she doesn't believe she can do it but with Lucivar's, Daemonar's and Jillian's help she gets it done. We have no idea what worries Daemon and Surreal might have about JS being away from home (though she's not far). We have no idea if they spoke to her about any short comings she may face. Later, Daemonar also enrolls to keep an eye on Titian.
Daemon comes across a tangled web Tersa spun that wasn't destroyed properly. He sees a vision he doesn't remember but it causes the Sadist to chase Daemonar. It was Daemonar's first time meeting the Sadist. Lucivar explains things to Daemonar. He tells his son about the origins of the Sadist and the effects of the Ring of Obedience.
At school JS befriends a group of older popular girls. Two of the girls are named Hespera and Delora. They are cruel and manipulative and, are they are responsible for breaking and killing witches but JS doesn't know this. Lucivar and Daemon are on the lookout for signs that something may be amiss. They're keen enough to notice that JS' new friends are up to no good but they say nothing even after they begin to influence JS for the worse. JS stops talking to Titian and Zoey and only cares about fitting in with the coven of malice (that's what the other students at the school call JS' group of friends).
JS visits Tersa and Mikal and sees that there are new Sceltie puppies. She reflects on her mistakes with Morghann and longs for another chance to have a Sceltie friend. She realises that her friends would probably be a bad influence on a Sceltie and she probably wouldn't get one if she's not trusted to be a good influence.
JS starts distancing herself from her friends and attempts to reconnect with Titian and Zoey. When the coven sees that their hold on JS is weakening they punish her by telling her Surreal used to be a whore. This is to embarass JS as embarassment is how they maintain control over JS. JS rushes home and fights with Surreal. She tell Surreal that she is not her real mother. This crushes Surreal so much that she loses all motherly love for JS. The bond is never repaired.
Daemon steps in as he thinks it's finally time he meets his daughter's friends. Daemon calls Delora Dorothea and goes cold. JS freaks out because her father is embarassing her. She thinks it might be a sign he's having a mental slip as she had recently learnt Daemon was once in the Twisted Kingdom. JS called Daemonar for help. When she voices her concern Daemonar flips as he thinks JS is trivializing something serious. He thinks JS is willfully disregarding the significance of Daemon calling one of her friends Dorothea because there's no way she could not know the stories the family has shared.
This is one of the biggest problems with the story. Everyone trivializes JS' feelings and assumes she knows better but it chosing to act the way she behaves. No one helps or nurtures her. No one corrects her. She's made to learn everything the hard way.
At this point of the story pulling JS to the side and re-explaining things to her as well as telling her the truth about her parents and her lineage would have been a good idea but that doesn't happen. Even telling JS not to hang out with those girls and noting their psychic scent would have been a good thing but that doesn't happen. So JS carries on as if nothing serious happened. JS is the only older SaDiablo kid who doesn't know anything about her father. Titian knows he's the High Lord and Daemonar knows about the Sadist. They both understand just how dangerous Daemon is but to JS Daemon is just her weird papa who doesn't let her have any fun.
The coven isn't done with JS and they're mad at one of Zoey's friends so they tell JS a fake rumour in hopes she'll spread it. JS tells Titian and Zoey but before the rumour can get any further Daemonar overhears JS and reports to Choasti. Choasti holds a mock official trial to show JS the consequences of her actions had the rumour gotten out. The purpose of the rumour was to make JS the source of a serious accusation which would have ruined her reputation once traced back to her.
I was actually okay with this scene. Chaosti seemed fair in his judgement. He tried to get JS to think before she speaks. I imagine this is what Daemon has been trying to do with her but has failed.
Daemonar tells JS he misses the old her and he doesn't like the new her. That wakes JS up a bit.
Hepera and Delora "convince" JS to host a slumber party with Zoey and her friends. They claim they want to make peace with the girls. JS doesn't like feeling like she's in the middle so she thinks it'd be good if all her friends got along. JS lies to Daemon about the party but he agrees to let her host it so he can finally have the evidence he needs to bury Hespera and Delora.
The girls show up to the party. A few stay behind at school as they have started their moontime and don't want to be in a house they have never been in. The girls flaunt their control over JS right infront Daemon's face. It's all like reading something out of the pod people. Anything they ask JS to do, she does. If she says no they just urge her to ask again. Daemon doesn't probe to see if his daughter is under a compulsion spell or something though she kinda acts like she is.
Hespera and Delora stall the party to spike the food with saffromate. They intend on breaking Zoey right under Daemon's nose. Daemon gets a message saying that the school for orphans he and JA started centuries ago are under attack. He intends to take the girls back but lets them stay after JS promises to take responsiblity for the party and to follow Beale's instructions. Daemon leaves.
More pod people moments follow as JS immediately breaks her word to let boys stay at the party. I don't get it. JS has nothing to gain and everything to lose. It's never explained what exactly the coven does for her. She wants to fit in but that motive doesn't justify the level of stupidity that happens.
From there things go the way you'd expect. Zoeys eats the food and becomes sick. Titian guesses that it's tainted so she vanishes it. Suddenly there are a million servants ready to fight despite there being no one to supervise the food earlier. The SaDiablo Hall goes on lockdown.
The boys try to rape Zoey. JS is suddenly surprised. She truly didn't see any of this coming. She begs Hespera's and Delora to stop because she still refuses to believe they're as bad as everyone else believes. When they refuse JS uses Twilight's Dawn to shield until help arrives.
The scene with the shield is pretty cool. It's the only time we see Twilight's Dawn in action in the whole series! It's also the only time where we see JS using craft. I wish we had gotten to see more. The coven manage to break Daemonar's shield which begs the question, "how strong are these kids?" Bishop never specifies and since they don't seem to fear darker jeweled Blood, I assume they wear darker jewels themselves.
Daemon returns to clean house and the news that he is the High Lord is finally revealed to everyone. He confines JS to her room while he handles business killing various adults from the school but the fate coven's family is never explicitly mentioned. Clearly those kids didn't get these ideas on their own but that is never touched on.
Surreal shows up and tells JS (with no empathy) that she might be broken or even die for her part in the events that took place. Outraged queens demand that everyone in the coven be executed, including JS. Daemon's heart breaks as he realises he can't kill his only child so he asks JA for help.
JA takes all surviving the members of the coven to the Misty Place. She puts them in Briarwood. They have 72hrs to make it out or they'll die. The more harm they did the longer it will take for them to make it out. JS makes it out with time as she didn't do much. Her biggest mistake was aggreeing to host the party.
In the Misty place the two Jeanelles meet for the first time since JS' Birthright ceremony. JS confesses to feeling overshadowed and burdened by JA's reputation and just wanted a chance to make a life of her own. Everyone kept comparing her to JA and expecting her to do great things. JA slaps her down in a petty manner.
Even JA could have helped guide JS as she had been privately tutoring Daemonar for months now. A simple visit when JS was younger could have helped her so much. JA breaks JS back to Purple Dusk and tells her she's forfeited the chance to ever where the Grey but she might wear the Green if she plays her cards right.
JS wakes up. Beale is cold and distant. What was said can't be unsaid, their relationship is forever broken and only professional. Daemon and JS hug and cry. A few other members of the coven awake but die shortly after. The Blood are outraged when they learn of JS' fate as they think she hasn't suffered enough. They plan to kill her but JA declares the debt is paid. The Blood now knows JA is back.
The Blood wants Daemon to house and school their kids but they can no longer trust his daughter. He agrees to send JS away for the sake of the other children. JA decides to give him a daughter of the heart (Zoey) to replace JS. It's supposed to be sweet but it's sickening. Daemon treats his daughter as if she's replaceable.
The book ends with Daemon telling Lucivar he'll die sooner than expected because of the injuries he sustained during the last book. Once he dies he'll be able to live with JA again who promises to become corpreal when that happens. We as the readers are suppose to infer that Surreal will then be able to split from Daemon and even remarry and have kids if she wants. As if this is a happy ending.
JA tells Surreal to tell JS about her being descended from Dorothea so no one could use it to hurt her. This is something that should have been done from the beginning of the book.
JS gets banned from Ebon Askavi and her home city meaning she can't live at the Hall or the town house. She goes to live in Halaway with Surreal at a school for broken girls as further punishment from JA.
The book ends and I cry as I think of how lonely the next few decades or centuries will be for JS. How will Winsol work? How long will it take her family to forgive her? All the kids at the new school must know why JS isn't with them. They're the future leaders of the various territories through our Kealeer. I highly doubt she'd every truly be welcomed anywhere despite what Witch says. Everyone will remember her. She'll never be truly trusted. The book ends with the implication that JS now has no mother, no father, no friends, no family and no future. All because no one ever cared about her enough to ensure she became a good person.
It seems to me that there needs to be at least one more book to finish the story but I dread the day that book is written. I think everyone's suffered enough. To me the only logical thing for JS to do is to runaway after her Virgin Night without telling anyone. She should go to Terreille by using an alter away from the Keep and hide, never seeing or speaking to her so-called family again.
The relationship JS has with her family is pretty toxic. They leave her on her own a lot and wonder why it's always a power struggle with her. JS is clearly emotionally immature because her emotional needs haven't been met. Surreal had the audacity to be upset at JS' words but she's been calling her own daughter a bitch since the girl was a young child. Daemon seems too preoccupied with JA to be a good husband or father.
Sometimes Daemonar came off as as a bit of an ass to JS but Titian is his sister and he's not much older than the girls so I don't blame him too much. I can't help but to think JS would have done better if Lucivar was her father. Daemon and Surreal think they failed JS because they sheltered her too much but the irony is they didn't shelter her at all.
Speaking of alters...this is the 11th book in the series and we still haven't gotten a priestess MC or much insight into the lives and duties of a priestess.
----
Jeanelle Satien joins the list of characters victimised by Bishop's writing. Also on the list are Surreal, Falonar and Theran. The Queen's Weapons relies too heavily and the reader's background knowledge of the series as well readers assuming things. Bishop isn't known for her subtly which really hurts the story as it goes along. There were several plot points that could have been connected to make a stronger story but instead was just left to float.
Also, I can't stand JA. I think she's an OP Mary Sue that stalls the stories she's in and her dying was the best thing to happen to the series. Bishop insists on bringing her back to the detriment of the story and its characters as well as the lore of the world.
In the Queen of Darkness we learnt that there have been several incarnations of Witch and she doesn't always come in human form or wear the Black. In a way, it seemed like Witch was more a role than a specific person. I thought that would have been a fun concept to play with in future books. What does the continued existence of JA mean for the lore of Witch?
In the last book Bishop destroyed Surreal and Daemon's marriage and this book she destroyed JS and her jewel because only JA is allowed be special. Darkness forbid another character is well liked or seen as more important! It was all very upsetting to read. I think this book has officially turned me off from the whole series which is a shame because I actually like the magical system and I really wanted to learn more about how the world works. I think this world would do better if it had a better writer who cared about telling a good story and creating complex characters that readers can find joy in exploring.
I don't recommend this book but if you do want to read it I'd recommend borrowing it from a friend or the library.
****SPOILERS****
The Queen's Weapons offers readers a conclusion to the horror that is Daemon's and Surreal's marriage. As if to please the fans who were upset by the previous book, Bishop tries to return them to pre-Twilight's Dawn where they are just friends and Surreal is Daemon's second in command. This doesn't work because Surreal's personality has been retconned so badly it's as though she's not Surreal anymore. She's distant and cold. She seems not to care about what goes on in her own home. Both Daemon and Surreal have been labotomised into being shadows of their former selves.
Daemon is now having an affair with the ghost of Jeanelle Angelline (JA). Surreal has accepted the fact that she's not the one Daemon loves but decides to remain married to act as a shield for Daemon. As long as he's married desperate women would be detered from making advances towards him. We know that's a lie because Daemon being married to JA didn't prevent the events of Kealeer's Heart from happening. Daemon's marriage to Surreal also serves as a ruse to hide the fact that JA still exists in some sense and Daemon is communicating with her.
The real meat of the story, however, happens with Jeanelle Satien (JS). There are a couple of time jumps in the story so we see JS as different stages in her life.
We get an honestly cute scene where JS and Daemonar retrace an adventure that Lucivar and JA had together when they were younger. Lucivar catches them and ruins the scene by wondering why Titian wasn't invited.
This is suppose to foreshadow the conflict between JS and Titian that is to come. We as the reader are suppose to infer that JS often overlooks people who should be important to her. The thing is, we don't know that. We never get a scene where anyone has an ernest conversation with JS about anything so we don't actually know what JS actually thinks and feels.
All the characters for this book are just puppets for the story Bishop wishes to tell. Nothing is throughly fleshed out so readers can go, "I understand why this happened." You essentially have to read the unwritten subtext while wasting time reading pointless drivel.
Almost all the scenes with JS interacting with adults are conflict driven. She's always fighting with Daemon or Surreal. Sometimes she even fights with Daemonar. We see through the private thoughts of characters that everyone thinks JS should understand how to behave and what is expected of her but we never get to see a scene where things are taught to JS and she truly understands and accepts the lessons she's taught. So when JS makes the wrong decisions we don't know if she's being willful or ignorant. (We're supposed to interpret that she's being willful because that's the story Bishop wants to tell.) The story would be so much stronger if we got to see JS actively disregarding a lesson we previously saw her being taught.
There's this one scene where Lucivar finds Titian crying because Orion told Titian real Eyrians don't draw. Titian is shy and sensitive and those words hurt Titian's feelings enough that she doubts herself and hides her talents. Daemonar flips on Orion and threatens to cut her if she makes Titian cry again. Lucivar runs to Daemon and Daemon tells Titian he's the High Lord of Hell in efforts to comfort her and convince her not to give up her passion. The three men in the family all work together to protect Titian and restore her love for art.
This scene is what truly foreshadows the actual narrative. It's the fact that JS, when compared to how the other SaDiablo kids are treated, isn't presented as worthy of being treated well. She's a tomboy and high energy. She outspoken and daring and the adults have no clue on what to do with her. They don't know how to raise her. While Titian gets coddled and guided, motivated to persevere JS gets the opposite. She gets stifled and punished. JS is seen as a character who goes too far with no respect for boundaries but no one tells her where the boundaries are until she crosses them. The world is explained to JS in a series of negative rules. "Don't do this. Don't do that. Go to your room." We've been seeing this since Twilight's Dawn and now that JS is older she's no better able to articulate herself so we have to suffer through a series of tantrums not even a toddler would engage in.
Fast forward a few centuries and Titian is ready to leave the nest. She wants to go to an elite boarding school because they have a good art program. Zoey (a young queen and friend) and JS are also trying to convince their parents to let them go to the same school. Lucivar agrees to let Titian go if she can create a shield that can last long enough for help to come. Titian is dismayed because she doesn't believe she can do it but with Lucivar's, Daemonar's and Jillian's help she gets it done. We have no idea what worries Daemon and Surreal might have about JS being away from home (though she's not far). We have no idea if they spoke to her about any short comings she may face. Later, Daemonar also enrolls to keep an eye on Titian.
Daemon comes across a tangled web Tersa spun that wasn't destroyed properly. He sees a vision he doesn't remember but it causes the Sadist to chase Daemonar. It was Daemonar's first time meeting the Sadist. Lucivar explains things to Daemonar. He tells his son about the origins of the Sadist and the effects of the Ring of Obedience.
At school JS befriends a group of older popular girls. Two of the girls are named Hespera and Delora. They are cruel and manipulative and, are they are responsible for breaking and killing witches but JS doesn't know this. Lucivar and Daemon are on the lookout for signs that something may be amiss. They're keen enough to notice that JS' new friends are up to no good but they say nothing even after they begin to influence JS for the worse. JS stops talking to Titian and Zoey and only cares about fitting in with the coven of malice (that's what the other students at the school call JS' group of friends).
JS visits Tersa and Mikal and sees that there are new Sceltie puppies. She reflects on her mistakes with Morghann and longs for another chance to have a Sceltie friend. She realises that her friends would probably be a bad influence on a Sceltie and she probably wouldn't get one if she's not trusted to be a good influence.
JS starts distancing herself from her friends and attempts to reconnect with Titian and Zoey. When the coven sees that their hold on JS is weakening they punish her by telling her Surreal used to be a whore. This is to embarass JS as embarassment is how they maintain control over JS. JS rushes home and fights with Surreal. She tell Surreal that she is not her real mother. This crushes Surreal so much that she loses all motherly love for JS. The bond is never repaired.
Daemon steps in as he thinks it's finally time he meets his daughter's friends. Daemon calls Delora Dorothea and goes cold. JS freaks out because her father is embarassing her. She thinks it might be a sign he's having a mental slip as she had recently learnt Daemon was once in the Twisted Kingdom. JS called Daemonar for help. When she voices her concern Daemonar flips as he thinks JS is trivializing something serious. He thinks JS is willfully disregarding the significance of Daemon calling one of her friends Dorothea because there's no way she could not know the stories the family has shared.
