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Looking Glass Gods #.5
The Devil's Garden
In The Devil's Garden, appearances can be deceiving....
Ume Sky enjoys her place of honor as temple courtesan for the reigning Meer of In'La - until an assignation with a client ends in violence. Her elite status stripped away, Ume is forced to return to a life on the streets as Cillian Rede, the boy she used to be.
Cillian finds temporary harbor with dockhand Cree Sylva, where fear keeps him from revealing his former identity. As the two become lovers, Cillian learns that Cree is not without secrets....
When Cillian has the opportunity to regain his position through a liaison with the Meer himself, he is torn between his feelings for Cree and his need to live as Ume. But there's even more at stake when Ume finds herself entangled in a plot to rid the Delta of divine rule.
Ume Sky enjoys her place of honor as temple courtesan for the reigning Meer of In'La - until an assignation with a client ends in violence. Her elite status stripped away, Ume is forced to return to a life on the streets as Cillian Rede, the boy she used to be.
Cillian finds temporary harbor with dockhand Cree Sylva, where fear keeps him from revealing his former identity. As the two become lovers, Cillian learns that Cree is not without secrets....
When Cillian has the opportunity to regain his position through a liaison with the Meer himself, he is torn between his feelings for Cree and his need to live as Ume. But there's even more at stake when Ume finds herself entangled in a plot to rid the Delta of divine rule.
Audible Audio
First published June 1, 2011
About the author
Jane Kindred
33 books179 followersJane Kindred is the author of epic fantasy series The House of Arkhangel’sk, Demons of Elysium, and Looking Glass Gods. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.
You can find Jane on Facebook, Twitter, and her website, www.janekindred.com.
You can find Jane on Facebook, Twitter, and her website, www.janekindred.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 13, 2013
"Boy."
The word stopped him in his tracks as he stepped into the passageway. No one had called him that since he was twelve. "I need your name, to send word." Nesre's eyes held flat disinterest, dismissing any evidence of Ume Sky’s existence.
"It’s Cillian. Cillian Rede."
Every good thing that everyone has already said about this book is absolutely true.
I only have one main complaint (which I also think someone has already stated): This should have been a full-length novel. Even though there were just a few plot lines, there was enough material to fill a couple hundred pages, and the writing flowed so well that I could have read Kindred's words for hours. (Kindle Immersion Reading and a narrator with a very intriguing voice also deserve credit for this enjoyable experience)
This captivating story of a time long ago in a land far away was filled with ideas that are relevant even today: fact versus myth, erosion of traditional values in a secular world, murder, corruption, betrayal, sexual fluidity and gender equality, disillusionment with government and religion. But having this all condensed into an 82-page novella, means there wasn't much room too elaborate. There was so much more I wanted to know, especially about the steampunk aspect of this society. I'm not saying I felt like I read an unfinished story, just an incomplete one (I hope that makes sense).
I really really liked all of the main characters, which almost never happens. Because the third person POV follows Ume/Cillian, I was satisfied with his backstory, but I would have loved to know more about Cree and the Meer of In'La. The Meer was awesome - I do believe he was magical, but each reader must come to their own conclusion.
"I create many things here. Whether art or invention, I find it more satisfying to use my hands than to merely manifest my thoughts with divine speech. I have engaged an engineer on occasion to help me bring my ideas to fruition, so that they might live on beyond the scope of my words. Power that may be harnessed by the ordinary man, such as light and locomotion."
The Meer was only present in about three scenes, but that was enough for him to become my favorite character. He was so wise and kind, and I like that he looked so young even though he was already over 100 years old, because Meers (allegedly) live for centuries. I would have loved to know more about the history of the Meeric race.
And I could be wrong, but that very emotional scene with the Meer toward the end seemed eerily similar to .
"The winds of time have brought this change. Old ways must abdicate before the new, just as convention must concede before innovation." He motioned toward the incandescent lamp. "I once spoke light into being. Now any man can invoke it with a touch."
"They don’t believe," said Ume. "They don’t understand what you can do."
"It doesn’t matter." He kissed her, staining her cheek with his tears. "I must rest now."
I should also mention that I was very confused by the ending. Everything was just peachy until the very last page. I was like...
I read it over and over but I still can't decipher what was going on there. ? If anyone understood what the heck that end was all about, please comment.
