Grave Mercy

I wasn't really in the mood to read a young adult book when I started this ARC, so it was nice to find this book read more like an adult historical fiction with a bit of romance in it. The main character, Ismae, though innocent at times, never really acts like a teenager in my opinion. I think the

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author meant for Ismae to be 17 years old for most of the book, per the description, but three years pass in the convent, so that would make her 20 years old for the majority of the book. Or maybe she was younger when married off? I don't know; Ismae never says how old she is in the book, so I was a bit confused. In any case, it's the 15th century, so no matter if she is 14, 17, or 20, she is considered an adult and, for the most part, acts like one.

Ismae has just been married off by her abusive father to another abusive man. She escapes with the help of the local herbwitch and priest to the convent of St. Mortain. Mortain is also worshiped as one of the old gods as the god of Death. The sisters of this convent are trained to be his assassins. Ismae has an affinity with poisons. She is immune to poisons and the preparation of them comes naturally to her. After three years of training, her first two assignments go well. The third one will be her true test. It involves her entering Brittany's high court by acting as mistress to Gavriel Duval, half-brother to Anne, who is to become sovereign Duchess of Brittany. Part of her assignment is trying to figure out if Duval is working for or against his sister.

I really enjoyed the political intrigue. Anne is a real historical figure, and LaFevers did a great job introducing us to that time period and court. LaFevers fits the made up characters in nicely. Ismae is a little over her head at times, though. She tended to skip the "womanly arts" lessons at the convent for poison making, so flounders at times acting the mistress. And she is very confused when she realizes she actually has feelings for Duval, but still is not sure if she can trust him. Though Duval and Ismae end up working together, neither is completely honest with each other. Ismae also ends up questioning her devotion to her convent when she gets conflicting orders from them. She is a great character to follow, though I do wish we could have had Duval's point of view also.

This is a great book if you are looking for a historical fiction with a dash of fantasy and romance.

ARC provided through NetGalley

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Ismae Rienne is a daughter of Mortain, the god of death, and as such she is an object of fear and loathing to most of the people around her. When she is forced into an abusive arranged marriage, she escapes to a convent of other women who, like her, have been given special gifts by Mortain. At the

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convent, Ismae is trained in the art of death -- after three years, she can kill a person with sword, knife, crossbow, garrote, poison, or her bare hands. She can see a "marque" on those who are about to die, and for the sisters at the convent, murder is not a crime, but a holy calling. When Ismae is sent out on an assignment to the court of Anne, Duchess of Brittany, she finds that her tasks are not as clear and simple as she expected. Ismae accompanies Gavriel Duval, illegitimate half-brother to the duchess, presumably as his courtesan. Ismae is to discover who is truly supporting Anne, and who is secretly in league with the French. As she is caught up in courtly intrigue, she begins to question the decisions of her superiors at the convent. What will she do if she is instructed to kill someone she desperately wants to keep alive? Does the convent really represent Mortain, or are they serving their own ends?

There are a lot of things to like about this story -- the interesting medieval setting, the slow-burning romance between Ismae and Duval, and the complex political maneuverings of the court and the convent. Moreover, while this book is the first of a series, it wraps up most loose ends neatly, and I believe the next book will feature a different main character. The writing is on the good side of mediocre -- not fantastic, but definitely readable. I'll be on the lookout for the next book in the series.

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Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is WIN ALL AROUND. Right after starting it, my immediate thought was, “This is the book I’ve been waiting for.”

A premise like this one requires an amazing main character and Robin LaFevers absolutely delivered with Ismae. The reader would have to be evil to not

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sympathize with what she had to endure under her father’s roof and, then, the life she barely escaped with her foul husband. I wanted good things for her and, thankfully, she is taken to a convent to serve Death Himself. There, Ismae is trained in combat, poisons, and seduction to become an assassin. Awesome, right? I attended schools with nuns for most of my education and I WISH things had been this cool. But, anyway, through it all, Ismae retains her goodness and she goes on quite the character arc in Grave Mercy. Both smart and kickass, Ismae is a top quality main character.

Robin LaFevers offers so much detail in her writing. Set in 15th century Brittany, she easily transported me into the time period and I am in awe of all the research she must have had to do. I must admit that I only have so much patience for political and court drama, but Robin LaFevers managed to keep me hooked through all of the twists and turns she spun in Grave Mercy.

Duval is the love interest in the book and words cannot describe how much I loved his relationship with Ismae. Can you say: SWOON CITY? There was plenty of bickering and distrust in the beginning, but then came the mutual respect and friendship and I was…a goner. Look up “slow burn” in the dictionary and I’m sure you’d find “Ismae and Duval” right next to it! These two had killer chemistry and I ate it all up.

A strong heroine, a developed romance, some action and magic, court intrigue, political drama…Grave Mercy has it all! If that wasn’t enough, I really became attached to some of the side characters and I cannot wait to find out more about them in the next installments. Robin LaFevers has an exciting series in her hands and I eagerly look forward to Dark Triumph and Dark Hope.

