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Dominion of the Fallen #2
L'ascension de la maison aubépine
Suite à la chute des Flèches d'Argent, l'équilibre entre les grandes Maisons qui règnent sur Paris est plus que jamais chancelant. Le Seigneur Asmodée, à la tête de la Maison Aubépine depuis sa sanglante insurrection, y voit l'opportunité de renforcer son pouvoir. Une ambition qui réclame des alliés. Une délégation est envoyée au royaume dragon, porteuse d'une proposition d'alliance, mais aussi chargée de découvrir ce qu'il est advenu de la précédente émissaire, mystérieusement disparue.
C'est ainsi que Madeleine, sevrée de l'essence d'ange et désormais rattachée de force à la Maison Aubépine, se retrouve sous les eaux troubles de la Seine, dans ce monde annamite secret où le marin, l'humain et la féerie sont étroitement intriqués.
Au cœur des intrigues, des trahisons et des manœuvres politiques, Madelaine aura à jouer un rôle crucial, bien malgré elle...
C'est ainsi que Madeleine, sevrée de l'essence d'ange et désormais rattachée de force à la Maison Aubépine, se retrouve sous les eaux troubles de la Seine, dans ce monde annamite secret où le marin, l'humain et la féerie sont étroitement intriqués.
Au cœur des intrigues, des trahisons et des manœuvres politiques, Madelaine aura à jouer un rôle crucial, bien malgré elle...
496 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2017
65 people are currently reading
2455 people want to read
About the author
Aliette de Bodard
265 books2,235 followersAliette de Bodard lives and works in Paris. She has won three Nebula Awards, an Ignyte Award, a Locus Award, a British Fantasy Award and four British Science Fiction Association Awards, and was a double Hugo finalist for 2019 (Best Series and Best Novella).
Her most recent book is Fireheart Tiger (Tor.com), a sapphic romantic fantasy inspired by pre colonial Vietnam, where a diplomat princess must decide the fate of her country, and her own. She also wrote Seven of Infinities (Subterranean Press), a space opera where a sentient spaceship and an upright scholar join forces to investigate a murder, and find themselves falling for each other. Other books include Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders and its standalone sequel Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances, (JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.), fantasy books of manners and murders set in an alternate 19th Century Vietnamese court. She lives in Paris.
Her most recent book is Fireheart Tiger (Tor.com), a sapphic romantic fantasy inspired by pre colonial Vietnam, where a diplomat princess must decide the fate of her country, and her own. She also wrote Seven of Infinities (Subterranean Press), a space opera where a sentient spaceship and an upright scholar join forces to investigate a murder, and find themselves falling for each other. Other books include Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders and its standalone sequel Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances, (JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.), fantasy books of manners and murders set in an alternate 19th Century Vietnamese court. She lives in Paris.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
April 10, 2018
4.5 stars for this current Hugo award-nominate novelette, free online here at Uncanny magazine. Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
This novelette is set in the same world as de Bodard’s 2015 novel The House of Shattered Wings, an alternative history type of novel set in the late 20th century in Paris, which lies in ruins in the aftermath of a magical conflict called the Great War. Helpful background for those who haven’t read that novel: Paris is inhabited by both humans and fallen angels, whose bodies carry magic that can be distilled used by other angels and humans. Great Houses, largely under the leadership of the fallen angels, vie for control and influence. Underneath the Seine River is the “dragon kingdom,” a hidden magical kingdom of Vietnamese who can shapeshift into Asian dragons, as well as sense and control the magical energy currents of khi (the Vietnamese equivalent of the Chinese chi).
Kim Cuc and Thuan have come from the dragon kingdom on a mission: House Hawthorn is having its annual hiring day for those who are Houseless to apply to become servants and House dependents. Hawthorn is the closest House to the dragon kingdom, and recently this House has begun encroaching on dragon territory under the Seine, for no known reason. If Kim Cuc and Thuan are successful at being hired by Hawthorn, they’ll be in a position to spy on Hawthorn’s doings.
All starts out well: they are placed in a group of three with Leila, a young girl of Maghrebi descent, and assigned to bake or create something “impressive” within an hour. Luckily Thuan has some skill in this area (Kim Cuc comments that he was “paying way too much attention to old recipes, back when he was trying to seduce the family cook”) and chocolate éclairs are well underway when the trio is suddenly interrupted. Some kind of emergency requires a hasty evacuation of the Hawthorn mansion … but will they all make it out?
The clash between different types of magic and cultures works well here, and the characters are well-developed enough, with a few quirks, to be memorable. The worldbuilding in "Children of Thorns, Children of Water" is rich and imaginative, though a little difficult to absorb if you aren’t familiar with that world from The House of Shattered Wings. I was floundering just a little during my first read of this novelette, which is set in between Shattered Wings and its sequel, The House of Binding Thorns. But reading the FanLit review for Shattered Wings was enough to give me my sea legs in this world, and the story made more sense and was more impactful when I reread it with this background knowledge. Though it interlocks with de Bodard’s novels in her DOMINION OF THE FALLEN series, "Children of Thorns, Children of Water" actually works nicely as a stand-alone story.
Recommended if you like dark fantasy.
This novelette is set in the same world as de Bodard’s 2015 novel The House of Shattered Wings, an alternative history type of novel set in the late 20th century in Paris, which lies in ruins in the aftermath of a magical conflict called the Great War. Helpful background for those who haven’t read that novel: Paris is inhabited by both humans and fallen angels, whose bodies carry magic that can be distilled used by other angels and humans. Great Houses, largely under the leadership of the fallen angels, vie for control and influence. Underneath the Seine River is the “dragon kingdom,” a hidden magical kingdom of Vietnamese who can shapeshift into Asian dragons, as well as sense and control the magical energy currents of khi (the Vietnamese equivalent of the Chinese chi).
Kim Cuc and Thuan have come from the dragon kingdom on a mission: House Hawthorn is having its annual hiring day for those who are Houseless to apply to become servants and House dependents. Hawthorn is the closest House to the dragon kingdom, and recently this House has begun encroaching on dragon territory under the Seine, for no known reason. If Kim Cuc and Thuan are successful at being hired by Hawthorn, they’ll be in a position to spy on Hawthorn’s doings.
All starts out well: they are placed in a group of three with Leila, a young girl of Maghrebi descent, and assigned to bake or create something “impressive” within an hour. Luckily Thuan has some skill in this area (Kim Cuc comments that he was “paying way too much attention to old recipes, back when he was trying to seduce the family cook”) and chocolate éclairs are well underway when the trio is suddenly interrupted. Some kind of emergency requires a hasty evacuation of the Hawthorn mansion … but will they all make it out?
The clash between different types of magic and cultures works well here, and the characters are well-developed enough, with a few quirks, to be memorable. The worldbuilding in "Children of Thorns, Children of Water" is rich and imaginative, though a little difficult to absorb if you aren’t familiar with that world from The House of Shattered Wings. I was floundering just a little during my first read of this novelette, which is set in between Shattered Wings and its sequel, The House of Binding Thorns. But reading the FanLit review for Shattered Wings was enough to give me my sea legs in this world, and the story made more sense and was more impactful when I reread it with this background knowledge. Though it interlocks with de Bodard’s novels in her DOMINION OF THE FALLEN series, "Children of Thorns, Children of Water" actually works nicely as a stand-alone story.
Recommended if you like dark fantasy.
Read
October 18, 2016Not leaving a rating because this is my book, but here's what you can expect: focused on the House of Hawthorn and the dragon kingdom. Like its predecessor, standalone, though characters from the first book will obviously be around!
Major characters: angel essence addict Madeleine, Houseless Annamite Françoise (who wields rather peculiar and powerful Fallen magic), dragon prince Thuan (with a talent for getting into major trouble), and ex-Immortal/exile Philippe on his quest to resurrect his friend. And hum, yes, rather a lot of Asmodeus (head of House Hawthorn), too, for obvious reasons.
And more ruined and decayed and dangerous Paris, and political intrigue, and backstabbing.
ETA: I'll update as we get closer to release date.