This is one of the biggest problems with the story. Everyone trivializes JS' feelings and assumes she knows better but it chosing to act the way she behaves. No one helps or nurtures her. No one corrects her. She's made to learn everything the hard way.
At this point of the story pulling JS to the side and re-explaining things to her as well as telling her the truth about her parents and her lineage would have been a good idea but that doesn't happen. Even telling JS not to hang out with those girls and noting their psychic scent would have been a good thing but that doesn't happen. So JS carries on as if nothing serious happened. JS is the only older SaDiablo kid who doesn't know anything about her father. Titian knows he's the High Lord and Daemonar knows about the Sadist. They both understand just how dangerous Daemon is but to JS Daemon is just her weird papa who doesn't let her have any fun.
The coven isn't done with JS and they're mad at one of Zoey's friends so they tell JS a fake rumour in hopes she'll spread it. JS tells Titian and Zoey but before the rumour can get any further Daemonar overhears JS and reports to Choasti. Choasti holds a mock official trial to show JS the consequences of her actions had the rumour gotten out. The purpose of the rumour was to make JS the source of a serious accusation which would have ruined her reputation once traced back to her.
I was actually okay with this scene. Chaosti seemed fair in his judgement. He tried to get JS to think before she speaks. I imagine this is what Daemon has been trying to do with her but has failed.
Daemonar tells JS he misses the old her and he doesn't like the new her. That wakes JS up a bit.
Hepera and Delora "convince" JS to host a slumber party with Zoey and her friends. They claim they want to make peace with the girls. JS doesn't like feeling like she's in the middle so she thinks it'd be good if all her friends got along. JS lies to Daemon about the party but he agrees to let her host it so he can finally have the evidence he needs to bury Hespera and Delora.
The girls show up to the party. A few stay behind at school as they have started their moontime and don't want to be in a house they have never been in. The girls flaunt their control over JS right infront Daemon's face. It's all like reading something out of the pod people. Anything they ask JS to do, she does. If she says no they just urge her to ask again. Daemon doesn't probe to see if his daughter is under a compulsion spell or something though she kinda acts like she is.
Hespera and Delora stall the party to spike the food with saffromate. They intend on breaking Zoey right under Daemon's nose. Daemon gets a message saying that the school for orphans he and JA started centuries ago are under attack. He intends to take the girls back but lets them stay after JS promises to take responsiblity for the party and to follow Beale's instructions. Daemon leaves.
More pod people moments follow as JS immediately breaks her word to let boys stay at the party. I don't get it. JS has nothing to gain and everything to lose. It's never explained what exactly the coven does for her. She wants to fit in but that motive doesn't justify the level of stupidity that happens.
From there things go the way you'd expect. Zoeys eats the food and becomes sick. Titian guesses that it's tainted so she vanishes it. Suddenly there are a million servants ready to fight despite there being no one to supervise the food earlier. The SaDiablo Hall goes on lockdown.
The boys try to rape Zoey. JS is suddenly surprised. She truly didn't see any of this coming. She begs Hespera's and Delora to stop because she still refuses to believe they're as bad as everyone else believes. When they refuse JS uses Twilight's Dawn to shield until help arrives.
The scene with the shield is pretty cool. It's the only time we see Twilight's Dawn in action in the whole series! It's also the only time where we see JS using craft. I wish we had gotten to see more. The coven manage to break Daemonar's shield which begs the question, "how strong are these kids?" Bishop never specifies and since they don't seem to fear darker jeweled Blood, I assume they wear darker jewels themselves.
Daemon returns to clean house and the news that he is the High Lord is finally revealed to everyone. He confines JS to her room while he handles business killing various adults from the school but the fate coven's family is never explicitly mentioned. Clearly those kids didn't get these ideas on their own but that is never touched on.
Surreal shows up and tells JS (with no empathy) that she might be broken or even die for her part in the events that took place. Outraged queens demand that everyone in the coven be executed, including JS. Daemon's heart breaks as he realises he can't kill his only child so he asks JA for help.
JA takes all surviving the members of the coven to the Misty Place. She puts them in Briarwood. They have 72hrs to make it out or they'll die. The more harm they did the longer it will take for them to make it out. JS makes it out with time as she didn't do much. Her biggest mistake was aggreeing to host the party.
In the Misty place the two Jeanelles meet for the first time since JS' Birthright ceremony. JS confesses to feeling overshadowed and burdened by JA's reputation and just wanted a chance to make a life of her own. Everyone kept comparing her to JA and expecting her to do great things. JA slaps her down in a petty manner.
Even JA could have helped guide JS as she had been privately tutoring Daemonar for months now. A simple visit when JS was younger could have helped her so much. JA breaks JS back to Purple Dusk and tells her she's forfeited the chance to ever where the Grey but she might wear the Green if she plays her cards right.
JS wakes up. Beale is cold and distant. What was said can't be unsaid, their relationship is forever broken and only professional. Daemon and JS hug and cry. A few other members of the coven awake but die shortly after. The Blood are outraged when they learn of JS' fate as they think she hasn't suffered enough. They plan to kill her but JA declares the debt is paid. The Blood now knows JA is back.
The Blood wants Daemon to house and school their kids but they can no longer trust his daughter. He agrees to send JS away for the sake of the other children. JA decides to give him a daughter of the heart (Zoey) to replace JS. It's supposed to be sweet but it's sickening. Daemon treats his daughter as if she's replaceable.
The book ends with Daemon telling Lucivar he'll die sooner than expected because of the injuries he sustained during the last book. Once he dies he'll be able to live with JA again who promises to become corpreal when that happens. We as the readers are suppose to infer that Surreal will then be able to split from Daemon and even remarry and have kids if she wants. As if this is a happy ending.
JA tells Surreal to tell JS about her being descended from Dorothea so no one could use it to hurt her. This is something that should have been done from the beginning of the book.
JS gets banned from Ebon Askavi and her home city meaning she can't live at the Hall or the town house. She goes to live in Halaway with Surreal at a school for broken girls as further punishment from JA.
The book ends and I cry as I think of how lonely the next few decades or centuries will be for JS. How will Winsol work? How long will it take her family to forgive her? All the kids at the new school must know why JS isn't with them. They're the future leaders of the various territories through our Kealeer. I highly doubt she'd every truly be welcomed anywhere despite what Witch says. Everyone will remember her. She'll never be truly trusted. The book ends with the implication that JS now has no mother, no father, no friends, no family and no future. All because no one ever cared about her enough to ensure she became a good person.
It seems to me that there needs to be at least one more book to finish the story but I dread the day that book is written. I think everyone's suffered enough. To me the only logical thing for JS to do is to runaway after her Virgin Night without telling anyone. She should go to Terreille by using an alter away from the Keep and hide, never seeing or speaking to her so-called family again.
The relationship JS has with her family is pretty toxic. They leave her on her own a lot and wonder why it's always a power struggle with her. JS is clearly emotionally immature because her emotional needs haven't been met. Surreal had the audacity to be upset at JS' words but she's been calling her own daughter a bitch since the girl was a young child. Daemon seems too preoccupied with JA to be a good husband or father.
Sometimes Daemonar came off as as a bit of an ass to JS but Titian is his sister and he's not much older than the girls so I don't blame him too much. I can't help but to think JS would have done better if Lucivar was her father. Daemon and Surreal think they failed JS because they sheltered her too much but the irony is they didn't shelter her at all.
Speaking of alters...this is the 11th book in the series and we still haven't gotten a priestess MC or much insight into the lives and duties of a priestess.
----
Jeanelle Satien joins the list of characters victimised by Bishop's writing. Also on the list are Surreal, Falonar and Theran. The Queen's Weapons relies too heavily and the reader's background knowledge of the series as well readers assuming things. Bishop isn't known for her subtly which really hurts the story as it goes along. There were several plot points that could have been connected to make a stronger story but instead was just left to float.
Also, I can't stand JA. I think she's an OP Mary Sue that stalls the stories she's in and her dying was the best thing to happen to the series. Bishop insists on bringing her back to the detriment of the story and its characters as well as the lore of the world.
In the Queen of Darkness we learnt that there have been several incarnations of Witch and she doesn't always come in human form or wear the Black. In a way, it seemed like Witch was more a role than a specific person. I thought that would have been a fun concept to play with in future books. What does the continued existence of JA mean for the lore of Witch?
In the last book Bishop destroyed Surreal and Daemon's marriage and this book she destroyed JS and her jewel because only JA is allowed be special. Darkness forbid another character is well liked or seen as more important! It was all very upsetting to read. I think this book has officially turned me off from the whole series which is a shame because I actually like the magical system and I really wanted to learn more about how the world works. I think this world would do better if it had a better writer who cared about telling a good story and creating complex characters that readers can find joy in exploring.
I don't recommend this book but if you do want to read it I'd recommend borrowing it from a friend or the library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2021
The Black Jewels series is not for the faint of heart. If you have a hot button of any kind, it will push them. While books later in the series are tamer than the original trilogy, they still have their fair share of trigger material in them.
The Queen’s Weapons has a few pacing issues but overall, it is another great story in a land that is full of magical peoples and creatures. Enough time has passed that some of the shorter-lived races are forgetting all the horror of the past when one cruel Queen ruined so many lives. There are some who believe the old ways should come back and they are trying to sneak them back into existance.
Daemonar, Lucivar and Daemon will have to be the blood triangle warriors for witch and be patient hunters until this new threat can be found.
Like all the other books in this world I had a hard time putting this down. It was fun to watch the kids growing up and into their own. Some will turn out great while others will have some harder lessons to learn. Jaenelle drove me crazy in this book. She has become an even bigger spoiled brat and since the High Lord of Hell is her father, she will have some very hard lessons to learn.
But Tishen and Daemonar are entertaining and I liked seeing how they are developing going into adulthood.
Daemon and Surreal, well if you read all the books it was probably hard to see Daemon with anyone other than Witch. Still there is tension in the marriage they have and it is a strange one but they finally have found some balance. I was happy with a few revelations made about Daemon and Witch and what they might be to one another once again someday.
Overall another captivating story setting up a new generation of the Blood and how they will continue to work to keep Dhemlan’s people safe. Sataen is probably rolling over in his grave laughing at his son and the way history can repeat itself.
The Queen’s Weapons has a few pacing issues but overall, it is another great story in a land that is full of magical peoples and creatures. Enough time has passed that some of the shorter-lived races are forgetting all the horror of the past when one cruel Queen ruined so many lives. There are some who believe the old ways should come back and they are trying to sneak them back into existance.
“If the High Lord hesitates, if he does not shape his rage into a blade for slaughter, a witch like Dorothea SaDiablo will rise in Dhemlan and spread her particular kind of poison, will sink her roots into the hearts of Dhemlan’s people. Another like Dorothea will gain enough power and support to corrupt and then destroy.”
Daemonar, Lucivar and Daemon will have to be the blood triangle warriors for witch and be patient hunters until this new threat can be found.
Like all the other books in this world I had a hard time putting this down. It was fun to watch the kids growing up and into their own. Some will turn out great while others will have some harder lessons to learn. Jaenelle drove me crazy in this book. She has become an even bigger spoiled brat and since the High Lord of Hell is her father, she will have some very hard lessons to learn.
“You grew up at the Hall, loved and protected by two of the strongest people in the Realm. Daemon and Surreal let you explore, they let you learn—and they always kept you safe. That was your childhood. Briarwood was mine.”
But Tishen and Daemonar are entertaining and I liked seeing how they are developing going into adulthood.
Daemon and Surreal, well if you read all the books it was probably hard to see Daemon with anyone other than Witch. Still there is tension in the marriage they have and it is a strange one but they finally have found some balance. I was happy with a few revelations made about Daemon and Witch and what they might be to one another once again someday.
Overall another captivating story setting up a new generation of the Blood and how they will continue to work to keep Dhemlan’s people safe. Sataen is probably rolling over in his grave laughing at his son and the way history can repeat itself.
May 15, 2021
Anne Bishop has the ability to write the most ridiculously over-the-top cracktastic fluff mixed with EXTREMELY f*d up dark-emo-goth-problematic-central drama and somehow make it incredibly addictive even though:
(a) there's usually very little plot
(b) characters & dialogue have all the subtlety of sledgehammers
(b) aforementioned extremely f*d up-ed-ness. There's ALWAYS some incest/pseudoincest, rape, and child abuse. Sometimes all three at once.
This book is kind of a rehash of the original trilogy in some ways (seriously, the two main villains are called Dolora and Hepsomethingarather. Original naming is not the series' strong point).
I'm torn on this one because I did read it all in one sitting (hey, don't judge; these books are addictive crack) and I really enjoyed all of the bits with Lucivar's family. His firstborn, Daemonar, is my new fave. About half the scenes are about Lucivar and his kids.
BUT
About half the scenes are about Daemon's family, and I feel like I see this plotline very, very differently to how the book tries to sell it. What I came away feeling was that Daemon and Surreal are just the absolute worst parents, and it's really, really, depressing see how they utterly fail their only child.
Rant incoming!
Being named after Witch, Jaenelle Saetien (JS) is understandably desperate to be reassured that she's good enough just as herself. At every turn, she's pretty much told she's not worthy of attention, and that everything she does Witch already did except better. No one tries to guide her or cares deeply about her feelings - they just tell her off, give her no information about the world or her parents, and expect her to magically intuit how she ought to behave, with a side serving of "why can't you just be More Like Witch?"
Every attempt to push boundaries with her parents is clearly an insecure girl's cry for reassurance, and JS never, ever gets it. This is in contrast to Lucivar's children, who are fussed over, respected, and actually told important information about their parents and the world. JS is literally the last to know what her own father really is.
JS's 'crimes', such as they are, are literally:
1. Insulting her mother.
This happens after JS finds out shocking information about Surreal's past in the most alienating way possible (which says more about her parents than her. Why on earth did Surreal and Daemon (a) not tell their kid about this earlier and (b) raise her to think badly of sex workers in the first place???). The insult is also a pretty typically teenage lashing out.
2. Ditching her old friends for the new cool-kid crowd when they enrol at the posh school.
Who, we later learn, were deliberately targeting her insecurities to manipulate her into doing exactly this. It's very telling that the Villains notice JS's core fear in a way that none of the Good Guys ever do.
3. Inviting the school friends she desperately wants to impress into her house without permission.
She's partly driven by a desire to try to fix the hostile relationship between her new friends and her old ones. Of course, it turns out that her new friends are evil incarnate and once inside the house try to rape and kill everyone, but honestly JS couldn't have known that they were more than garden variety 'mean girls' because her parents told her absolutely nothing about what was going on at this point.
4. Insulting the butler who she has known since childhood.
Again, due to wanting to appear 'cool' to her new friends. Not a nice thing to do, but not exactly a shocking piece of teenage acting out.
Her punishment for these crimes? Which the book tries to sell as 'justice'
- loses her special jewel and gets demoted to a lower power level.
- her father chooses a new daughter, effectively.
- her mother disowns her.
- JS gets forced to endure the trauma suffered by the rape victims of her Evil Friends. Not just once, but nightly.
- gets thrown out of her home. Meanwhile, her father's new adopted daughter moves in.
- loses all her old friends and also isn't allowed to go visit them and apologise.
Witch is particularly unsympathetic in this book, because when JS finally admits what was driving her, Witch basically says "you don't get to have feelings because worse things happened to me."
I still miss Saetan. He was my favourite character in the original trilogy and it's never been quite the same without him.
I feel like the book was trying to convince me that Daemon is New Saetan But Cooler, but he's just not. For one thing, Saetan was eleventy billion times better at handling his Emotionally Challenging Daughter than Daemon has proven.
(a) there's usually very little plot
(b) characters & dialogue have all the subtlety of sledgehammers
(b) aforementioned extremely f*d up-ed-ness. There's ALWAYS some incest/pseudoincest, rape, and child abuse. Sometimes all three at once.
This book is kind of a rehash of the original trilogy in some ways (seriously, the two main villains are called Dolora and Hepsomethingarather. Original naming is not the series' strong point).
I'm torn on this one because I did read it all in one sitting (hey, don't judge; these books are addictive crack) and I really enjoyed all of the bits with Lucivar's family. His firstborn, Daemonar, is my new fave. About half the scenes are about Lucivar and his kids.
BUT
About half the scenes are about Daemon's family, and I feel like I see this plotline very, very differently to how the book tries to sell it. What I came away feeling was that Daemon and Surreal are just the absolute worst parents, and it's really, really, depressing see how they utterly fail their only child.
Rant incoming!