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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.

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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 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).

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Initial Reaction: This is the kind of book I live for. Gripping, intriguing, dangerous. Beautiful. A historical novel packed to the brim with fleshed-out, fantastic characters and some of the best world-building in the genre by far.

What I liked: First of all, I have to repeat: this is the kind of

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book I live for. I've always been a reader, but the books that made me truly begin to devour words were historical romances in the Tudor era. Now, I always thought they needed to be a little grittier, but for the world-building, and absolute escapism, they were perfect. While GRAVE MERCY is a very far cry from Tudor historical romances, it does offer the perfect blend of the escape of history, the plans and plots of court life, and the action and all around kick-ass-ness that I craved of its heroines.

Ismae is one of my favorite characters of all time. She can lay a serious beat-down. I mean -- she's an assassin! By the time she left the convent of St Mortain, her father and the god of Death Himself, Ismae is a lethal weapon. She is the master of poisons and potions of all kinds. She can wield a dagger, sword, stiletto, garrote, or crossbow. She is indeed the handmaiden of death, and can sense the mark of her charge on those she is sent to kill. She also has a sort of spidey-sense for when the shit is about to hit the fan. For all of her awesomeness, she is still vulnerable and flawed. She lets her arrogance get to her, and of course she is without the grace that is needed to be a true seductress. But she gets by, and doesn't make any excuses, and of course, is not one to let a man take care of her.

Gavrial Duval is nothing like I thought he would be. I love his tough exterior and the gruffness he uses to protect his inner teddy-bear. He is fiercely loyal to his sisters and family -- even through the deepest of betrayals. He's smart on the battlefield of war, and the battlefield of court. And of course, as I was reading it I was picturing Thor, so that helps :D

The world building is astounding. Not just the historical aspects. But the life Ismae leads before being rescued to the convent. And especially the convent! With it's nun-assassin teachers, it's crazy abbess, and the rights and rituals of St Mortain. I love that the convent offers a solace to beaten down and nearly broken young women, and gives them the tools they need to get back up on their feet and take care of themselves. GRAVE MERCY is not your typical YA story. No. These girls do not need boys to survive.

The best thing about this novel for me is its length. Over 500 pages long, it really gives you the time you need to know the characters, to become invested. It's so different from many first-of-a-series in that the book actually has a plot. There is character arc and story arc much like a typical YA series, but all wrapped up in one book. I love it.

What I didn't like: I'm happy to say that this is another 5-star book to add to my arsenal. Only one down-side: the second book is as much a stand alone book as the first one, and won't be about Ismae. While Ismae's story is definitely wrapped up nice and tight, I am sad to see her go.


Conclusion: I highly recommend GRAVE MERCY, an action packed historical novel filled with treachery, intrigue, and of course, romance.

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While this book suffers from some faults that plague contemporary literature, and especially the YA genre, it is a vastly enjoyable, thrilling, and emotional read.

While this book may give the impression of a Historical novel, there are too many discrepancies to pass as true Historic Fiction. It is

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set in 15th century Brittany, at a time when the Duchy was trying to preserve its independence from France. And while some persons and happenings are the same, there was greater liberty taken in all other matters. I do not count this so much as poor research, but rather as an 'alternate universe' sort of understanding. Though, I must say that what piqued my curiosity as for the historical accuracy was some fashion descriptions, that may very well fall into the former explanation, the religion, turn of events, and other changes are more easily accepted. In whole, being unversed in the real historical accounts prior to reading this novel, and because the inner logic is un-flawed, it is rather simple to overlook this and not let it make an impact on my overall enjoyment. I would, however, won't object to a more strict historical account of environment (if not events) in the next installments of the series.

Ismae is a strong female protagonist. Very flawed, but it makes her all the more relate-able. Her stubbornness and immaturity sit well with her age and experience (or lack there of). She is not a helpless halfwit, but is enough ignorant and proud to make her believable. She is not flawless, which I love.
I do have some objection to her derision of women, they tend to be described by her as bird-like and overall she looks down on traditional female roles. While I understand that her childhood, and later her stay at the convent, may have had influence in that regard, I feel it is too much of an anti for the times the story is set in (and, quite frankly, in general, also). Being strong, independent, and wise, is not opposite to holding womanly charms and skills.

I must add that most that most of the prevalent female characters are well rounded, independent, and strong. Especially the duchess, Anne, that at a young age must face such circumstances as to make her wise beyond her years, although her chronological age still flashes through, on occasion. The abbess, however, seems a bit too one faceted.

Like most first person narratives in YA, there is too much foreshadowing than should be acceptable. She is also unreasonable observant at times, while at others she is unbelievably blind. Her fixed resolve that Duval is the traitor and her inability to see other possibilities until too late in the game seems forced, even with all the explanation thrown in there.

It is quite easy to guess fairly from the beginning where the plot will take you, but I find it admirable that some motives are kept hidden till the end, without feeling like a quick fix. Most characters have redeeming qualities (only one of the main characters is wholly sinister) and flaws, to make them believable and well rounded.

