June BOTM: Daughter of the Blood

[Lani]

Well, I have personally have not gotten to read the book yet, but I am sure others were more prompt then me and since it's June now, let the discussion begin!

[Nimea]

It's been quite a while since I finished a book days before the discussion started.

Problem is, right now I don't really know what to write . . . mmh.

Okay, let's start with the easy part: I liked the book. It did not blow me away and even so I have the intention to read the other books in the trilogy, I did not feel the need to do it right now.

At first I did not really get into the world because I still tried to figure out what the background was - with all the jewels and long-living and long-dead people wandering around . Fortunately that is not something that let's me panic, I always think/hope/believe that after a while I will understand. And I did, but still I think there are questions left unanswered about 'how it works'.
Why the Jewels, how and whatever? Maybe someone can tell me?

I think the 'eroticism' - it never really got to me, neither did the love story, the romance aspect; well, I was not left cold, but it did not hook me like in other stories - and the whole sexual themes (child abuse, sexual perversion and violence) give us a lot to discuss about.

That's it for now. When I have more time and mind more might come . . .

[Gilliam]

This was a story that made me both laugh and cringe. I found the idea of different colour Jewels indicating 'magic' ability an interesting one and the relationships between the sexes. Overall I felt this story handled a number of prehaps 'taboo' subjects in quite a mature manner. The other 2 books in the series are well worth reading although I found the final one was not of the same standard.

[Priestvyrce]

I found the whole 'dead' aspect interesting and at times, funny. Satan's attitudes towards Jaenelle was the fun part of the book. Daemon's attitude towars her were close to being creepy, yet since these beings can live virtually forever,it is kind of understandable.

I liked the book , when I read it about two years ago. It was definitely a twist on a young person coming into their power and the whole destiny thing was handled very aptly. Daemon for me was the most interesting and a good guide through the society. Jaenelle was a bit too on the ball, but still exhibited a young girl's innocence.

I agree with Gilliam that the final book does end a bit sloppily though this series(trilogy) is exceptionally original, at least to me, and deserves any praise that it receives.

[FicusFan]

I read the trilogy and the 'stand-alone' set in the same world (Invisible Ring) some time ago, so I am not up on all the details. But I did like the books a lot and was sorry to see her move on to another series.

Like Nimea, I was confused at the start about the world and the gems and what it all meant. I too kept reading and eventually got far enough into the book that things started to make sense.

I liked Janelle, and her father Saetan, and the two men: Lucivar and Daemon. I enjoyed the matriarchal aspect of the society and the edginess of men being sexually enslaved. I liked that the 'outcasts' seemed to be able to build a strong and caring family. I enjoyed the land of the dead, and Janelle's houseparty (was that in book 1 ?).

I thought Daemon was built up to be this bad boy, and he seemed rather tame in reality. The books seemed to hint at S&M and then not really deliver, oh well probably the best they can do in the mainstream.

Storywise I seem to remember being a bit unsatisfied about something to do with an older woman who was at a shrine and had something to do with Janelle's destiny. I also am not sure the whole 'shattering' thing she went through worked for me in terms of advancing the story. Again not sure which book that was in.

Even with the quibbles I liked the whole series.

[rune]

I think it's great that we finally get to discuss this book. I've read the whole series and can happily say this book and the last are the best

This witch story I felt had a nice adult theme, no softly, softly approach here as the author tackles difficult aspect of lives.
As others have already mentioned this story focuses on a world were witches hold the power and men are used for pleasure and breeding. The society is long lived and their magical strengths are reflected by the colour jewel they acquire in their teens. I didnt find this difficult to grasp and quite liked this approach, as I hadnt read this kind of magical set up in a book before
Yes there is a dark sensual element that runs through the plot, but I felt it doesn't distract from the story and the sex scenes aren't graphic, infact it's more of an hint of what actually went on.
The characters are interesting, and I found Lucivar and Daemon enthralling, their antics were real page turners. As I mentioned the author doesn’t shy away from tragedy, which meant there were some raw scenes.

I loved this book and the series ended up being one of my favourites

[Priestvyrce]

About the sexual scenes in the book(and the series as a whole), Ms. Bishop shows restraint and class. She introduces the subject, yet let's the reader's imagination supply the rest of the scene. Nicely done.

[rune]

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this book. I would think there would be a few comments as I felt it sailed close to the bone at times.

[drizzt77]

What does close to the bones mean?

[rune]

Originally Posted by drizzt77

What does close to the bones mean?

It means when an author tackles subjects that can be disturbing. Where I live people call this 'close to the bone'. Stuff that makes you cringe or feel disturbed about reading about it

[Lani]

I've just finished reading the book today, so now I can put a few of my thoughts down.

