SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
When Paula travels with her father to help with his business, she ends up helping look for an ancient pagan relic, of the goddess Cybele.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Paula is now the main character. The younger sister is eager to learn, but not overly critical of the society she is in.
Stoyan is stoic and rather guarded. He eventually reveals insecurities and is a good contrast to Paula.
Irene is a married woman who has a large library. She is honest about how the citizens treat women but is rather mysterious.
Duarte is a charming, handsome pirate.
Tati returns but she only has a small role.
Story and character issues
SUSPENSE
There are different elements of suspense. Duarte doesn't let his interest in Cybele make clear his intentions. Irene is mysterious. But I do felt she could have been used better.
STOYAN'S BROTHER
Stoyan eventually opens up and reveals his brother was taken away to serve royalty. I thought it was odd that he painted it in such a positive light, saying that his brother probably doesn't want to be found. Because being forced into service and becoming a eunich is a privilege. I get that he feels inferior about his lack of studies, but Paula should have least added the idea that his brother might have some misgivings about being kidnapped. Even if he learned to read and has a job in a high position.
STOYAN & PAULA
Stoyan is street smart, physically strong and a skilled fighter. Paula is book smart, naive, and eager to prove herself. There are more than a few moments where Paula makes mistakes and has to own up to them.
And what she values most, intelligence and studies, end up being what Stoyan lacks. And yet she learns he has other qualities that are just as admirable. Mainly his role as a protector, a role only he was made to fulfill.
PAULA-SPOILERS
The main reason Paula is likable where Jena wasn't is because Paula makes mistakes, and has to learn. While Jena makes mistakes...but doesn't really have to learn anything. Unless you count learning that she has to let Tati go (which just came across as frustrating because Tati never has to learn anything).
Paula gets mad at Stoyan but realizes she over reacted, and was naive; She accuses Duarte of a horrible crime only to realize she was wrong, emotional and thanks to her, both her and Duarte get trapped on a ship.
She is more complex, saying she doesn't think beauty is important, while admitting to herself she wants beautiful clothes. She almost seems to think these qualities are bad, perhaps because she feels she doesn't have them.
She even realizes she can't change the city, when Irene reveals she has slaves. Instead of feeling offended and running off, which I feel Jena would do (which would be in keeping with her constant victimization) Paula realizes that Irene lives in a different world than her.
Although there are some modern viewpoints that are shoved into the story that are reminiscent of Jena, but these are thrown in only a few times. And they feel out of place.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?-SPOILERS
Duarte isn't just handsome and charming, not to mention dangerous, turns out he and Paula have tons in common. He loves to read and learn as much as she does. He kind of comes off as perfect. I think this was meant to make him a rival to Stoyan. Like, he's not just a pretty face, but he is tailor made for Paula.
Also, turns out he has an interest in the relic of Cybele. I would have got it if he was greedy, but when they threw in he also had a heart of gold, I was kind of annoyed. Like, he just wants to restore a rare relic to a village? Out of the goodness of his pirate, heart?
THE RETURN OF TATI
We see Tati a few times, and she seems haggard and upset. Perhaps running away with a man she barely knew wasn't such a great idea? But we never here her admit maybe she was foolish and that she regrets what she did. Or that she simply has to deal with her choices. As such, she remains two dimensional.
CONFIDING IN STOYAN-SPOILERS
Paula eventually decides to confide in Stoyan and reveal that she and her sisters have been to the Other Kingdom. I fully expected this to cause a huge gap between them, as the story is rather far-fetched and they don't exactly know each other well.
Instead, he just believes her. Turns out he has some experience with supernatural things from his mother, who cast spells and lived in the mountains. I just thought this was an odd choice, perhaps to make some bond between them. But I think it would have been better if he hadn't trusted her and she had to prove it to him.
A QUEST
Eventually Paula realizes that her, Stoyan and Tati all have to go on a quest because the Other Kingdom has some role to play. Unfortunately, just like Jena, Paula never sees her and the others as pawns but instead faithfully trusts that the quest should happen. Stoyan does, and seems upset that he is being used. He asks if gods manipulate them. Paula says she cannot answer that, but the answer seems obvious: they do.
It was all very vague and didn't do much to help the story or convince me that the Other Kingdom should be meddling in the affairs of man.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Near the climax, Stoyan get's mistaken for someone else and this allows Paula, him and Duarte to continue on to find the relic. This is supposed to point to where Stoyan can later go look for his brother. But it just felt too crucial of a part of the story to rely on a coincidence.
THE PROPOSAL-SPOILERS
After a misunderstanding with Stoyan, Duarte declares his love and proposes. I get the idea, that Paula has to make a choice between two men but it's so cliché. And there was never a chance of Paula ending up with Duarte, as she revealed her feelings in the climax. I feel it boosts Paula unnecessarily, showing that she is so desirable that Duarte can't just kiss her, he has to marry her.
