Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | By: Unknown

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: Robin LeFevers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Assassins, Death, Romance, Politics, & Gods
Pages: 549
Plot: (From Goodreads)

“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 Himslef has blessed her with dangerous gifts- and a violent destiny.  If she chooses to stay at the convert, 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?”

Again I would like to thank Netgalley and Harcourt for allowing me a copy for review!  Thanks again for allowing me to review another wonderful and compelling read!

From the very first chapter I was hooked, I sat up half the night reading and hoping that I could finish it all before I went to bed.  Sadly I'm not that fast of a reader and I couldn’t complete it before I really had to get some sleep.  But all throughout the next day I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I came home from work and went straight to the couch to finish reading the tale.

 Grave mercy was viciously sinister, brutally ruthless, and strangely merciful.  This gripping read pulled on my heart strings and just kept on going- not giving me time to catch my breath.  I was literally crying, laughing, and mumbling all at the same time.  This is one that will keep you guessing, once you have an idea of who might be the so called bad guy, you will be thrown through another loop and left baffled.

Robin LeFevers built a strange and world that takes you back in time to old Europe and filled it with old gods, royalty, assassin nuns, war, and a lot of death dealing.  She has created her own dark and wicked tale and gave it some intriguing twists.

Ismae was someone that many readers will be able to connect with on many different levels.  She grows so much in this novel from start to end that it is astonishing.  In the beginning I found Ismae to be broken, eager, caged, guarded, and wary; but after struggling through so many hardships and learning a little about life she became trusting, secured, sincere, compassionate, and open.  But of course throughout it all she was persevering and resolute because without that she wouldn’t make a great heronine.  The man who steals her heart is exactly what you would call a good man; as he is loyal, protective, earnest, and honest.  Together they find that there perilous journey will not prove to be an easy task.

I felt that Grave Mercy was worthy of an A+, as this captivating read left me awestruck and mesmerized!  I already can’t wait until 2013 for the second His Fair Assassins novel, Dark Triump!  I have a feeling that if you’re a Kristin Cashore fan then you will definitely be a Robin LeFevers fan!

My Rating: 20/20
Originality: 5
Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing Style: 5

Grave Mercy Book Trailer


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