Being named after Witch, Jaenelle Saetien (JS) is understandably desperate to be reassured that she's good enough just as herself. At every turn, she's pretty much told she's not worthy of attention, and that everything she does Witch already did except better. No one tries to guide her or cares deeply about her feelings - they just tell her off, give her no information about the world or her parents, and expect her to magically intuit how she ought to behave, with a side serving of "why can't you just be More Like Witch?"
Every attempt to push boundaries with her parents is clearly an insecure girl's cry for reassurance, and JS never, ever gets it. This is in contrast to Lucivar's children, who are fussed over, respected, and actually told important information about their parents and the world. JS is literally the last to know what her own father really is.
JS's 'crimes', such as they are, are literally:
1. Insulting her mother.
This happens after JS finds out shocking information about Surreal's past in the most alienating way possible (which says more about her parents than her. Why on earth did Surreal and Daemon (a) not tell their kid about this earlier and (b) raise her to think badly of sex workers in the first place???). The insult is also a pretty typically teenage lashing out.
2. Ditching her old friends for the new cool-kid crowd when they enrol at the posh school.
Who, we later learn, were deliberately targeting her insecurities to manipulate her into doing exactly this. It's very telling that the Villains notice JS's core fear in a way that none of the Good Guys ever do.
3. Inviting the school friends she desperately wants to impress into her house without permission.
She's partly driven by a desire to try to fix the hostile relationship between her new friends and her old ones. Of course, it turns out that her new friends are evil incarnate and once inside the house try to rape and kill everyone, but honestly JS couldn't have known that they were more than garden variety 'mean girls' because her parents told her absolutely nothing about what was going on at this point.
4. Insulting the butler who she has known since childhood.
Again, due to wanting to appear 'cool' to her new friends. Not a nice thing to do, but not exactly a shocking piece of teenage acting out.
Her punishment for these crimes? Which the book tries to sell as 'justice'
- loses her special jewel and gets demoted to a lower power level.
- her father chooses a new daughter, effectively.
- her mother disowns her.
- JS gets forced to endure the trauma suffered by the rape victims of her Evil Friends. Not just once, but nightly.
- gets thrown out of her home. Meanwhile, her father's new adopted daughter moves in.
- loses all her old friends and also isn't allowed to go visit them and apologise.
Witch is particularly unsympathetic in this book, because when JS finally admits what was driving her, Witch basically says "you don't get to have feelings because worse things happened to me."
I still miss Saetan. He was my favourite character in the original trilogy and it's never been quite the same without him.
I feel like the book was trying to convince me that Daemon is New Saetan But Cooler, but he's just not. For one thing, Saetan was eleventy billion times better at handling his Emotionally Challenging Daughter than Daemon has proven.
March 17, 2021
I love Anne Bishop's books. And this was, as usual, very well written. However, in the continuity of the series, I just don't buy it.
I simply don't believe that the lovable, mischievous Jaenelle Saetian grew up to be this... malleable. Nor do I believe that she doesn't know that they don't come any more aristo than her extended family.
Also, much as I loved the original Jeanelle, she's become a deus ex machina. She really should be gone.
I simply don't believe that the lovable, mischievous Jaenelle Saetian grew up to be this... malleable. Nor do I believe that she doesn't know that they don't come any more aristo than her extended family.
Also, much as I loved the original Jeanelle, she's become a deus ex machina. She really should be gone.
March 12, 2021
Whew, I have a LOT of thoughts. Feeling a little like Tersa.
Before I go any further, I'm just going to put this out here: Daemon, Lucivar and the long lived races are PoC coded. That's how I've always seen them and that's just how it is.
I am always glad to return to the world of the Black Jewels. Granted this series is dark fantasy, but it also reads like a family saga, spanning centuries. I stayed up all night last night because - as the kids say - shit was about to get real.
On the home turf.
Very. Bad. Idea.
You. Gonna. Die.
Horribly.
One of the many things I love about this series is how these absolute badass heroes - Daemon and Lucivar - who have little to no qualms putting massive hurt on their enemies - are also positively FLUSTERED by the very women and young men they've sworn to serve and protect with their lives. Even a Queen with a lower-ranked jewel will have these two running for help (and cover). I also love how deeply caring they are to each other. Yes, that one scene where Lucivar dances with The Sadist was sexy, yet really not. It was powerful in a way few authors could pull off without turning into sibcest (not that there probably isn't a slew of Daemon/Lucivar slash fic...don't look at me like that, you know you wanna see it too lol). What I mean is the unfailing trust these brothers have in each other really jumps out. Lucivar is willing to do what it takes to protect Daemon (and the rest of the world) from that dark and dangerous aspect of him which almost destroyed him and which could wreck untold havoc. These two have each other's backs.
It was great to see Karla again - "kiss kiss". Out of the original Queens she was my favorite because she was just so unfazed by both Daemon and Lucivar. Oh and Miriam just stays lovingly domestic. I loved her too.
The focus however, is on the younger generation of SaDiablo/Yaslana children - Jaenelle Saetien, Daemonar and Titian - how do you find your place in the world when your parents/relatives are living history and myth? How do you live up to that? What do others expect from you?
Unfortunately for the three - that burden will inflict deep wounds that only time can heal. If that.
I actually felt kind of sorry for Jaenelle Saetien. She's a typical adolescent in very atypical surroundings and feeling burdened by her name, trying live up to a living myth and finding a place for herself. I get why Surreal named her after the two people she loved, but the expectations and sense of not measuring up. Oh yes, she was still a bitch on two feet, especially the way she totally disrespected her mother in the worst way possible. Unfortunately her bout of teenage rebellion was to have very dire consequences for a lot of people and an entire realm.
The way Witch actually handled a later conversation between them came off as somewhat dismissive, though given the circumstances, Jaenelle Saetien didn't quite deserve grace.
But...
Okay, I'm just going to say it
WHY DID SURREAL GET HIJACKED???
I know why, and I'm salty as all hell about it.
If ANYONE could dance with The Sadist - besides Witch and Lucivar - it was that tart tongued Dea al Mon assassin. Yet, in order to make room for Jaenelle Angelline (whom I love by the way), Surreal had to be turned into a heroine I really don't recognize anymore, and that's SAD. She and Daemon have a history before Witch, and they understand each other (or at least they DID). I was really looking forward to Surreal staring Daemon straight in the eye and say "bring it on, Sadist." I honestly think her doing so would have taken nothing from his devotion to Jaenelle Angelline, his Queen and Witch. But I guess Bishop had to give the Daemon/Jaenelle fans their twu wuv pairing which frankly is a huge disservice to a series that kind of broke the mold in some ways.
Holt, Beale and Mrs. Beale: I am thrilled that these important stalwarts of The Keep finally have their chances to shine. And all respect for Mrs. Beale and her cleaver...do NOT mess with her.
Seriously.
Do. Not. Come. Into. Her. Kitchen.
Daemonar is going to make one heck of a Warlord Prince. Unlike his father, he doesn't have all the emotional and physical scars. He's a pain in the ass big brother who always comes through, though I wanted to kick him in the backside for his initial reaction to discovering his sister Titian was a lesbian. I'm so glad his father set his winged ass straight (no pun intended).
The baddies: I. Don't. Know. In trying to bring back the bad old days, this group of teen delinquents really needed some guidance. They were the weakest part of the book because they were so unsubtle, annoying, trying too hard and missing all the signs. Not to mention giving them the initials of the original Queens of Mean was meh. We never really got to see how they managed to amass that kind of hold and inflict the kind of damage they were able to. And what about their parents. Still, their ages presented a quandary for the protectors of the realm when it came time for punishment, though they all knew and had lived through the end result of bad Queens. Age is no excuse for cruelty.
I've heard around social media book world that this might be the last Black Jewels novel and I'm hoping maybe not. On the other hand, when an author grows tired of their creation and only churns out books to fulfill their contract obligations or for the cash, the quality goes WAY DOWN (stares at SK and LKH). I'd be more than happy for another short story anthology collection like Dreams Made Flesh.
Before I go any further, I'm just going to put this out here: Daemon, Lucivar and the long lived races are PoC coded. That's how I've always seen them and that's just how it is.
I am always glad to return to the world of the Black Jewels. Granted this series is dark fantasy, but it also reads like a family saga, spanning centuries. I stayed up all night last night because - as the kids say - shit was about to get real.
On the home turf.
Very. Bad. Idea.
You. Gonna. Die.
Horribly.
One of the many things I love about this series is how these absolute badass heroes - Daemon and Lucivar - who have little to no qualms putting massive hurt on their enemies - are also positively FLUSTERED by the very women and young men they've sworn to serve and protect with their lives. Even a Queen with a lower-ranked jewel will have these two running for help (and cover). I also love how deeply caring they are to each other. Yes, that one scene where Lucivar dances with The Sadist was sexy, yet really not. It was powerful in a way few authors could pull off without turning into sibcest (not that there probably isn't a slew of Daemon/Lucivar slash fic...don't look at me like that, you know you wanna see it too lol). What I mean is the unfailing trust these brothers have in each other really jumps out. Lucivar is willing to do what it takes to protect Daemon (and the rest of the world) from that dark and dangerous aspect of him which almost destroyed him and which could wreck untold havoc. These two have each other's backs.
It was great to see Karla again - "kiss kiss". Out of the original Queens she was my favorite because she was just so unfazed by both Daemon and Lucivar. Oh and Miriam just stays lovingly domestic. I loved her too.
The focus however, is on the younger generation of SaDiablo/Yaslana children - Jaenelle Saetien, Daemonar and Titian - how do you find your place in the world when your parents/relatives are living history and myth? How do you live up to that? What do others expect from you?
Unfortunately for the three - that burden will inflict deep wounds that only time can heal. If that.
I actually felt kind of sorry for Jaenelle Saetien. She's a typical adolescent in very atypical surroundings and feeling burdened by her name, trying live up to a living myth and finding a place for herself. I get why Surreal named her after the two people she loved, but the expectations and sense of not measuring up. Oh yes, she was still a bitch on two feet, especially the way she totally disrespected her mother in the worst way possible. Unfortunately her bout of teenage rebellion was to have very dire consequences for a lot of people and an entire realm.
The way Witch actually handled a later conversation between them came off as somewhat dismissive, though given the circumstances, Jaenelle Saetien didn't quite deserve grace.
But...
Okay, I'm just going to say it
WHY DID SURREAL GET HIJACKED???
I know why, and I'm salty as all hell about it.
If ANYONE could dance with The Sadist - besides Witch and Lucivar - it was that tart tongued Dea al Mon assassin. Yet, in order to make room for Jaenelle Angelline (whom I love by the way), Surreal had to be turned into a heroine I really don't recognize anymore, and that's SAD. She and Daemon have a history before Witch, and they understand each other (or at least they DID). I was really looking forward to Surreal staring Daemon straight in the eye and say "bring it on, Sadist." I honestly think her doing so would have taken nothing from his devotion to Jaenelle Angelline, his Queen and Witch. But I guess Bishop had to give the Daemon/Jaenelle fans their twu wuv pairing which frankly is a huge disservice to a series that kind of broke the mold in some ways.
Holt, Beale and Mrs. Beale: I am thrilled that these important stalwarts of The Keep finally have their chances to shine. And all respect for Mrs. Beale and her cleaver...do NOT mess with her.
Seriously.
Do. Not. Come. Into. Her. Kitchen.
Daemonar is going to make one heck of a Warlord Prince. Unlike his father, he doesn't have all the emotional and physical scars. He's a pain in the ass big brother who always comes through, though I wanted to kick him in the backside for his initial reaction to discovering his sister Titian was a lesbian. I'm so glad his father set his winged ass straight (no pun intended).
The baddies: I. Don't. Know. In trying to bring back the bad old days, this group of teen delinquents really needed some guidance. They were the weakest part of the book because they were so unsubtle, annoying, trying too hard and missing all the signs. Not to mention giving them the initials of the original Queens of Mean was meh. We never really got to see how they managed to amass that kind of hold and inflict the kind of damage they were able to. And what about their parents. Still, their ages presented a quandary for the protectors of the realm when it came time for punishment, though they all knew and had lived through the end result of bad Queens. Age is no excuse for cruelty.
I've heard around social media book world that this might be the last Black Jewels novel and I'm hoping maybe not. On the other hand, when an author grows tired of their creation and only churns out books to fulfill their contract obligations or for the cash, the quality goes WAY DOWN (stares at SK and LKH). I'd be more than happy for another short story anthology collection like Dreams Made Flesh.
March 23, 2021
3.5 stars
Well, I suspected after the previous book, but I’m sure now: Black Jewels joins the list of series that I would have preferred stayed finished - at least in regards to these characters. Twilight’s Dawn is gut-wrenching, and maybe not every reader’s favorite ending, but at least it felt final, and hopeful and consistent with where the saga was heading.
The last two books felt like suddenly a decision was made to have another ending, and the plot and characters bent themselves into a weird shape to make it happen. Just to be clear, I’m not sure that is accurate, it’s just my perception.
All of a sudden, two characters I’d liked became almost unbearable. The sensual undertones of the series went in directions that sometimes made me uncomfortable. There was just a “why” in my mind a lot of the time..
Still, I will always love Anne Bishop’s writing. I will always like Daemon and crew, so I did enjoy all the character moments, and interactions, and all the small glimpses into the world and how it changed and stayed the same from book 1. Also, even with 500+ pages, I couldn’t stop reading!
I just hope Anne Bishop chooses to focus on other stories next.
Well, I suspected after the previous book, but I’m sure now: Black Jewels joins the list of series that I would have preferred stayed finished - at least in regards to these characters. Twilight’s Dawn is gut-wrenching, and maybe not every reader’s favorite ending, but at least it felt final, and hopeful and consistent with where the saga was heading.
The last two books felt like suddenly a decision was made to have another ending, and the plot and characters bent themselves into a weird shape to make it happen. Just to be clear, I’m not sure that is accurate, it’s just my perception.
All of a sudden, two characters I’d liked became almost unbearable. The sensual undertones of the series went in directions that sometimes made me uncomfortable. There was just a “why” in my mind a lot of the time..
Still, I will always love Anne Bishop’s writing. I will always like Daemon and crew, so I did enjoy all the character moments, and interactions, and all the small glimpses into the world and how it changed and stayed the same from book 1. Also, even with 500+ pages, I couldn’t stop reading!
I just hope Anne Bishop chooses to focus on other stories next.
March 22, 2021
Did not finish. Stopped at 7%.
I honestly didn't think anything could get worse than the last book where Surreal is basically psychically drugged by Daemon's psychic heat into engaging in sexual activity she didn't want. Where Surreal is then treated as a villain because she was continuing to be psychically drugged and couldn't handle it. Where she was then victim-blamed because of what her fear did to Daemon. Then to have it changed into her actually having liked it.
Yeah, she acted like a rape victim after, literally felt like she was being tormented and tortured, but...no...she liked it.
I didn't think it could get any worse than that.
Yet, somehow this book pulled off a miracle and was worse!
In the first 7% of the book, we find out that Lucivar looks down on Surreal because of the previous book's events. Heck, Surreal looks down on herself and now, and apparently, it wasn't that she didn't like what had happened...she was just afraid of true commitment to her's and Daemon's marriage.
Still, nobody feeling anything about Surreal being a victim. Still Surreal being the bad guy.
If I didn't know better, I would honestly wonder if these books were written by the same person who wrote the original trilogy. Sadly, they are, though.
And it is incredibly sad how the series has gone from treating victims of all kinds of sexual assault with the respect the subject deserves, to a character being sexually assaulted and then gaslit and victim-blamed.
I honestly didn't think anything could get worse than the last book where Surreal is basically psychically drugged by Daemon's psychic heat into engaging in sexual activity she didn't want. Where Surreal is then treated as a villain because she was continuing to be psychically drugged and couldn't handle it. Where she was then victim-blamed because of what her fear did to Daemon. Then to have it changed into her actually having liked it.
Yeah, she acted like a rape victim after, literally felt like she was being tormented and tortured, but...no...she liked it.
I didn't think it could get any worse than that.
Yet, somehow this book pulled off a miracle and was worse!
In the first 7% of the book, we find out that Lucivar looks down on Surreal because of the previous book's events. Heck, Surreal looks down on herself and now, and apparently, it wasn't that she didn't like what had happened...she was just afraid of true commitment to her's and Daemon's marriage.
Still, nobody feeling anything about Surreal being a victim. Still Surreal being the bad guy.
If I didn't know better, I would honestly wonder if these books were written by the same person who wrote the original trilogy. Sadly, they are, though.
And it is incredibly sad how the series has gone from treating victims of all kinds of sexual assault with the respect the subject deserves, to a character being sexually assaulted and then gaslit and victim-blamed.
March 11, 2021
Jaenelle Satien was a sparkle princess in the short stories, and I think we all disliked her. But the character massacre that happened in this book to paint a scared, manipulated child as a monster instead of a teenager desperate to find a place in the world and her parents' attention and affection is appalling. The peak of this was Daemon Sadi asking JS to her face how much of her honor she whored for a Dorothea knock-off, as if he wouldn't recognize abuse, gaslighting, and manipulation.
