Grave Mercy, 1: His Fair Assassin, Book I (His Fair Assassin, #1)

by 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?

• ISBN10: 0544022491
• ISBN13: 9780544022492
• Publish Date: 1 May 2013 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 4 May 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Houghton Mifflin
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 576
• Language: English

Reviews

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

I was neutral toward the release of this book before it came out and not at all caught in any of the general excitement about it or the concept of “assassin nuns.” If anything, I was a little skeptical of something based on that concept. After reading it, however, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. The book is immensely excited and very well-executed.

One might believe at first that there is going to be a lot of action in Grave Mercy. There is—but the bulk of the book focuses on court intrigue. Ismae must uncover who is plotting against the duchess and what their plans for her are—death? an unpleasant marriage? A few times I skimmed over some lengthy passages explaining the political situation, but most of the plots in and surrounding the palace are fascinating, and there are lots of twists to keep readers wanting to know more. The main perpetrator is not overtly obvious, but there are some nice clues to suggest to the readers who might be responsible. LaFevers does not just pull a villain out of thin air and try to pass it off as “surprising.”

Most of the characters are also really interesting, beginning with the sisters at Ismae’s convent and going straight to the palace. The love interest is strong, clever, and loyal. Some readers have called him “brooding,” but I read his emotions as deep worry for the duchess and his home, which made him more endearing and heroic. Ismae is generally strong, as well, but she can take awhile to catch onto things. Her back story makes this reasonable, but there are still some moments that will inspire eye-rolling. By the end, she gets her act together.

I am a little unclear on how Ismae is allowed to have a legitimate romance. In the opening scene, the readers see her get married. This marriage is never explained away. Was it invalid for some reason? Is LaFevers taking advantage of the medieval debate about whether consent, consummation, or both were necessary for a valid marriage? Are readers supposed to know this?

But I am impressed with how LaFevers manages the Middle Ages in general. Somehow, an assassin nun comes across as believable—perhaps because their order is rather secretive. There are great references to how court politics might have worked at the time. LaFevers also very nicely incorporates a pagan religion without going over the top bashing Catholicism, which is refreshing.

Grave Mercy is a gripping read with a strong protagonist. I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the series.

This review was also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

[Ashley]

After hearing all the rave reviews, I actually thought I would love this book more than I did. I still really enjoyed the book (hence the four stars), I just wasn’t “Z0MG CRAZY” about it.

I suppose my biggest gripe is that the beginning of the book didn’t completely pull me in. I found the first 150-200 pages or so to be pretty mediocre. I felt like not much was happening, and as a result, I wasn’t glued to my book. There was a lot of traveling, talking, and eavesdropping. It wasn’t bad — it just wasn’t that exciting.

Things did pick up a bit later on when there were more interesting events, scandals, and when love started brewing!

I’ll admit I’m a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of an epic twist at the ending. I kind of felt like I saw it coming from early on and then Ismae figured it out but kept quiet for a longer. So there wasn’t that much… intensity leading up to calling out the traitor.

But it was definitely an enjoyable read. I love the overarching plot with Ismae struggling between her dedication to her convent and following her own heart. Although this book is obviously about Ismae’s worship of the god of Death, you can draw a lot of similarities between the themes in this book and many different kinds of religions/worships. It really comes down to a struggle between duty and your own desires. They’re interesting concepts to think about!

I’m looking forward to the second book! It sounds like it will answer some lingering questions from Grave Mercy.

[Angie]

I received a free digital copy through Net Galley.

Just like just about everyone else, I had to read this book because of the assassin nuns. Yes, ASSASSIN NUNS. The Sisters of Mortain take in young women and girls who are the daughters of Death, who have been feared and abused by society. They teach them everything they need to know to lure in a man and silently bring him to his death. Amazing concept, and wonderful execution.

Ismae is a daughter of Mortain, and when we first meet her she's 14 and it's her wedding night. It's also the night the Sisters bring her to the convent to begin her training. Then only a handful of chapters in, Ismae is 17 and on her first assignment. I wish we could have gotten to see a bit more of the training process before the time jump, but we do get to see how the nuns get the girls ready for their kills as we watch Ismae prepare.

Ismae is a great protagonist! She's been ridiculed and abused, and that has inspired her to give her all when serving Mortain. She's determined, smart, compassionate, and does not take anything laying down! She is definitely not content to sit idly when she can be in the center of the action. Even though she tended to skip out on her "womanly arts" lessons, she manages to charm her way into Duval's heart. I love the way their relationship develops. They start off not trusting each other at all as they begin their assignment of protecting the duchess. Their charade at court of being lovers made it obvious that they would soon be lovers for real, but I still enjoyed that plot despite it's predictability.

There are some slow parts, which is to be expecting from a 550+ page book. It's mostly scenes involving the political situation, which were necessary for the story, but I still found them boring. They were also confusing from time to time with all of the information about who the duchess' hand has been promised to, who's faithful to the duchess and who's a traitor, etc. However, about half way through, when the plot is more established, things begin to become more clear, which I was glad for.

Things really get interesting when Ismae must choose between serving her convent, her god, or her heart. Over all, Grave Mercy was an engaging and exciting read. I absolutely loved the paranormal elements related to being a daughter of Death, as well as the historical setting. There's a nice tidy ending to Ismae's story, which makes it read like a standalone. This make sense since the following book is to focus on Sybella, and I'm excited to read it!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[celinenyx]

Grave Mercy has been on my to be read list for a very, very long time. Ever since the cover was revealed I knew I had to get my hands on this one, I mean, she is holding a crossbow!

