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In the fifteenth-century kingdom of Brittany, seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts--and a violent destiny.Tags
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sandstone78 Assassin nuns, ninja priests. Ninja priests, assassin nuns.
Member Reviews
Ha! Ha HA!! What an exhilarating ride!!!
This book pulls together some of my most favorite things, weaving a new story with new characters and depths. As I read, I felt growing satisfaction… that THIS is what I had always hoped for and didn't even know it.
I loved so many things about this book. The concept is rich – Ismae (love the name!!) is rescued from abuse, smuggled across the country to a Convent fortress where she is trained in the arts of Killing. It’s like Cinderella + Graceling. What a fun combination!
I don’t don't much about history, so the setting might as well been a new fantasy world, for all I knew (or cared). The French-sounding names were exotic and the politics felt exactly like a complicated chess game, (the show more author's intention). There is gritty reality behind the impossible choices, which I absolutely loved. So often, especially when big, multiple kingdoms are involved, the answer is obvious & predictable, so “impossible” was refreshingly frustrating.
I thoroughly enjoyed the deities of Britain. Does anyone know if this is historical? There are 8 (9?) Gods transformed to “saints” to conform to the times. Mortain, the god of death, adds depth to the entire story. I was never certain how Ismae was literally conceived by him, but I love, LOVE the idea that she is a daughter of God. Absolutely. And that the Convent believes that only it – or specifically the Abbess – knows what Mortain wants, while the question is raised as to whether the Convent is above deception? Doubt is cast on the Convent, even while relationship with Mortain Himself is strengthened.
Ismae is a fun character. I slipped inside her skin so effortlessly, so that I still feel rather dangerous with various weapons strapped in hiding spots up my sleeves and skirts. (Ha!) I thought for sure I would learn all the in’s & out’s of her training at the Convent – like Paksennarian or The Song of the Lioness series. Instead, the story dives right into Ismae’s assignments. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was wondering how complicated this story would get if we leapt right through so much excitement so fast. She is intelligent & brave (rather than fearless). I love getting her thoughts behind each action, and I love her fast reflexes!!
Duval is also very fun. He has layers of reactions and motivations to figure out, while being at the same time, highly enticing. Suspicious and sexy at the same time!! I was right there with Ismae as she experienced new love (great budding romance!) while remaining true to her beliefs and her deep conviction to serve the God of Death. When traitors abound, everyone is suspect!!
Many of the secondary characters had surprising depth. Duval’s closest friends keep revealing greater depths, the council surrounding the Duchess holds surprises, the Convent and the handmaidens of Death have lots of secrets that they don’t give up even by the end of the story.
The Duchess & her sister felt shallow to me, but if I was in either of their shoes, I could only hope to be as brave & decisive as they were. I'd probably run away.
Grave Mercy does not have a cliff-hanger ending, but it does leave loose ends – rather loud loose ends. I wondered how the author could sleep at night without resolving these. (Ha!) Until I noted what book 2 in the series will be about… and entire book devoted to at least two of those loose ends, which gives me hope for the third, too. (Ack!! I hate not spoiler-talking!)
As I read, I kept thinking of similar books I love. The court scenes reminded me of Crown Duel, which I love! Sometimes I was reminded me of King Arthur or Robin Hood or somewhere in between ‘em (all the Britain stuff - either inner fighting or against France). I already mentioned Cinderella, Paksennarion and the Song of Lioness… not to mention Graceling. What if Katsa had a different motivation for doing her killing job? Hehehehe And yet, Grave Mercy is unique, too. Some of the best of all of 'em rolled into something new.
Cover Commentary: Love it. I love the red dress, with the windblown wild look & the suspicious back glance… especially with the castle and storm clouds in the background. The crossbow makes the picture for me, although it seems a little large for the weapon she hid in her skirts. I suppose of they’d given her a wee little crossbow, it wouldn’t have had the same effect. Lol.
My Rating: 5 - LOVE IT!! I think this is one of my favorite books. I definitely want this book on my bookshelf collection to reread when the urge hits, ‘cause it definitely will! It may be 500+ pages long, but I couldn’t put it down!! show less
This book pulls together some of my most favorite things, weaving a new story with new characters and depths. As I read, I felt growing satisfaction… that THIS is what I had always hoped for and didn't even know it.