Well, maybe he wouldn't, since he clearly doesn't give a damn about his daughter.
Well, maybe he wouldn't, since he clearly doesn't give a damn about his daughter.
February 4, 2021
History has this strange habit of repeating itself. However, there are some who want to keep that from happening again.
The story centers on Daemonar Yaslana – Lucivar’s firstborn – transitioning into a Warlord Prince. He has the promise to be just as deadly as his father and uncle. However, the new taint in their world puts him to the test.
It also focuses on Jaenelle Saetien – Daemon and Surreal’s daughter. For most of the book, I really could not stand her, which disappointed me. I had such high hopes for her character because A) she’s Daemon’s daughter and B) She bears the name Jaenelle.
I understand some of her reasons for acting out. It is always difficult and stressful living in another’s shadow. She just wanted something only she stood out on. Unfortunately, Jaenelle the Second chose the wrong path. Though, my feelings towards her started to change when she reformed on her own.
I wish Witch would have interacted with the girl more. In some ways, I understand why she did not.
I really did not care for Zoey’s character. It just felt like she was a watered down Jaenelle Angelline. So it fell flat with me. She annoyed me just as much as Jaenelle the Second.
Daemon made the book for me. His behavior reminded me of the first trilogy. He is just as sensual and deadly as his younger years, with a little more bite. It still jarred me that he and Surreal are married. I could never back that pairing. I feel Surreal got the short end on that. She deserved someone to love her whole heartedly.
Asides the few nitpicks, the book really captured me. I stayed up long into the night to read more, even knowing I had work in the morning. I just had to find out what happened.
The story centers on Daemonar Yaslana – Lucivar’s firstborn – transitioning into a Warlord Prince. He has the promise to be just as deadly as his father and uncle. However, the new taint in their world puts him to the test.
It also focuses on Jaenelle Saetien – Daemon and Surreal’s daughter. For most of the book, I really could not stand her, which disappointed me. I had such high hopes for her character because A) she’s Daemon’s daughter and B) She bears the name Jaenelle.
I understand some of her reasons for acting out. It is always difficult and stressful living in another’s shadow. She just wanted something only she stood out on. Unfortunately, Jaenelle the Second chose the wrong path. Though, my feelings towards her started to change when she reformed on her own.
I wish Witch would have interacted with the girl more. In some ways, I understand why she did not.
I really did not care for Zoey’s character. It just felt like she was a watered down Jaenelle Angelline. So it fell flat with me. She annoyed me just as much as Jaenelle the Second.
Daemon made the book for me. His behavior reminded me of the first trilogy. He is just as sensual and deadly as his younger years, with a little more bite. It still jarred me that he and Surreal are married. I could never back that pairing. I feel Surreal got the short end on that. She deserved someone to love her whole heartedly.
Asides the few nitpicks, the book really captured me. I stayed up long into the night to read more, even knowing I had work in the morning. I just had to find out what happened.
March 11, 2021
This book sucked fantastically hard. It was a massive betrayal of the spirit of the series. It was a degradation of the characters. It was despicable.
Don't bother with this part of the Black Jewels series. Let it end for you at Twilight's Dawn and pretend that this book and the one before it do not exist.
This is garbage.
Don't bother with this part of the Black Jewels series. Let it end for you at Twilight's Dawn and pretend that this book and the one before it do not exist.
This is garbage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2021
If you enjoy this review, please consider visiting my blog for more
As always, the Black Jewels series (and all of Anne Bishop’s work actually) is filled with content that might be better avoided if you dislike mentions of abuse—physical, sexual, animal, child, domestic or otherwise; racism, violence, or torture.
My apologies for this review. I usually try to keep them relatively spoiler-free, but the original Black Jewels trilogy are some of my favourite comfort reads, and I really don’t like where the story is heading. Because of that, there’s going to be some out-and-out judgements and comparisons (which I usually try to avoid) in this one, but as the plot is pretty expected anyway, with only a twist or two, there’s not really a completely spoiler-free way for me to give my opinion on this one. I’ll hide any explicit spoilers, but apologies in advance if some of the comparisons/criticisms I levy hint at events of the book.
I’ve realised why The Queen’s Bargain and The Queen’s Weapons are less enjoyable than The High Lord’s Daughter and the other short stories that are set after the initial trilogy. The main characters—Lucivar, Daemon and Surreal—have stopped evolving. In a short story, that’s fine. It seems like a treat for long-time fans of the series, a chance to revisit favourite characters. As a short story doesn’t give much chance for character development anyway, their lack of growth is what you want. In a book, it starts to feel stilted and cheesy, and really doesn’t leave much room for growth.
The Queen’s Weapons really seemed like a re-hashing of events from the original trilogy, almost like fan-fiction, right down to the villains having similar names. I love the original trilogy, despite its flaws; and I enjoyed the books about Cassidy and her court, despite the more rural, less high-fantasy stakes. So it’s not that I think the Realms should be in peril at the conclusion of every book, but I really think more could have been done with the next generation of SaDiablos and Yaslanas.
I did like the plot elements revolving around Lucivar’s children, and I’m glad Marian got some interests outside the home in this book. Just because she’s a hearth witch shouldn’t mean she’s a fifties housewife who only appears to dispense food and take care of the children/home. I was glad that Daemonar and Titian came into their own in this book, and I liked the new characters introduced as well, though I wish that their position hadn’t been ‘justified’ by a blood relation to formerly beloved characters. It reeks of nepotism and an insecurity about the strength of characterisation. ‘If you don’t like this character yet, you should know they’re the great-great-grandson of your fave! Eh?’
Not only does it make me start getting annoyed at the SaDiablos for hoarding wealth generationally and only apparently employing the same five families, it takes away from what was so satisfying about the original trilogy—having good people make good choices and eventually be surrounded by a found family and a world that reflects that; while the self-interested, abusive dictators die the (usually horrible) deaths that their choices lead to. It’s cathartic, it has sacrifice and loss, but the relationships and happy endings feel earned.
When you’re reading about the hottest, richest, most powerful people around running a full-blown sting on high-school students; the suffering in the meantime feels allowed, and the end result seems inevitable and doesn’t really have the same ability to drive tension and thus plot.
I also really hated how Teenagers are cruel and heartless, I used to be one, I remember. I also hated the idea that protecting your children from trauma apparently turns them into narcissistic monsters. While there definitely was reasons given throughout the book for Jaenelle Saetien’s behaviour, and Surreal and Daemon’s permissiveness of it, I got sick of the angst and the flimsy excuses pretty quickly. Again, a short story about an entitled brat, fine, parenting struggles are relatable to a lot of people. Much like the marriage difficulties of The Queen’s Bargain I wouldn’t relate to it or really enjoy it, but I can understand why it would be included. But an entire book of a child being held responsible for her crappy behaviour when her parents way of dealing with it is to seems like the book is written to justify or excuse crappy parenting.
I’m not excusing Jaenelle Saetien either. I’m unsure what exact human level of maturity she’s supposed to be, but if her peers are just starting to have relationships, I’d guess somewhere from thirteen to sixteen. Regardless, she really came off like an entitled child sometimes, and I really didn’t relate to her desires or choices either.
I was glad to see more LGB (no trans people so far, which I think is a shame, as the gendered magic and social system could be an interesting way to explore that) representation in this book, and I absolutely hated I’m glad that Surreal and Daemon sorted out their issues though, and even though I wish they both had a happier end, at least they’re both acting in character now.
The plot of The Queen’s Weapons was a bit unsatisfying, largely because of the unsubtle rehash of the first three (excellent) books, which is a shame. I really think there could have been a timely message about not becoming complacent, because bigotry and the normalisation of abuse can creep back into a society much faster than you’d imagine. Case in point, it hasn’t been a hundred years since world war two and we have freaking nazis back. I don’t think it’s unbelievable that corruption would creep back much faster than you might think. I do think it’d be ridiculous if a guy named Adilf Gitler and his buddies Jimmler and Mangle set themselves up in opposition to Winston Churchill’s and FDR’s grandchildren. That sounds like the plot of a crappy anime, and a cheapening of the forces that really lead to such dangerous sentiments.
The whole idea of bigotry, sexism, xenophobia, classism and other huge problems being so hard to fight (and impossible to wipe out completely) is that they’re easy excuses for behaviour we know is crappy, and corrupt figures of power spread and normalise that behaviour. Reducing it down to ‘some people/bloodlines are evil and some are good and cool’ treads pretty well over the line into the exact sort of prejudice advocated against in the original trilogy.
I’m not giving up on the Black Jewels series. I still think the original characters, and the upcoming generation (minus Jaenelle Saetien for the most part) are interesting, and will have fun, meaningful interactions with each other and the Black Jewels world. I think the magic and societal systems that have been set up are interesting and nuanced, with plenty of room to explore complex social and political problems. I just hope we get a few books without pointless angst, and with some original storylines.
As always, the Black Jewels series (and all of Anne Bishop’s work actually) is filled with content that might be better avoided if you dislike mentions of abuse—physical, sexual, animal, child, domestic or otherwise; racism, violence, or torture.
My apologies for this review. I usually try to keep them relatively spoiler-free, but the original Black Jewels trilogy are some of my favourite comfort reads, and I really don’t like where the story is heading. Because of that, there’s going to be some out-and-out judgements and comparisons (which I usually try to avoid) in this one, but as the plot is pretty expected anyway, with only a twist or two, there’s not really a completely spoiler-free way for me to give my opinion on this one. I’ll hide any explicit spoilers, but apologies in advance if some of the comparisons/criticisms I levy hint at events of the book.
I’ve realised why The Queen’s Bargain and The Queen’s Weapons are less enjoyable than The High Lord’s Daughter and the other short stories that are set after the initial trilogy. The main characters—Lucivar, Daemon and Surreal—have stopped evolving. In a short story, that’s fine. It seems like a treat for long-time fans of the series, a chance to revisit favourite characters. As a short story doesn’t give much chance for character development anyway, their lack of growth is what you want. In a book, it starts to feel stilted and cheesy, and really doesn’t leave much room for growth.
The Queen’s Weapons really seemed like a re-hashing of events from the original trilogy, almost like fan-fiction, right down to the villains having similar names. I love the original trilogy, despite its flaws; and I enjoyed the books about Cassidy and her court, despite the more rural, less high-fantasy stakes. So it’s not that I think the Realms should be in peril at the conclusion of every book, but I really think more could have been done with the next generation of SaDiablos and Yaslanas.
I did like the plot elements revolving around Lucivar’s children, and I’m glad Marian got some interests outside the home in this book. Just because she’s a hearth witch shouldn’t mean she’s a fifties housewife who only appears to dispense food and take care of the children/home. I was glad that Daemonar and Titian came into their own in this book, and I liked the new characters introduced as well, though I wish that their position hadn’t been ‘justified’ by a blood relation to formerly beloved characters. It reeks of nepotism and an insecurity about the strength of characterisation. ‘If you don’t like this character yet, you should know they’re the great-great-grandson of your fave! Eh?’
Not only does it make me start getting annoyed at the SaDiablos for hoarding wealth generationally and only apparently employing the same five families, it takes away from what was so satisfying about the original trilogy—having good people make good choices and eventually be surrounded by a found family and a world that reflects that; while the self-interested, abusive dictators die the (usually horrible) deaths that their choices lead to. It’s cathartic, it has sacrifice and loss, but the relationships and happy endings feel earned.
When you’re reading about the hottest, richest, most powerful people around running a full-blown sting on high-school students; the suffering in the meantime feels allowed, and the end result seems inevitable and doesn’t really have the same ability to drive tension and thus plot.
I also really hated how Teenagers are cruel and heartless, I used to be one, I remember. I also hated the idea that protecting your children from trauma apparently turns them into narcissistic monsters. While there definitely was reasons given throughout the book for Jaenelle Saetien’s behaviour, and Surreal and Daemon’s permissiveness of it, I got sick of the angst and the flimsy excuses pretty quickly. Again, a short story about an entitled brat, fine, parenting struggles are relatable to a lot of people. Much like the marriage difficulties of The Queen’s Bargain I wouldn’t relate to it or really enjoy it, but I can understand why it would be included. But an entire book of a child being held responsible for her crappy behaviour when her parents way of dealing with it is to seems like the book is written to justify or excuse crappy parenting.
I’m not excusing Jaenelle Saetien either. I’m unsure what exact human level of maturity she’s supposed to be, but if her peers are just starting to have relationships, I’d guess somewhere from thirteen to sixteen. Regardless, she really came off like an entitled child sometimes, and I really didn’t relate to her desires or choices either.
I was glad to see more LGB (no trans people so far, which I think is a shame, as the gendered magic and social system could be an interesting way to explore that) representation in this book, and I absolutely hated I’m glad that Surreal and Daemon sorted out their issues though, and even though I wish they both had a happier end, at least they’re both acting in character now.
The plot of The Queen’s Weapons was a bit unsatisfying, largely because of the unsubtle rehash of the first three (excellent) books, which is a shame. I really think there could have been a timely message about not becoming complacent, because bigotry and the normalisation of abuse can creep back into a society much faster than you’d imagine. Case in point, it hasn’t been a hundred years since world war two and we have freaking nazis back. I don’t think it’s unbelievable that corruption would creep back much faster than you might think. I do think it’d be ridiculous if a guy named Adilf Gitler and his buddies Jimmler and Mangle set themselves up in opposition to Winston Churchill’s and FDR’s grandchildren. That sounds like the plot of a crappy anime, and a cheapening of the forces that really lead to such dangerous sentiments.
The whole idea of bigotry, sexism, xenophobia, classism and other huge problems being so hard to fight (and impossible to wipe out completely) is that they’re easy excuses for behaviour we know is crappy, and corrupt figures of power spread and normalise that behaviour. Reducing it down to ‘some people/bloodlines are evil and some are good and cool’ treads pretty well over the line into the exact sort of prejudice advocated against in the original trilogy.
I’m not giving up on the Black Jewels series. I still think the original characters, and the upcoming generation (minus Jaenelle Saetien for the most part) are interesting, and will have fun, meaningful interactions with each other and the Black Jewels world. I think the magic and societal systems that have been set up are interesting and nuanced, with plenty of room to explore complex social and political problems. I just hope we get a few books without pointless angst, and with some original storylines.
January 14, 2021
Electronic ARC provided by Edelweiss.
If there's any series I read that would fall under the category of "guilty pleasure" it's probably this one. I've been reading it from the start, and I'll probably continue as long as there are new books. However, I'm not a huge fan of the character decisions made in this newest branch of the story.
In my review of the previous book I commented that I really hated how the Daemon/Surreal relationship was mismanaged. I did not agree with the return of Jaenelle in any form, feeling that it undermined the development of the other characters. That said, this book isn't quite as infuriating as the previous one once you accept that basic premise. In this book we also get a better look at Jaenelle Saetian, who is frankly, a little brat (which is a major part of the story). It's disappointing to see a character I wanted to like turned into a lesson in proper behavior, but I am interested to see how she develops from here on out.
One thing that really bothered me, both in this and previous books (but it's gotten more and more pronounced as the series goes along), is the constant hammering in of the fact that for some reason the children in the story only seem to belong to their fathers. This is especially true of Jaenelle Saetian, who is constantly spoken of as "Daemon's daughter".
Anyways, weird character dynamics aside, I still enjoyed reading this book. If you like the Black Jewels series you'll probably at least mildly enjoy this one, although it doesn't have quite the energy of the initial trilogy.
If there's any series I read that would fall under the category of "guilty pleasure" it's probably this one. I've been reading it from the start, and I'll probably continue as long as there are new books. However, I'm not a huge fan of the character decisions made in this newest branch of the story.
In my review of the previous book I commented that I really hated how the Daemon/Surreal relationship was mismanaged. I did not agree with the return of Jaenelle in any form, feeling that it undermined the development of the other characters. That said, this book isn't quite as infuriating as the previous one once you accept that basic premise. In this book we also get a better look at Jaenelle Saetian, who is frankly, a little brat (which is a major part of the story). It's disappointing to see a character I wanted to like turned into a lesson in proper behavior, but I am interested to see how she develops from here on out.
One thing that really bothered me, both in this and previous books (but it's gotten more and more pronounced as the series goes along), is the constant hammering in of the fact that for some reason the children in the story only seem to belong to their fathers. This is especially true of Jaenelle Saetian, who is constantly spoken of as "Daemon's daughter".
Anyways, weird character dynamics aside, I still enjoyed reading this book. If you like the Black Jewels series you'll probably at least mildly enjoy this one, although it doesn't have quite the energy of the initial trilogy.