For some reason at the beginning I felt predisposed to dislike this book. I am not sure where it came from, perhaps from something I read about it, but I felt that this book is not something I am going to enjoy. Well, I proved myself wrong as I actually started enjoying the book quite a bit by the time I've got to the middle of the story.

The characters do seem rather interesting and colourful and not quite the prototype of what you usually get in a fantasy novel. Some of their actions though did seem not so realistic as some of the bad and evil characters seemed rather dull and benign at times. Also I felt the whole crisis in the end of the book with Janelle is too made up as she has so much potential and still they manage so easily to drug her... I really feel she could just escape together with Wilhelmina much earlier and not have this whole thing happen.

The fun part of the book were the relationships between Janelle and Saetan as well as Janelle and Daemon. It was funny to see the way she drove them crazy with the things she did. I really enjoyed that aspect of the novel. I also liked the way different characters ended up being tied together by different threads by the end of the book. I also really liked Surreal maybe because she wasn't as made up as other characters and seemed more real, while being powerful at the same time.

All, in all I think the book was rather interesting and I'll probably be looking at the next books of the series.

[rune]

I found the relationships between the characters developed really well as the series progressed

[drizzt77]

Originally Posted by rune

It means when an author tackles subjects that can be disturbing. Where I live people call this 'close to the bone'. Stuff that makes you cringe or feel disturbed about reading about it

Oh ok makes sense to me now

[Nimea]

No further comments about the way the magic works and the background of the jewels? Mmh. *shrug*

I never got to write more about this book but now I will try.

Did I mention the long-living and longlong-dead? I don't know why, it could well be a phobia of immortality on my part, but all those thousands and ten thousands of years make me feel both cringe and unsatisfied. Earth has a loooong history as well and humans have been around for an impressive little while - yet worlds with people living (one way or the other) for some thousand years and that being normal does not - well, convice me is the wrong expression. I have no problem to accept fantasy worlds with a long history where change was never too big and you still have an essiential medieval society. But for me there is a limit.
Thinking about people living forever is interesting (call me crazy, but Dennis McKiernan of all people had very interesting passages about how his elves spend their immortal lives; and Richard Morgan took another intersting look at what prolonging life in the future might mean) but again there is a limit to my brain capability.
Maybe it is too little exploring and too many thousand years in this book . . . I don't know. Just thought it to be interesting to tell you.

And then there is the character of Daemon. Something I had to chew on as well. He is set in scene rather well, no wonder so many quote him to be the most charismatic and beautiful character of all times. I like the concept of his character - bad boy with a good core. Great personality and power with big tragedy that led him a dark path.
Yet, once in a while I felt it was overdone. A bit romance-like. *makesface* Can't point my finger at it and in the end I have to give in to say that I started to like him.

Oh, and FicusFan mentioned the matriarchal society. That was interesting as well. For a while after reading the book I wondered about the sexuality aspect and the way the women treated the men. Interesting take on it - and yet, there was a Star Trek TNG episode with a matriarch in the first season and about that time I also read Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ruins of Isis. Both times a matriarch with reverse sexism, so to say. It irked me, really. Mmh.

And isn't it like that the female rulers and women of power are always afraid of the men. They are oooh-so powerful and we really should not annoy them or they forget their usual urge to serve.
I can't really remember a convincing and smart evil female right now. Or is my memory just clouded by hoping that women would not be monsters like that if they were the rulers? [Not saying a matriarch would be better! Just liked to see its dark sides explored differently.]

Okay, if anyone feels like answering or commenting, just don't kill me, okay?

[sic's mom]

Well I know this is an old thread, but I just finished the trilogy the other day and in the middle of "Dreams Made Flesh". A friend of mine recommened these books to me a few months ago and I finally had time to read them. All I can say is that I really didi like it. At first the story is sort of confusing with the caste system and then she tacked on the jewel heirarchy too. But once you figure all that out it becomes an easy story to get lost in. Yes, I completely fell in love with Daemon. Yes he is the Alpha male of the romance novels, but I have always loved the bad boys with a heart of gold. But Bishop doesn't always paint him that way. As she says plenty of times, He isn't called the Sadist for nothing. And I really loved the interaction between Saetan and Janelle. The father=daughter interaction really got to me mainly because of the sense of humor that it was infused with. Having lost my own father this last year, it made me realize that we sort of had the same type of relationship and for me was very touching. And I love the fact women are really the strong characters here. Jeanelle may be the most powerful Witch there ever was, but in the end she still needs the people around her that love and care for her. All I can say is that I really, really liked this set of books.