The love story, though, has to be my favorite part. Yes, it can be seen from a mile away, but it unfolds so gently, and is so unpresumptuous. It is tender, and sweet, and there isn't a forced struggle with it. It is clear why they fall for each other, and being hot is not one of the reasons. Their connection is deep and cerebral, and completely believable.

The prose, however, is one of the things I did not feel for. It is simplified, and dry. I cannot buy the argument that this is what the character might talk like, for while she is 17, a 15th century maiden should be more articulate, especially one trained to infiltrate a myriad of occasions unnoticed. It is also severely lacking in the show-don't-tell department(as does most of the genre, unfortunately); the most discernible character is the vile d'Albert. As a trained assassin, she should be overtly observant of her surrounding and people, and should be able to account for as much as possible in as little time as possible. Though, it did not oppose an obstacle, and the reading flew by quite nicely.

I read an advanced reading copy from the publisher via Net-Galley.

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RGG: Strong female lead, slow-burning love interest, interesting plot equals a great read. The historical setting of Brittany in the Middle Ages may be a little off-putting initally for some readers, but most readers will be quickly immersed. Reading Interest: 14-YA (one or two implicit references

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to sexual acts).

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Rumored to be the daughter of Death Himself, Ismae has been feared and abused her whole life. When she is sold in marriage to yet another violent man the convent of St. Mortain takes her in. At the convent they value rather than revile her lineage and serve St. Mortain by teaching their young

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charges, mainly Ismae and Sybella, to carry out his work as assassins. They are trained in the art of seduction, poisons, and fighting. After three years of waiting Ismae is finally ready to take on a task for her father and the convent. She finds herself in the court of the young Duchess, trying to root out those who would betray Brittany to the French so that she may carry out St. Mortain's bidding.

I knew I was really enjoying this book when I got pass the halfway point and was disappointed I was on the downward slope towards the end. The easy style, great scene setting, well paced plot and yummy romance made me want to stay in it's world for longer, whilst simultaneously being unable to put it down.

I liked Ismae as a heroine a lot. She started out with a number of flaws; proud; bloodthirsty; naive; impatient; defensive - but she was also smart, kind and brave. Her flaws left her with ample opportunity to grow as a character and her development - along with that of the romantic element - was dealt with subtly and very plausible. I also liked how she never changed her opinion on things simply because someone told her to. The whole time Ismae took in what was happening and analysed it for herself, constantly questioning herself and others to ensure she was doing what was expected of her by her father, without compromising her conscience. I was happy to see Sybella show up again in the book, I absolutely love her character as well.
I am anxiously awaiting the release of Dark Triumph!

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The premise of this book is quite awesome. Otherwise, I wouldn't have picked it up. It's about a female assassin who was trained in a convent of assassin nuns. Unfortunately, I found it quite tedious to read. For one thing, the pace was halted by the way point of view that LaFevers chose to write

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in. She wrote in the first person, and in the present tense, and her language was flowery and attempted to be present itself in an older style, but it just didn't work. It didn't work because aside from a few weirdly constructed sentences, the rest of the book is written in modern grammar, and it made everything choppy, and somewhat tacky.

She stretched out the sexual tension until it dissipated completely, and then when the sex scene finally did come (at the end of the book) it was completely watered down hugging. The kisses and the hand holding were the steamiest parts of the story, and they weren't too steamy to begin with.

The book went slowly, and was often boring. My forehead hit the page a few times when I nodded off. There was promise here, and the book did pick up significantly towards the very end, but I suspect that that's because there was the resolution of so much "intrigue".

I'm not sure that I will be reading the sequel, although I admit, I want to know what happens to the rest of the characters, so I might just read it anyway.

It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't very good. I tend to love historical fiction but this fell really flat for me, despite the subject matter being so awesome.

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Ismae has lived a life of being beaten and abused at the hands of men and boys. When she is sold to the pig farmer as a wife, she has hopes for better treatment, but as soon as the wedding is over, she realizes her life will be no different has she is backhanded and lands on the floor. But when her

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chemise is torn and her husband sees the scar on her from where her mother tried to get rid of her before she was born, he sends for the priest, the real one that worships Jesus Christ, not the one that married them and worshipped the old saints, the old gods. She is rescued from him and handed over to the abbey. From death to death's handmaiden.

Ismae is a quick learner in the art of killing men. She probably takes great pleasure in thinking of killing them as much as she has suffered from them. But she isn't the kind of character you pity. Ismae doesn't feel sorry for herself so it's hard to feel sorry for her yourself as the reader. She is one cold calculated killer. She relishes working with the poison master, learning all the ways to murder with poison. She's adept with all kinds of knives, swords and crossbows. She does not know of love. She has two true friends in the abbey, Sybella and Annith.

Ismae is thrilled on her first two assignments, I think just for the thrill of killing men. Feeling the power over them, taking back her power that she didn't have for so long. Now, I'm not suggesting she's a serial killer. She prays for their souls and looks for a marque on them before she dares to kill them, but instead of remorse, she is giddy after her first kill.