February 22, 2021
It’s not even close to a secret that I adore the Black Jewels novels. I love the characters, I love the world, and I often turn to these books when I’m in need of a comfort re-read. And while I definitely had some issues with the previous novel, The Queen’s Bargain (mostly in that one of the characters kept doing things she absolutely knew very well to not do), I still overall enjoyed it. And I fully expected to enjoy this latest offering in the series, The Queen’s Weapons, just as much.
The Queen’s Weapons is set a good few years after The Queen’s Bargain, with Jaenelle Saetien and Daemonar fast growing up and showing just who they’re going to be as adults. In Daemonar’s case, he’s definitely turning into the model of a Warlord Prince, very much like this father. In Jaenelle Saetien’s case… It’s a lot more complicated, as she quite frankly grows up to be quite the brat, convinced that the only way to come into her own is to rebel against very idea of her namesake, the Witch and Queen that everyone around her knew and loved. This is understandable pretty damn upsetting to Surreal and Daemon, but it only gets worse when signs emerge that the taint, once thought wiped out, has set down in Kaeleer and is starting to grow and corrupt once more.
I admit, when I first read the description of this book many months ago, I had to raise a skeptical eyebrow. In the original trilogy, it was a huge deal when Jaenelle sacrificed herself and her power to wipe out the taint that was threatening the Blood. It was a major event that wiped out most of the Blood across an entire Realm. And here it’s just, “Oh yeah, that thing. Yup, it’s back.” I was a little bit wary of how this would be handled. Not because I thought Bishop couldn’t do such a concept justice, but because I’ve seen authors, over time, wanting to write more in their beloved worlds but lacking a solid idea for a story, and so just bringing back a once-vanquished evil. Even if it made no sense.
But thankfully, it did make sense here. A reason was given for the taint’s reemergence, and that reason stands up to scrutiny. That was quite a relief!
While the Black Jewels series started off with so very much abuse and torture and things that deserve a buttload of trigger warnings, a lot of those things were absent in later books. Their echoes were still felt, of course, because one doesn’t recover from centuries of abuse, for instance, just because they’re now in a happy relationship. Scars are still there, they don’t fade so easily. But in terms of scenes of active abuse and assault? No, they faded from a lot of the text in future books, which likely made said books a bit more approachable for new readers. (Someone could read Cassidy’s duology, The Shadow Queen and Shalador’s Lady, for instance, without having read the core trilogy and without needing so many of those trigger warnings.) It’s sometimes easy to forget that the series started with a corrupt culture filled with violence and rape. And since The Queen’s Weapons deals with the taint coming back, I feel it’s worth pointing out that some of those issues do rear their ugly heads once again, and it’s worth warning people that yes, this book does contain rape, and abuse, and a very unsettling scene in which a kitten is left to die. You might well need to know that before picking it up.
And it’s with that context that we see a depiction of someone who knows very well that such things are wrong, but who has her own agenda and is willing to turn a blind eye to some things, to make excuses, if those things don’t like up with what she wants. Jaenelle Saetien clung to the wrong sort of people, convinced that they weren’t using her and weren’t malicious and weren’t behind any of the increasingly concerning instances of abuse, because she needed something that she was convinced only they could provide. She’s a character study in desperation and willful ignorance.
Much as I hate to say it, I could relate a bit to Jaenelle Saetien’s concerns about living in somebody’s shadow. It’s something I’ve had to confront in my life as well, and that I still struggle with at times, so even when I hated who she was becoming and how she was behaving, when things switched to her viewpoint and we got a look at her thoughts and emotions, I couldn’t help but remember how many times I had felt the same way. It made me reflect on how I could well have ended up the same way, someone who was willing to overlook terrible things in order to be accepted by people who had no expectations of me. There but for the grace of something-or-other, I suppose. I wouldn’t say that Jaenelle Saetien is a bad person, so much as she’s someone who could easily become so, if not handled the right way. She balanced on the edge of a very particular knife, and it took extraordinary events to determine which side of that knife she’d end up on.
I do want to take a moment to mention something in particular here. I don’t know if it was intended this way or not, but the twisted nostalgia for Hayllian items and pieces of Dorothea’s abusive rule struck me as analogous to the way some people have this weird idealized nostalgia for times past, especially when it comes to Nazi propaganda and far-right ideology. A conviction that “the right sort of people” should be in power, that it’s fine to push others down if it comparatively raises up you and yours, you see that mentality expressed a lot in people who won’t call themselves racist, no, but will express that it’s “those people” who are keeping everyone else down. There are people out there who seek out and collect Nazi memorabilia, with an eye to glorifying the Nazi regime and all of its atrocities. Atrocities, of course, against “the wrong people.” I can’t say for sure if this was Bishop’s specific intent here, but it sure read that way to me. And given that Daemon et al are the good guys of the story, the ones we’re supposed to empathize with and agree with, and they’re all vehemently against bringing back the sort of culture that brought torture and death to themselves and those they loved… Yeah, it’s not hard to see which side of the line we’re supposed to stand on.
The Queen’s Weapons addressed many of the smaller issues that I encountered in The Queen’s Bargain, which I was happy to see. Chiefly, the relationship between Surreal and Daemon. I won’t lie here — I have never been a fan of those two together. I can see why they stayed together once Jaenelle Saetien came into the picture, absolutely, but the situation that led to it… Eh, I have strong feelings about it, and I may get around to discussing them someday. Either way, a good deal of the friction in the previous novel stemmed from their relationship, and from both of them trying to be who they weren’t, especially to each other. Especially after Daemon learned of Witch’s continued presence. But the way things worked out in The Queen’s Weapons felt satisfying. It felt like they figured themselves and each other out, and were prepared to move forward with what that knowledge meant. It might not be a happy conclusion, per se, but it was a very satisfying one.
As always with these books, there’s so much that I want to say, much of which can’t be fit into a review because then it would devolve into semi-nonsensical, “Ooh, does this mean that?” and, “So siddown and lemme tell y’all my theories about this scene!” What I can say for certain is that it was wonderful to return, once again, to a world I love and characters I adore, to walk a while in the Shadow Realm and revel in Bishop’s delicious dark fantasy narrative. It was a treat to see the younger characters mature and hold their own in the story. It’s a book I absolutely will reread, and discuss at length with my partner (because we’re both huge geeks for this series). Even moreso than The Queen’s Bargain, The Queen’s Weapons is a worthy addition to the series that holds a beloved place in my life, and I can absolutely recommend it to other fans of the series.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
The Queen’s Weapons is set a good few years after The Queen’s Bargain, with Jaenelle Saetien and Daemonar fast growing up and showing just who they’re going to be as adults. In Daemonar’s case, he’s definitely turning into the model of a Warlord Prince, very much like this father. In Jaenelle Saetien’s case… It’s a lot more complicated, as she quite frankly grows up to be quite the brat, convinced that the only way to come into her own is to rebel against very idea of her namesake, the Witch and Queen that everyone around her knew and loved. This is understandable pretty damn upsetting to Surreal and Daemon, but it only gets worse when signs emerge that the taint, once thought wiped out, has set down in Kaeleer and is starting to grow and corrupt once more.
I admit, when I first read the description of this book many months ago, I had to raise a skeptical eyebrow. In the original trilogy, it was a huge deal when Jaenelle sacrificed herself and her power to wipe out the taint that was threatening the Blood. It was a major event that wiped out most of the Blood across an entire Realm. And here it’s just, “Oh yeah, that thing. Yup, it’s back.” I was a little bit wary of how this would be handled. Not because I thought Bishop couldn’t do such a concept justice, but because I’ve seen authors, over time, wanting to write more in their beloved worlds but lacking a solid idea for a story, and so just bringing back a once-vanquished evil. Even if it made no sense.
But thankfully, it did make sense here. A reason was given for the taint’s reemergence, and that reason stands up to scrutiny. That was quite a relief!
While the Black Jewels series started off with so very much abuse and torture and things that deserve a buttload of trigger warnings, a lot of those things were absent in later books. Their echoes were still felt, of course, because one doesn’t recover from centuries of abuse, for instance, just because they’re now in a happy relationship. Scars are still there, they don’t fade so easily. But in terms of scenes of active abuse and assault? No, they faded from a lot of the text in future books, which likely made said books a bit more approachable for new readers. (Someone could read Cassidy’s duology, The Shadow Queen and Shalador’s Lady, for instance, without having read the core trilogy and without needing so many of those trigger warnings.) It’s sometimes easy to forget that the series started with a corrupt culture filled with violence and rape. And since The Queen’s Weapons deals with the taint coming back, I feel it’s worth pointing out that some of those issues do rear their ugly heads once again, and it’s worth warning people that yes, this book does contain rape, and abuse, and a very unsettling scene in which a kitten is left to die. You might well need to know that before picking it up.
And it’s with that context that we see a depiction of someone who knows very well that such things are wrong, but who has her own agenda and is willing to turn a blind eye to some things, to make excuses, if those things don’t like up with what she wants. Jaenelle Saetien clung to the wrong sort of people, convinced that they weren’t using her and weren’t malicious and weren’t behind any of the increasingly concerning instances of abuse, because she needed something that she was convinced only they could provide. She’s a character study in desperation and willful ignorance.
Much as I hate to say it, I could relate a bit to Jaenelle Saetien’s concerns about living in somebody’s shadow. It’s something I’ve had to confront in my life as well, and that I still struggle with at times, so even when I hated who she was becoming and how she was behaving, when things switched to her viewpoint and we got a look at her thoughts and emotions, I couldn’t help but remember how many times I had felt the same way. It made me reflect on how I could well have ended up the same way, someone who was willing to overlook terrible things in order to be accepted by people who had no expectations of me. There but for the grace of something-or-other, I suppose. I wouldn’t say that Jaenelle Saetien is a bad person, so much as she’s someone who could easily become so, if not handled the right way. She balanced on the edge of a very particular knife, and it took extraordinary events to determine which side of that knife she’d end up on.
I do want to take a moment to mention something in particular here. I don’t know if it was intended this way or not, but the twisted nostalgia for Hayllian items and pieces of Dorothea’s abusive rule struck me as analogous to the way some people have this weird idealized nostalgia for times past, especially when it comes to Nazi propaganda and far-right ideology. A conviction that “the right sort of people” should be in power, that it’s fine to push others down if it comparatively raises up you and yours, you see that mentality expressed a lot in people who won’t call themselves racist, no, but will express that it’s “those people” who are keeping everyone else down. There are people out there who seek out and collect Nazi memorabilia, with an eye to glorifying the Nazi regime and all of its atrocities. Atrocities, of course, against “the wrong people.” I can’t say for sure if this was Bishop’s specific intent here, but it sure read that way to me. And given that Daemon et al are the good guys of the story, the ones we’re supposed to empathize with and agree with, and they’re all vehemently against bringing back the sort of culture that brought torture and death to themselves and those they loved… Yeah, it’s not hard to see which side of the line we’re supposed to stand on.
The Queen’s Weapons addressed many of the smaller issues that I encountered in The Queen’s Bargain, which I was happy to see. Chiefly, the relationship between Surreal and Daemon. I won’t lie here — I have never been a fan of those two together. I can see why they stayed together once Jaenelle Saetien came into the picture, absolutely, but the situation that led to it… Eh, I have strong feelings about it, and I may get around to discussing them someday. Either way, a good deal of the friction in the previous novel stemmed from their relationship, and from both of them trying to be who they weren’t, especially to each other. Especially after Daemon learned of Witch’s continued presence. But the way things worked out in The Queen’s Weapons felt satisfying. It felt like they figured themselves and each other out, and were prepared to move forward with what that knowledge meant. It might not be a happy conclusion, per se, but it was a very satisfying one.
As always with these books, there’s so much that I want to say, much of which can’t be fit into a review because then it would devolve into semi-nonsensical, “Ooh, does this mean that?” and, “So siddown and lemme tell y’all my theories about this scene!” What I can say for certain is that it was wonderful to return, once again, to a world I love and characters I adore, to walk a while in the Shadow Realm and revel in Bishop’s delicious dark fantasy narrative. It was a treat to see the younger characters mature and hold their own in the story. It’s a book I absolutely will reread, and discuss at length with my partner (because we’re both huge geeks for this series). Even moreso than The Queen’s Bargain, The Queen’s Weapons is a worthy addition to the series that holds a beloved place in my life, and I can absolutely recommend it to other fans of the series.
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Read
May 13, 2021
“If you like engaging plot with complex characters then I don’t think you want to miss Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels’ world. It’s rife with mystery and magic, making it easy to devour.”
~ Under the Covers
Recommended Read!
What a journey this series has been! With THE QUEEN’S WEAPON, Anne Bishop returns to the Black Jewels world. Now I will say that this series can be a little dark, but if you’re a Fantasy lover like me, then I don’t think that will be a problem.
A lot of great elements are interwoven into this book. I love the writing and the characters, but I also feel like the backstory or characterization of the character can seem a bit similar sometimes. For example, all the characters are quite dark, making this entire series feel very heavy. I wonder how different it would be if there was more light in the series. Would the darker characters seem more dark? Would there be more variation? I hope to see something a bit more from the characters than just a tortured past and/or bleak future, just so that there’s more variation within the cast.
Nevertheless, this Fantasy series is one of my favorites in the genre. If you like engaging plot with complex characters then I don’t think you want to miss Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels’ world. It’s rife with mystery and magic, making it easy to devour.
Reviewed by Ann❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
April 9, 2021
What a journey this series has been! With THE QUEEN’S WEAPON, Anne Bishop returns to the Black Jewels world. Now I will say that this series can be a little dark, but if you’re a Fantasy lover like me, then I don’t think that will be a problem.
A lot of great elements are interwoven into this book. I love the writing and the characters, but I also feel like the backstory or characterization of the character can seem a bit similar sometimes. For example, all the characters are quite dark, making this entire series feel very heavy. I wonder how different it would be if there was more light in the series. Would the darker characters seem more dark? Would there be more variation? I hope to see something a bit more from the characters than just a tortured past and/or bleak future, just so that there’s more variation within the cast.
Nevertheless, this Fantasy series is one of my favorites in the genre. If you like engaging plot with complex characters then I don’t think you want to miss Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels’ world. It’s rife with mystery and magic, making it easy to devour.
Check out my alternate review on Fresh Fiction
April 3, 2021
I loved this unbelievably amazing book so much. I didn't have adequate words to do justice to all fantastical ~ darkest ~ most twisted ~ fantasy that got thrown at me all over this book. I couldn't go into detail because I didn't enjoy using spoiler tags. So I'd beg you to please pick up this book and experience it all in person!
The very best of all ~ I actually got what I've been yearning for ~ Finally! That Daemon and Jaenelle would have a new chance to be together again~ it was a Fantasy~ true? For him to marry that female (whom I refused to even name ~ despised her to the max) was a shameful unthinkable unbelievable joke.
I loved that Witch returned ~ that Deamon ~ Lucivar & Daemonar would be serving their Queen as her most powerful weapons for millennia!
The future queen was a total surprise. I didn't anticipate a new character to show up ~ out of nowhere ~ to win Daemon over ~ and then to become the daughter of his heart! I was actually so sad that his biological daughter was so lost so vulnerable. How could she have ended up lacking a champion? She was still child ~ in term of a long-lived race calendar. She had shown such an immeasurable potential as a child. This was the twist that broke my heart. Poor Janaelle Saetien SaDiablo was no more. Who was left? Only Saetien SaDiablo 💦
Sharing two of my favorite scenes:
The very best of all ~ I actually got what I've been yearning for ~ Finally! That Daemon and Jaenelle would have a new chance to be together again~ it was a Fantasy~ true? For him to marry that female (whom I refused to even name ~ despised her to the max) was a shameful unthinkable unbelievable joke.
I loved that Witch returned ~ that Deamon ~ Lucivar & Daemonar would be serving their Queen as her most powerful weapons for millennia!
The future queen was a total surprise. I didn't anticipate a new character to show up ~ out of nowhere ~ to win Daemon over ~ and then to become the daughter of his heart! I was actually so sad that his biological daughter was so lost so vulnerable. How could she have ended up lacking a champion? She was still child ~ in term of a long-lived race calendar. She had shown such an immeasurable potential as a child. This was the twist that broke my heart. Poor Janaelle Saetien SaDiablo was no more. Who was left? Only Saetien SaDiablo 💦
Sharing two of my favorite scenes:
I
"If Witch, your Queen, told you to walk away from your wife and children to be with her and only her, would you do it?"
"She never asked that of the men who served her when she walked along the living. She wouldn't ask it now."
"But if she did?"
"I would miss Marian and the children everyday for the rest of my life and beyond, but if that was my Queen's command, I would walk away and not look back . . . What did you expect?" Lucivar asked. "We waited seventeen hundred years for her. . . We fought to stay alive in order to find her. She was, and is, everything that matters. And she always will be. And one reason why that's true is she will never ask for a sacrifice from us if she can pay the price herself. "
II
"What, exactly, do you want, Daemon?"
