Over twenty years after we met courtesan-spy Phèdre nó Delaunay in Kushiel’s Dart, author Jacqueline Carey is revealing a new dimension of Terre d’Ange by retelling the epic fantasy through the eyes of warrior-monk Joscelin Verreuil. Ever the storyteller, Phèdre’s expansive narration details such a lush, thrilling upbringing and recounts everything from her assignations in the City of Elua to her battlefield negotiations… but hers is still only one perspective. We’ve been waiting a long time to find out what events shaped Joscelin before he was assigned to become Phèdre’s bodyguard, and to delve into the incredible circumstances that challenged his vows to Cassiel and allowed him to reconsider what it means to love as thou wilt.
With Cassiel’s Servant publishing in a matter of days, it’s high time to put in our final bets about the moments we can’t wait to read and relive from Joscelin’s point of view.
As you might have surmised, some spoilers for Kushiel’s Dart, though I’ve endeavored to only briefly touch upon each moment so that any first-time readers will have a hint of what they can look forward to. As for long-time fans… IYKYK.
Cassiline Brotherhood Training
The manner in which Phèdre describes the Cassiline Brotherhood is only the tip of the iceberg. The training secrets are so closely guarded, and Joscelin is at first so reticent about his upbringing—not to mention rather judgmental of her own training—that even she has no way of learning any specifics. She only knows how the drills and tenets manifest in a precise dagger throw from Joscelin, or in how he adapts to unfamiliar swordfights on enemy terrain. For someone like Phèdre, with all knowledge is worth having drilled into her, it’s actually shocking that she possesses so few details to impart.
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Cassiel’s Servant
Which is why I can’t wait to hear Joscelin recount his childhood memories and his decade of study with the Cassilines before his most unusual assignment: the ritual and rhythms of learning the Cassiline way of life; the inevitable rivalries and psychodramas with other adolescent boys; and whether his vow of chastity is ever tempted even before he meets Phèdre.
The Longest Night
Really, file this under “all of Phèdre’s assignations”—I was recently describing Kushiel’s Dart to someone, playing up the humor of Joscelin awkwardly collecting a bruised and/or scarring anguissette every morning. But seeing as we’ll be (hopefully) learning more about the depths of Joscelin’s faith and his devotion to Cassiel, I’ll be curious to see if observing Naamah’s service—even from a distance—helps him bridge that mental gap at all.
And I said the Longest Night specifically because really, I can’t wait to see his reaction to that most pivotal Midwinter Masque, from accompanying Phèdre on her assignation with Melisande Shahrizai to her diamond-studded “dress.”
Elua’s Vigil
This goes hand-in-hand with the Midwinter Masque, as the annual inverse is Elua’s Vigil, which Joscelin keeps every year. Arguably a much longer way to pass the night, this ritual is not for Phèdre’s eyes, but perhaps we’ll get the opportunity to explore Joscelin’s psyche through such a rigorous and demanding rite.
Surviving Skaldia
In keeping with their vastly different experiences of all things D’Angeline and beyond, Phèdre and Joscelin only get stolen moments together during their time in Skaldia: Not only are they separated by gender, with her watched over by the women of first Gunter Arnlaugson’s steading, then warlord Waldemar Selig’s steading, while he works his way up from the kennel to join the menfolk and their own competitions for lesser power. But also, every night Phèdre is whisked away to the bedchamber of whichever warrior owns her in that moment, leaving Joscelin to establish his own footing using his battle training, yes, but to also overcome his existential crisis about failing Phèdre as a Cassiline.
While Delaunay raised Phèdre with enough resources to survive even an unimaginable situation such as this, Joscelin’s education did not account for a situation in which he would be gripped by such self-loathing and be tempted toward giving up rather than finding the will to survive. It’s a powerful interlude as narrated by Phèdre, but it will be even more resonant from Joscelin himself.
The Moment He Falls in Love
Is it in Skaldia, right before they make love for the first time, or is it while acting as her grumpy chaperone and bodyguard back in Terre d’Ange? Or perhaps even later in the novel, as their efforts to carry on Delaunay’s vow will bring out another side of Phèdre. While it’s clear that she possesses different forms of love for her family and clients, for Joscelin it’s a much more singular experience—I can’t wait to see that moment.
The Crossroads
Joscelin is such a fascinating—and frustrating—foil not only to how Phèdre undertakes Naamah’s service, but to much of D’Angeline society and its sensuous interpretations of love as thou wilt. What always struck me from reading Kushiel’s Legacy was his dedication to his vows, even after he broke or compromised nearly all of them over time. Someone with less conviction (or, let’s be real, less of a self-torturing streak) would decide that they had failed and would remove themselves from either their Cassiline vows or their relationship. But not Joscelin. Instead, he will stand at the crossroads, every single time, and make his choice. It’s one thing to witness this incredible act of love through Phèdre’s eyes, but it’s going to be something else entirely for us readers to make that choice with Joscelin, time and time again.
What moments are you yearning to relive from Joscelin’s perspective?
Natalie Zutter can’t wait for you to meet some of the new characters in Cassiel’s Servant. Talk all things Kushiel’s Legacy with her on Twitter!