LESSONS LEARNED: Have faith in the evidence of things not seen - you might be pleasantly surprised ;)
February 12, 2012
So many things to list that were wonderful about this book. Beautiful prose, fascinating world, compelling characters, heartbreaking dilemma.
BUT, my complaint is that this novella is a novel that wasn't made to live up to its promise and allowed to be a novella instead. (Notice I said "made" not "allowed" 'cause I know it ain't rainbows and wishes that come up with those other 50k words.)
I have absolutely no problem with novellas simply for being novellas. In fact, I love that the e-pub age has allowed so many of them to be out there that would have been turned aside otherwise. I have read and enjoyed many. There are so many good stories that are in essence only 30k pages and that's that.
This wasn't one of those. This was a 80k word story shoved into 30k words. This could have grabbed me by the throat and held on, broken my heart and made me sing with happiness if the world had been deepened and we didn't simply skim over everything that built to the climax so that we could get to the good stuff. As it is, it was simply fascinating and made me a bit weepy at one point. If that's the worst you can say about any book, I'd count that a win.
OK, rant over. It's totally worth reading. But I'm putting in my request now for the rest of the story.
BUT, my complaint is that this novella is a novel that wasn't made to live up to its promise and allowed to be a novella instead. (Notice I said "made" not "allowed" 'cause I know it ain't rainbows and wishes that come up with those other 50k words.)
I have absolutely no problem with novellas simply for being novellas. In fact, I love that the e-pub age has allowed so many of them to be out there that would have been turned aside otherwise. I have read and enjoyed many. There are so many good stories that are in essence only 30k pages and that's that.
This wasn't one of those. This was a 80k word story shoved into 30k words. This could have grabbed me by the throat and held on, broken my heart and made me sing with happiness if the world had been deepened and we didn't simply skim over everything that built to the climax so that we could get to the good stuff. As it is, it was simply fascinating and made me a bit weepy at one point. If that's the worst you can say about any book, I'd count that a win.
OK, rant over. It's totally worth reading. But I'm putting in my request now for the rest of the story.
July 13, 2011
I expected The Devil’s Garden to be a pleasant diversion, a minor work of gender bending romance, framed by a slight adventure. The concept of a young street urchin disguised as a famous temple courtesan sounded intriguing, but I came into the book resigned to the erotic elements being primary in the past.
What a delightful surprise to find that I underestimated on all counts!
This is a book that was as exciting as it was romantic, and as thoughtful as it was erotic. Just as there are delightfully hidden layers to Ume and Cree, there is a wondrous depth to the story that’s quite surprising, considering its page count. Really, it’s a story told in three acts, with each adding not just their own content and development, but also adding significance to what came before.
The Maiden Ume Sky is an amazing character, a self-made woman who literally worked her way up from the streets to become a temple courtesan who is as admired as she is respected. It would have been far too easy to portray her as either innocent or wanton, leading to some kind of social redemption. Instead, Jane presents us with a complex woman who, as much as she values her role, isn’t sure she believes in the faith she serves. Instead of blind devotion, her allegiances are personal, ties of love and loyalty that must be earned, rather than expected.
Similarly, both Cree Sylva are the MeerAlya – the two primary objects of Ume’s affections – are more complex and intriguing than we first might expect. Without betraying Cree’s secret, he is a strong, admirable, respectable friend and lover who is immediately likeable and demanding of our trust. His role in the story is significant, and perhaps a bit convenient, but never comes across as clichéd or artificial. As for the Meer, we’re set up to expect either a god-like tyrant or an impotent puppet, but he’s wonderfully human, and entirely sympathetic. With a plot that could go two ways, either culminating in triumph or tragedy, it’s MeerAlya who makes the difficult choice.
Nothing is straightforward here, and appearances are (quite intentionally) deceiving. I knew where I wanted the story to go versus where I expected it to go, and I was delighted to find that Jane took it somewhere in between the two, validating the characters, but also surprising the reader.
Definitely recommended.
What a delightful surprise to find that I underestimated on all counts!
This is a book that was as exciting as it was romantic, and as thoughtful as it was erotic. Just as there are delightfully hidden layers to Ume and Cree, there is a wondrous depth to the story that’s quite surprising, considering its page count. Really, it’s a story told in three acts, with each adding not just their own content and development, but also adding significance to what came before.