"To be with you after I make the transition to demon-dead. To be your lover again. . . "
Witch gave him a sharp yet sad smile. "Should I make that promise by swearing on my life?"
Daemon shook his head. "You don't value your own life enough. Make that promise by swearing on my life. Promise me that you will inhibit a shadow that is as tangible as my demon-dead body—or promise that you will burn out my power and send me to the final death. I don't want to be without you, Jaenelle. Not again." . . .
She sighed. "I give you my word, and swear it on your life. But you will do everything you can not to hurry that day."
"Agreed." Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her. Slow. Deep. Another promise made to both of them.
April 17, 2021
Ordinarily, I love Anne Bishop's novels but I am not a fan of this one. The only reason I gave this book 2 stars is due to my enjoyment of Daemonar, Titian, and Zoey's storyline and to see Jillian again. It was nice to see Surreal acting a bit more like her bad ass self in this book but...the way she and Daemon - and really all of the adults handled the Jaenelle Saetien situation was bad. Like bad parents bad. They spoiled her rotten, kept her from the horrible history of her family -Dorthea-, and then kicked her out when she fell in with the wrong crowd the first time she left home. Daemon could have helped to steer her away from them, or could have kept her from the school when she blew up at her Mom. There were so many instances where her parents and the adults around her could have taught her that the people she hung out with were bad and didn't. Or just gave her vague warnings about them.
Also, I just cannot wrap my head around Surreal cutting her daughter out of her heart because she called her a whore. The amount of bad names that my Mother and I called eachother -when I was a teenager- was enormous. You don't stop loving a child because she found out about your past job in a horrible -for a teenager- way. Why didn't Surreal think to inform her of what she used to do before her "friends" used it against her? And why wasn't Jaenelle stepping in to talk to her namesake? Before she was punished. It just felt like all of the people in her life wanted Jaenelle Saetien to fail and I guess -due to the way Bishop wanted the story to go- they did. I am disappointed and I honestly don't think this will make it on my reread pile - unlike most of Anne Bishop's other books.
Also, I just cannot wrap my head around Surreal cutting her daughter out of her heart because she called her a whore. The amount of bad names that my Mother and I called eachother -when I was a teenager- was enormous. You don't stop loving a child because she found out about your past job in a horrible -for a teenager- way. Why didn't Surreal think to inform her of what she used to do before her "friends" used it against her? And why wasn't Jaenelle stepping in to talk to her namesake? Before she was punished. It just felt like all of the people in her life wanted Jaenelle Saetien to fail and I guess -due to the way Bishop wanted the story to go- they did. I am disappointed and I honestly don't think this will make it on my reread pile - unlike most of Anne Bishop's other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2021
Spoilers
I've loved these characters for so many years and this book made me hate them. They saw their kid was in a bad place and left her their. But helped other kids.
They were worried she hate them so they did nothing, that's not parenting. The child said a hurtful thing to Surreal so she no longer her child. What.. Teens say hurtful things sometimes when you lay down rules, you don't disconnect with them because of it. Did no parents review this before it was published.
They showed more care when someone said something hurtful to Titian than they did when their kid was falling through the cracks of their terrible marriage. Witch could help everyone else but her namesake, only to punish her.
These are not the characters I know and have reread every year for like 10yrs. Did Witch only come back to spoil Daemons relationship with his wife and daughter cause she didn't do anything but condemn them.
I am going to be pretending that this book didn't happen and am glad to only brought the digital copy.
I've loved these characters for so many years and this book made me hate them. They saw their kid was in a bad place and left her their. But helped other kids.
They were worried she hate them so they did nothing, that's not parenting. The child said a hurtful thing to Surreal so she no longer her child. What.. Teens say hurtful things sometimes when you lay down rules, you don't disconnect with them because of it. Did no parents review this before it was published.
They showed more care when someone said something hurtful to Titian than they did when their kid was falling through the cracks of their terrible marriage. Witch could help everyone else but her namesake, only to punish her.
These are not the characters I know and have reread every year for like 10yrs. Did Witch only come back to spoil Daemons relationship with his wife and daughter cause she didn't do anything but condemn them.
I am going to be pretending that this book didn't happen and am glad to only brought the digital copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
There was one character, whom I did not like, that caused a ripple effect amongst all the other character. The plot spans over three centuries and we’re waiting for the metaphorical shoe to drop. If a reader is invested in this series they’ll enjoy the continuation of specific story arcs, but for some readers this may be a long read. And, oy, the repetition!
I wish there had been a main focus on a character I could embrace. There was too little time with Daemonar. Then, Zoey displayed promise but she was underutilized along with Jillian and Titian. Missed opportunities!
Library eloan
I wish there had been a main focus on a character I could embrace. There was too little time with Daemonar. Then, Zoey displayed promise but she was underutilized along with Jillian and Titian. Missed opportunities!
Library eloan
March 22, 2021
While there was a handful of nice moments in this book, I find I have the same unsettled and nauseous feelings I had when I finished the previous book. The author has created an interesting world, but the last two books she has managed to ruin my enjoyment of it. I think she would have done better to write books like the Shaldor/Dena Nehele books that explored the rebuilding of Terrielle after the purge of the corrupt Blood.
May 24, 2021
This book was a good addition to the Black Jewels Series and I'm here to prove it.
For that, I have to first say that I'm on Surreal's side always will and always will be. The first time I ever read Daughter of the Blood I hated it, and I mostly hated Surreal. The story and its basic concepts stayed with me, at the back of my head, always singing for me to come back, enough that 2 years later I picked it up again and fell in love with it.
I feel like a lot of fans of the series, even the ones who proclaim to have Surreal as a favorite, undermine her role in the books. She is a lot of the times a driving force, a catalyst for the plot to move forward. In the first book only, she is the second point of view we're introduced, she is Dorothea granddaughter, she finds Briarwood before everyone else, she gets to meet every sigle one of the girls in there, and the end culminates with her saving Jaenelle Angelline (and Daemon). This is no small part, she's not our main character of course, that's clearly Daemon (if after 11 books you still think it's Jaenelle, then please there's no way to be discussing the book then), but she clearly has great importance to the story and that's why I'm convinced, at the end of The Queen's Weapons, that Anne Bishop wasn't actually trying to undo any of what's happened before.
And there's reasons to it. Anne Bishop's first published work is a short story called "Match Girl", published in a collection book before The Black Jewels existed. The story is a retelling of the fairy tale "The Little Match Girl", but beyond that, it's a suspiciously familiar story of a orphaned girl who has to roam the streets and ends up in prostitution to be able to survive, at all times she dreams of crossing a suspiciously familiar mountain where things are right and she could finally be happy. Reminds you of anything?
After 11 books things are not different. All of the short stories for The Black Jewels are centered around Surreal. I feel like a lot of the fans haven't read them, but my favorite is "The Price" and it should be available in the main books, it's very very short but in its few words it tells a lot about what happens inside Surreal's mind and tells a lot about her relationship with Daemon as well, if you haven't read it you should. Lots of people say they've skipped Tangled Webs when they shouldn't. That book is relevant, all of them are there's no skipping if you want to truly understand this story. But that one is relevant to Twilight's Dawn and following.
The Queen's Weapons is an answer to a fan favorite question of how Dorothea came to be. And it does provides an aswer, I'll be nice and resume it for you now: it's convenience. Dorothea, and now Delora are convenient people in which evil can hide. "If she can do it, why can I not?" This is a phrase constantly repeated by Jaenelle Saetien throughout the book. "Everyone else can do it".
Oh Jaenelle Satien... this was a master play by Anne, honestly. Who's better to go through this journey of discovering how Dorothea came to be then her own offspring. The Black Jewels have always worked by telling the story with parallels, you need to understand them to understand its message. In result, a lot is left in between the lines and the reader has to put the work in. This is something that I've always criticized about the books, even though in this one I feel like Anne tried to be as direct and clear as she could without treating the audience as idiots. In Queen's Weapon though, characters lines are usually followed by a piece of thought or narrative that explains exactly the intention and the feelings behind. That's not something that happens in the previous books, so readers do come with misjudgements to this one.
And misjudgements is the one word for this experience. Before the book released, we were all bombarded with the news that things weren't going to go smoothly and that, sadly, the child we all thought would be the most precious ever, was in the center of trouble. We wanted to hate her, we already hated her but I don't think Anne will let us. Having read it now, I'm glad that Jaenelle Satien is the person she is and that she committed the mistakes she did. An incredible character and another very brave choice from our author. Make her be the perfect follow up for Jaenelle Angelline, be an angel with no mistakes? No, why would you choose the boring path? Make her powerful, curious and inquisitive like Jaenelle Angelline, make her tenacious, stubborn, self reliant and a free spirit like her mother Surreal, and make her ambitious and rebellious like her grandmother Dorothea. This is honestly an amazing combination, I came out of this book wanting to know who Saeti will become and what she'll go through. This is a story worth telling, I know that Titian and Daemonar will be okay in the future because they see themselves as extensions of the family. Saeti, on the other hand knows she's not and she has to become something that is only hers.
And that's the most brilliant of it all. Jaenelle Saetien is Daemon, Surreal AND Jaenelle Angelline's dreams made flesh. What these 3 have in common? The whish to be themselves fully. This is a common thing between Daemon and Surreal through these lasts books, and is said by Jaenelle Angelline to Saeti: "you're me but without the pain". And it's true, if Jaenelle Angelline had never seen the horrors that people under Dorothea's wing could do she'd become like her or even worse. "Everyone one else can do it" why can't she not? She's more powerful isn't she? This is a perfect parallel. Jaenelle Satien is Jaenelle Angelline without the pain but also without the burden and responsibilities that comes with her jewel and position. The lesson with The Black Jewels was always that with power and privilege, responsibility and care are necessary, otherwise it brews corruption, it's not a coincidence that our heroes and villains are rulers.
For Jaenelle Satien her way to find herself and be fully herself was to disconnect from her family. Isn't that exactly Jaenelle Angelline's journey? That she chose again and again to sacrifice herself even after death to stand up for her responsibilities and take care of her loved ones? From not leaving Chaillot before being hurt because she had to protect Wilhemina, to all the way coming back from her existence solely on the Misty Place to take care of the family. She cannot be herself fully, she has always to be Queen, to be Witch so the realms can be reminded of the right ways. That's her burden, and without that burden Jaenelle Satien falls into Delora's trap. That was Dorothea's plan in the first book: find who was the special girl, take her from her family and raise her under her control.
Jaenelle Satien doesn't come out wrong because of her parents misdoings, Daemon and Surreal aren't bad parents AT ALL. They did and gave her the best, they just didn't want her to have the same nightmares as they did. She does what she does because she doesn't want to embrace those who came before her, because she wants something that is solely hers. Then why Lucivar's children don't come out like that? At first, I was also thinking they were narratively privileged, that Anne was on their side and not on JS side, trying to demonize her, but in truth it's none of that. It's on these characters essences, they WANT to be their families follow up, so they ask for guidance and help when needed. Jaenelle Satien simply doesn't, it's not on her nature, she's a free spirit, curious, stubborn, ambitious like her predecessors. She wants to discover the world by herself and only by herself and by that she cuts her family and hurts them. She had countless of times to talk about what was going on, about her insecurities, to doubt Delora and her friends, even at the house party at the end she had at least 3 different times to come around, but because she felt like a shadow she chose not to.
Isn't that exactly what happened with Surreal in the Queen's Bargain? Thinking that she had to solve everything by herself, alone and refuse help? At the time I read that book, I honestly thought that it was trying to undermine Surreal like a lot of readers thought too, making a villain of an adored character. After a re-read and specially after reading this one, I understand everything so much better. Surreal was making her family a burden to herself because she thought she had to, "isn't that what everyone else does?", she thought she had to be absolutely perfect to be married to Daemon, to erase her past. Isn't that the lesson she learned in the last book? That like everyone else in the family she could ask for help, she could lean on the others and on Witch, she didn't have to forget who she was and what she went through, she just had to actively make the choice to ask? And again, I talked about it in my last review, the one thing that would make me give up my love for The Black Jewels was if the relationship between Surreal and Jaenelle Angelline was destroyed. And this book just strengthens it, every single interaction between them made me cry tears of joy. Witch made sure she wasn't something between Surreal's family, but something that could bring it together. Even then, she gives Surreal the choice to leave if she didn't feel like that's enough, if she didn't feel like she's being done right and she'll not be judged if she decides to leave. And Surreal doesn't leave, after all this is her family and her love, why would she give up everything when she can have a nice relationship with Daemon the rest of his life (like literally, he promised), be with friends and family? Why would she choose loneliness? Some of us even thought that she would commit suicide, or die or be written off, but why? That would be the bad choice from Anne Bishop. That is the ending villains get, actual characters we're supposed to hate. Our heros learn their lessons and find happiness in their own way, isn't it? And that's how I know that Surreal and Saeti are treasured characters just like everyone else, they're just the catalysts, the things that make the story move forward and they're important.
And oh Daemon and Surreal.... I think I can not put into words how much I love these two. Together and separate. Before coming to this book, I thought that the events would drive them apart. It doesn't happen, they actually have never been this love dovey in any other books! Not even when Jaenelle Saetien goes against Surreal, not even when Daemon is told he'd have to kill JS. They were always there for each other, from discovering all the atrocities being done in Dhemlam to parting ways from their daughter. And mostly important, something that bothered me and others in the last book, HE comes for her, he never dismisses her, acknowledges all her grievances stays by her side and respects all their boundaries. After all wasn't that exactly what they were for each other back in the first book when they still lived in Terreille? Friends, true partners. It's a beautiful love story honestly, from the very first book they have a beautiful love story. I feel like everyone always sees their love story as beginning in Twilight's Dawn, but after countless rereads of the entire series, I know their love story has been told little by little since the first book. Paralleling and intertwined with Daemon's love with Jaenelle Angelline but always there, and The Queen's Weapons just reinforces this. It's not your easy rom-com romance, this is a love story that goes beyond husband and wife and that makes it even more special. The same way Daemon and Jaenelle's love story goes beyond life and death. I love these two, I love what Anne Bishop built with them, I have never found a couple I adored this much in any piece of media, romance or not, that equals the strength that exists here. It's unparalleled and I would choose to go through it all again.
Some people finished the book thinking they're going to live a separate life but that's not what's is implied at all. Surreal talks about and is involved in the school at the Hall, she specifically talks about the tutors joining the family table for dinner, and she's involved in the organization of the students house settling like choosing their dorms and all. She's clearly involved, she's not going anywhere people lol. I think everyone interpreted that way because of her conversation with Jaenelle, she metions getting a house away from Daemon. But I saw it as a direct response to her knowing that he'll die sooner than she thought and before her. He's a constant on her life, the person she trusts the most and is mostly familiar with since always. She'll have to eventually learn how to live without him, get used to the idea so it doesn't happen like Saetan or Rainier whom she lost suddenly.
Wich brings me back to her broken motherly bond with Jaenelle Saetien. I think people are misinterpreting that as well. Do you honestly think she stopped loving her daughter? Is that what you actually read? Did she not cry because her daughter words hurt, and because Jaenelle Saetien was being blind to her mistakes, like a mother does? Did she not cry when she found out that Jaenelle Saetien was going to be executed? Was she not scared of whatever punishment Witch put over JS? Didn't she care for Jaenelle Satien's body all the days she was stuck in the Briarwood nightmare, like a mother? Didn't she, after all that happened, welcome Jaenelle Saetien to the sanctuary she founded because she thought it would be a good way for the girl to overcome her mistakes and the things she saw at Briarwood, the same way it was for herself?? Are none of these motherly actions? Is this what someone that never cared for that role, for the child would do? Isn't it unfair to say their relationship was shallow, fake? Because that's not what I read. She gives up the title of Mother yes, because that's what Jaenelle Saetien wants, and she knows she'll regret. She tells Daemon exactly that, Jaenelle Saetien will regret judging her mother because that's what she did with Titian, and she regrets it. Doesn't she talk specifically about how similar they are? She'll never stop loving her like a mother, never stop caring.
That is exactly what Daemon's says on his last interaction with Jaenelle Saetien at the end of the book when he says that yes they can exchange letters, he'll never stop caring for her even if she decides to distance herself. And oh my god in this part I ugly cried like never before, it wasn't tears while reading it was full on bawling, I actually had to put my phone (yay expensive ebook gang!!) away. The Black Jewels is very comforting because to me and a lot of the other fans it touches on scars and helps heal them. Maybe that's why I can't see the wrongs people are seeing in this one. But this moment was a treasure to me, absolutely special.
