Regarding Cybele's Secret

In Juliet Marillier's amusing companion novel to Wildwood Dancing, Paula accompanies her merchant father to Istanbul on a business trip. Their object is to acquire a highly sought-after pagan artifact called "Cybele's Gift" that is reputed to hold a wise goddess's last message to her worshipers.

Pros: I found Paula's banter with swashbuckling pirate Duarte da Costa Aguiar to be clever and very amusing. Paula's bodyguard, Stoyan, is an altogether honorable, sweet young man. The love story is somewhat typical, but beautiful all the same.

Cons: I guessed the antagonist almost immediately. Paula spends an uncomfortable amount of time nude in a Turkish bath with other nude women. Marillier seems to have gotten off the "true" fairy tale track. Instead of focusing on a myriad of topics like responsibility, fairies, incantation-less witches, and hatred like Wildwood Dancing, Cybele's Secret is mostly about greed- and the wisdom of a goddess. While Cybele is generally mentioned in reference to her artifact throughout most of the book, I find her exalted title of "goddess" exceedingly annoying. **Spoiler Warning** Plus, I disagree with Cybele's secret- that living in harmony with her (translation: nature) is ultimately the key to a happy life.

My Rating: OK (nudity)