Captivating! This story is a direct sequel of The Curse of Chalion, and though our lead characters in that book were only heard of in this, we follow the exploits of another very interesting character. Ista was a bit cardboardy at first, but maybe it was because the life she led was also a shallow cutout. The early parts of her daily routine were so suffocating as to be horrifying, and I could see very easily how it could lead to madness. More than that, I can see how such a life of coddling, no matter how luxurious, can easily lead to derangement. We all need a purpose to our lives. It was great how Ista broke free and became a hero. This is a woman's power fantasy, and so satisfying to be the avenging angel, sword ablaze (actually, theologically the reverse, but the analogy serves) to save the day.