I loved so many things about this book. The concept is rich – Ismae (love the name!!) is rescued from abuse, smuggled across the country to a Convent fortress where she is trained in the arts of Killing. It’s like Cinderella + Graceling. What a fun combination!
I don’t don't much about history, so the setting might as well been a new fantasy world, for all I knew (or cared). The French-sounding names were exotic and the politics felt exactly like a complicated chess game, (the show more author's intention). There is gritty reality behind the impossible choices, which I absolutely loved. So often, especially when big, multiple kingdoms are involved, the answer is obvious & predictable, so “impossible” was refreshingly frustrating.
I thoroughly enjoyed the deities of Britain. Does anyone know if this is historical? There are 8 (9?) Gods transformed to “saints” to conform to the times. Mortain, the god of death, adds depth to the entire story. I was never certain how Ismae was literally conceived by him, but I love, LOVE the idea that she is a daughter of God. Absolutely. And that the Convent believes that only it – or specifically the Abbess – knows what Mortain wants, while the question is raised as to whether the Convent is above deception? Doubt is cast on the Convent, even while relationship with Mortain Himself is strengthened.
Ismae is a fun character. I slipped inside her skin so effortlessly, so that I still feel rather dangerous with various weapons strapped in hiding spots up my sleeves and skirts. (Ha!) I thought for sure I would learn all the in’s & out’s of her training at the Convent – like Paksennarian or The Song of the Lioness series. Instead, the story dives right into Ismae’s assignments. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was wondering how complicated this story would get if we leapt right through so much excitement so fast. She is intelligent & brave (rather than fearless). I love getting her thoughts behind each action, and I love her fast reflexes!!
Duval is also very fun. He has layers of reactions and motivations to figure out, while being at the same time, highly enticing. Suspicious and sexy at the same time!! I was right there with Ismae as she experienced new love (great budding romance!) while remaining true to her beliefs and her deep conviction to serve the God of Death. When traitors abound, everyone is suspect!!
Many of the secondary characters had surprising depth. Duval’s closest friends keep revealing greater depths, the council surrounding the Duchess holds surprises, the Convent and the handmaidens of Death have lots of secrets that they don’t give up even by the end of the story.
The Duchess & her sister felt shallow to me, but if I was in either of their shoes, I could only hope to be as brave & decisive as they were. I'd probably run away.
Grave Mercy does not have a cliff-hanger ending, but it does leave loose ends – rather loud loose ends. I wondered how the author could sleep at night without resolving these. (Ha!) Until I noted what book 2 in the series will be about… and entire book devoted to at least two of those loose ends, which gives me hope for the third, too. (Ack!! I hate not spoiler-talking!)
As I read, I kept thinking of similar books I love. The court scenes reminded me of Crown Duel, which I love! Sometimes I was reminded me of King Arthur or Robin Hood or somewhere in between ‘em (all the Britain stuff - either inner fighting or against France). I already mentioned Cinderella, Paksennarion and the Song of Lioness… not to mention Graceling. What if Katsa had a different motivation for doing her killing job? Hehehehe And yet, Grave Mercy is unique, too. Some of the best of all of 'em rolled into something new.
Cover Commentary: Love it. I love the red dress, with the windblown wild look & the suspicious back glance… especially with the castle and storm clouds in the background. The crossbow makes the picture for me, although it seems a little large for the weapon she hid in her skirts. I suppose of they’d given her a wee little crossbow, it wouldn’t have had the same effect. Lol.
My Rating: 5 - LOVE IT!! I think this is one of my favorite books. I definitely want this book on my bookshelf collection to reread when the urge hits, ‘cause it definitely will! It may be 500+ pages long, but I couldn’t put it down!! show less
And another foul book. Well-written, interesting characters, interesting setting (and apparently 90% historical, too). But between the plotting and the utterly incompetent heroine, I was slogging throughout. I did finish it, though, which makes it better than the last few of this type I've tried.
Honestly, I spent two-thirds of the book trying to figure out if the abbess was simply stupid, incompetent, or laying deep plots and lying directly and by omission to the heroine. Turns out it's apparently not the last, still not sure about which of the first it is. It was blatantly obvious that Ismae did not have the training or knowledge necessary to carry out her mission as directed...and the abbess' solution was - not to give her a quick show more review of what she should have known, not to give her extra training or a way of getting it, but to give her a knife that would kill instantly. Because that will solve her problems as she goes to court not knowing Duval's family links and trying to play mistress while having skipped all her classes on the "womanly arts".