The convent is basically producing assassins. And they don't want their assassins to take things into their own hands or think for themselves. They want robots that blindly follow the orders of the abbey. That's a problem for Ismae and that's one reason why I start to love Ismae. One of them. She's a complete mess when it comes to using her feminine wiles. She has none. She's been too busy working on learning the art of killing to work on what the convent calls "feminine artistry." So, when she has to be presented at court for her latest and longest assignment, it's a difficult job. She has to play mistress to a man she's not even sure she can trust. So what's the bottom line? What is all this killing and these assignments what's the goal? To ensure the safety of Anne the Duchess of Brittany who is besieged by France and spies and traitors all over the place. She is being forced to marry at 14 and to rule Brittany and she hardly knows who to trust. You can imagine that our dear Ismae connects with her. At any cost, to herself or anyone else, even the convent, Ismae will protect Anne. And right there, the big sister to Anne thing, seals my love for Ismae.

This is a long novel, but it absolutely flew by for me with the personal relationship between Anne and Ismae, and Ismae and Gavriel Duval, Anne's half brother and the man to whom Ismae is pretending to be mistress. Then there is all the court intrigue. And who Anne will be forced to marry. And Sybella is she there and that Governess. I was so wrapped up in the story I forgot it wasn't really happening. I cried several times at the last part of the story, so get your kleenex. I am not a crier. It must have been one hell of a story to write because it's one hell of a story to read. Ismae grows from that scared little "yes" girl that was "saved" by the convent to a young woman who questions right and wrong and light and dark. She does her duty, but not without regret and does not take it lightly. She is a strong woman in a time when women weren't strong. She's a great character and now, one of my favorites in YA.

There is a lovable and detestable crowd of secondary characters and you will get attached to some. There is a love story, but it's not the focus of the story. It plays a big part, but in keeping with the 1400's it is fairly chaste. I thought Ismae's constant questioning of herself and Gavriel's motives was humorous. She was always second guessing Gavriel because of her feminine wiles problem. Oh and there is also some mythology. I saw some definite similarities between St. Mortain and Hades and St. Camulos the "God" of battle with some of the Greek Gods.

A little romance, a girl with the skills of an assassin, political intrigue, court shenanigans it all adds up to an incredible book! I couldn't put it down. Less than two days! But you have to like books like this to like it. No sense reading a historical if you don't like them. There is a lot about war, and strategy, so if that bores you, this isn't for you. But this was MY THING!

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers for making this available on NetGalley! This didn't influence my opinion of the novel in any way.

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In short: With an intriguing premise and a strong heroine, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is sure to enchant readers.

You know that when a book features nun assassins, it has got to be a good one. Seriously, how cool is the premise for Grave Mercy? Girl, trained to be an assassin by a group of nuns

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and to serve Death Himself - it's creative, it's intriguing, and it's incredibly strange, but also obviously awesome. To add to that, Grave Mercy is one of those books whose first few pages are made up of a map and an index of characters to keep track of things. Automatic win. All these factors indicated that Grave Mercy would have a complex and attractive plot, and as it turns out, it most definitely did.

Ismae was the strength of Grave Mercy for me. Even coming from such a dismal upbringing, abused first by her father and then by her husband, she maintains a remarkable and admirable strength of character. Once she is taken in by the convent of Mortain, she is trained in the art of combat, poison making, and seduction, all in the aim of making her an effective killing machine. She serves as a loyal handmaiden of Death, sometimes blindly following the orders of the convent, taking people's lives without question.

It is only when she meets Duval, a Breton noble who is a lot like Ismae in his practicality and strength, that she begins to doubt what the convent has taught her. Maybe her purpose as Death's handmaiden isn't to be a killing machine after all, but instead as something much more important and meaningful. I loved seeing Ismae come to this realization and develop as a character throughout Grave Mercy. And I adored Ismae and Duval's slow-burn relationship as it developed, starting out in a place of distrust and then slowly moving to a place of mutual respect and gradual affection.

At 549 pages, Grave Mercy really flew by, except perhaps in a few sections in which discussion of the politics behind who the Duchess of Brittany should marry dragged a bit. Other than that, Grave Mercy maintains a fast pace filled with action and intrigue that will captivate the reader. Grave Mercy is my first Robin LaFevers book and I don't plan on it being my last. I'm a bit disappointed that the next two books in the His Fair Assassin series, Dark Triumph and Dark Hope, will not feature a return to Ismae and Duval's story but instead will showcase the lives of two other girls from the convent, but I am hopeful that they will make an appearance at some point.