Major characters: angel essence addict Madeleine, Houseless Annamite Françoise (who wields rather peculiar and powerful Fallen magic), dragon prince Thuan (with a talent for getting into major trouble), and ex-Immortal/exile Philippe on his quest to resurrect his friend. And hum, yes, rather a lot of Asmodeus (head of House Hawthorn), too, for obvious reasons.
And more ruined and decayed and dangerous Paris, and political intrigue, and backstabbing.
ETA: I'll update as we get closer to release date.
May 25, 2017
2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/25/...
Ultimately, my second foray into the Dominion of the Fallen did not turn out the way I’d hoped, though to be fair, I did have a lot riding on this sequel. It’s true that the first book left me with mixed feelings, but I found the premise intriguing enough that I wanted to see where things would lead, and maybe give this series a another chance to sweep me off my feet. Regrettably, this did not quite happen—despite The House of Binding Thorns being a pretty decent follow-up. At the end of the day though, I simply found myself tripping over a lot of same hurdles as book one.
First of all, in spite of the suggestions that this can be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend against it. Definitely read The House of Shattered Wings first if you can; you will find the background information absolutely indispensable, especially in anchoring you to the setting. In the aftermath of the war between angels, the proud city of Paris is now only a ghost of what it once was, and the Fallen are now divided in several houses all vying for power among the crumbling ruins. Most of the characters here were originally introduced in the first book, including Madeleine, an alchemist suffering from an addiction to angel essence. Upon her return to House Hawthorn, their leader Asmodeus mercilessly purges that addiction from her, with the intention of sending her on a diplomatic mission to the dragon kingdom under the Seine.
Meanwhile, Philippe is also back, now mourning the loss of Isabelle, the fallen angel with whom he had shared a mental link. While searching for a way to resurrect her, he comes across Berith, another Fallen who claims to be Asmodeus’ sister. The exiled angel is currently keeping a low profile, hiding herself and her pregnant human lover Françoise from the chaos and poison of the clashing Houses. However, due to their familial connections, Berith may not be as well hidden from Asmodeus as she has led Françoise to believe, and in the escalating conflict between all the factions involved, it is becoming increasingly clear that no one will be safe from the violence.
Right away, I was struck by how little I remembered from the first book. I had to go back to my review of The House of Shattered Wings to remind myself who was who, and in doing so, I also noticed what I had written about the characters and how I’d struggled to engage with any of them. Unfortunately, this is a problem that persists; there are too many characters and not enough personality between them to justify so many, and the result is just a jumble of names and descriptions that I tried to but could not connect with on a deeper, emotional level. For this simple reason alone, the rest of the book fell apart for me, even though I admit from a technical standpoint, The House of Binding Thorns is probably a better book than its predecessor. However, I need to care about the characters to care about the story; without that foundation, it’s hard to get on board with everything else.
Furthermore, though I was impressed with the allegorical themes of post-colonialism, I’m not sure they came through well enough amidst all the noise. Paradoxically, the plot felt simultaneously too complicated and too superficial, overly simplistic. At times, The House of Binding Thorns felt very much like a “middle book”, in the sense that it is neither here nor there, striving to expand the story and characters beyond the first novel but ultimately falling short of achieving the desired result. Again, all the ingredients seem to be there—the history, mythology, philosophical discourse and world-building, etc.—and in many cases they even surpass their scope from the first book, but for the reasons I touched upon above, the story simply failed to “speak” to me.
In the end, I have a feeling that this might just be another classic case of “Good book, but not for me”. Still, despite not winning me over, I’m glad I gave this series another shot. Chances are I’ll probably sit out for the third book of Dominion of the Fallen, but I’m definitely not closing any doors to trying more of Aliette de Bodard’s other work in the future.
Ultimately, my second foray into the Dominion of the Fallen did not turn out the way I’d hoped, though to be fair, I did have a lot riding on this sequel. It’s true that the first book left me with mixed feelings, but I found the premise intriguing enough that I wanted to see where things would lead, and maybe give this series a another chance to sweep me off my feet. Regrettably, this did not quite happen—despite The House of Binding Thorns being a pretty decent follow-up. At the end of the day though, I simply found myself tripping over a lot of same hurdles as book one.
First of all, in spite of the suggestions that this can be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend against it. Definitely read The House of Shattered Wings first if you can; you will find the background information absolutely indispensable, especially in anchoring you to the setting. In the aftermath of the war between angels, the proud city of Paris is now only a ghost of what it once was, and the Fallen are now divided in several houses all vying for power among the crumbling ruins. Most of the characters here were originally introduced in the first book, including Madeleine, an alchemist suffering from an addiction to angel essence. Upon her return to House Hawthorn, their leader Asmodeus mercilessly purges that addiction from her, with the intention of sending her on a diplomatic mission to the dragon kingdom under the Seine.
Meanwhile, Philippe is also back, now mourning the loss of Isabelle, the fallen angel with whom he had shared a mental link. While searching for a way to resurrect her, he comes across Berith, another Fallen who claims to be Asmodeus’ sister. The exiled angel is currently keeping a low profile, hiding herself and her pregnant human lover Françoise from the chaos and poison of the clashing Houses. However, due to their familial connections, Berith may not be as well hidden from Asmodeus as she has led Françoise to believe, and in the escalating conflict between all the factions involved, it is becoming increasingly clear that no one will be safe from the violence.
Right away, I was struck by how little I remembered from the first book. I had to go back to my review of The House of Shattered Wings to remind myself who was who, and in doing so, I also noticed what I had written about the characters and how I’d struggled to engage with any of them. Unfortunately, this is a problem that persists; there are too many characters and not enough personality between them to justify so many, and the result is just a jumble of names and descriptions that I tried to but could not connect with on a deeper, emotional level. For this simple reason alone, the rest of the book fell apart for me, even though I admit from a technical standpoint, The House of Binding Thorns is probably a better book than its predecessor. However, I need to care about the characters to care about the story; without that foundation, it’s hard to get on board with everything else.
Furthermore, though I was impressed with the allegorical themes of post-colonialism, I’m not sure they came through well enough amidst all the noise. Paradoxically, the plot felt simultaneously too complicated and too superficial, overly simplistic. At times, The House of Binding Thorns felt very much like a “middle book”, in the sense that it is neither here nor there, striving to expand the story and characters beyond the first novel but ultimately falling short of achieving the desired result. Again, all the ingredients seem to be there—the history, mythology, philosophical discourse and world-building, etc.—and in many cases they even surpass their scope from the first book, but for the reasons I touched upon above, the story simply failed to “speak” to me.
In the end, I have a feeling that this might just be another classic case of “Good book, but not for me”. Still, despite not winning me over, I’m glad I gave this series another shot. Chances are I’ll probably sit out for the third book of Dominion of the Fallen, but I’m definitely not closing any doors to trying more of Aliette de Bodard’s other work in the future.
October 25, 2019
The House of Binding Thorns is the the opposite of second book syndrome.
I really liked The House of Shattered Wings, but this was on a completely other level, and it cemented Dominion of the Fallen's place in my favorite fantasy series.
The House of Binding Thorns is a story about life in a city ruined by angels' greed, with an ugly colonial history, in which the characters have to make terrible bargains to survive. It's a story about compromises that, in a fairer world, wouldn't be necessary; about how people survive when the world is broken and history is full of unrepairable hurts. How can characters go on while carrying such a weight? At times, it looks impossible to live a life worth living in this place, but the characters find ways, and they shine brighter because of this faded, decaying background.
This book never forgets that among the ruins, life can only thrive through cooperation.
If The House of Shattered Wings followed the events surrounding the mysteries and past of House Silverspires, this book follows another house of fallen angels in fallen historical Paris: House Hawthorn, and its relation with the underwater Dragon Kingdom in the Seine.
We follow:
✨ Madeleine, a woman who is trying to recover from angel essence addiction while not falling victim to political intrigue, which seems to be everywhere in House Hawthorn;
✨ Philippe, a Vietnamese ex-immortal who is trying to bring someone back to life;
✨ Thuan, a shapeshifting bisexual Dragon Prince who is a spy in House Hawthorn;
✨Françoise, a pregnant Vietnamese woman who is trying to survive in this post-magical-war Paris with her trans girlfriend Berith, a fallen angel;
✨ not PoV characters, but a major characters anyway: Asmodeus, gay fallen angel, antivillain, in an arranged marriage with a prince from the Dragon Kingdom, and Ngoc Bich, a dragon princess. I mention them specifically because they're two of my favorite characters.