Which reminds me - I wonder if there's a monastery teaching Death's sons how to kill? Probably not such a focus on seduction there, if it exists. Or does Death only sire daughters? If so, why?
The romance was utterly predictable, and therefore boring. And just why did she object to pretty men? Neither her father nor her husband could be described as pretty - she should have been shyer of Beast or Duval than De Lornay. But that's the traditional form, the abused girl is afraid of pretty men. I don't know.
The story itself wasn't bad, and it was interesting when I found out at the end that it was mostly historical (though the primary male character was fictional...and presumably the heroine as well, though she got no mention in the afterword) except that the plotting was toned down. But the meta questions kept jumping up and disrupting any flow of the story for me.
The convent had so many holes in its plotline that it just made no sense at all (girls only (as previously mentioned)? Girls mostly taught to seduce? The most broken girls go out first - the one that's practically sane gets locked up inside? and the biggest meta - these girls have been broken by the status quo, and then are trained to support and protect it - and none of them object). Every once in a while there would be a magical bit (the marques, the soul rush, Ismae's resistance to poison) that made it seem not entirely a scam...but again, for large portions of the book, I was trying to figure out how the convent could have been using hypnosis or drugs to simulate the magic for their tools.
Overall very nasty, as every single trustworthy person either turns betrayer, dies, or is otherwise rendered helpless to do anything. And as I said above, Ismae is utterly incompetent at her tasks (did she really go out the window? If so, she made it absolutely certain that she was linked to the death - no chance of playing innocent), either because of lack of training or because she is certain she knows what to do and ignores all reason. She pulls out more-or-less success because she's as incompetent at plotting as she is at assassination (OK, when she finally begins to _think_ about her assassination tasks I start to like her better), and she has allies, mostly against her will.
I have to remember that I do _not_ have the same tastes in books as my sister (who praised this book highly, which is why I read it). show less
Honestly, I spent two-thirds of the book trying to figure out if the abbess was simply stupid, incompetent, or laying deep plots and lying directly and by omission to the heroine. Turns out it's apparently not the last, still not sure about which of the first it is. It was blatantly obvious that Ismae did not have the training or knowledge necessary to carry out her mission as directed...and the abbess' solution was - not to give her a quick show more review of what she should have known, not to give her extra training or a way of getting it, but to give her a knife that would kill instantly. Because that will solve her problems as she goes to court not knowing Duval's family links and trying to play mistress while having skipped all her classes on the "womanly arts".
Which reminds me - I wonder if there's a monastery teaching Death's sons how to kill? Probably not such a focus on seduction there, if it exists. Or does Death only sire daughters? If so, why?
The romance was utterly predictable, and therefore boring. And just why did she object to pretty men? Neither her father nor her husband could be described as pretty - she should have been shyer of Beast or Duval than De Lornay. But that's the traditional form, the abused girl is afraid of pretty men. I don't know.
The story itself wasn't bad, and it was interesting when I found out at the end that it was mostly historical (though the primary male character was fictional...and presumably the heroine as well, though she got no mention in the afterword) except that the plotting was toned down. But the meta questions kept jumping up and disrupting any flow of the story for me.
The convent had so many holes in its plotline that it just made no sense at all (girls only (as previously mentioned)? Girls mostly taught to seduce? The most broken girls go out first - the one that's practically sane gets locked up inside? and the biggest meta - these girls have been broken by the status quo, and then are trained to support and protect it - and none of them object). Every once in a while there would be a magical bit (the marques, the soul rush, Ismae's resistance to poison) that made it seem not entirely a scam...but again, for large portions of the book, I was trying to figure out how the convent could have been using hypnosis or drugs to simulate the magic for their tools.
Overall very nasty, as every single trustworthy person either turns betrayer, dies, or is otherwise rendered helpless to do anything. And as I said above, Ismae is utterly incompetent at her tasks (did she really go out the window? If so, she made it absolutely certain that she was linked to the death - no chance of playing innocent), either because of lack of training or because she is certain she knows what to do and ignores all reason. She pulls out more-or-less success because she's as incompetent at plotting as she is at assassination (OK, when she finally begins to _think_ about her assassination tasks I start to like her better), and she has allies, mostly against her will.
