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I am thoroughly enjoying this retelling of Kushiel's Dart from Joscelin's perspective. I was a little skeptical at first. Retellings from another point of view have never been a favorite of mine. At most, they've felt like an easy way for an author to bring in more money. HOWEVER, I think Jacqueline Carey puts a lot of thought and quality into her novels, and this one is no different. Yes, it follows the same storyline as Kushiel's Dart very closely. I think the best time to read this is when you're craving a re-reading of Kushiel's Dart. I reread the Kushiel's Legacy series fairly often, so it was a joy to return to this world with a fresh perspective. There were some genuine laugh out loud moments for me, particularly when Joscelin is meeting Phedre for the first time and they don't exactly get along. His repulsion to her anguissette lifestyle is relatable; I don't know many readers who actually enjoy Phedre's assignations in the original novels. In general, Joscelin's perspective on sex is a lot closer to the American perspective on sex, so it's an easier lens to view Phedre's world through. They both grow a lot throughout the events of this novel, and getting Joscelin's internal dialogue during those events sheds a light on why Joscelin acts as he does, which isn't exactly clear in Kushiel's Dart.

I'll be interested to see if Jacqueline Carey returns to Joscelin's perspective for the events of Kushiel's Chosen. There is a good chunk of time during that novel where Phedre is off traveling the seas after her imprisonment and while we get a short summary of Joscelin's story during that time, there's certainly room for a lot more. Whether that story would be interesting without Phedre's presence, I'm not sure, but if anybody can pull it off, it's Jacqueline Carey. Whether she does or not, reading this book was exactly the return to Terre D'Ange that I needed.

I inhaled this book! Cat was an absolute delight, and her friction with Beta Team was absolutely hilarious and completely engaging. The tension between her and Griffin (Beta Sinta) was palpable from the second they meet. The romance was very slow burn, with plenty of banter leading up to their eventual coming together. Even better than the romance though, was the actual plot and worldbuilding in this book! There are so many fantasy-romance novels out there where the plot and world takes a backseat to the romance; my biggest pet peeve is when the hero and heroine are indulging in a moment of romance that makes absolutely no sense given what's going on around them. Griffin and Cat keep their eyes on the ball, and the author does a great job of weaving the romance with the plot. I loved this world that Amanda Bouchet built; the mix of tribes with Greek gods, magic, and creatures was chef's kiss perfection. In particular, I loved her description of what dragons look like in this world. I won't spoil it, but it was completely unique!

My only gripe with this story was Griffin's alpha-male-ness. Which, a certain amount of, you expect in a romance novel. But I was definitely feeling uneasy with how much emotional manipulation Griffin was exerting over Cat throughout the story. The story is written in a way where you know that Cat wants to make the decision, but is being held back by very real fears, and Griffin just coaxes her past her fear. But they way he was doing that was very clearly problematic behavior. I truly think it's possible for us to have alpha male heroes that still respect the heroine's right to make her own decisions.

Another very fun couple to get to know! I thought the speed with which Val warmed up to Gregor was a little fast, given that she had spent the last 10 years basically hating his guts. But the banter between them, the awkward interactions from Gregor and Val's teasing, were adorable. I really liked Gregor. Val was less fun as a heroine than Ankari was in the first book; she spent a lot of time feeling self-conscious about her piloting abilities. The plot in this one was a little thin, and the conflict at the end was kind of out of nowhere. But the situations that Val and Gregor ended up in and the way that they worked together in symphony were very satisfying to read.

"If they've linked us to the kidnapping, we may face aerial resistance when we leave," Gregor said.
"It's somewhat alarming that you sound excited by that," Val said.
"I am a combat pilot."

"Did you just break free from the airlock with the clamps still attached? That is not the technique you taught us in the academy."
"Due to the impound, the station automation refused to acknowledge the command to release the craft. I was forced to employ unsanctioned departure techniques." He sounded excited by that too.
"Crazy bastard," Val muttered...