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Grave Mercy is a simply stunning and elegant book that will grab you from page one. I was so excited for this book to come out and so when I received an early copy, I couldn't wait to get started. LaFevers has created a novel full of political intrigue, poison, treachery, and of course, a convent

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full of highly skilled assassins…

In 15th century Brittany, Ismae is a seventeen year old girl who happens to be a trained assassin of St. Mortain, the patron saint of death. As a child, she narrowly escapes her father’s marriage arrangements and finds herself living at the convent of St. Mortain; training in the arts of poison, weapontry, politics and even womanly charms. Her life's purpose is only to serve her patron saint and when she is sent to live at court and play the role of mistress to Gavriel Duval, a man close to the Duchess whom her convent suspect of treason, she is hell bent on proving herself to her convent and to her saint. As she is immersed into the world of the well born, she finds that she can trust no one and that everyone, even those she trusts above all others can be far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined...

The absolute best part of this novel is Ismae, our heroine.LaFevers has created a powerful and independant young woman that gets herself through some very dangerous situations. Most importantly in the story, we see Ismae grow up before our eyes. As a young child, she agrees with everything that her beloved convent tells her is true. And who wouldn't do they same for a convent of women who saved her from a cruel life filled with evil men. Once she enters court and begins to become a little bit more independant, she begins to have her own opinions and think independnatly. She eventually begins to question the convent and the beliefs that are drilled into her. As a reader, you find yourself encouraging her to keep questioning her loyalties and to make her own decisions. Her growth through out the story made it a great story to read.

The tone LaFevers set for this story was just awesome. Her incorporation of French history to the rich descriptions of the characters dress, the political intrigue, the poisons and even assassinations have you breathless for more and have you wishing you could furthur imurse yourself in LaFevers's world. The only thing I would have liked to see more of was some more assassin action from Ismae! During the few times that we see her in her element, carrying out the wishes of her saint, it makes you wish you lived in 15th century Brittany and were a killing machine. This being said, the plot was extremely well layered and LaFevers left no detail left undone when it came to her plot as well as her character development. I don't think I can wait until next year for the second story in this series!

After you're done reading Grave Mercy, defintely check out LaFeverss' website. She gives insight to the history behind the story (but this does contain some spoilers if you haven't read the book yet!) It will be released April 3, 2012!

10 our of 10

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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

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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 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)

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When I read the first page, I was done for. Never in my life have I been so captivated by merely the first words on the first page. This book is by far my favorite read of 2012.

The one thing that captured me the most is the character. I loved the redemption in her. She was thrown down, beaten, and

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misused, yet she grew stronger silently on the inside biding her time. I love that despite what was happening around her, she knew vengeance would be hers. Ismae is my new fave gal. She fierce, strong and someone I would love to be.

The plot of this book is also dynamic. I loved how the author captures the readers where her life is spiraling downward, then picks up to something new. With every new chapter, Ismae grows more. She learns the secrets of the covenant, weapons and stealth.

I'm not sure what else to say other than this book totally rocks. Ismae fights strong and knows who she is. There are several other kick-butt characters that take this story to a whole new level of awesomeness!

Grave Mercy is a powerful start to an amazing series to come. Grave Mercy is compelling yet addicting. The brilliant writing of Robin LaFevers pulls the reader to a world of betrayal and action. Grave Mercy is a must read!

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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,

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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 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!

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Very interesting and fun read for me. Ismae Rienne was born thinking she was unwanted by her mother because her mother was given poison to try and get rid of her in the womb. She ended up with a Turnip farmer to grow up and was given away to a terrible man to marry when she was of age, he was so

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afraid of her when she undressed due to the scar that was on her body from when she was born. The Woman who poisoned her mother ended up helping her to get away from her cruel husband and sent her to the Church to learn of the god Mortian (The God of Death). Due to her upbringing Ismae hated men and was glad to start her work in learning how to kill men. Ismae learns quickly in the arts of killing men who are marked by Mortian to die. Afer 3 years at the abby learning how to use her womanly woes to seduce men, fight, and poison men she goes out on her first adventure which does not go exactly as planned, then onto another. All the while the abbess has something specific in mind for Ismae.

Ismae ends up with Gavriel Duval in Brittany trying to help him save his country and his dutchess from having to marry the awful D'Albret. In her journey she finds that all men are not so evil and although what she has been taught by the church is helpful, she also learns that Mortians will is not exactly how it has been betrayed to her and she wonders if she should take her vows and return to the Abby once her assignment is over.

With many adventurous battles physical and moral, Ismae finds herself and her true love of her god and maybe just maybe the man in her life.

This book was very interesting and a fun read for me, I enjoyed the charaters and the descriptions of them made me feel like I was right in the book looking at them. Fun Fun read.

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GRAVE MERCY was one of the first books I ever requested to review. It struck the kick butt girl chord in me, so I was like, “Let’s do this!” And I received it and I squeed and danced, but that’s a different story. It took me a few months to get around to reading it, but when I finally did,

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let me just say one thing.

It blew me away. And it kicked some serious ass.

The story of Ismae, a girl sold off by her stepfather to become an abusive man’s wife before being rescued and shipped to a convent of nuns serving the old Saint Mortain, the patron of death, GRAVE MERCY is the first in a new trilogy by author Robin LaFevers. Ismae is trained to become one of death’s handmaidens, an assassin with every tool imaginable at her disposal. When the Duchy of Brittany is threatened by the encroachment of the French, and by the barons inhabiting the land now ruled by a young girl, Ismae is put into the service of the handsome bastard of the dead duke, Gavriel Duval, in order to uncover the traitors, liars, and secrets in the Court of Brittany.