I have to remember that I do _not_ have the same tastes in books as my sister (who praised this book highly, which is why I read it). show less
I expected GRAVE MERCY to somehow channel a fairy tale feel – maybe badass Red Riding Hood with a crossbow – given the cover and the tagline. I hate to break it to you, dear Readers, but this is no fairy tale. Nay, GRAVE MERCY is an intense EPIC fueled with dark and gritty details. Robin LaFevers has built a fascinating world built upon old magic and politics.
Ismae is a tough character to love, but I think that may be partly due to the fact that she has been a sheltered life that has ill-prepared her to interact normally and comfortably with people. Although she has the itch to assassinate traitors, Ismae is hardly the experienced assassin as Celaena Sardothien. She still is in her “training wheels” stage where she can have an show more assignment go smoothly, but that is due to 80% pure luck and 20% skill. Not to mention, if I were in Ismae’s shoes and caught in the tangled web of politics, I probably would be on edge as well and not trust anyone with my back. I had hoped that Ismae would mellow out or show a little marshmallow middle, but she remained a strong and resolute personality that warranted respect and maybe fear but never the hug that I so wanted to give her.
The story slowly but steadily builds to the point where Ismae comes face-to-face with the truth and has to weigh her options on the right course of action. St. Mortain, the old god of Death, expects her to kill those who have earned the marque to die, but when Ismae learns that this is not as black-and-white as the convent led her to believe, she gets a rude awakening into the gray area where change of heart occurs. I cannot say that there was a definitive climax – that high point where everything comes together before it plummets to the end; instead, the story remains steadfast in its intensity that I probably held my breath with anticipation for a solid 200 pages.
There was not a whole lot of romance despite the promising hint of one. My lack of reaction may be a result of my love for the headier romances where I see more heated interactions (not necessarily without clothes, but the tug-of-war bantering and emotional rollercoaster). Ismae and Duval had a few good exchange of words, but I did not quite feel the pull of their attraction. The romance was expected and established, but I thought both parties seemed a bit stiff –and, like I mentioned earlier, Ismae is a tough cookie to love and she never really melted enough to welcome love into her life. I don’t know how else to explain it. I was a little disappointed with how this romance panned out.
I can see fans of The Scorpio Races or the Beka Cooper series gravitating towards GRAVE MERCY because it travels on the same EPIC wavelength. Robin LaFevers has created such a fierce young woman that will demand attention and, trust me, it will be awfully hard to look away! I am curious to see what Book 2 will bring; it is supposed to focus on another fair assassin, but I am not sure if Ismae will also make an appearance. I kinda of want to have my cake and eat it too, so I hope Robin LaFevers will spoil us! show less
Ismae is a tough character to love, but I think that may be partly due to the fact that she has been a sheltered life that has ill-prepared her to interact normally and comfortably with people. Although she has the itch to assassinate traitors, Ismae is hardly the experienced assassin as Celaena Sardothien. She still is in her “training wheels” stage where she can have an show more assignment go smoothly, but that is due to 80% pure luck and 20% skill. Not to mention, if I were in Ismae’s shoes and caught in the tangled web of politics, I probably would be on edge as well and not trust anyone with my back. I had hoped that Ismae would mellow out or show a little marshmallow middle, but she remained a strong and resolute personality that warranted respect and maybe fear but never the hug that I so wanted to give her.
The story slowly but steadily builds to the point where Ismae comes face-to-face with the truth and has to weigh her options on the right course of action. St. Mortain, the old god of Death, expects her to kill those who have earned the marque to die, but when Ismae learns that this is not as black-and-white as the convent led her to believe, she gets a rude awakening into the gray area where change of heart occurs. I cannot say that there was a definitive climax – that high point where everything comes together before it plummets to the end; instead, the story remains steadfast in its intensity that I probably held my breath with anticipation for a solid 200 pages.
There was not a whole lot of romance despite the promising hint of one. My lack of reaction may be a result of my love for the headier romances where I see more heated interactions (not necessarily without clothes, but the tug-of-war bantering and emotional rollercoaster). Ismae and Duval had a few good exchange of words, but I did not quite feel the pull of their attraction. The romance was expected and established, but I thought both parties seemed a bit stiff –and, like I mentioned earlier, Ismae is a tough cookie to love and she never really melted enough to welcome love into her life. I don’t know how else to explain it. I was a little disappointed with how this romance panned out.