And oh Daemon... Can we ever love you any less?? Do we love you too much?? Will we have to, like Surreal, start to brace ourselves to let go of you because your time is coming? Will you, like your father leave us with only the memories of the love we had for you? Are we ever going to find comfort elsewhere or are you truly the perfect hero?
I never liked male protagonists. I would actually avoid them at all costs. Maybe if I never had come into The Black Jewels thinking it was a story about Jaenelle and Daemon would solely be her tag along, I wouldn't be able to like him as much as I do now. Everyday I get impressed on how much of a perfect fantasy he is from beginning to end. On the facebook group we get posts about actors people think could have his face, we go from radom male models, to the newest (and best imo) addition Rege-Jean Page, to people who refuse to give him a face because no real beauty would suit him. A perfect fantasy inside and out of the book. Before coming into this I thought this book would finally spoil Daemon for me. In my last review I said I didn't want him to regress into who he was at the Trilogy, a messy, lost, purposeless man who lived to chase something he thought was lost. And that's not what he gets, if not he learns once again that he has to stay and be connected to the living, pass on his knowledge, take care of the realm and love his family until his body can't stay alive anymore. Different from his father that spent centuries locked out in hell, who lost a son (Peyton, the favorite before Daemon came along) to Dorothea and Hekatah's interferences. He refuses to give up on Jaenelle Saetien, I don't know if the parallels between Peyton and her were intentional, but they're certainly there. It's such a simple lesson for him that it makes me wonder if being simple is exactly what makes Daemon as a character so good. I KNOW this is not the end to The Black Jewels, because we'll have to see Daemon's final moments. And I'm honestly not sad, like him I don't want to rush that moment, but I know it will be a beautiful ending to a beautiful journey and I'll happily wait.
To end this infinite wall of text. Zoey is a nice addition and brings representation to a series that had almost none. I love her relationship with Titian, I think they'll grow up well and there's a lot of world and lore exploration that could be done with this so I'd like to see them in the future. Daemonar is like Lucivar the voice of reason, I don't like him as much as I like Lucivar but Anne Bishop clearly has plans for him (as said in Tersa's vision) so we'll see what's going to come. In the last book I felt like Lucivar was a bit tossed to the side as well, but I'm happy in this one he and Daemonar could get closer to Witch, but then again it's just the character essence, he's simply not prone to drama so it's hard to not get overshadowed by everything else going on. Marian is surprisingly always funny, I did thought she'd get a bit more scenes, but it's nothing really important or that hindered my enjoyment.
I feel like this book required a lot of maturity to deal with expectations and attachments to characters, from the author and from the readers. And I'm pleased with the results, messing with your characters happy endings and still coming out with a good story that reinforces the thematic outline of the entire series, calls back and resolves past issues and events and delivers even more interesting characters is not an easy task, you have to be a brave author to face the fact your reader might have different interpretations that'll result in them disliking your book. And to me Anne Bishop dealt with this perfectly, I feared I was going to be manipulated into a story and that's not how I came out of it all, despite already judging the story badly from spoilers and early reviews. I came to this book expecting to hate it and say goodbye to the series. She convinced me to fall in love with the Black Jewels again, after 11 books nonetheless!!!! This is no easy task at all, it requires a lot of skill. I admire her work a lot. If you've been saddened and disappointed by either The Twilight's Dawn or The Queen's Weapon give this book a chance. A fair one, read it for what it is and not what you idealize it to be. You'll catch yourself feeling very similarly to when you first read Daughter of the Blood, whatever that might mean to you personally.
Anyway, this book was ridiculously long for a Black Jewels book, so this review is ridiculously long as well, also I paid R$100 on this so I'll write a wall of text if I want to. I actually ended up liking that it was long, it had space for the necessary scenes to happen in a well told way, so I'm not complaining. Except for the Scelties, I hate them, have always hated them and will forever hate them. (I'm zoophobic animals as pets is not a reality to me they're just beasts, but I guess they're cute ones lol)
See y'all in the next one 😘 (or in the comments section, or in the next reread idk)
For that, I have to first say that I'm on Surreal's side always will and always will be. The first time I ever read Daughter of the Blood I hated it, and I mostly hated Surreal. The story and its basic concepts stayed with me, at the back of my head, always singing for me to come back, enough that 2 years later I picked it up again and fell in love with it.
I feel like a lot of fans of the series, even the ones who proclaim to have Surreal as a favorite, undermine her role in the books. She is a lot of the times a driving force, a catalyst for the plot to move forward. In the first book only, she is the second point of view we're introduced, she is Dorothea granddaughter, she finds Briarwood before everyone else, she gets to meet every sigle one of the girls in there, and the end culminates with her saving Jaenelle Angelline (and Daemon). This is no small part, she's not our main character of course, that's clearly Daemon (if after 11 books you still think it's Jaenelle, then please there's no way to be discussing the book then), but she clearly has great importance to the story and that's why I'm convinced, at the end of The Queen's Weapons, that Anne Bishop wasn't actually trying to undo any of what's happened before.
And there's reasons to it. Anne Bishop's first published work is a short story called "Match Girl", published in a collection book before The Black Jewels existed. The story is a retelling of the fairy tale "The Little Match Girl", but beyond that, it's a suspiciously familiar story of a orphaned girl who has to roam the streets and ends up in prostitution to be able to survive, at all times she dreams of crossing a suspiciously familiar mountain where things are right and she could finally be happy. Reminds you of anything?
After 11 books things are not different. All of the short stories for The Black Jewels are centered around Surreal. I feel like a lot of the fans haven't read them, but my favorite is "The Price" and it should be available in the main books, it's very very short but in its few words it tells a lot about what happens inside Surreal's mind and tells a lot about her relationship with Daemon as well, if you haven't read it you should. Lots of people say they've skipped Tangled Webs when they shouldn't. That book is relevant, all of them are there's no skipping if you want to truly understand this story. But that one is relevant to Twilight's Dawn and following.
The Queen's Weapons is an answer to a fan favorite question of how Dorothea came to be. And it does provides an aswer, I'll be nice and resume it for you now: it's convenience. Dorothea, and now Delora are convenient people in which evil can hide. "If she can do it, why can I not?" This is a phrase constantly repeated by Jaenelle Saetien throughout the book. "Everyone else can do it".
Oh Jaenelle Satien... this was a master play by Anne, honestly. Who's better to go through this journey of discovering how Dorothea came to be then her own offspring. The Black Jewels have always worked by telling the story with parallels, you need to understand them to understand its message. In result, a lot is left in between the lines and the reader has to put the work in. This is something that I've always criticized about the books, even though in this one I feel like Anne tried to be as direct and clear as she could without treating the audience as idiots. In Queen's Weapon though, characters lines are usually followed by a piece of thought or narrative that explains exactly the intention and the feelings behind. That's not something that happens in the previous books, so readers do come with misjudgements to this one.
And misjudgements is the one word for this experience. Before the book released, we were all bombarded with the news that things weren't going to go smoothly and that, sadly, the child we all thought would be the most precious ever, was in the center of trouble. We wanted to hate her, we already hated her but I don't think Anne will let us. Having read it now, I'm glad that Jaenelle Satien is the person she is and that she committed the mistakes she did. An incredible character and another very brave choice from our author. Make her be the perfect follow up for Jaenelle Angelline, be an angel with no mistakes? No, why would you choose the boring path? Make her powerful, curious and inquisitive like Jaenelle Angelline, make her tenacious, stubborn, self reliant and a free spirit like her mother Surreal, and make her ambitious and rebellious like her grandmother Dorothea. This is honestly an amazing combination, I came out of this book wanting to know who Saeti will become and what she'll go through. This is a story worth telling, I know that Titian and Daemonar will be okay in the future because they see themselves as extensions of the family. Saeti, on the other hand knows she's not and she has to become something that is only hers.
And that's the most brilliant of it all. Jaenelle Saetien is Daemon, Surreal AND Jaenelle Angelline's dreams made flesh. What these 3 have in common? The whish to be themselves fully. This is a common thing between Daemon and Surreal through these lasts books, and is said by Jaenelle Angelline to Saeti: "you're me but without the pain". And it's true, if Jaenelle Angelline had never seen the horrors that people under Dorothea's wing could do she'd become like her or even worse. "Everyone one else can do it" why can't she not? She's more powerful isn't she? This is a perfect parallel. Jaenelle Satien is Jaenelle Angelline without the pain but also without the burden and responsibilities that comes with her jewel and position. The lesson with The Black Jewels was always that with power and privilege, responsibility and care are necessary, otherwise it brews corruption, it's not a coincidence that our heroes and villains are rulers.
For Jaenelle Satien her way to find herself and be fully herself was to disconnect from her family. Isn't that exactly Jaenelle Angelline's journey? That she chose again and again to sacrifice herself even after death to stand up for her responsibilities and take care of her loved ones? From not leaving Chaillot before being hurt because she had to protect Wilhemina, to all the way coming back from her existence solely on the Misty Place to take care of the family. She cannot be herself fully, she has always to be Queen, to be Witch so the realms can be reminded of the right ways. That's her burden, and without that burden Jaenelle Satien falls into Delora's trap. That was Dorothea's plan in the first book: find who was the special girl, take her from her family and raise her under her control.
Jaenelle Satien doesn't come out wrong because of her parents misdoings, Daemon and Surreal aren't bad parents AT ALL. They did and gave her the best, they just didn't want her to have the same nightmares as they did. She does what she does because she doesn't want to embrace those who came before her, because she wants something that is solely hers. Then why Lucivar's children don't come out like that? At first, I was also thinking they were narratively privileged, that Anne was on their side and not on JS side, trying to demonize her, but in truth it's none of that. It's on these characters essences, they WANT to be their families follow up, so they ask for guidance and help when needed. Jaenelle Satien simply doesn't, it's not on her nature, she's a free spirit, curious, stubborn, ambitious like her predecessors. She wants to discover the world by herself and only by herself and by that she cuts her family and hurts them. She had countless of times to talk about what was going on, about her insecurities, to doubt Delora and her friends, even at the house party at the end she had at least 3 different times to come around, but because she felt like a shadow she chose not to.
Isn't that exactly what happened with Surreal in the Queen's Bargain? Thinking that she had to solve everything by herself, alone and refuse help? At the time I read that book, I honestly thought that it was trying to undermine Surreal like a lot of readers thought too, making a villain of an adored character. After a re-read and specially after reading this one, I understand everything so much better. Surreal was making her family a burden to herself because she thought she had to, "isn't that what everyone else does?", she thought she had to be absolutely perfect to be married to Daemon, to erase her past. Isn't that the lesson she learned in the last book? That like everyone else in the family she could ask for help, she could lean on the others and on Witch, she didn't have to forget who she was and what she went through, she just had to actively make the choice to ask? And again, I talked about it in my last review, the one thing that would make me give up my love for The Black Jewels was if the relationship between Surreal and Jaenelle Angelline was destroyed. And this book just strengthens it, every single interaction between them made me cry tears of joy. Witch made sure she wasn't something between Surreal's family, but something that could bring it together. Even then, she gives Surreal the choice to leave if she didn't feel like that's enough, if she didn't feel like she's being done right and she'll not be judged if she decides to leave. And Surreal doesn't leave, after all this is her family and her love, why would she give up everything when she can have a nice relationship with Daemon the rest of his life (like literally, he promised), be with friends and family? Why would she choose loneliness? Some of us even thought that she would commit suicide, or die or be written off, but why? That would be the bad choice from Anne Bishop. That is the ending villains get, actual characters we're supposed to hate. Our heros learn their lessons and find happiness in their own way, isn't it? And that's how I know that Surreal and Saeti are treasured characters just like everyone else, they're just the catalysts, the things that make the story move forward and they're important.
And oh Daemon and Surreal.... I think I can not put into words how much I love these two. Together and separate. Before coming to this book, I thought that the events would drive them apart. It doesn't happen, they actually have never been this love dovey in any other books! Not even when Jaenelle Saetien goes against Surreal, not even when Daemon is told he'd have to kill JS. They were always there for each other, from discovering all the atrocities being done in Dhemlam to parting ways from their daughter. And mostly important, something that bothered me and others in the last book, HE comes for her, he never dismisses her, acknowledges all her grievances stays by her side and respects all their boundaries. After all wasn't that exactly what they were for each other back in the first book when they still lived in Terreille? Friends, true partners. It's a beautiful love story honestly, from the very first book they have a beautiful love story. I feel like everyone always sees their love story as beginning in Twilight's Dawn, but after countless rereads of the entire series, I know their love story has been told little by little since the first book. Paralleling and intertwined with Daemon's love with Jaenelle Angelline but always there, and The Queen's Weapons just reinforces this. It's not your easy rom-com romance, this is a love story that goes beyond husband and wife and that makes it even more special. The same way Daemon and Jaenelle's love story goes beyond life and death. I love these two, I love what Anne Bishop built with them, I have never found a couple I adored this much in any piece of media, romance or not, that equals the strength that exists here. It's unparalleled and I would choose to go through it all again.
Some people finished the book thinking they're going to live a separate life but that's not what's is implied at all. Surreal talks about and is involved in the school at the Hall, she specifically talks about the tutors joining the family table for dinner, and she's involved in the organization of the students house settling like choosing their dorms and all. She's clearly involved, she's not going anywhere people lol. I think everyone interpreted that way because of her conversation with Jaenelle, she metions getting a house away from Daemon. But I saw it as a direct response to her knowing that he'll die sooner than she thought and before her. He's a constant on her life, the person she trusts the most and is mostly familiar with since always. She'll have to eventually learn how to live without him, get used to the idea so it doesn't happen like Saetan or Rainier whom she lost suddenly.
Wich brings me back to her broken motherly bond with Jaenelle Saetien. I think people are misinterpreting that as well. Do you honestly think she stopped loving her daughter? Is that what you actually read? Did she not cry because her daughter words hurt, and because Jaenelle Saetien was being blind to her mistakes, like a mother does? Did she not cry when she found out that Jaenelle Saetien was going to be executed? Was she not scared of whatever punishment Witch put over JS? Didn't she care for Jaenelle Satien's body all the days she was stuck in the Briarwood nightmare, like a mother? Didn't she, after all that happened, welcome Jaenelle Saetien to the sanctuary she founded because she thought it would be a good way for the girl to overcome her mistakes and the things she saw at Briarwood, the same way it was for herself?? Are none of these motherly actions? Is this what someone that never cared for that role, for the child would do? Isn't it unfair to say their relationship was shallow, fake? Because that's not what I read. She gives up the title of Mother yes, because that's what Jaenelle Saetien wants, and she knows she'll regret. She tells Daemon exactly that, Jaenelle Saetien will regret judging her mother because that's what she did with Titian, and she regrets it. Doesn't she talk specifically about how similar they are? She'll never stop loving her like a mother, never stop caring.
That is exactly what Daemon's says on his last interaction with Jaenelle Saetien at the end of the book when he says that yes they can exchange letters, he'll never stop caring for her even if she decides to distance herself. And oh my god in this part I ugly cried like never before, it wasn't tears while reading it was full on bawling, I actually had to put my phone (yay expensive ebook gang!!) away. The Black Jewels is very comforting because to me and a lot of the other fans it touches on scars and helps heal them. Maybe that's why I can't see the wrongs people are seeing in this one. But this moment was a treasure to me, absolutely special.
And oh Daemon... Can we ever love you any less?? Do we love you too much?? Will we have to, like Surreal, start to brace ourselves to let go of you because your time is coming? Will you, like your father leave us with only the memories of the love we had for you? Are we ever going to find comfort elsewhere or are you truly the perfect hero?
I never liked male protagonists. I would actually avoid them at all costs. Maybe if I never had come into The Black Jewels thinking it was a story about Jaenelle and Daemon would solely be her tag along, I wouldn't be able to like him as much as I do now. Everyday I get impressed on how much of a perfect fantasy he is from beginning to end. On the facebook group we get posts about actors people think could have his face, we go from radom male models, to the newest (and best imo) addition Rege-Jean Page, to people who refuse to give him a face because no real beauty would suit him. A perfect fantasy inside and out of the book. Before coming into this I thought this book would finally spoil Daemon for me. In my last review I said I didn't want him to regress into who he was at the Trilogy, a messy, lost, purposeless man who lived to chase something he thought was lost. And that's not what he gets, if not he learns once again that he has to stay and be connected to the living, pass on his knowledge, take care of the realm and love his family until his body can't stay alive anymore. Different from his father that spent centuries locked out in hell, who lost a son (Peyton, the favorite before Daemon came along) to Dorothea and Hekatah's interferences. He refuses to give up on Jaenelle Saetien, I don't know if the parallels between Peyton and her were intentional, but they're certainly there. It's such a simple lesson for him that it makes me wonder if being simple is exactly what makes Daemon as a character so good. I KNOW this is not the end to The Black Jewels, because we'll have to see Daemon's final moments. And I'm honestly not sad, like him I don't want to rush that moment, but I know it will be a beautiful ending to a beautiful journey and I'll happily wait.