Ismae is a wonderful heroine, and one that I wish I saw more of in young adult fiction. Although there is a romance, she is a girl that can stand on her own, saving the men in her life. She has been hurt by her stepfather and by her husband, meaning that she has plenty of realistic issues in pursuing a real relationship. She is believable and I connected with her almost immediately. I mean, come on, she has a trunk full of bad a$$ items – tons of poisons (including poison candles), knives that can kill with just a scratch, jewelry that turns into a garrote. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend takes on a new meaning around her.

Although her narrative, and the writing style of the book as a whole (the book is told in first person present tense), is hard to initially get into, after 100 pages you are glued to this story and letting go is impossible. For example, “Surely He does not give us hearts so we may spend our lives ignoring them.” The writing lacks contractions for the most part, as is fitting of a historical novel, so yeah, modern readers who like their contractions might be a bit weirded out. Do not worry. You will get used to it.

I’ve seen several books the past few years tackle the historical fantasy-esque vibe that GRAVE MERCY successfully navigates. Especially now that Game of Thrones is extremely popular, even among teenage viewers, there is no doubting that there has been a rise in fantasy stories and historical stories that have the same vibe as Game of Thrones. While this story only has a semblance of fantastical elements, particularly in a crow that acts like Harry Potter’s beloved owl Hedwig, this story successfully mixes the intrigue of Game of Thrones with real historical events and a true romance.

The characterizations could have been better. I wanted to know more about many of the characters inhabiting this world, like their motivations to do what they were doing. Duchess Anne was little more in my opinion than a little girl who wanted nothing more to stay alive, but there could have been a lot more there. I hope we see more of her and her true feelings and aspirations in the sequel. This book was almost 550 pages long, but trust me, you’ll never notice it. The book flies by with consistent pacing that pulls you along, and for many people, this will be a book that they will finish in less than a day.

This book isn’t perfect. There are dull parts and a romance that falls flat. But I rarely rate based on the literary merits of a novel. This book is beautifully written and the work of a skilled author. Robin LaFevers has set the stage for what promises to be a great trilogy, and I cannot wait to dig into the next two books. This book is one of my favorites of the year.

VERDICT: With courtly intrigue, a strong heroine, and a beautiful story mixed into a historical package wrapped in a ribbon of poison, GRAVE MERCY is truly a great novel and great start to a new series that I cannot wait to delve into more.

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I did NOT want to put this one down! Courtly intrigue! Swoony romance! NUNS OF DEATH!!! Hand this one to your fans of GRACELING and Tamora Pierce ASAP. Highly recommended!

Guys, you better believe that I’m preordering this one. Yeah, it was that good. Medieval nun assassins? Hello. I was lucky enough to get an e-arc through netgalley when they were still offering it late last year, and I’m glad I did. I wasn’t sure I would like it as much as I did, but LaFevers

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weaves a fantastic yet plausible tale that has major potential to become (depending on the length of the series) a new voice in YA epic fantasy. And we all know how many YA epic fantasy series there are. I think I can count them on one hand. Maybe.

Anyway, I don’t think I can gush enough about “Grave Mercy”. If you like ass-kicking heroines, this is so definitely the YA book for you.

I think the most fantastic part of this book is the worldbuilding. It’s built upon the real historical struggle for Brittany in medieval France, and the political framework laid down for the book (even down to the abbesses duking it out for the sake of the kingdom/duchy) seemed very realistic. And then there’s the fantasy – Saint Mortain and his gifted are well-positioned throughout the book, with rich mythology backing them (and the history of this fictitious Brittany) up repeatedly throughout the book. Everything is connected to Mortain (he is death, after all), and thus back into the actual world that LaFevers builds, so I felt very firmly rooted for the duration of the novel and never felt like I had to scramble for purchase as to when and where I was within the story.

The characters: very well-rounded, tightly-woven, and though I had some questions about the relationships (Are Ismae and Sybella more than Sisters-in-Mortain?), there was nothing to pick at, there. The pacing was quick, but not too quick, and the arcs and the sub-arcs fired off without a hitch. Really, there’s nothing for me to complain about or pick at here. I just kind of sat back and enjoyed the ride. I gulped it down in two or three sittings, and then promptly asked for more.

Uh, I’m now begging for more, the more that I think about it.

Ismae is a strong heroine that isn’t caught between two boyfriends, though the trope of being “caught between duty and love” was used, I could forgive it (it’s not one of my favorite tropes in any lit, especially YA) because this book was written so damn well. It was consistent, and there wasn’t insta-love, either. The relationship that happens between Ismae and her love interest is very natural, so I didn’t so much as blink when it actually happened. It wasn’t overly obvious, but you did know it was coming (it even says so in the teaser). All the same, it wasn’t rushed, but when it happened, I didn’t feel like it was forced. Though I will admit the seed of the idea that Sybella and Ismae might have been more than just fellow assassin-nuns did tantalize me quite a bit (I’d love to hear more about that in the second book, LaFevers. Please?).

