Book Review: Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey

 I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1.5 of Kushiel’s Legacy

Publisher: Tor (August 1, 2023)

Length: 528 pages

Author Information: Website

I think it’s fair to say that the Kushiel’s Legacy series has captured the imaginations of an entire generation of fantasy readers, and at least in my case, that’s no exaggeration. Growing up, I was not always into books and when I did get around to picking one up, fantasy was probably the last genre I would consider. But fast forward to now, epic fantasy is my favorite genre, I’m a voracious reader, and I credit much of that to Jacqueline Carey and a tattered dog-eared paperback of Kushiel’s Dart that I picked up for a song from a used bookstore while attending university.

Needless to say, the book blew me away. I have since read almost anything I could get my hands on by Carey, including everything set in her Kushiel universe like the Imriel and Naamah trilogies, but it’s the original novel that started it all which has and always will have a special place in my heart. So when I first heard about Cassiel’s Servant, a retelling of Kushiel’s Dart from the point of view of Joscelin Verreuil, my first reaction was an all-out unbridled lose-my-shit kind of excitement. At the time, the question of whether a book like this was even necessary did not enter my mind; I was just happy that Jacqueline Carey was returning to the world of Terre d’Ange.

For the uninitiated, the protagonist of Kushiel’s Dart was Phèdre nó Delaunay, a courtesan trained from childhood to be a spy. An “anquissette” marked by the angel Kushiel to find pleasure in pain, her special talents and proclivities make her popular among the high-ranking members of the royal court, giving her access to some of Terre d’Ange’s most valued secrets. In the process though, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot to usurp the throne, painting a target on her back. A bodyguard from the highly vaunted Cassiline Brotherhood was thus hired to protect her, which is where Joscelin comes in.

Recruited at age ten, Joscelin trained for years to be a warrior priest of Cassiel. Having made a vow of celibacy, his only loyalty is to his patron angel, his order, and his sworn charge. At first, it seemed a cruel joke when he was assigned to guard Phèdre, a servant of Naamah whose tenets are completely antithetical to those of a servant of Cassiel. However, Joscelin, obedient to a fault, will do his duty. But when the conspiracy against the queen sends him and Phèdre on the run through the frozen wilds of Skaldia, the two of them only have each other to rely upon for survival. Against all odds, they fall in love, leading Joscelin to struggle emotionally with his broken vows while holding steadfastly to his commitment to accompany and protect Phèdre.

So, was a rehashing of the events from Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s perspective really needed? Probably not. But that’s okay. From the start, Cassiel’s Servant had the feel of a pet project pursued by Jaqueline Carey, for her fans and for herself. Sure, it can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Kushiel’s Dart is the phenomenon it is, precisely because Phèdre nó Delaunay is a force of nature unto herself. Joscelin may have completed her, but in the greater scheme of things, he was a supporting character in every sense of the word, tagging along like an accessory while Phèdre played heroine. If you’re reading Cassiel’s Servant as a newcomer, you’ll miss out on all the experiences and nuances from the original that made it so extraordinary.

And sure enough, the book became dispensable at the very point where Joscelin meets Phèdre for the very first time. Granted, I confess to sparing a brief swoon for this very consequential meet-cute moment, but everything that followed felt like a faded impression of the original events. While it was fascinating to get Joscelin’s point of view on certain things, in truth, his narrative on the whole added little to what was already known—not so surprising given his backseat role in Kushiel’s Dart. That being said, I could hardly fault him, for despite this being Joscelin’s novel, we all know the story is always and forever going to be Phèdre’s, and like everyone else, he was merely swept up in her orbit.

In fact, my favorite parts of the novel, and I wish there had been more, were the sections going back to Joscelin’s youth. Everything from his family life to his early days at the Brotherhood was brand new territory, and for fans of the character, these chapters may be worth the price of admission alone. They also dispel a lot of the mystery surrounding Joscelin, whose staunch discipline and stoicism in Kushiel’s Dart made him feel somewhat distant. The intro to Cassiel’s Servant goes a long way in painting him as an actual human being with a sympathetic backstory and a fleeting childhood full of hopes and dreams, doubts and fears.

Finally, I can’t tell you what a joy it is to read another Kushiel universe book by Jacqueline Carey. I have read her work extensively, from Santa Olivia and the Agents of Hel series to Starless and Miranda and Caliban. While she is a talented and versatile author who I’m sure is capable of conquering any genre, she’s hands down at her best when writing in the world of Terre d’Ange, falling into a lyrical and elegant style that flows richly off the page.

In conclusion, its questionable necessity aside, I for one am glad this book was written, and despite its limitations I enjoyed it very much. I would highly recommend Cassiel’s Servant for Jacqueline Carey fans, elevating it to must-read status if you’ve also read Kushiel’s Dart. For newcomers who haven’t though, I would advise against braving this one and suggest checking out the original novel instead. Not only do I feel it is the author’s best work, you also won’t get the most out of Joscelin’s side of the story unless you’re first acquainted with Phèdre’s.