To end this infinite wall of text. Zoey is a nice addition and brings representation to a series that had almost none. I love her relationship with Titian, I think they'll grow up well and there's a lot of world and lore exploration that could be done with this so I'd like to see them in the future. Daemonar is like Lucivar the voice of reason, I don't like him as much as I like Lucivar but Anne Bishop clearly has plans for him (as said in Tersa's vision) so we'll see what's going to come. In the last book I felt like Lucivar was a bit tossed to the side as well, but I'm happy in this one he and Daemonar could get closer to Witch, but then again it's just the character essence, he's simply not prone to drama so it's hard to not get overshadowed by everything else going on. Marian is surprisingly always funny, I did thought she'd get a bit more scenes, but it's nothing really important or that hindered my enjoyment.
I feel like this book required a lot of maturity to deal with expectations and attachments to characters, from the author and from the readers. And I'm pleased with the results, messing with your characters happy endings and still coming out with a good story that reinforces the thematic outline of the entire series, calls back and resolves past issues and events and delivers even more interesting characters is not an easy task, you have to be a brave author to face the fact your reader might have different interpretations that'll result in them disliking your book. And to me Anne Bishop dealt with this perfectly, I feared I was going to be manipulated into a story and that's not how I came out of it all, despite already judging the story badly from spoilers and early reviews. I came to this book expecting to hate it and say goodbye to the series. She convinced me to fall in love with the Black Jewels again, after 11 books nonetheless!!!! This is no easy task at all, it requires a lot of skill. I admire her work a lot. If you've been saddened and disappointed by either The Twilight's Dawn or The Queen's Weapon give this book a chance. A fair one, read it for what it is and not what you idealize it to be. You'll catch yourself feeling very similarly to when you first read Daughter of the Blood, whatever that might mean to you personally.
Anyway, this book was ridiculously long for a Black Jewels book, so this review is ridiculously long as well, also I paid R$100 on this so I'll write a wall of text if I want to. I actually ended up liking that it was long, it had space for the necessary scenes to happen in a well told way, so I'm not complaining. Except for the Scelties, I hate them, have always hated them and will forever hate them. (I'm zoophobic animals as pets is not a reality to me they're just beasts, but I guess they're cute ones lol)
See y'all in the next one 😘 (or in the comments section, or in the next reread idk)
February 7, 2021
I have always been a huge fan of the Black Jewels Series. The original Trilogy is still my favorite, with the Shalador Dualogy following second. The other books in the series have not been great, though Daemonar has become a favorite character in the newer set. The Queen’s Weapons, while better than the rest of the books focusing on Daemon Sadi and Surreal after the original trilogy, is still not up to the original standard.
The characters themselves were well-written, but I just didn’t believe the plot. This story focuses on the children of our well-beloved characters, and the trials of adolescence. However, with all of the lessons learned by her parents, I found the reactions and upbringing of Jannelle Satien to be hard to swallow. I didn’t enjoy any of the story told from her point of view- Daemonar and Tersa were much more fun to read. It just feels like continuing Janelle’s story keeps yielding weak plots. I would much rather read a book entirely focused on any of the new characters with a plot separate from preventing the Blood from becoming corrupt. So while I really liked Daemonar and Tersa’s parts, and would happily read more books about them, that means I enjoyed about 60% of The Queen’s Weapons. I would say read it if you are a fan of the series, just to know what has happened, but you can pretty much skip Janelle Satien’s parts and still understand what is happening. An underwhelming 3 stars.
The characters themselves were well-written, but I just didn’t believe the plot. This story focuses on the children of our well-beloved characters, and the trials of adolescence. However, with all of the lessons learned by her parents, I found the reactions and upbringing of Jannelle Satien to be hard to swallow. I didn’t enjoy any of the story told from her point of view- Daemonar and Tersa were much more fun to read. It just feels like continuing Janelle’s story keeps yielding weak plots. I would much rather read a book entirely focused on any of the new characters with a plot separate from preventing the Blood from becoming corrupt. So while I really liked Daemonar and Tersa’s parts, and would happily read more books about them, that means I enjoyed about 60% of The Queen’s Weapons. I would say read it if you are a fan of the series, just to know what has happened, but you can pretty much skip Janelle Satien’s parts and still understand what is happening. An underwhelming 3 stars.
March 22, 2021
I sorta hated this book. I mean, I love the characters...but, I hated the plot. First, I have never understood why she made the kid such a bitch. Also, I just don’t understand how she can be that shitty of a person when she comes from that family. WTF?? All of the trauma brought back my trauma which made me cry at work-that was fun. I always read and reread this series every year, but I might skip this one in the future. I did not like it at all.
Read
March 12, 2021I don't know how I feel about this book so I am going to sit on it a bit before I say anything about it.
May 18, 2024
It followed the path of a classic Greek tragedy having almost all of the hallmarks associated with it. As such the read was quite troubling at times, up to the painful aftermath.
At this stage of the series I would settle for some light family antics with some light wide spreading details and a few loose threads from long ago, such as Cassidie.
At this stage of the series I would settle for some light family antics with some light wide spreading details and a few loose threads from long ago, such as Cassidie.
March 14, 2023
This is going to be a long one, so I'm sorry. But I have a lot to say.
I struggled with what rating to give this book, because on one hand, everything about the Yaslana family is written wonderfully, and everything about the SaDiablo family is written to be awful.
Lucivar's children are a treat to read about. Everytime they came onto the scene, I felt like the story picked up momentum (course, he is my favorite character and always has been so maybe I'm biased). Daemonar is a young man now, and is starting to learn more about the horrors his father and uncle faced in Terrielle and that those horrors might be making their way to Kaeleer. Titian is also coming into her own, and is very different from her brother, taking after Marian more than Lucivar. She wants to study art not warcraft and she and her brother are clearly very close.
Daemon's child... is the opposite. Jaenelle Saetian is far from the charming, wonderful, magical child she was introduced to be. In fact, she is an entitled brat. My biggest problem with Saetian, is that she doesn't want to be compared to Jaenelle Angelline, but she wants everyone to treat her like she is as special as Jaenelle Angelline. And I've read some other reviews, and I've seen people talk about how one harsh word shouldn't sever the motherly connection between Saetian and Surreal, but I honestly believe that that was just the straw that broke the camels back. It's been centuries of Saetian being dismissive of Surreal, contemptuous of Surreal, judgmental of Surreal, and this was just the last in that long line of heartache. Was it shown well, I don't think so (my thoughts on how to fix that below) but it's my belief that Surreal is too good for her daughter.
I am of the opinion that this book, this story line, should have been it's own duology. I know that technically, its part of a duology, but if we're being honest there isn't a whole lot tying it to the Queen's Bargain. The first should have expanded on the children's childhood. We should have been shown charming wonderful Saetian and how she ended up such an entitled brat (because as it stands, she was the second coming of Angelline in the High Lord's Daughter and mini Kermilla by The Queen's Bargain). Seeing how she went from one extreme to the other would go a long way to fleshing out how she got to be this way. This would also give us a chance to see how Delora and Hespera got to this point. Surely they didn't come into this world fully formed as mini Dorothea and Heketah. And even if they did, how did they gain a following? How did they get their claws in Saetian? Putting all of this in it's own book would go a long way towards fleshing out a plot that felt rushed and half thought out. Additionally, we could take this time to actually explore Dorian and Orian, not just toss them in there so that Daemonar has a problem but not actually develop them.
The second book can be all the school stuff, but more fleshed out. With more of a focus on the children. The school stuff wasn't too bad, but it was thin since it had so much else to compete with in this book. I did very much enjoy the climax of this book, which was the SaDiablo staff taking. Care. Of business. Mrs. Beale and her meat cleaver deserve a special mention for sure, as well as Holt. They are all wonderful. While we're on the subject of that climax, and it's aftermath, I think Saetian got off too easy. I know that Daemon couldn't do what was asked of him, but I think Witch could have extracted a higher price for the pain and suffering she inflicted. Not just on Daemon and Surreal and the girls at the party, but on Lucivar and Titian and Daemonar and Zoey. She betrayed her family, and got what feels like a slap on the wrist.
All in all, Jaenelle Saetian is the worst part of this book, and I understand that she had to be for the book to work, but there wasn't enough foundation there to make it feel justified. The books feels like a big retcon. "Oh the Daemon and Surreal pairing was unpopular? Okay let's drive them off a cliff and find another way for Daemon and Angelline to be together in death." "Oh, you know I've decided I don't think they deserve a perfect, wonderful, magical child. Let's just drive a stake through her personality and make her completely unlikeable."
Personally, I think, if she writes other stories in this world, she needs to stop writing about the SaDiablo's. Some how she cannot seem to pull it off anymore. I'm happy to continue reading about the Yaslana's, Titian and Jillian in particular I think would be interesting, or we can go to the rebuilding of Terrielle like in the Shalador Duology, or hey! I'd love to know what happened to Wilhelmina Benedict! But I think it's time to let the SaDiablo's sleep.
I struggled with what rating to give this book, because on one hand, everything about the Yaslana family is written wonderfully, and everything about the SaDiablo family is written to be awful.
Lucivar's children are a treat to read about. Everytime they came onto the scene, I felt like the story picked up momentum (course, he is my favorite character and always has been so maybe I'm biased). Daemonar is a young man now, and is starting to learn more about the horrors his father and uncle faced in Terrielle and that those horrors might be making their way to Kaeleer. Titian is also coming into her own, and is very different from her brother, taking after Marian more than Lucivar. She wants to study art not warcraft and she and her brother are clearly very close.
Daemon's child... is the opposite. Jaenelle Saetian is far from the charming, wonderful, magical child she was introduced to be. In fact, she is an entitled brat. My biggest problem with Saetian, is that she doesn't want to be compared to Jaenelle Angelline, but she wants everyone to treat her like she is as special as Jaenelle Angelline. And I've read some other reviews, and I've seen people talk about how one harsh word shouldn't sever the motherly connection between Saetian and Surreal, but I honestly believe that that was just the straw that broke the camels back. It's been centuries of Saetian being dismissive of Surreal, contemptuous of Surreal, judgmental of Surreal, and this was just the last in that long line of heartache. Was it shown well, I don't think so (my thoughts on how to fix that below) but it's my belief that Surreal is too good for her daughter.
I am of the opinion that this book, this story line, should have been it's own duology. I know that technically, its part of a duology, but if we're being honest there isn't a whole lot tying it to the Queen's Bargain. The first should have expanded on the children's childhood. We should have been shown charming wonderful Saetian and how she ended up such an entitled brat (because as it stands, she was the second coming of Angelline in the High Lord's Daughter and mini Kermilla by The Queen's Bargain). Seeing how she went from one extreme to the other would go a long way to fleshing out how she got to be this way. This would also give us a chance to see how Delora and Hespera got to this point. Surely they didn't come into this world fully formed as mini Dorothea and Heketah. And even if they did, how did they gain a following? How did they get their claws in Saetian? Putting all of this in it's own book would go a long way towards fleshing out a plot that felt rushed and half thought out. Additionally, we could take this time to actually explore Dorian and Orian, not just toss them in there so that Daemonar has a problem but not actually develop them.
The second book can be all the school stuff, but more fleshed out. With more of a focus on the children. The school stuff wasn't too bad, but it was thin since it had so much else to compete with in this book. I did very much enjoy the climax of this book, which was the SaDiablo staff taking. Care. Of business. Mrs. Beale and her meat cleaver deserve a special mention for sure, as well as Holt. They are all wonderful. While we're on the subject of that climax, and it's aftermath, I think Saetian got off too easy. I know that Daemon couldn't do what was asked of him, but I think Witch could have extracted a higher price for the pain and suffering she inflicted. Not just on Daemon and Surreal and the girls at the party, but on Lucivar and Titian and Daemonar and Zoey. She betrayed her family, and got what feels like a slap on the wrist.
All in all, Jaenelle Saetian is the worst part of this book, and I understand that she had to be for the book to work, but there wasn't enough foundation there to make it feel justified. The books feels like a big retcon. "Oh the Daemon and Surreal pairing was unpopular? Okay let's drive them off a cliff and find another way for Daemon and Angelline to be together in death." "Oh, you know I've decided I don't think they deserve a perfect, wonderful, magical child. Let's just drive a stake through her personality and make her completely unlikeable."
Personally, I think, if she writes other stories in this world, she needs to stop writing about the SaDiablo's. Some how she cannot seem to pull it off anymore. I'm happy to continue reading about the Yaslana's, Titian and Jillian in particular I think would be interesting, or we can go to the rebuilding of Terrielle like in the Shalador Duology, or hey! I'd love to know what happened to Wilhelmina Benedict! But I think it's time to let the SaDiablo's sleep.
March 21, 2021
***Spoilers for the series, but not for this book***
**the books in the series do not work as standalones. If you’re new to the series, start at the beginning with Daughter of the Blood. I’m assuming anyone reading this review has read the series**
Anne Bishop is one of my most favorite authors. No one, in my opinion, does a better job of trope-flipping that doesn’t feel like trope-flipping. Her world-building is unique and exquisite, and she writes with a blend of intimacy and epic scale that is thrilling on every level.
That said, I’ve had a difficult time with every book in the series since Jaenelle left the realms of the living. On one hand, as a fan, you keenly desire more stories. On the other, how can any of those stories have the weight and import of the original, realms-transforming arc? I can sympathize with the floundering of the main characters. How, after Jaenelle Angelline, can anything even matter?
This addition seemed to me like an odd combination of pandering to fans and... what’s the opposite of that called, anyway? For readers who have desperately wanted a way for Witch to return to her triangle and Jaenelle and Daemon to reunite, there’s a resolution of sorts, and a nice echoing, history repeats itself vibe. But additions of Kindred, and minor characters from earlier books, like Jillian, seem almost tacked on. And then there’s Jaenelle Saetian.
How can this girl, named after Jaenelle and Saetan, and given Twilight’s Dawn as a Birthright Jewel, become - this?! If it were merely heartbreaking and (no pun intended) surreal, that would have been one thing. But the minute the character of Jaenelle Saetian starts down the whiny, selfish road of adolescence, she becomes as thin and translucent as skim milk. Less of a character and more just a cipher for other characters to bounce off of. She is the most one-dimensional, one-note character of Bishop’s career; she could literally disappear and it would not affect the story in the slightest.
I can almost imagine that the author had such a hard time using this character in such a way that she became impossible to write.
Despite that, I definitely enjoyed this book. It is more solidly alike to the original trilogy than we’ve had in a while, and regardless, I devour every book Bishop writes. What does make me optimistic is that, I can see this book as a bridge for a new chapter in the story of the Realms, and in that light Jaenelle Saetian’s transformation may come about in another book. Can I go ahead and pre-order that right now?
**the books in the series do not work as standalones. If you’re new to the series, start at the beginning with Daughter of the Blood. I’m assuming anyone reading this review has read the series**
Anne Bishop is one of my most favorite authors. No one, in my opinion, does a better job of trope-flipping that doesn’t feel like trope-flipping. Her world-building is unique and exquisite, and she writes with a blend of intimacy and epic scale that is thrilling on every level.
That said, I’ve had a difficult time with every book in the series since Jaenelle left the realms of the living. On one hand, as a fan, you keenly desire more stories. On the other, how can any of those stories have the weight and import of the original, realms-transforming arc? I can sympathize with the floundering of the main characters. How, after Jaenelle Angelline, can anything even matter?
This addition seemed to me like an odd combination of pandering to fans and... what’s the opposite of that called, anyway? For readers who have desperately wanted a way for Witch to return to her triangle and Jaenelle and Daemon to reunite, there’s a resolution of sorts, and a nice echoing, history repeats itself vibe. But additions of Kindred, and minor characters from earlier books, like Jillian, seem almost tacked on. And then there’s Jaenelle Saetian.
How can this girl, named after Jaenelle and Saetan, and given Twilight’s Dawn as a Birthright Jewel, become - this?! If it were merely heartbreaking and (no pun intended) surreal, that would have been one thing. But the minute the character of Jaenelle Saetian starts down the whiny, selfish road of adolescence, she becomes as thin and translucent as skim milk. Less of a character and more just a cipher for other characters to bounce off of. She is the most one-dimensional, one-note character of Bishop’s career; she could literally disappear and it would not affect the story in the slightest.
I can almost imagine that the author had such a hard time using this character in such a way that she became impossible to write.
Despite that, I definitely enjoyed this book. It is more solidly alike to the original trilogy than we’ve had in a while, and regardless, I devour every book Bishop writes. What does make me optimistic is that, I can see this book as a bridge for a new chapter in the story of the Realms, and in that light Jaenelle Saetian’s transformation may come about in another book. Can I go ahead and pre-order that right now?
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