Final verdict? Read it. Even if you’re not a fan of fantasy or historical fiction, I think there’s something for everyone within this very strong first book in the “His Fair Assassin” series. Be sure to catch “Grave Mercy” when it hits stores/your local library in early April. It’s really that awesome. Definitely one of the best of 2012 so far!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

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

Ismae has always known that she doesn't quite fit in. After her mother attempted to end her pregnancy with Ismae, the girl was born with a horrendous birthmark, that many claimed marked her as the daughter of Death. At the age of 17, Ismae is married off

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to a brutal man who has little love for her. After running away, Ismae takes refuge in the convent of St. Mortain, a strange place where the sister practice the art of assassination to serve the god of Death. Somewhat reluctantly, Ismae learns the sister's ways, and is sent on a dangerous assignment to the high court of Brittany, where she becomes entangled in a deadly web of lies, intrigue and betrayal.

Set in an alternate 12th century England, Grave Mercy weaves together medieval history and superstition with the supernatural and the unexpected into a seamless and fascinating tale of a young girl thrown into a deadly world. Author Robin LaFevers does an excellent job of painting a haunting world with dark, almost stony tones that feel like the Dark Ages. From the first word up to the last, I was completely mesmerized with the incredible word-smithing that went into each powerful sentence.

Not only does LaFevers offer an incredible setting, but her plot offers plenty of unexpected twists and turns in a unique world. She takes readers into unexpected places of carefully-woven politics and court intrigue that isn't typical for the YA novel. I really loved this approach -it infused the novel with adult-oriented issues, and forced the main character, Ismae, to confront more adult problems that the typical teen book.

Probably the only issue I had with this novel was the passage of time. It seemed a little off. Basically, in about two pages Ismae goes from a blushing bride to a battered wife on the run. When she arrives at the convent, Ismae not only seems to accept her role as handmaiden of Death far too easily, but it felt like her assassin training was far too easy and quick. Then, before I knew it, Ismae was being packed off on a serious assignment -why would they trust something so important to a novice? -and suddenly seems to be a top-notch assassin with super assassin powers. While it was pretty cool, I just didn't buy that this could all happen in such a seemingly short period of time.

Despite this, Grave Mercy is an excellent YA historical novel. Highly recommended!

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First thing's first. I must admit that I skimmed this book. I skimmed it hard. I was also only semi-consciously reading certain bits, and I may have fallen asleep with eyes wide open a few times. In my defense, however, this book was not at all what I was expecting. Plus, it was long...and

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draggy...and soooo incredibly boring (in my personal opinion of course). Truth be told, the only reason I continued reading Grave Mercy through to the bitter end was because I've been DNFing way too many books lately, and consequently I guilt-tripped myself into finishing this one.

So what lured me in and convinced me to read Grave Mercy in the first place? I've got two words for you: Assassin Nuns. We all know that assassins are pretty damn cool and totally badass. And those of us who have attended Catholic school at some point in our lives also know that the convent can be full of some really interesting & unique characters.

Take for example Sister Elizabeth. She may have been 90-years-old, 5 feet tall, legally blind in both eyes, and extremely hard of hearing, but the woman had a surprisingly fine-tuned spidey sense that alerted her (without fail) to all of our mischievous behaviors. Additionally, she had the uncanny ability to appear out of thin air like a super-sneaky ninja whenever we were up to no good. Another example would be Sister Richard, who looked like John Goodman in drag and who we suspected had narcolepsy since she repeatedly fell asleep in the middle of class. The woman would go all She Hulk on us whenever we came within a foot of her prized ceramic miniature animal collection, but she had a wise-cracking sense of humor and an arsenal of inappropriately funny jokes that would make any standup comedian very proud.

Unfortunately, no such fascinating, eccentric personalities were present anywhere in this book. Barely any time at all was devoted to the convent at which Ismae, the heroine, was trained and the nuns were very briefly introduced by short definition of their teaching roles/titles. In fact, all of the characters in this book seemed underdeveloped, and most of them were barely two-dimensional, possessing one single predominant trait that defined who they were (aside from being categorized as one of the good guys or one of the bad guys). I also had no freakin' clue what anyone actually looked like. Descriptions were provided, but the characterizations were so superficial that I could never concretely picture them in my mind.

This brings me to my biggest issue with Grave Mercy...it lacked heart & substance. The plot dragged along a linear path with unclear significance. Characters popped in and out of the story, but I was never given the chance to really get to know them. And thus, I didn't give a damn about what happened to them or how they impacted the heroine's life & mission.

Speaking of Ismae, I never connected with her either. Her characterization seemed inconsistent & wishy-washy. She went from hating & fearing men to fixating on, drooling over, and falling in love with one at a drop of a hat. She was frustratingly closed-minded and (despite multiple red flags waving right in front of her face) didn't really stop to question who she killed & why until she conveniently fell in love with a man she was later ordered to assassinate. Moreover, she was supposedly taught how to kill a person in a hundred different ways and yet she constantly allowed herself to be manhandled by Duval (aka McBroody)—the most boring love interest eva.

