Book Review - Daughter of the Blood
Title: Daughter of the Blood, First in the Black Jewels series
Author: Anne Bishop
Year of Publication: 1998
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Pages: 412
First Line: I am Tersa the Weaver, Tersa the Liar, Tersa the Fool.
Summary: Seven hundred years ago, a Black Window witch saw an ancient prophecy come to life in her dazzling web of dreams and visions.
Now the Dark Kingdom readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But she is still young, still open to influence - and corruption.
Whoever controls the Queen controls the Darkness. Three men - sworn enemies - know this. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, in which the weapons are hate and love… and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining…
Source: Back of book
Review: Daughter of the Blood is an original and unique dark fantasy novel. It follows the stories of the child-heroine Jaenelle, pleasure slaves Daemon and Lucivar, and Saetan, the High Lord of Hell. The novel is narrated by multiple characters and the chapters are mostly short and sweet, which I enjoy. Jaenelle is the Witch, destined to rule the Blood, and those who use it. As she comes into her powers she meets Daemon, who becomes her silent protector against evil blood-witches who would kill her. While the plot is dark and interesting, the world Bishop has created can be confusing. One building can exist in multiple dimensions and what this novel lacks is a detailed map and perhaps a glossary for all the new terms.
Bishop uses a descriptive and intense style of writing in Daughter of the Blood. The characters live bleak lives and their negative experiences are definitely not glossed over. This may be off-putting for those who are uncomfortable with non-consensual sex, child abuse, war and rape. Nevertheless, there are moments of happiness and love, most obviously seen in Jaenelle’s innocence and naivety to the world around her. Character development is slow, as is most often the case in the first novel in a series. The characters display a realistic array of emotions and reactions, which makes Daughter of the Blood pleasant to read. In particular I enjoyed the ferocity of Daemon. I would recommend this book to most adult fantasy readers. It’s an experience you won’t forget.
Worst part: The ending is a cliff-hanger, leading to the next book in the series. It’s probably the worst because I haven’t bought the second installment yet.
Best part: The world the novel is set in. I love how dark it is, it’s very intriguing.
Personal Rating: 6.5/10 - A good read overall, but a slow beginning and cliffhanger ending brought the score down
Other Books by This Author: Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness and more in the Black Jewels series. She has also written the Tir Alainn Trilogy and the Landscapes of Ephemera Duology.