The Black Jewels Trilogy — A Love That Should Have Been Eternal
We absolutely love The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop. I've read a lot of fantasy over the years, but there's just something about these books that sticks with you. The world is dark, twisted, beautiful, and sometimes downright cruel, but that's part of what makes it so good.
Daemon, Lucivar, and Jaenelle are definitely our favorites. I love Lucivar's attitude, his loyalty, and the fact that he doesn't put up with anyone's nonsense. Daemon is dark, dangerous, complicated, and has so many layers to him. And Jaenelle... I just adore her. She's incredibly powerful but there's so much more to her than that.
What I really love about these books is how attached you get to the characters. You laugh with them, get angry for them, and sometimes just want to reach into the pages and knock some sense into someone! The relationships, the banter, the loyalty, and the way they protect the people they love are what make this series so special to me.
Anne Bishop isn't afraid to take her stories into some very dark places, and there are definitely moments that are hard to read. But she also manages to bring in humor, tenderness, and those little moments between characters that make you smile.
And of course, there's Daemon and Jaenelle. Their connection is one of the things that really drew me into the story. The whole idea of being someone's dream made flesh, of two souls belonging together, is something I found incredibly beautiful. I won't spoil anything, but I will say I have some very strong feelings about certain choices made in the later books. Not all of them good! LOL.
Even with the things I didn't agree with, I still love this world and these characters. It's one of those series I can go back to and still get caught up in everything all over again.
If you enjoy dark fantasy, complicated characters, powerful magic, and stories that aren't afraid to break your heart a little, give The Black Jewels a read. Just be aware that it deals with some pretty heavy subjects.
We have loved these books for years, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Verdict
We both love The Black Jewels Trilogy. It's dark, emotional, sometimes brutal, and full of characters you can't help getting attached to. I don't agree with every direction Anne Bishop took the story, especially in the later books, but that hasn't stopped me from loving it. If anything, the fact that I can still get worked up about these characters says a lot! Definitely worth reading if you love dark fantasy, but be prepared for a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
✓ The Good
- Incredible worldbuilding and a fascinating magic system
- Dark, mature storytelling
- Daemon, Lucivar, and Jaenelle!
- The humor, banter, and fierce loyalty between characters
- Relationships that actually make you care
- Characters you won't easily forget
- A great mix of darkness, magic, love, and heartbreak
✗ The Bad
- Some very disturbing subject matter
- Certain parts are emotionally difficult to read
- Some story choices in the later books really didn't sit right with me
- A few characters deserved better, in my opinion!