The Maiden Ume Sky is an amazing character, a self-made woman who literally worked her way up from the streets to become a temple courtesan who is as admired as she is respected. It would have been far too easy to portray her as either innocent or wanton, leading to some kind of social redemption. Instead, Jane presents us with a complex woman who, as much as she values her role, isn’t sure she believes in the faith she serves. Instead of blind devotion, her allegiances are personal, ties of love and loyalty that must be earned, rather than expected.
Similarly, both Cree Sylva are the MeerAlya – the two primary objects of Ume’s affections – are more complex and intriguing than we first might expect. Without betraying Cree’s secret, he is a strong, admirable, respectable friend and lover who is immediately likeable and demanding of our trust. His role in the story is significant, and perhaps a bit convenient, but never comes across as clichéd or artificial. As for the Meer, we’re set up to expect either a god-like tyrant or an impotent puppet, but he’s wonderfully human, and entirely sympathetic. With a plot that could go two ways, either culminating in triumph or tragedy, it’s MeerAlya who makes the difficult choice.
Nothing is straightforward here, and appearances are (quite intentionally) deceiving. I knew where I wanted the story to go versus where I expected it to go, and I was delighted to find that Jane took it somewhere in between the two, validating the characters, but also surprising the reader.
Definitely recommended.
August 5, 2011
A book’s cover is its calling card and this cover is gorgeous. A lot of times I’ll read a book and go back and look at the cover and realize how the cover didn’t quite capture the story, or how there are bits of the cover which don’t quite fit with the tale inside. But in this case, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect showcase for The Devil’s Garden. Right away there is the flavor of another land, with the promise of luxurious settings, and beautiful women. And you won’t be disappointed. But, as the description for the novella reads, In the Devil’s Garden, appearances can be deceiving…
From the start Jane Kindred paints a picture; sure strokes which let us know we will encounter the magic of gods, and yet devils as well. In fact, returning to this beginning after having read the book, I truly appreciate how well Kindred set up the entire story in those few opening sentences.
We meet Cillian Rede at the start of the story as a seventeen-year-old boy, but he is quickly revealed as the sacred courtesan Maiden Ume Sky. Ume Sky is sure of herself, having earned her status of one of the most elite courtesans in the Garden, while Cillian is uncomfortable with himself as a male. Ume enjoys the power she has over men, knowing exactly what look will elicit the reaction she desires. She has practiced her art for five years and takes pride in her accomplishments. But her position is about to be jeopardized by her most influential patron, and she will be thrust into the middle of political intrigue and corruption.
Jane Kindred weaves a rich tapestry in The Devil’s Garden, lush and full of fine detail. The story is full-bodied, with all the right elements of love, hate, gods, devils, corruption, and even innocence, yet packed into novella length. An excellent read and one I highly recommend.
Cillian Rede put little store in the magic of gods, but devils he believed in. At seventeen summers, he’d seen more than his share. Turn left or right and you would stumble over one in the city of in’La; among the marsh grass and the fragrant trees, intrigue and corruption were as likely to grow.
From the start Jane Kindred paints a picture; sure strokes which let us know we will encounter the magic of gods, and yet devils as well. In fact, returning to this beginning after having read the book, I truly appreciate how well Kindred set up the entire story in those few opening sentences.
We meet Cillian Rede at the start of the story as a seventeen-year-old boy, but he is quickly revealed as the sacred courtesan Maiden Ume Sky. Ume Sky is sure of herself, having earned her status of one of the most elite courtesans in the Garden, while Cillian is uncomfortable with himself as a male. Ume enjoys the power she has over men, knowing exactly what look will elicit the reaction she desires. She has practiced her art for five years and takes pride in her accomplishments. But her position is about to be jeopardized by her most influential patron, and she will be thrust into the middle of political intrigue and corruption.
Jane Kindred weaves a rich tapestry in The Devil’s Garden, lush and full of fine detail. The story is full-bodied, with all the right elements of love, hate, gods, devils, corruption, and even innocence, yet packed into novella length. An excellent read and one I highly recommend.
July 4, 2011
I have been looking forward to reading The Devil’s Garden for months now, and Jane in no way disappoints her readers. What the blurb describes of Ume’s transition and struggle is only the beginning of a complex and complete story, even though it is only 25,000 words.