While Thuan's and Françoise's PoVs were my favorites, both Madeleine and - especially with this reread - Philippe grew on me a lot.
I read this book in two days, which is something I haven't been able to do with novels lately. But this was so good that I just couldn't stop reading it. So much political intrigue, most of it revolving around a gay antivillain, of course I loved this.
I also really liked the setting - in The House of Shattered Wings, I wanted to know more about the Dragon Kingdom, and a significant part of this book is set there. This also meant that this book gave an even more overwhelming sense of rot than the first book, and it may sound weird, but the atmosphere is beautiful also because of it. Ruins have their charm, and it makes sense that in a series about falling the settings is falling apart too.
There's not much romance in this series - there is an established f/f couple in this book, another one in the first book, and a m/m arranged marriage with the kind of plotline I love (which means: tension between enemies! stabbing!) - but all the romance here is wonderful. I'd read more of it and I almost never say that.
I really liked The House of Shattered Wings, but this was on a completely other level, and it cemented Dominion of the Fallen's place in my favorite fantasy series.
The House of Binding Thorns is a story about life in a city ruined by angels' greed, with an ugly colonial history, in which the characters have to make terrible bargains to survive. It's a story about compromises that, in a fairer world, wouldn't be necessary; about how people survive when the world is broken and history is full of unrepairable hurts. How can characters go on while carrying such a weight? At times, it looks impossible to live a life worth living in this place, but the characters find ways, and they shine brighter because of this faded, decaying background.
This book never forgets that among the ruins, life can only thrive through cooperation.
If The House of Shattered Wings followed the events surrounding the mysteries and past of House Silverspires, this book follows another house of fallen angels in fallen historical Paris: House Hawthorn, and its relation with the underwater Dragon Kingdom in the Seine.
We follow:
✨ Madeleine, a woman who is trying to recover from angel essence addiction while not falling victim to political intrigue, which seems to be everywhere in House Hawthorn;
✨ Philippe, a Vietnamese ex-immortal who is trying to bring someone back to life;
✨ Thuan, a shapeshifting bisexual Dragon Prince who is a spy in House Hawthorn;
✨Françoise, a pregnant Vietnamese woman who is trying to survive in this post-magical-war Paris with her trans girlfriend Berith, a fallen angel;
✨ not PoV characters, but a major characters anyway: Asmodeus, gay fallen angel, antivillain, in an arranged marriage with a prince from the Dragon Kingdom, and Ngoc Bich, a dragon princess. I mention them specifically because they're two of my favorite characters.
While Thuan's and Françoise's PoVs were my favorites, both Madeleine and - especially with this reread - Philippe grew on me a lot.
I read this book in two days, which is something I haven't been able to do with novels lately. But this was so good that I just couldn't stop reading it. So much political intrigue, most of it revolving around a gay antivillain, of course I loved this.
I also really liked the setting - in The House of Shattered Wings, I wanted to know more about the Dragon Kingdom, and a significant part of this book is set there. This also meant that this book gave an even more overwhelming sense of rot than the first book, and it may sound weird, but the atmosphere is beautiful also because of it. Ruins have their charm, and it makes sense that in a series about falling the settings is falling apart too.
There's not much romance in this series - there is an established f/f couple in this book, another one in the first book, and a m/m arranged marriage with the kind of plotline I love (which means: tension between enemies! stabbing!) - but all the romance here is wonderful. I'd read more of it and I almost never say that.
April 12, 2018
'18 Hugo nom for the shorter works.
I read the first novel in this series and bounced off from it, unfortunately. Picking up this in-between tale before the next novel was pretty fine, tho. Lots of action. Still not caring too much about the characters or the house too much, but the basic idea was okay. I want to like it more than I do.
I read the first novel in this series and bounced off from it, unfortunately. Picking up this in-between tale before the next novel was pretty fine, tho. Lots of action. Still not caring too much about the characters or the house too much, but the basic idea was okay. I want to like it more than I do.
June 19, 2020
Any book that has me struggling not to squeak on public transport and then has me nearly miss my bus stop is going to get a big thumbs-up. I loved Aliette de Bodard’s introduction to her vision of a blasted, magic-torn Paris in The House of Shattered Wings and I delighted in the chance to return to it and peer into one of the darker Fallen Houses.
Madeleine is back in House Hawthorn, terrified of her future and unable to move on from her past. When Asmodeus makes it clear she can choose to die but not the manner of her dying, her fear drives her to once again swear allegiance. But can she be a faithful servant of House Hawthorn?
Philippe is living in the Annamite community, surreptitiously using his magic to heal and trying to avoid attention while he tries to find a way to resurrect Isabelle.
Asmodeus himself is seeking alliance with the dragon kingdom beneath the Seine, but the rong have their own issues: a rebellion and an insidious plague of addiction to angel essence. When his envoy disappears, he sends another - and Madeleine - to seal the deal.
We also meet new characters, get to know old enemies better and uncover unexpected secrets. I found this a gripping read from start to finish, just about approachable as a stand alone but all the richer if you have the context of House of Shattered Wings. The dragon kingdom and House Hawthorn are fascinating contrasts to Silverspires.
I look forward to whatever the future may hold for poor, battered Paris and her inhabitants.
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (and eventually bought a copy because HELL YES I need this trilogy on my shelves
On a reread, I struggled a little with the pacing in the middle, but the dynamite final act leaves me full of feelings and admiration for what Aliette de Bodard has done with this series.
Madeleine is back in House Hawthorn, terrified of her future and unable to move on from her past. When Asmodeus makes it clear she can choose to die but not the manner of her dying, her fear drives her to once again swear allegiance. But can she be a faithful servant of House Hawthorn?
Philippe is living in the Annamite community, surreptitiously using his magic to heal and trying to avoid attention while he tries to find a way to resurrect Isabelle.
Asmodeus himself is seeking alliance with the dragon kingdom beneath the Seine, but the rong have their own issues: a rebellion and an insidious plague of addiction to angel essence. When his envoy disappears, he sends another - and Madeleine - to seal the deal.
We also meet new characters, get to know old enemies better and uncover unexpected secrets. I found this a gripping read from start to finish, just about approachable as a stand alone but all the richer if you have the context of House of Shattered Wings. The dragon kingdom and House Hawthorn are fascinating contrasts to Silverspires.
I look forward to whatever the future may hold for poor, battered Paris and her inhabitants.
Full review
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (and eventually bought a copy because HELL YES I need this trilogy on my shelves
On a reread, I struggled a little with the pacing in the middle, but the dynamite final act leaves me full of feelings and admiration for what Aliette de Bodard has done with this series.
September 14, 2020
2020-06: On my second reading, I could really appreciate how atmospheric this story is. And how sinister the thorny children and the House were.
My earlier review also covers my other feelings about this story, so I’ll just finish my saying that I now want a chocolate éclair. Thanks Thuan.
2018-07: Fascinating to see the fallout from book one to Asmodeus' House. I like that we're also seeing the dragons engaging, even though it's because of encroachment by the other Houses. I wonder if we'll see the main character in this story show up in book two. And interesting to see how a House-less can be taken in by a House, if they show interesting and necessary qualities. Like baking, of all things!
My earlier review also covers my other feelings about this story, so I’ll just finish my saying that I now want a chocolate éclair. Thanks Thuan.
2018-07: Fascinating to see the fallout from book one to Asmodeus' House. I like that we're also seeing the dragons engaging, even though it's because of encroachment by the other Houses. I wonder if we'll see the main character in this story show up in book two. And interesting to see how a House-less can be taken in by a House, if they show interesting and necessary qualities. Like baking, of all things!
January 5, 2025
This book was pretty close to perfection for me and it did reduce me to emotional puddle.
What does it have:
1. COURT INTRIGUE! Absolutely delicious court intrigue and politicking!
2. ARANGED MARRIAGE! One where the two grooms might be actually trying to kill each other? But they are also secretly in love... what a dilemma! (I mean, they are not in love yet, but... semantics...)
3. Healing from addiction story. Madelaine is my precious and I will protect her at all costs.
4. The bisexual drama queen Thuan. Really I love that guy, he's my favourite.
5. The dynamic of fear and protection between Madelaine and Asmodeus is fascinating to me.
6. The beautiful beautiful writing.
7. Another sapphic romance! This time between a human and a trans disabled Fallen which I really appreciate, because I thought that the way disability wasn't really approached in the previous installments was a bit unfortunate.
8. The way different character's opinions on fish sauce contrasted. I'm definitely team fish sauce and I was craving it the whole time I was reading this book!
9. Also, how could I forget... DRAGONS! There are dragons in this one and we get to visit the dragon kingdom under the Seine and... you know, what more can I want really...
And honestly so much more. The emotionality and perfection of this book is just indescribable. I enjoyed some POVs more than others Thuan & Madelaine being my favourites, Françoise not that far after then and then Philippe whose story line is equally important to the story, but for whom I don't really much care.
I wasn't completely sold on the first book in this series, but now I'm fully in and can't way to read The House of Sundering Flames!
BRed at WBtM: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
What does it have:
1. COURT INTRIGUE! Absolutely delicious court intrigue and politicking!
2. ARANGED MARRIAGE! One where the two grooms might be actually trying to kill each other? But they are also secretly in love... what a dilemma! (I mean, they are not in love yet, but... semantics...)
3. Healing from addiction story. Madelaine is my precious and I will protect her at all costs.
"You never left, Madeleine, did you? Always crawling away from the wreck of the House, never leaving the shadow of the past." He reached out, and laid a hand on her ribs, the ribs his thugs had broken, twenty years ago - fingernails, as sharp as knives, resting on her chest, above her madly beating heart. "You live and breathe fear, and there is no room for anything else."
4. The bisexual drama queen Thuan. Really I love that guy, he's my favourite.
Not to mention, of course, that his aunt would kill him if things ever got to that point. Or, worse, resort to sarcasm.
5. The dynamic of fear and protection between Madelaine and Asmodeus is fascinating to me.
6. The beautiful beautiful writing.
7. Another sapphic romance! This time between a human and a trans disabled Fallen which I really appreciate, because I thought that the way disability wasn't really approached in the previous installments was a bit unfortunate.
8. The way different character's opinions on fish sauce contrasted. I'm definitely team fish sauce and I was craving it the whole time I was reading this book!
9. Also, how could I forget... DRAGONS! There are dragons in this one and we get to visit the dragon kingdom under the Seine and... you know, what more can I want really...
And honestly so much more. The emotionality and perfection of this book is just indescribable. I enjoyed some POVs more than others Thuan & Madelaine being my favourites, Françoise not that far after then and then Philippe whose story line is equally important to the story, but for whom I don't really much care.
I wasn't completely sold on the first book in this series, but now I'm fully in and can't way to read The House of Sundering Flames!
BRed at WBtM: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
July 22, 2020
While not a direct sequel to the House of Shattered Wings, this picks up a number of threads from that book, while focusing much of the action on House Hawthorn, and their growing relationship with the Dragon Kingdom.
Hawthorn sends a delegation to the Dragon House, with recovering angel essence addict Madeleine as one of the team.
Ngoc Bich is seeking an alliance for the diminished dragons, and on the surface things seem both fine and badly wrong in the kingdom. Madeleine notes that there seems to be a sickness, a wrongness to everything.
Elsewhere in Paris, an Annamite woman, Francoise, who is in in a relationship with a fallen woman, Berith, is pregnant and wields a form of fallen magic. It is soon revealed that Berith is Asmodeus’ brother; Asmodeus is keen to have the pair within Hawthorn.
Another House, made up of previously unaffiliated individuals, appears and begins threatening the two women, and the Annamite population in Paris, forcing Francoise to consider Asmodeus’ offer of safety to the two.
And to complicate things, guess who’s Francoise’s Doctor? Philippe, who’s helping Annamite humans not affiliated with any House, while still looking for a way to resuscitate Isabel.
And finally young dragon Thuan, whom we met in Children of Hope, Children of Thirns, is learning as much as he can spying within Hawthorn. Frightening as Asmodeus is, he’s compelling, as Thuan finds out later when he is forced to return home.
The imagery in this book was oddly lovely, despite so much of it involving rotting, crumbling and decrepit things; de Bodard has such a way with words!
The politics and conflicting motives of everyone involved made for slightly confusing reading, but I loved spending so much time within the Dragon kingdom, and spending so much time with new character Francoise and Berith. And Thuan shows himself more adept at dealing with plots and politics than I expected, and he will have much to do, along with Asmodeus and hopefully Francpise, in book 3, which I’m eager to get to.
Hawthorn sends a delegation to the Dragon House, with recovering angel essence addict Madeleine as one of the team.
Ngoc Bich is seeking an alliance for the diminished dragons, and on the surface things seem both fine and badly wrong in the kingdom. Madeleine notes that there seems to be a sickness, a wrongness to everything.
Elsewhere in Paris, an Annamite woman, Francoise, who is in in a relationship with a fallen woman, Berith, is pregnant and wields a form of fallen magic. It is soon revealed that Berith is Asmodeus’ brother; Asmodeus is keen to have the pair within Hawthorn.
Another House, made up of previously unaffiliated individuals, appears and begins threatening the two women, and the Annamite population in Paris, forcing Francoise to consider Asmodeus’ offer of safety to the two.
And to complicate things, guess who’s Francoise’s Doctor? Philippe, who’s helping Annamite humans not affiliated with any House, while still looking for a way to resuscitate Isabel.
And finally young dragon Thuan, whom we met in Children of Hope, Children of Thirns, is learning as much as he can spying within Hawthorn. Frightening as Asmodeus is, he’s compelling, as Thuan finds out later when he is forced to return home.
The imagery in this book was oddly lovely, despite so much of it involving rotting, crumbling and decrepit things; de Bodard has such a way with words!
The politics and conflicting motives of everyone involved made for slightly confusing reading, but I loved spending so much time within the Dragon kingdom, and spending so much time with new character Francoise and Berith. And Thuan shows himself more adept at dealing with plots and politics than I expected, and he will have much to do, along with Asmodeus and hopefully Francpise, in book 3, which I’m eager to get to.
September 8, 2021
Reread: Completely worth a second read. Gripping, intense, and beautiful.
Original review: I loved this book so much! The House of Binding Thorns takes all of the things I really enjoyed in The House of Shattered Wings and intensifies them. I like Aliette de Bodard's writing style a lot, and I adore how queer her books are - this one even more than the previous. I think the biggest difference between the two (and probably the thing that raised this above the first for me) was that the plot shifted from murder mystery to really truly focus on politics. I loved all the plotting and double-crossing and general twisty-ness going on.
I continue to be a big fan of the characters. Madeline grew on me a lot in this book - she was probably my least favorite of the narrators in the first book, but I really appreciated her role in this one. Although the plot isn't directly related to the first book, I do think this book is likely to be far better when read after at least that novel, and ideally the short stories set in this world as well.
Original review: I loved this book so much! The House of Binding Thorns takes all of the things I really enjoyed in The House of Shattered Wings and intensifies them. I like Aliette de Bodard's writing style a lot, and I adore how queer her books are - this one even more than the previous. I think the biggest difference between the two (and probably the thing that raised this above the first for me) was that the plot shifted from murder mystery to really truly focus on politics. I loved all the plotting and double-crossing and general twisty-ness going on.
I continue to be a big fan of the characters. Madeline grew on me a lot in this book - she was probably my least favorite of the narrators in the first book, but I really appreciated her role in this one. Although the plot isn't directly related to the first book, I do think this book is likely to be far better when read after at least that novel, and ideally the short stories set in this world as well.
April 19, 2017
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy, Paranormal
*Rating* 3.5
*MY Thoughts*
The House of Binding Thorns is the second installment in author Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen series. In a Paris that never was, a city of magicians, alchemists and Fallen angels struggles to recover from a devastating magical war that left the city in shambles. The House of Hawthorn, led by a Fallen Angel named Asmodeus, is where this story begins. But, it also includes the Dragon Kingdom, which is an under the Seine River, that gets plenty of storyline as well.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Fantasy, Paranormal
*Rating* 3.5
*MY Thoughts*
The House of Binding Thorns is the second installment in author Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen series. In a Paris that never was, a city of magicians, alchemists and Fallen angels struggles to recover from a devastating magical war that left the city in shambles. The House of Hawthorn, led by a Fallen Angel named Asmodeus, is where this story begins. But, it also includes the Dragon Kingdom, which is an under the Seine River, that gets plenty of storyline as well.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
March 10, 2017
A magnificent follow up to House of Shattered Wings, with everything I loved about the first book (fallen angels, House drama, Paris, dragons(!)) amped up to 11. Will absolutely re-read, which is one my favorite ways to praise a wonderful book.
April 16, 2021
So, this book is best understood after you have read the "Further Reading" notes at the end.
Y'see, this is an allegory on the early history of French interference in Vietnam, merged with the story of the British running opium into China, but set in Paris (sort of) with dragons and magic.
"Not gonna work," you think, and I fear you are right.
First off, some Parisian places are named, but for all that they are tied to the story we might as well have been in Barsoom or Lyonesse.
Second, there are way too many characters, and far too much use of redshirts, the guards and peasants who are in the book only to be slaughtered by the lead characters.
At times, it's a tribute to Zola (mentioned in the author's notes.) Other times it's almost like the sketch for a graphic novel or a CGI movie.
Halfway through, I shouted that if Olympe called someone "Child" once more I was going to throw the book across the room and never pick it up again. Oddly, just at that point the author stopped doing it. And the notes suggest that the "child" thing may have to do with Vietnamese pronouns. A quick Wikipedia told me I'm not going down THAT rabbit hole in the foreseeable future.
So, we follow Madeleine a lot. She's a classic viewpoint character, going "der" a lot and shuffling from key scene to key scene without ever really surfacing. But there's a reason for it, and in the end she matters, so it's all good.
Berith and Francoise were OK, I guess, as peripheral people just trying to get by. Still not sure about Thuan and Philippe, both of whom seem to carry some pretty heavy magic chops but are in a fog most of the time.
Speaking of fog, the whole dragons-under-the-Seine was a giant WTF in which apparently you and I can, if invited, just walk into the river and carry on as if we were not underwater. Felt all cartoony to me, because if it isn't there's some magic power here that is way beyond what the key characters carry.
In the end, it's an interesting rollout of a few people who perhaps appear conscienceless but do have something they are loyal to in a very difficult world. This is, of course, displayed by forcing them to deal with characters who may not have such well-developed moral compasses.
I'm not really looking forward to a third book in this series, but I will look for more work by this author. I'll be looking for a little less emphasis on lesser-known historical and cultural details. Terry Pratchett struck a nice balance in some of his fantasy books that are loosely based on history, such as Night Watch or Monstrous Regiment.
2021 update: This author’s later works are indeed jewels, highly recommended.
Y'see, this is an allegory on the early history of French interference in Vietnam, merged with the story of the British running opium into China, but set in Paris (sort of) with dragons and magic.
"Not gonna work," you think, and I fear you are right.
First off, some Parisian places are named, but for all that they are tied to the story we might as well have been in Barsoom or Lyonesse.
Second, there are way too many characters, and far too much use of redshirts, the guards and peasants who are in the book only to be slaughtered by the lead characters.
At times, it's a tribute to Zola (mentioned in the author's notes.) Other times it's almost like the sketch for a graphic novel or a CGI movie.
Halfway through, I shouted that if Olympe called someone "Child" once more I was going to throw the book across the room and never pick it up again. Oddly, just at that point the author stopped doing it. And the notes suggest that the "child" thing may have to do with Vietnamese pronouns. A quick Wikipedia told me I'm not going down THAT rabbit hole in the foreseeable future.
So, we follow Madeleine a lot. She's a classic viewpoint character, going "der" a lot and shuffling from key scene to key scene without ever really surfacing. But there's a reason for it, and in the end she matters, so it's all good.
Berith and Francoise were OK, I guess, as peripheral people just trying to get by. Still not sure about Thuan and Philippe, both of whom seem to carry some pretty heavy magic chops but are in a fog most of the time.
Speaking of fog, the whole dragons-under-the-Seine was a giant WTF in which apparently you and I can, if invited, just walk into the river and carry on as if we were not underwater. Felt all cartoony to me, because if it isn't there's some magic power here that is way beyond what the key characters carry.
In the end, it's an interesting rollout of a few people who perhaps appear conscienceless but do have something they are loyal to in a very difficult world. This is, of course, displayed by forcing them to deal with characters who may not have such well-developed moral compasses.
I'm not really looking forward to a third book in this series, but I will look for more work by this author. I'll be looking for a little less emphasis on lesser-known historical and cultural details. Terry Pratchett struck a nice balance in some of his fantasy books that are loosely based on history, such as Night Watch or Monstrous Regiment.
2021 update: This author’s later works are indeed jewels, highly recommended.
November 12, 2021
2021 reread
It’s said to work as a stand-alone. But it doesn’t. Read House of Shattered Wings before reading this one.
First time I read this book I had very little memories of Shattered Wings, which kinda hurt my reading experience a little. This second time around I’m reading this with Shattered Wings fresh in my mind (after also having reread that one). Did it help the reading experience? Well, it at least helped me understand it better because I knew who all the characters were.
BUT. I hardly care for the characters. I like Philippe and he didn’t have that much page/chapter time. Thuan’s chapters I could enjoy too. But Madeleine. She wasn’t my favourite in the first book and I did not much like her here either and she’s got the most page/chapter time. The plot is not as interesting either, and for the majority of the book It's difficult to even grasp what the plot is. I do appreciate de Bodard basing her story on France colonising on Vietnam and the Opium wars. It’s important to make historical events like these known to more people so that more can learn about it.
I’m in love with the world de Bodard has created. This Paris in ruins, ran by Housed ran by Fallen angels and dragon kingdoms.
2017 read
As much as I wanted to love this book, because I do like Borard's writing and the world she created in this series, I just couldn't bring myself fully into it. Felt myself skimming the second half of the book just to be done with it.
It’s said to work as a stand-alone. But it doesn’t. Read House of Shattered Wings before reading this one.
First time I read this book I had very little memories of Shattered Wings, which kinda hurt my reading experience a little. This second time around I’m reading this with Shattered Wings fresh in my mind (after also having reread that one). Did it help the reading experience? Well, it at least helped me understand it better because I knew who all the characters were.
BUT. I hardly care for the characters. I like Philippe and he didn’t have that much page/chapter time. Thuan’s chapters I could enjoy too. But Madeleine. She wasn’t my favourite in the first book and I did not much like her here either and she’s got the most page/chapter time. The plot is not as interesting either, and for the majority of the book It's difficult to even grasp what the plot is. I do appreciate de Bodard basing her story on France colonising on Vietnam and the Opium wars. It’s important to make historical events like these known to more people so that more can learn about it.
I’m in love with the world de Bodard has created. This Paris in ruins, ran by Housed ran by Fallen angels and dragon kingdoms.
2017 read
As much as I wanted to love this book, because I do like Borard's writing and the world she created in this series, I just couldn't bring myself fully into it. Felt myself skimming the second half of the book just to be done with it.
July 21, 2018
Desperate people come to take a test, in hopes of being taken into a house of fallen angels. Two of them are spies from a dragon kingdom. Dark magic ensues.
I liked it. There was nice, creepy imagery and I identified with the main characters quickly. The world building was well done and the narrative flowed well and kept me hooked.
Hugo Awards 2018 Novelette Nominee
Story can be found here: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/c...
I liked it. There was nice, creepy imagery and I identified with the main characters quickly. The world building was well done and the narrative flowed well and kept me hooked.
Hugo Awards 2018 Novelette Nominee
Story can be found here: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/c...
June 19, 2017
This book works as a standalone and also as a companion novel to The House of Shattered Wings. The House of Shattered Wings
Bodard writes with an intricate and intense style and is able to explore the way conflicts both within the heart and those of external politics collide with and influence each other. Vivid and emotional. Recommended.
Bodard writes with an intricate and intense style and is able to explore the way conflicts both within the heart and those of external politics collide with and influence each other. Vivid and emotional. Recommended.
March 11, 2018
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A powerful conspiracy aimed not only at the houses but the dragon kingdom threatens to destroy them all.
Opening Sentence: In the House of Hawthorn all the days blurred and merged into one another, like teardrops sliding down a pane of glass.
The Review:
Madeline has finally been detoxed from the angel essence, but no one is really sure she will survive since no one has successfully broken and essence addiction before. However, when Asmodeus gives her the choice of death or loyalty (in which she will never do essence again), she chooses loyalty and soon is given a task to accompany Elphon and others into the dragon kingdom to secure a marriage for Asmodeus. Once there, Madeline finds that the real reason they are there is because the Ambassador is missing and Asmodeus cannot find her.
Soon they find out she left the palace three days before and hasn’t returned, Elphon takes off and Madeline has to come clean that he has left but that he should return later. However, once she finds a cryptic message from the missing Ambassador telling her to meet with the Prince, Madeline knows there is more going on and something is very wrong. Meanwhile, Thuan is spying in the House of Hawthorn and he is determined to find proof that they are the ones bringing the angel essence into the dragon kingdom.
Philippe, the doctor, has found a woman having a child with Asmodeus, and begins negotiations to bring them in the House of Hawthorn. Madeline meets with the Prince and soon after is taken captive by Yen Oanh. Soon she finds herself faced with the awful choice of being killed or using angel essence in order to escape. As everything begins to unravel, Madeline, Asmodeus and Thaun will all be faced with impossible choices and House of Hawthorn will either fall or rise from the ashes.
I highly recommend you read book one before reading this one. You will be lost, it took me awhile a to remember everything because I read book 1 a few months ago and have read so many books in between now and then. I am not a big angel fan, I have found much like steampunk it is very hit or miss with me. Usually miss, but this series is intriguing and beautifully written. There is a lot going on in the first two books. I still don’t feel a big connection with the characters, but I will say I didn’t see how or what was behind the conspiracy until it was revealed to me.
This is a subtle and layered book, and most of the action doesn’t really pick up until about midway through the book. I found myself devouring the pages, but still trying to put everything together. I am not sure where the author is going with the series, but count me in for the ride.
Notable Scene:
Iaris didn’t understand. She couldn’t understand. She hadn’t stood in the drawing room watching Frederic, and Zoe and Elphon and all the other gardeners be cut down. She wasn’t the one who had crawled through the streets of Paris, the cobblestones slick with her own blood, every movement awakening fresh pain in her calves, in her broken ribs, every agonizing guesture underlined with the same fear that he would find her, that his thugs would finish what they had started.
FTC Advisory: ACE/Penguin provided me with a copy of The House of Binding Thorns. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A powerful conspiracy aimed not only at the houses but the dragon kingdom threatens to destroy them all.
Opening Sentence: In the House of Hawthorn all the days blurred and merged into one another, like teardrops sliding down a pane of glass.
The Review:
Madeline has finally been detoxed from the angel essence, but no one is really sure she will survive since no one has successfully broken and essence addiction before. However, when Asmodeus gives her the choice of death or loyalty (in which she will never do essence again), she chooses loyalty and soon is given a task to accompany Elphon and others into the dragon kingdom to secure a marriage for Asmodeus. Once there, Madeline finds that the real reason they are there is because the Ambassador is missing and Asmodeus cannot find her.
Soon they find out she left the palace three days before and hasn’t returned, Elphon takes off and Madeline has to come clean that he has left but that he should return later. However, once she finds a cryptic message from the missing Ambassador telling her to meet with the Prince, Madeline knows there is more going on and something is very wrong. Meanwhile, Thuan is spying in the House of Hawthorn and he is determined to find proof that they are the ones bringing the angel essence into the dragon kingdom.
Philippe, the doctor, has found a woman having a child with Asmodeus, and begins negotiations to bring them in the House of Hawthorn. Madeline meets with the Prince and soon after is taken captive by Yen Oanh. Soon she finds herself faced with the awful choice of being killed or using angel essence in order to escape. As everything begins to unravel, Madeline, Asmodeus and Thaun will all be faced with impossible choices and House of Hawthorn will either fall or rise from the ashes.
I highly recommend you read book one before reading this one. You will be lost, it took me awhile a to remember everything because I read book 1 a few months ago and have read so many books in between now and then. I am not a big angel fan, I have found much like steampunk it is very hit or miss with me. Usually miss, but this series is intriguing and beautifully written. There is a lot going on in the first two books. I still don’t feel a big connection with the characters, but I will say I didn’t see how or what was behind the conspiracy until it was revealed to me.
This is a subtle and layered book, and most of the action doesn’t really pick up until about midway through the book. I found myself devouring the pages, but still trying to put everything together. I am not sure where the author is going with the series, but count me in for the ride.
Notable Scene:
Iaris didn’t understand. She couldn’t understand. She hadn’t stood in the drawing room watching Frederic, and Zoe and Elphon and all the other gardeners be cut down. She wasn’t the one who had crawled through the streets of Paris, the cobblestones slick with her own blood, every movement awakening fresh pain in her calves, in her broken ribs, every agonizing guesture underlined with the same fear that he would find her, that his thugs would finish what they had started.
FTC Advisory: ACE/Penguin provided me with a copy of The House of Binding Thorns. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 16, 2021
The House of Shattered Wings is a beautifully written book set in a fascinating world, but I was on the fence about reading the standalone sequel since it was also bogged down by so much narrative introspection that didn't add much to the story or characterization. However, I decided to continue after discovering The House of Binding Thorns had more Asmodeus--and I'm so glad I did because it's a far superior novel with more Asmodeus and more of the dragon kingdom!
Like its predecessor, the characters aren't quite as "alive" or in possession of distinct personalities/narrations as I would have liked, but I thought they were more compelling than in the previous novel. It's gorgeously written and atmospheric, and it's a standout novel with some unique qualities that I enjoyed very much.
Full Review on My Website
Like its predecessor, the characters aren't quite as "alive" or in possession of distinct personalities/narrations as I would have liked, but I thought they were more compelling than in the previous novel. It's gorgeously written and atmospheric, and it's a standout novel with some unique qualities that I enjoyed very much.
Full Review on My Website
July 10, 2017
This novelette is basically the Great British Bake Off with dragons and creepy magic, set in an alternate historical Paris, and I *loved* it. Highly recommended!
May 14, 2017
More like 2.5 stars
I struggled a lot with this one and I feel that's due to two main things: one was a reading slump the likes of which I've never really experienced (I don't think I've ever really felt this much of a slump, to the point of near indifference); the other was the fact that for the vast majority of the book, the main POV character is Madeleine and hers was the perspective that really dragged down my overall enjoyment of The House of Shattered Wings , so I would be lying if I didn't say that I very nearly gave up on the book when I saw that. However, let it not be said that I'm completely heartless or a quitter (after all, I so rarely give up on anything when it comes to books) and by the last 25%, I really was enjoying myself quite a bit more. De Bodard manages to tie in everything in a very unexpected climax and actually, I would again be lying if I didn't admit that my interest in any further books in this setting has most definitely been piqued.
As the title suggests, The House of Binding Thorns is all about Hawthorn. After the events of the last book, loyalties are being tested and characters trying to rebuild from the ashes find themselves being asked to pay too great a price for their hearts desires. There is scant mention of Silverspires here and actually I quite enjoyed the attention shifting away from them. If there is any intention of a third book, then de Bodard clearly will be able to choose from quite the array, be it Lazarus (the House ruled by a human rather than a Fallen) or the new one introduced in this book, a newcomer to the world of intrigue, politics and death that is Paris after the magical war. There is also a larger focus on , something I definitely enjoyed. I liked the descriptions of the palaces and its inhabitants, I liked the links between it and the world of south east Asia (most notably Vietnam), I liked that de Bodard made them all very fierce contenders with the power and magic and influence of the Fallen-ruled Houses. In that respect, it's a very interesting clash of cultures, one I really enjoyed reading about. There are a lot of nuances here, about being an immigrant and hiding from the dominant culture, about the lives of the Houseless (also mostly Vietnamese immigrants) and the squalor of living in what amounts to slums, while those who do have have a House find that, if nothing else, they at least have protection and a hot meal, both things that de Bodard immediately paints as being vital to survival in Paris.