IRENE'S SECRET LOVE
In the end of the climax, it's revealed that Irene was secretly in love with one of her servants. When he dies she is distraught. I think this was mean to humanize Irene, but I didn't feel it was necessary. Maybe it was added to reveal she doesn't hate all men? Even if her marriage to her husband was loveless.
USEFUL STOYAN-SPOILERS
In order to play a role, Stoyan ends up taming a dangerous dog. Then he uses it to free Tati. I get that the idea that he loved dogs was planted, be we never actually see his skills. So this feels forced. How do you train a dog you just met?
THE STORY THAT WONT END
Unfortunately, this is the same problem in the first book. The romance is stretched out beyond what's necessary. The main plot is over, and yet we still have another misunderstanding between Paula and Stoyan. But the climax should have been enough to bring them together and realize their feelings for each other. If this was the end and there was another book, I would understand.
REWRITE-SPOILERS
When it comes to Duarte, I would have preferred he reject Paula, or that Paula make a foolish mistake regarding him, learning to grow from it. Or better yet, that he be the one to turn on her. I felt like she was attracted to him and their relationship seemed more probable than hers and Irene's. And his betrayal would have had a stronger effect on her.
PHILOSPHICAL ISSUES
IRENE-SPOILERS
Irene is presented as someone that Paula has a great deal in common with. When they first meet, Paula realizes that she spoke to her like a sister. She seems to care for Paula, as she advises against any romantic relationship with Duarte as well as getting close to Stoyan. She does this more than once. But, even so, I never really get the feeling that they become friends. More like allies with similar interests. So when she betrays Paula, I didn't feel upset. I would have preferred it that I had felt they had grown close.
What's odd is that Irene is presented with views similar to Jena. She says that all woman can be wives and mothers, but only special woman can do amazing things. Because raising the next generation and giving birth is something anyone can do.
A MELTING POT?
The middle eastern city that Paula resides in is described rather idealistically. It's called a “melting pot” which is kind of silly. The middle eastern city is not a place where people can mingle freely with one another. Women are not allowed in many places, and must be escorted by men at all times.
The idea of Islam's treatment of other religions and women is handled with kid gloves. They're called tolerant of Christians and Jews, and no mention of the non-Muslim tax is mentioned nor is there any mention of mistreatment. Paula's father says they allow non-Muslims to worship. How nice of them.
I actually would have liked if Paula had been indignant at the injustices (something that would have been called for). But instead it's played down, which is odd. It's as if the author recognizes this is tricky territory, and she could only attack society as sexist and bigoted when it was among Europeans.
CYBELE & FEMALE EMPOWERMENT-SPOILERS
Paula doesn't think too seriously about the goddess, except realizing she is real. But instead of throwing her own life upside down, she suddenly becomes very modern. Cybele is wild and free, not bad. Even if her male followers castrated themselves and dressed up as women (which she doesn't feel comfortable sharing with her father or Stoyan for some reason).
When Irene seeks the relic but reveals she doesn't believe in it (I guess she just wants to keep leading the cult for power purposes) instead of condemning her for her deception and murder, Paula gives a speech; She says that Irene is evil for not believing in the goddess. So if she believed it all, her behavior would be okay? Is sincerity the most important matter?
If anything, Paula should have had to be won over and hesitant about the goddess. But she is far too eager to believe the best of her.
No young woman in Paula's time would think positively about idolatry and paganism. Especially not after being taught by a Christian Priest in a Christian society, like Paula was. Going to the other Kingdom wouldn't have changed that. It's as not if she learned about gods and goddesses. In fact it's made clear she never learned that at all. If she had been so enlightened, she wouldn't have been confused at all if Cybele was real.
And when Paula says her belief in woman's freedom is how she lives her life, it draws too much on Jena. Paula isn't nearly so preoccupied with the idea that all woman are oppressed.
Not to mention her idealized version of paganism comes off as silly when she says men and women seem equal when they worship Cybele (so Irene's cult was only bad because she didn't let in any men but one eunuch). And when her father points out the rituals were originally bloody she says maybe they used to be, but they weren't in the village where she saw people worshiping the goddess. Wouldn't that just mean they watered the original teachings down?
CLIMAX
Irene and Stoyan go with Duarte to find the relic. Unexpected guests show up but they manage to retrieve the relic.
CONCLUSION
The story is an improvement from the last one, thanks to Paula, who is much more likable. She isn't a victim everywhere she goes, nor is every other character portrayed as evil or stupid. Stoyan compliments her perfectly, drawing out change and admissions of her own biases.
Duarte however wasn't only handsome but just as studious as Paula felt like laying it on too thick. Not to mention that he was willing to risk his life for something he never seemed to show value for before.
There are some modern messages thrown in, but they are sparse in comparison to the first, which shoved them down your throat. In my subjective view, they harm the story because they come across as preachy and out of place.
But the story was almost always interesting and exciting, except after the climax.
I give “Cybele's Relic” two and half stars.
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