Jane Kindred creates a unique world that is at once both vaguely familiar and sensually exotic. The relationships will inspire anyone who appreciates how love develops in the human heart regardless of the gender roles we play. In a complex interaction of characters, it is a constant wonder who the real adversaries are, or should be. Beautiful words bring the characters and setting vividly to mind. I lost track of what I expected to happen as well as what I wanted to happen as the climactic ride took me somewhere I hadn’t realized I wanted to go.
My only desire as I read this was that I do not have an e-reader and it is not available in print. It is the kind of book I want to hold in my hands, sequestered in a nook somewhere making everyone else wonder at the expressions crossing my face. My husband did wonder out loud when I reached chapter 8. I hadn’t even realized the pose my face and hands had made, but he said “It must be good…” when he looked at me!
Jane Kindred creates a unique world that is at once both vaguely familiar and sensually exotic. The relationships will inspire anyone who appreciates how love develops in the human heart regardless of the gender roles we play. In a complex interaction of characters, it is a constant wonder who the real adversaries are, or should be. Beautiful words bring the characters and setting vividly to mind. I lost track of what I expected to happen as well as what I wanted to happen as the climactic ride took me somewhere I hadn’t realized I wanted to go.
My only desire as I read this was that I do not have an e-reader and it is not available in print. It is the kind of book I want to hold in my hands, sequestered in a nook somewhere making everyone else wonder at the expressions crossing my face. My husband did wonder out loud when I reached chapter 8. I hadn’t even realized the pose my face and hands had made, but he said “It must be good…” when he looked at me!
September 19, 2011
I was interested in reading this book because the main character is transgender. As a boy Cillian only dreams of being Ume Sky, a courtesan. He is 17 and for years has served as a court appointed courtesan. Treated with fairness and sacred desire by those who come to see him. That is until one day he is accused of murder and has to flee the courts. On the streets he meets a dockhand, Cree. Cillian learns that this is no ordinary dockhand. Cree has plans to over throw the governing body, along with a group of other people that don't agree with how things are run. Cillian knows The Meer (essentially the one man that rules) personally and knows The Meer does hold magically qualities that the oppressed people only belief are lies.
I liked the writing. I like the details given that you are able to see the beauty of Ume Sky as she is dressing and putting on the make up to transform from pretty boy to enchanting courtesan. The background story of spies and governement was a bit confusing. I am not a regular reader of espionage drama but overall I did like the character of Ume Sky/Cillian. This was my first time reading this author and I would review another book by her.
I liked the writing. I like the details given that you are able to see the beauty of Ume Sky as she is dressing and putting on the make up to transform from pretty boy to enchanting courtesan. The background story of spies and governement was a bit confusing. I am not a regular reader of espionage drama but overall I did like the character of Ume Sky/Cillian. This was my first time reading this author and I would review another book by her.
June 11, 2011
Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date:12 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5498
‘The Devil’s Garden’ by Jane Kindred is a strange story. Well, at least, it is strange to me in the beginning. It was rather difficult to grasps and imagine the world of the characters, but I got used to it after awhile and everything was absolutely captivating from then on.
This book ought to be praised for the creativity and imagination, and I devoured this book within an hour. Highly engaging, seductive and delicious fiction to read.
If you’re looking for a quick escape to the world of sexual intrigue and passionate fantasy, then you might want to pick up this book. You won’t regret it, I promise you.
I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press via Netgalley
Review date:12 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5498
‘The Devil’s Garden’ by Jane Kindred is a strange story. Well, at least, it is strange to me in the beginning. It was rather difficult to grasps and imagine the world of the characters, but I got used to it after awhile and everything was absolutely captivating from then on.
This book ought to be praised for the creativity and imagination, and I devoured this book within an hour. Highly engaging, seductive and delicious fiction to read.
If you’re looking for a quick escape to the world of sexual intrigue and passionate fantasy, then you might want to pick up this book. You won’t regret it, I promise you.
I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press via Netgalley
September 2, 2011
This was a very engaging read. Characters and setting are sensually drawn-- in every sense of that word. I'm amazed at the tautness of the narrative because so much is brilliantly conveyed in a relatively short text. Devil's Garden represents the very best of imaginative storytelling and I can't wait to read more by this author.
June 14, 2011
Political intrigue, courtesans, feminism, cross-dressing, soft porn, never really come together into a cohesive whole in this short novel.
Read as pre-publication galley.
Read as pre-publication galley.
September 27, 2011
This book hooked me early on, and I couldn't put it down. I wished it was longer. Hooray for gender-bendyness!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews