Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) — Robin LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Ismae has always been a victim, until one fateful day when the convent of St. Mortain seeks her out. At the convent, Ismae finds herself surrounded by women — a comfort for someone more accustomed to male brutality — strong women who train her as a handmaiden of Death. Ismae grows to trust and love her convent and her God; she’ll do anything for Mortain. But when she finally receives an assignment, she finds serving the convent and serving St. Mortain may not be the same things.

Grave Mercy is easily my favorite book of 2012 so far. Ismae is one of my all-time favorite heroines — she’s ridiculously tough, continually challenges herself, and never gives up. But perhaps my favorite qualities of hers are the most underrated, often overlooked by authors today: she’s intelligent and observant. These are the qualities that benefit er most in her corrupt world, and coincidentally the qaulities we can relate to most. Unless, of course, you’re also a nun trained as an assassin.

Yes, Ismae’s an assassin nun, which is just about as innovative as story ideas get. The sheer originality of this novel drew me in within the first few pages. Grave Mercy is dark and gritty, a tone that’s established early on so that we understand Ismae’s motivation, though throughout the book we come to question what’s right and what’s wrong, just as Ismae does. I love books like this, books that inspire such contradictory thoughts and keep you thinking even when you’re not reading. Of course, I also love that Ismae isn’t afraid to question her own world, even if it means defying those she trusts most. She’s a true heroine in that she’s independent, willing to break free from the herd if need be, which makes her a character I truly admire.

Grave Mercy has all the elements of an up-put-downable novel; it’s realistic historical fiction with rich descriptions of settings and political intrigue. There’s a bit of a supernatural aspect, but not so much that it detracts from the plot or overshadows the characters. LaFevers’s prose is beautiful; authentic and descriptive, emotionally evocative and suspenseful. The courtly discussions and interactions are as thrilling as the action scenes. There’s murder, betrayal, balls, and romance. This book has literally everything I could ask for, including a smoldering suitor.

Duval. I maintain that because I fell in love with him at first sight, he’s technically mine. In any case, the scenes between Duval and Ismae are pure magic (and sexual tension). It takes a lot for Ismae to trust, especially when it comes to men, as they’re always wronged her in the past. And Duval isn’t all that trusting, himself. The two build a slow, sweet friendship, both afraid of opening up to the other. But watching their friendship — and interest in each other — blossom is a true delight. Plus, Duval is just downright sexy.

The first book of the His Fair Assassin series is a sensational must-read. I only wish I could have lived in these characters’ worlds a little longer. Hopefully, we’ll see them pop up in the next book in the series, which will center around Sybella and, most likely, an entirely new cast of characters. Not that I mind too much, as LaFevers is a new favorite author of mine, so I’ll be sure to covet anything she produces. Basically, yes, you should read Grave Mercy.

Pages: 549
Publication Date : April 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Rating :

Teaser Quote: “When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice.“