And while I'm on the topic of things that bored me out of my mind, let me warn you that contrary to what the synopsis might imply, there was very little assissiny action in this book. In reality, majority of the story revolved around the predictable, cliched romance between Ismae & McBroody as well as a whole lot of tedious yawn-inducing court politics. I kept waiting for Ismae to get in touch with her inner La Femme Nikita, but the girl mostly just played dress up in cleavage exposing dresses, redundantly argued with McBroody, and eavesdropped on boring conversations between boring individuals.

On top of all of that, the dialogue between the characters was often stilted and at times pompous to the point of sounding silly & lame. And there were several things (like the ridiculous "sexual healing" scene) that made no sense to me whatsoever.

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GoodReads Synopsis: 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

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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

My Thoughts: Where to begin?? Typically I say that I don’t care for Historical Fiction and yet I read it and enjoy it! What is up with that? This one seems to take place around the 16th Century, in an area that is now France.

The story sucks you in on Ismae’s wedding night and you are hooked by the time she is done training as an assassin. From there the story is an adventure, mystery, thriller, romance…what more could you want? A few tears were even shed (Nocturne). LaFever renders a beautiful country, a vivid Court, and very intriguing characters, (love ya Beast!). I couldn’t put the book down, and may have even been caught reading when I should have been doing laundry and making dinner (sorry guys!).

Ismae was a cool chick! Her first 17 years of life were HELL! Because of that hell she excels at her assassin training. But during her final test before taking her vows she learns and grows a great deal. She learns not everything is black and white as the convent has taught her. She starts to think for herself rather than blindly obey. And it’s in her need to question and understand that she is able to discover who the true “bad guy” is.

I loved Duval’s sense of family. He was a man of principles and morals. His beloved father tasked him with a job to protect his younger sisters and he did it without question. He, alone, is the only person intent on getting what is right for Anne rather than what is right for the Kingdom. That’s a man of worth in my book.

The story sucks you in on Ismae’s wedding night and you are hooked by the time she is done training as an assassin. From there the story is an adventure, mystery, thriller, romance…what more could you want? LaFever renders a beautiful country, a vivid Court, and very intriguing characters. Beast was a favorite!

Apparently this will be the start of a series, but the galley I read indicated that rather than the Ismae/Duval story continuing, that the next book would be about one of Ismae’s co-initiate from the convent of St. Mortaine. Like I said, this type of book, historical fiction, is something I would normally shy away from, I will be definitely be looking for the next one in this series!

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Hated by her poor turnip-farming father seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes an arranged marriage with an abusive man and is whisked away to the convent of St. Mortain. But this is not your ordinary convent. The nuns of St. Mortain have special skills... they are gifted in the art of death. They serve

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the Mortain, the god of death, as assassins against those who wish to harm Anne, the Duchess of Brittany.

Trained for three long years Ismae finally ready. She completes her first two assignments but on both she narrowly escapes capture by Gavriel Duval, half-brother of Anne. She returns to the convent only to find that her next assignment is to accompany Gavriel Duval into the court of Anne and find the traitor who is trying to sabotage the country of Brittany against the French but the convent has their suspicions about Gavriel so Isame has to be especially watchful.

As the political maneuverings swirl around her things turn confusing for Ismae quickly and she has to deal with the pressure of serving Mortain or her own heart before all is lost.

In 2010 I got on a huge historical fiction kick and read tons of historical books but they soon grew tiresome. Last year I didn't pick up too many but when I started seeing tons of glowing reviews and read the synopsis of Grave Mercy I snagged it up in a heartbeat. Who can resist assassin nuns? Not only did this book live up to the hype it wowed me. The plot is so well done, the characters became amazingly real and I didn't want the story to end. This is the first book in the His Fair Assassins Trilogy and I cannot wait for the next book in the series out next year. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves historical fiction and kick ass heroines.

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Grave Mercy

by R.L. LaFevers

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Available April 2012

I have always been a fan of historical fiction, especially the medieval era.

This book is amazing! Ismae is a strong femaie lead. She is not a weak willed woman. First she is abused by her stepfather, sold into a

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marriage to a man who is also abusive and is led to a place where she can learn to be strong and independent. The independent streak was already present. Ismae is a character you can believe and relate to, she knows how to take care of herself, and she learns how to defend and protect herself. In other words, she is one kick ass heroine!!

This is a long book. Over 500 pages. It becomes slow and long winded in spots. Took me a few days to read, but once I started...wow!

Look at the cover of this book. This is exactly how I picture Ismae. A fierce warrior.

The author is a master at colorful descriptions. The lifestyles and surrounding of Ismae are so cleverly detailed, the reader can 'see' what is happening while reading.

This is a story you will not quickly forget. I look forward to more works by R.L LaFevers.

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