I can see fans of The Scorpio Races or the Beka Cooper series gravitating towards GRAVE MERCY because it travels on the same EPIC wavelength. Robin LaFevers has created such a fierce young woman that will demand attention and, trust me, it will be awfully hard to look away! I am curious to see what Book 2 will bring; it is supposed to focus on another fair assassin, but I am not sure if Ismae will also make an appearance. I kinda of want to have my cake and eat it too, so I hope Robin LaFevers will spoil us! show less
Originally posted on my blog, From A to Z.
On a purely surface level, Grave Mercy hits sooooo many of my buttons (my good buttons, not my bad buttons. And not in a dirty way. Oh, you know what I mean.). Let’s review, shall we?
THINGS I LOVE:
A map at the beginning of the book. Traveling primarily on horseback, with stops at inns and taverns along the way (serving wenches!). A convent of assassin nuns. Swords. Poison. Bows and arrows. Castles. Secret tunnels in the walls of castles. Battles on horseback. Horns as communication in battle (I had SUCH a Lord of the Rings moment at one point *swoon*). ASSASSIN NUNS. Going undercover as a mistress. Court intrigue. Bracelet weapons. Poisoned pearls as decoration in hair. Chess. Did I mention show more the assassin nuns?
Are you swooning yet?
Happily, all of these superficially awesome things combine to make a deeply awesome story. In case you can’t tell (haha, yeah right), I loooooove historical fantasy, and it’s been a long while since I’ve read one that I enjoyed as much as Grave Mercy. The overall feel of it reminded me a bit of Graceling, which was so wonderful.
One of the things I love about historical fantasy is its ability to completely take a reader back in time and suck them into the world, and Robin LaFevers has done this flawlessly. I felt like I was there with Ismae, and definitely wished I could be there in real life. I swear, I was born in the wrong century.
And Ismae herself is BRILLIANT. She went through a lot (understatement!) before ending up at the convent, but she grows into this sassy, resourceful, funny, smart, totally KICKASS creature who can kill a man about a million different ways. Navigating the murky waters of the court of Brittany with her – never sure who should be trusted and who should be of victim of her poisoned hairdo – is SUCH fun. I loved every second of it.
My one teensy weensy thing (I don’t even want to call it a problem) was the romance. And don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike the romance. It was very sweet and lovely and I definitely enjoyed it, it just seemed a little tame and predictable. For a book about assassin nuns, with two characters as fantastic as Ismae and Duval, I just wanted a little more spice! More suspense, more potential heartbreak, more sex, more intensity, more whatever. But you know, that’s okay. The book was so awesome otherwise, I can pretty much overlook this.
I really can’t recommend Grave Mercy highly enough. If you like historical fantasy, if you like adventure, if you like court intrigue, if you like action of the archery and swords variety, if you like the idea of a convent of female assassins, if you like getting completely sucked into a world... READ THIS BOOK. Or even if you don’t like any of those things, you should still read it. Because it is awesome. I’m SO excited for the rest of this series.
*On a random note, I’ve seen some speculation about how old Duval is (most people seem to think he’s around 30?), but even though it never specifically says, based on my calculations from information we’re given in the book, I think he’s about 24. And Ismae is 17. So there’s not that big of a gap between them. That is all. :) show less
On a purely surface level, Grave Mercy hits sooooo many of my buttons (my good buttons, not my bad buttons. And not in a dirty way. Oh, you know what I mean.). Let’s review, shall we?
THINGS I LOVE:
A map at the beginning of the book. Traveling primarily on horseback, with stops at inns and taverns along the way (serving wenches!). A convent of assassin nuns. Swords. Poison. Bows and arrows. Castles. Secret tunnels in the walls of castles. Battles on horseback. Horns as communication in battle (I had SUCH a Lord of the Rings moment at one point *swoon*). ASSASSIN NUNS. Going undercover as a mistress. Court intrigue. Bracelet weapons. Poisoned pearls as decoration in hair. Chess. Did I mention show more the assassin nuns?
Are you swooning yet?
Happily, all of these superficially awesome things combine to make a deeply awesome story. In case you can’t tell (haha, yeah right), I loooooove historical fantasy, and it’s been a long while since I’ve read one that I enjoyed as much as Grave Mercy. The overall feel of it reminded me a bit of Graceling, which was so wonderful.
