Review: Daughter of the Blood



Hi

In a sense this is a review in retrospect because I read this over a year ago, and then earlier this year.   'Daughter of the Blood' is the first novel in the Black Jewels Trilogy.  It is set in a magical world known as the realms, which is composed of three parts.  It primarily follows three men - Saetan, Lucivar and Daemon- as they discover a young girl named Jaenelle who is Dreams made Flesh and basically has been created to save 'The Blood' aka the magical people, from self destruction. 

It's one of those books that is a bit hard to explain but it comes under the genre of Dark Fantasy. 

'Daughter of the Blood' is a very original book, like the rest of the series.  It has everything from talking unicorns to the undead.  It is also not a book I would recommend for younger readers, because it is extremely violent, in more ways than one if you get my meaning.  The characters are probably the biggest selling point for me.  I think that they are great, and they all stand on their own.  They think in a different way to most other characters that I've read - they are both violent and loving, lost and hopeful, caring and bitter. 

I would say to a certain extent that The Black Jewels Trilogy (and the later books) are both some of my favourite books and also my guilty pleasures.  The prose is not the best ever.  Certain characters are explained with stock phrases all the time that never change.  For example  Luicivar has a lazy, arrogant smile.   Whenever I read that I call it the Lazy Comma Arrogant.  Daemon and Saetan have a habit of asking questions 'too softly' when they are angry.  Usually these questions are mundane.  But I actually find it amusing and quite charming that these phrases are used. 

'Daughter of the Blood' is very action packed.  It is also very sad.  As a series opener it is great.  I don't want to spoil too much here, but basically the three mains discover Jaenelle in their own way and time, and because of the evil powers that be they have to protect her.  Unfortunately, they are limited (sometimes because Jaenelle deliberately limits them) and can't protect her from awful mental and sexual abuse.  Throughout the book Saetan and Daemon gradually discover the harrowing truth that Jaenelle has been hiding from them, and the last hundred pages really keep you on the edge of your seat.  I just couldn't believe it was happening. 

I would recommend buying the omnibus version of the Black Jewels Trilogy, because then you can go straight into the second novel 'Heir to the Shadows'.  Trust me if you liked 'Daughter of the Blood' you will want to read the next one soon after.