There are new characters introduced in this book, alongside old faces and again, bar Madeleine, I did like them. There's Philippe again, living with the weight and the guilt of the choices he made at the end of the last book and though he plays a far less prominent role in this than in the first book. There are new characters from the and I liked the exploration of the differences between their magic and that of the Fallen, something that is exemplified masterfully in the ending of the book. A part of me feels that the setup is very much towards these two worlds working together to rebuild Paris, to show cooperation and to heal the wounds that the power struggle left wide open.
It's also interesting to see de Bodard tackle relationships (both platonic and romantic) between humans and Fallen -- where this is mostly just touched upon in the first book with Philippe and Isabelle (and his nature isn't one I would strictly call human), the existence of Berith and Françoise is one that leaves a lot of questions unanswered. We know from the first book that humans can wield Fallen magic through angel essence (and its addiction and side effects are still a key point in this sequel), but what about long-term exposure? Both Selene's and Asmodeus' lovers are Fallen, but could they (would they) fall in love with a human? I also liked the fact that this human/Fallen affair is tackled through the eyes of lesbians, with all the prejudices that come of it. Françoise's struggles with the Annamite community I found to be incredibly interesting (and heart-rending), in a way that I don't see a lot of fantasy explore. I really hope that any sequels that may or may not happen do still follow her, even if she isn't as much of a central character.
I do wish I could have given this book a higher rating. The pacing is much better than The House of Shattered Wings, there is far less of that repetition that really ground my gears and perhaps without the reading slump I would have easily given this a 4 star rating. Madeleine is far too prominent for me to be able to truly enjoy the book and although I was initially interested in her story and how she would cope with the aftereffects of the angel essence addiction, by the end I dreaded every time she appeared in the chapter. For a book that's ultimately not that long, this really hindered my enjoyment of it. Would I still recommend the two Dominion of the Fallen books? I would, it's an interesting concept, it's a really interesting setting and most of the characters feel genuine and complex, with conflicting desires and goals. My reservations about Madeleine aside, I would still pick up Aliette de Bodard's next book.
I struggled a lot with this one and I feel that's due to two main things: one was a reading slump the likes of which I've never really experienced (I don't think I've ever really felt this much of a slump, to the point of near indifference); the other was the fact that for the vast majority of the book, the main POV character is Madeleine and hers was the perspective that really dragged down my overall enjoyment of The House of Shattered Wings , so I would be lying if I didn't say that I very nearly gave up on the book when I saw that. However, let it not be said that I'm completely heartless or a quitter (after all, I so rarely give up on anything when it comes to books) and by the last 25%, I really was enjoying myself quite a bit more. De Bodard manages to tie in everything in a very unexpected climax and actually, I would again be lying if I didn't admit that my interest in any further books in this setting has most definitely been piqued.
As the title suggests, The House of Binding Thorns is all about Hawthorn. After the events of the last book, loyalties are being tested and characters trying to rebuild from the ashes find themselves being asked to pay too great a price for their hearts desires. There is scant mention of Silverspires here and actually I quite enjoyed the attention shifting away from them. If there is any intention of a third book, then de Bodard clearly will be able to choose from quite the array, be it Lazarus (the House ruled by a human rather than a Fallen) or the new one introduced in this book, a newcomer to the world of intrigue, politics and death that is Paris after the magical war. There is also a larger focus on , something I definitely enjoyed. I liked the descriptions of the palaces and its inhabitants, I liked the links between it and the world of south east Asia (most notably Vietnam), I liked that de Bodard made them all very fierce contenders with the power and magic and influence of the Fallen-ruled Houses. In that respect, it's a very interesting clash of cultures, one I really enjoyed reading about. There are a lot of nuances here, about being an immigrant and hiding from the dominant culture, about the lives of the Houseless (also mostly Vietnamese immigrants) and the squalor of living in what amounts to slums, while those who do have have a House find that, if nothing else, they at least have protection and a hot meal, both things that de Bodard immediately paints as being vital to survival in Paris.
There are new characters introduced in this book, alongside old faces and again, bar Madeleine, I did like them. There's Philippe again, living with the weight and the guilt of the choices he made at the end of the last book and though he plays a far less prominent role in this than in the first book. There are new characters from the and I liked the exploration of the differences between their magic and that of the Fallen, something that is exemplified masterfully in the ending of the book. A part of me feels that the setup is very much towards these two worlds working together to rebuild Paris, to show cooperation and to heal the wounds that the power struggle left wide open.
It's also interesting to see de Bodard tackle relationships (both platonic and romantic) between humans and Fallen -- where this is mostly just touched upon in the first book with Philippe and Isabelle (and his nature isn't one I would strictly call human), the existence of Berith and Françoise is one that leaves a lot of questions unanswered. We know from the first book that humans can wield Fallen magic through angel essence (and its addiction and side effects are still a key point in this sequel), but what about long-term exposure? Both Selene's and Asmodeus' lovers are Fallen, but could they (would they) fall in love with a human? I also liked the fact that this human/Fallen affair is tackled through the eyes of lesbians, with all the prejudices that come of it. Françoise's struggles with the Annamite community I found to be incredibly interesting (and heart-rending), in a way that I don't see a lot of fantasy explore. I really hope that any sequels that may or may not happen do still follow her, even if she isn't as much of a central character.
I do wish I could have given this book a higher rating. The pacing is much better than The House of Shattered Wings, there is far less of that repetition that really ground my gears and perhaps without the reading slump I would have easily given this a 4 star rating. Madeleine is far too prominent for me to be able to truly enjoy the book and although I was initially interested in her story and how she would cope with the aftereffects of the angel essence addiction, by the end I dreaded every time she appeared in the chapter. For a book that's ultimately not that long, this really hindered my enjoyment of it. Would I still recommend the two Dominion of the Fallen books? I would, it's an interesting concept, it's a really interesting setting and most of the characters feel genuine and complex, with conflicting desires and goals. My reservations about Madeleine aside, I would still pick up Aliette de Bodard's next book.
October 25, 2019
Managed to weave evocative with sinister and beautiful in a wonderful way. Political stories aren’t usually my thing, but this had plenty of tension and magic - plus Asmodeus. So a definite win!
May 20, 2017
This was a marked improvement over its predecessor, The House of Shattered Wings. Shattered Wings had a somewhat confusing plot, and only a handful of its characters really interested me, but it had such a great setting that it elevated it to 4/5 stars. Not that the characters and plot were BAD, they just didn't really grab me. The House of Binding Thorns improves on both, and the setting managed to be even better.
So Binding Thorns is a semi-standalone sequel. It follows after the events of Shattered Wings, and retains a few of the principals as main characters, but it is a wholly new story that doesn't rely on its predecessor at all. Following the events of Shattered Wings, House Hawthorn and Asmodeus are ascendant, and this book is centered on Asmodeus' attempts to form an alliance with the Dragon Kingdom beneath the Seine.
So how is it an improvement? Well, the principal characters all interested me way more in this book. Holdovers include Philippe, the exiled immortal, now acting as a doctor in the Annamite slums of Paris (Annam being an archaic French term for Vietnam), and full of regret for what happened in the previous book, and Madeleine, the Angel Essence-addicted alchemist, cast out of Silverspires and back in service of Hawthorn and Asmodeus. Joining the principal cast are Francoise, the pregnant lover of a Houseless Fallen, and Thuan, a member of the ruling family of the dragons and spying on House Hawthorn as an ordinary Annamite.
So how is the setting even better? Because we spend a lot more time in the Dragon Kingdom, basically. De Bodard's alterna-Paris is great, but I'm always interested in books drawing from cultures I'm unfamiliar with (and my knowledge of Vietnamese culture can be summed up with "pho is delicious"). The Dragon Kingdom is based on Vietnamese mythology about dragons as water spirits, and it's all just really interesting and unlike anything else I've ever read before.
I have two chief critiques of this book. One, I had trouble keeping the dragons sorted in my head, but I think that was more my trouble with Vietnamese names all sounding alike to my American ears. The other is that the plot, though clearer than in Shattered Wings, was still somewhat confusing, with a number of developments that seemed to come out of nowhere.