One of the things I love about historical fantasy is its ability to completely take a reader back in time and suck them into the world, and Robin LaFevers has done this flawlessly. I felt like I was there with Ismae, and definitely wished I could be there in real life. I swear, I was born in the wrong century.
And Ismae herself is BRILLIANT. She went through a lot (understatement!) before ending up at the convent, but she grows into this sassy, resourceful, funny, smart, totally KICKASS creature who can kill a man about a million different ways. Navigating the murky waters of the court of Brittany with her – never sure who should be trusted and who should be of victim of her poisoned hairdo – is SUCH fun. I loved every second of it.
My one teensy weensy thing (I don’t even want to call it a problem) was the romance. And don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike the romance. It was very sweet and lovely and I definitely enjoyed it, it just seemed a little tame and predictable. For a book about assassin nuns, with two characters as fantastic as Ismae and Duval, I just wanted a little more spice! More suspense, more potential heartbreak, more sex, more intensity, more whatever. But you know, that’s okay. The book was so awesome otherwise, I can pretty much overlook this.
I really can’t recommend Grave Mercy highly enough. If you like historical fantasy, if you like adventure, if you like court intrigue, if you like action of the archery and swords variety, if you like the idea of a convent of female assassins, if you like getting completely sucked into a world... READ THIS BOOK. Or even if you don’t like any of those things, you should still read it. Because it is awesome. I’m SO excited for the rest of this series.
*On a random note, I’ve seen some speculation about how old Duval is (most people seem to think he’s around 30?), but even though it never specifically says, based on my calculations from information we’re given in the book, I think he’s about 24. And Ismae is 17. So there’s not that big of a gap between them. That is all. :) show less
Holy cow! Where do I begin? I guess I should say that I’ve never been drawn to Historical Fiction — at least never to anything before the twentieth century. I don’t know why, I just never had any interest in it. It was kind of like my relationship with science fiction — it just didn’t grab my attention.
I saw this book on NetGalley and I thought it sounded interesting, sort of like “Nikita in the 14th century”, but I didn’t bother requesting it because I just assumed I wouldn’t be into it. When the reviews from some of my blogger buddies started coming in I figured I would give it a shot, and boy, am I glad I did! The first chapter grabbed my attention, the second chapter held it and by the fourth or fifth chapter I show more was hooked.
First of all, the writing is impeccable. The language really puts you in the moment without being distracting, and the story is filled with lots of action, intrigue and drama — oh, the drama. The idea of these young girls trained by a group of nuns to serve Mortain, the God of death, totally intrigued me, but when you wrap that in with all of the secrets, lies and backstabbing of royal families hungry for power it upped the intrigue tenfold. What also really grabbed me were the characters. Each of them had a distinct voice as well as both good and bad qualities. No one is 100% innocent and everyone is questionable, even Ismae.
Ismae (the main character) has sworn to serve Mortain, God of death, and carry out his bidding. If Mortain needs to claim a soul, it is up to Ismae (or one of her assassin sisters) to take that life. Ismae never knows when she will see the mark of Mortain, and when she does, she must kill the person who bears the mark, no questions asked. That is her oath to the convent, and one she is forbidden to ignore. The only time she is allowed to kill someone is when she sees the mark, or if a life is in danger. She really struggles with this as she meets people who obviously have evil intentions and she feels they should be done away with, but she can’t do anything about it.
I had no trouble getting inside Ismae’s head, and like her, was wary of everyone she came into contact with. There were people I wanted to be marked by Mortain because I felt she needed to kill them and there were others that I hoped and prayed would be good and tell the truth so she wouldn’t have to murder them. The further I got into the book, the thicker the web of lies seemed to grow, and just when you think you’ve got it figured out, something happens to throw you off. Despite all of the back and forth action and the lies and deception, I never got confused. It is an awesome read full of mystery, intrigue, love and deception. I haven’t read anything like it in — well — a really long time, if ever.
I will warn that this one isn’t really for the younger crowd or more sensitive readers. It is historically accurate in the sense that we are dealing with young girls, sold off or married off into wedlock at an early age (13 or 14), often times to brutish, dirty old men. There is talk of sex and physically abusive relationships, which was very common then, so be aware of that.
I can’t wait to buy the hardback version of this one. I highly recommend it!
(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley) show less
I saw this book on NetGalley and I thought it sounded interesting, sort of like “Nikita in the 14th century”, but I didn’t bother requesting it because I just assumed I wouldn’t be into it. When the reviews from some of my blogger buddies started coming in I figured I would give it a shot, and boy, am I glad I did! The first chapter grabbed my attention, the second chapter held it and by the fourth or fifth chapter I show more was hooked.
First of all, the writing is impeccable. The language really puts you in the moment without being distracting, and the story is filled with lots of action, intrigue and drama — oh, the drama. The idea of these young girls trained by a group of nuns to serve Mortain, the God of death, totally intrigued me, but when you wrap that in with all of the secrets, lies and backstabbing of royal families hungry for power it upped the intrigue tenfold. What also really grabbed me were the characters. Each of them had a distinct voice as well as both good and bad qualities. No one is 100% innocent and everyone is questionable, even Ismae.
Ismae (the main character) has sworn to serve Mortain, God of death, and carry out his bidding. If Mortain needs to claim a soul, it is up to Ismae (or one of her assassin sisters) to take that life. Ismae never knows when she will see the mark of Mortain, and when she does, she must kill the person who bears the mark, no questions asked. That is her oath to the convent, and one she is forbidden to ignore. The only time she is allowed to kill someone is when she sees the mark, or if a life is in danger. She really struggles with this as she meets people who obviously have evil intentions and she feels they should be done away with, but she can’t do anything about it.
I had no trouble getting inside Ismae’s head, and like her, was wary of everyone she came into contact with. There were people I wanted to be marked by Mortain because I felt she needed to kill them and there were others that I hoped and prayed would be good and tell the truth so she wouldn’t have to murder them. The further I got into the book, the thicker the web of lies seemed to grow, and just when you think you’ve got it figured out, something happens to throw you off. Despite all of the back and forth action and the lies and deception, I never got confused. It is an awesome read full of mystery, intrigue, love and deception. I haven’t read anything like it in — well — a really long time, if ever.
I will warn that this one isn’t really for the younger crowd or more sensitive readers. It is historically accurate in the sense that we are dealing with young girls, sold off or married off into wedlock at an early age (13 or 14), often times to brutish, dirty old men. There is talk of sex and physically abusive relationships, which was very common then, so be aware of that.
I can’t wait to buy the hardback version of this one. I highly recommend it!
(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley) show less
I receive quite a few advanced reader copies through my work. When I got Grave Mercy, the first the His Fair Assassin trilogy, I didn’t think much of it. I had seen the trailer, read the blurb, and heard the hype. The author, Robin Lafevers, touted her book as a historical, action, adventure, romance with a supernatural twist. And I had heard that line before, so I didn’t give it much thought as I took the ARC home.
As is my custom, I scanned the first few pages to get a feel for the book. Five and a half hours later, I finished it.
Grave Mercy is a story set in France, during a time when plague is a threat, and the Church has not suppressed the Old Ways. Into this world, a girl names Ismae is born. Not to a mortal father, but to show more the supposed god of death. She is trained in an Abby to be a Handmaiden for her father, living the life of an assassin and spy. Ismae must untangle a courtly plot, learn about her own heritage, and the truth of the mission at the abbey, before the last page is turned. Suspense ensues.
Ismae is a wonderful character. More headstrong than wise, full of passion, and a desire to serve her cause… even if it means killing the only man she’s ever cared for. Duval, the other interest in this story, is not the atypical male lead, found all too often in YA fiction. He is fierce, and everything he does, he does with an intensity that made him steal scenes. I smiled whenever I saw him walk onto the page, and cheered after almost every single line of dialog he had.
As for the writing, I appreciated the fact that Robin LaFevers does not treat YA readers like idiots. She draws us into the story, and makes no bones about the details of the harsh life in France, or the dangerous situations an assassin can get herself into. For that reason, if you are a parent considering this for your child, please read it first. This story is PG-13, for sexual situations, and, of course, gruesome death. But, as these situations and death all relate directly to the plot, I had no problem with them.
In short: there was action, there was adventure, there was romance, and there was a knock-your-socks-off supernatural twist. Grave Mercy is a well-written, fully realized work, with spectacular characters, and complete, satisfying end that left me gasping.
Hallelujah. And. Amen.