But all in all, a very interesting book, and easily merits 4 stars.
So Binding Thorns is a semi-standalone sequel. It follows after the events of Shattered Wings, and retains a few of the principals as main characters, but it is a wholly new story that doesn't rely on its predecessor at all. Following the events of Shattered Wings, House Hawthorn and Asmodeus are ascendant, and this book is centered on Asmodeus' attempts to form an alliance with the Dragon Kingdom beneath the Seine.
So how is it an improvement? Well, the principal characters all interested me way more in this book. Holdovers include Philippe, the exiled immortal, now acting as a doctor in the Annamite slums of Paris (Annam being an archaic French term for Vietnam), and full of regret for what happened in the previous book, and Madeleine, the Angel Essence-addicted alchemist, cast out of Silverspires and back in service of Hawthorn and Asmodeus. Joining the principal cast are Francoise, the pregnant lover of a Houseless Fallen, and Thuan, a member of the ruling family of the dragons and spying on House Hawthorn as an ordinary Annamite.
So how is the setting even better? Because we spend a lot more time in the Dragon Kingdom, basically. De Bodard's alterna-Paris is great, but I'm always interested in books drawing from cultures I'm unfamiliar with (and my knowledge of Vietnamese culture can be summed up with "pho is delicious"). The Dragon Kingdom is based on Vietnamese mythology about dragons as water spirits, and it's all just really interesting and unlike anything else I've ever read before.
I have two chief critiques of this book. One, I had trouble keeping the dragons sorted in my head, but I think that was more my trouble with Vietnamese names all sounding alike to my American ears. The other is that the plot, though clearer than in Shattered Wings, was still somewhat confusing, with a number of developments that seemed to come out of nowhere.
But all in all, a very interesting book, and easily merits 4 stars.
March 6, 2018
Really liked it! Really liked Thuan, too, excited to see more of him in book 2 (which just shipped yesterday, squee). ^^
Do not read without chocolate in the house. I have no chocolate tonight and I Suffer.
Do not read without chocolate in the house. I have no chocolate tonight and I Suffer.
January 28, 2021
After finishing the first book in the series yesterday, I decided I was gonna binge this trilogy because why not. It’s been a while since I’ve done it and it’s always fun, just like this sequel turned out to be.
I can’t believe that I’m saying it but this series is turning out to be one where I don’t always understand what is happening, but it doesn’t bother me much and I’m still enjoying the experience. This plot is truly full of political machinations and intrigue where every word spoken is a double edged sword, most of the characters are morally ambiguous and there is a looming dark vibe throughout which threatens to engulf the world whole. The pacing remains slow, the author’s writing perfectly capturing the decaying nature of both the Houses in Paris as well as the underwater dragon kingdom, and just when we think we have predicted something, we get an unexpected twist that delights us.
I did like that we get to explore more of Madeleine’s and Philippe’s storylines even though the proceedings mainly shift to House Hawthorn and the dragon kingdom. Madeleine’s fear and addiction is palpable in every thought of hers, her grief making us feel so much more empathetic towards her and I just wanted her to finally have some peace. Philippe on the other hand is haunted by the consequences of the choices he made in the first book, and is trying to undo them even if the results might be disastrous. Asmodeus and Thuan play other significant roles and it was so fascinating to see these two powerful beings who have a deep loyalty to those they consider theirs, face off against each other initially and then see the shifting dynamics. There was another subplot which took up a significant page time but I somehow didn’t feel attached to those new side characters at all, but I have a feeling they might play prominent roles in the finale.
In the end, this was as much of a dark and compelling read as the first book, just with more betrayals and devastation. I’m definitely excited to read the finale, but that ending has made me so much more interested in Thuan and Asmodeus’s relationship and I hope we get to explore that next along with whatever life threatening dangers the author decides to throw at us readers.
I can’t believe that I’m saying it but this series is turning out to be one where I don’t always understand what is happening, but it doesn’t bother me much and I’m still enjoying the experience. This plot is truly full of political machinations and intrigue where every word spoken is a double edged sword, most of the characters are morally ambiguous and there is a looming dark vibe throughout which threatens to engulf the world whole. The pacing remains slow, the author’s writing perfectly capturing the decaying nature of both the Houses in Paris as well as the underwater dragon kingdom, and just when we think we have predicted something, we get an unexpected twist that delights us.
I did like that we get to explore more of Madeleine’s and Philippe’s storylines even though the proceedings mainly shift to House Hawthorn and the dragon kingdom. Madeleine’s fear and addiction is palpable in every thought of hers, her grief making us feel so much more empathetic towards her and I just wanted her to finally have some peace. Philippe on the other hand is haunted by the consequences of the choices he made in the first book, and is trying to undo them even if the results might be disastrous. Asmodeus and Thuan play other significant roles and it was so fascinating to see these two powerful beings who have a deep loyalty to those they consider theirs, face off against each other initially and then see the shifting dynamics. There was another subplot which took up a significant page time but I somehow didn’t feel attached to those new side characters at all, but I have a feeling they might play prominent roles in the finale.
In the end, this was as much of a dark and compelling read as the first book, just with more betrayals and devastation. I’m definitely excited to read the finale, but that ending has made me so much more interested in Thuan and Asmodeus’s relationship and I hope we get to explore that next along with whatever life threatening dangers the author decides to throw at us readers.
April 30, 2017
...I generally enjoy De Bodard's work, both stylistically and because of the themes she uses, and this novel is no exception. I thought the plot of this novel flowed a bit more smoothly than that of the House of Shattered Wings. It is dark and desperate, full of characters overreaching in an effort to prevent what little they have managed to salvage from destruction slipping from their grasp. It tackles some of the problems of today's society with a touch of Victor Hugo and a bit of magic. It blends the Christian power of sacrifice and redemption with the eastern flow of life force and sense of duty. It is a novel that has a lot to offer. One of those books that will yield more on a reread. The House of Binding Thorns was high on the to read list for this year and fully lived up to my expectations. Not many books manage to do that.
Full Random Comments review.
Full Random Comments review.
October 6, 2018
HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS was every I wanted it to be, and even more. What a perfect choice for my first foray into audiobooks. Political fantasy is always my jam, and this being in Paris is icing on the already delicious cake. Madeleine and Philippe were my two favourite characters from the first book, so you can imagine just how thrilled I was to find them here. And Asmodeus. Oh, the level of burning hatred I had for him during most of the first only equals the level of absolute love I have now. Let's be real, he is 100% Claudie bait, and I jumped into that dumpster with incredible love. I also already loved Thuan from "Children of Thorns, Children of Water" and I am so 100% here for the way his storyline went.
Overall. This is still one of my favourite series ever.
Overall. This is still one of my favourite series ever.
May 18, 2024
Buddy read over at World Beyond the Margins, here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I am beyond thrilled by the way that the ending to this second series book turned out, and am eager for the next (and final) book in this series. de Bodard continues to be an amazing author, showing off her writing talents as she reveals the hidden dragon kingdom in the Seine. Thuan and Asmodeus are featured heavily, as is a surprise character from Asmodeus' past Fall. Of course, my favorite character was the Immortal Philippe, whom I hope will reappear again.
I was inspired to scour the net for hawthorn trees, as the House grove features so prominently in this book. I am satisfied that the trees are beautiful but can be dangerous with their thorns.
I am beyond thrilled by the way that the ending to this second series book turned out, and am eager for the next (and final) book in this series. de Bodard continues to be an amazing author, showing off her writing talents as she reveals the hidden dragon kingdom in the Seine. Thuan and Asmodeus are featured heavily, as is a surprise character from Asmodeus' past Fall. Of course, my favorite character was the Immortal Philippe, whom I hope will reappear again.
I was inspired to scour the net for hawthorn trees, as the House grove features so prominently in this book. I am satisfied that the trees are beautiful but can be dangerous with their thorns.
May 29, 2024
* Giggles in fandom *
March 19, 2017
This book was amazing in context and plot line. I love the way it lets you know how everyone fits in without giving too much away so that you can predict the ending. I would not use as a tutorial for my younger kids that I tutor but would recommend for 8th grade to adults. This is mostly because of the complexity of the writing. There is no vulgarity which makes it a good read for higher level school kids.
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