Needless to say, I will be giving this book my full recommendation upon its release in April. For those of you who have to wait for it, I recommend The Gathering Storm, by Robin Bridges. But when April 3rd rolls around, I suggest you clear your calendar! Happy reading! show less
As is my custom, I scanned the first few pages to get a feel for the book. Five and a half hours later, I finished it.
Grave Mercy is a story set in France, during a time when plague is a threat, and the Church has not suppressed the Old Ways. Into this world, a girl names Ismae is born. Not to a mortal father, but to show more the supposed god of death. She is trained in an Abby to be a Handmaiden for her father, living the life of an assassin and spy. Ismae must untangle a courtly plot, learn about her own heritage, and the truth of the mission at the abbey, before the last page is turned. Suspense ensues.
Ismae is a wonderful character. More headstrong than wise, full of passion, and a desire to serve her cause… even if it means killing the only man she’s ever cared for. Duval, the other interest in this story, is not the atypical male lead, found all too often in YA fiction. He is fierce, and everything he does, he does with an intensity that made him steal scenes. I smiled whenever I saw him walk onto the page, and cheered after almost every single line of dialog he had.
As for the writing, I appreciated the fact that Robin LaFevers does not treat YA readers like idiots. She draws us into the story, and makes no bones about the details of the harsh life in France, or the dangerous situations an assassin can get herself into. For that reason, if you are a parent considering this for your child, please read it first. This story is PG-13, for sexual situations, and, of course, gruesome death. But, as these situations and death all relate directly to the plot, I had no problem with them.
In short: there was action, there was adventure, there was romance, and there was a knock-your-socks-off supernatural twist. Grave Mercy is a well-written, fully realized work, with spectacular characters, and complete, satisfying end that left me gasping.
Hallelujah. And. Amen.
Needless to say, I will be giving this book my full recommendation upon its release in April. For those of you who have to wait for it, I recommend The Gathering Storm, by Robin Bridges. But when April 3rd rolls around, I suggest you clear your calendar! Happy reading! show less
Intrigue, passion and romance combine in this delightful surprise by Robin LaFevers. Not only does she prove her excellence in blending both multi-dimensional characters and historical prose, but as a master wordsmiths. Grave Mercy is marketed as young adult but read like the best samplings of historical fiction. Not to mention the idea of assassin nuns masquerading among royalty is just plain fun. If your in need of new meat in an otherwise overdone genre then this refreshing tale is for you. Dance with death in this scrumptious dive into medieval France.
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Author Information
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R. L. LaFevers was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of the Theodosia series, the Lowthar's Blade series, the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series, and the His Fair Assassin Trilogy. (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Grave Mercy
- Original title
- His Fair Assassin. Grave Mercy
- Original publication date
- 2012-04-03
- People/Characters
- Ismae Rienne; Ismae's father; Guillo; The herbwitch; The abbess; Sister Thomine (show all 37); Annith; Sister Serafina; Sybella; Sister Widona; Sister Beatriz; Sister Eonette; Sister Arnette; Sister Claude; Sister Vereda; Runnion; Martel; Maurice Crunard; Françoise Dinan; Jean IV de Rieux; Captain Dunois; Anne of Brittany; Duke Francis II; Baron Lombart; Gavriel Duval; Benebic de Waroch; Raoul de Lornay; Baron Geffoy; Katerine Geffoy; Antoinette Hivern; Françoise Avaugour; Alain d'Albret; Charles VIII, King of France; Anne de Beaujeu; Norbert Gisors; Fedric; Maximilian of Austria
- Important places
- Brittany, France; France; Guérande, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France; Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France; Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France
- Dedication
- For Mark, who first showed me what true love looked like.
- First words
- I bear a deep red stain that runs from my left shoulder down to my right hip, a trail left by the herbwitch's poison that my mother used to try to expell me from her womb. That I survived, according to the herbwitch, is no mi... (show all)racle but a sign that I have been sired by the god of death himself.
- Quotations
- I am impervious to poison and know a dozen ways to escape a chokehold or garrote wire. But kindness? I do not know how to defend against that.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For while I am Death's daughter and walk in his dark shadow, surely the darkness can give way to light sometimes.
- Publisher's editor
- O'Sullivan, Kate
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PZ7.L14142
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- Members
- 3,305
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- 5,116
- Reviews
- 259
- Rating
- (3.94)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 34
- ASINs
- 12