Ismae has been unwanted all of her life. Her mother took poison to expel her from her womb, and after that it doesn't get much better. When the opportunity arises for her to join the St Mortain convent she jumps on it. Here she is trained as an assassin in service of the ancient saint of Death. When she is sent away on a mission, she will have to choose between fulfilling her duty or following her heart.

The first thing that came to mind while reading Grave Mercy is epic fantasy. The second is medieval fiction. Young-adult fiction didn't enter my mind until I saw this book labelled as such. For me Grave Mercy doesn't have that typical "young" feeling that YA books have. I guess that because the main character Ismae is a teenager it is a correct label, but I'm afraid it creates an expectation that it can't live up to. It's not the fluffy light historical romp through medieval fantasy land, full of kick-ass nuns that can do ninja tricks. Instead, it has courtly intrigue and mystery and conflicting interests. It makes for an engaging read - but I fear that a lot of people diving into Grave Mercy will not be expecting this level of seriousness.

I personally loved it. I'm a great fan of epic fantasy and of huge tomes containing page after page of world-building and plot background. This already is a pretty fat book with it's five-hundred pages, but I actually wouldn't have minded if there were more. As it is, I think some people will be put off by it's length. Yes, there are five-hundred pages. And no, not every single one of them has a fight or action in it. There is a lot of walking and talking, sitting down and some more talking, spying and listening to people talking. Ms LaFevers has spun a beautiful tale, but you can only appreciate it if you truly have the patience to see it play out.

Ismae is a great leading character, and I had no troubles at all to emphasise with her. I may not agree with every one of her actions, but I can understand all of them. Besides Ismae there are some other pretty awesome characters; I have so many favourites that I'm not going to describe them all. The love interest gets an honourable mention though - it was great to see that a mysterious guy doesn't have to be a rude guy. He is a very kind and chivalrous person, which made it easier for me to believe his and Ismae's connection.

The whole fantasy aspect was subtle but very well done. If you're looking for a solid fantasy read set in the middle ages, I would certainly recommend Grave Mercy. I'm very much anticipating the sequel, which will be told from Sybella's perspective, another girl from the convent.

[Kelsenator]

Originally posted on my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf

Ismae is shipped off to this convent after barely escaping her new husband on her wedding night. There she is told that she can either go back out into the world alone, or stay with them and learn all the ways to kill a man. Out of wanting revenge against her father and other men who mistreated her, she decides to join. She learns all the various weapons, self defense, making poisons, and many other skills they will need.

After her first two missions, a man called Duval (who is awesome) comes, and she is taken to where the current duchess is. While keeping an eye out for any order to kill from the abbess back at the convent, she is taken up in the plots and betrayals of the court, as they try to find a suitable husband for the duchess so she may be crowned and protect them against France. You never know who is still loyal to her, or who will think nothing of betraying her any chance they get.

Well, Assassin nuns sounded awesome, and I was lucky Netgalley had a copy of this for me to try out. Thank you! After reading a few chapters, I became hooked. Ismae was such a likeable character and very smart, I also liked her two convent sisters Annith and Sybella. I loved all the trouble she got herself into, the action, the plotting at court, and the small amounts of romance. It just kept me reading, and I wished the story would keep going. Luckily I’ve heard there will be two more books, though the excerpt at the end said Spring 2013, so will definitely have to re-read this next spring.

I will be getting my own copy of this soon, just waiting for the paperback version to be available in a few months.

I highly recommend this for those who want to read something with a little bit of romance, action, and historical fiction, and of course assassin nuns!

[Amanda]

Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2012/04/02/review-grave-mercy-by-robin-lafevers/

I have always — ALWAYS — been a fan of books set in the past. I don’t quite know what it is about historically set books that makes me love them so, but they are intriguing with their society rules and culture and dress. Though Grave Mercy is not true historical fiction in the sense that it follows actual history, it felt as though I was reading about actual people in the past. And, of course, the fact that there are paranormal elements (Ismae is a handmaiden of Death after all, and she has powers that no true human would have) also slot Grave Mercy into the historical fantasy genre rather than straight historical.

We only get a brief glimpse of Ismae’s life before the convent and her training at the convent. I think this may be my one big complaint because I think it would have set up Ismae’s character and her motives a little better. That, and I think learning about the assassin training the girls went through would be pretty darn cool. Ismae becomes a product of the convent, devoted and unquestioning. We believe in the convent, too, even if it is a little odd to be a handmaiden of Death. I do love that throughout the book, the convent slowly comes into question, and we are left wondering where the truth lies.

In some ways, Grave Mercy reminded me of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder in the sense that this bordered on being an adult book. Even though the characters in Grave Mercy are young (Ismae couldn’t have been any more than 18, and the Duchess herself was in her early teens), historically, these “youngsters” were forced to take on more adult roles. To me, Grave Mercy felt true to the times and actually covered the kinds of situations actual people may have faced at court (well, except the whole handmaidens of Death thing). Grave Mercy was a very politically charged book, as many historical books that revolve around court are. The politically treachery that occurs adds suspense to the story, which left me flying through the pages as fast as I could. Whom do you trust?

While the historical aspects of Grave Mercy are well set, there is still a lot left to learn about the assassins of Death, the convent, and where the truth lies in how Death should be served. There are a lot of levels to this series if you bother to look at it deeper (though it’s enjoyable without looking more in depth, too) — the idea of blind unquestioning faith being one such theme explored. Though the main focus is on Ismae and Duval, the other characters in Grave Mercy are easy to fall in love with and cheer for. Or hate, as the case may be.

Ismae’s story was one that sucked me in almost right away. I was instantly captivated by this world. And I thought it only got better (especially with the introduction of Duval, but then, I do love a good romantic interest in my books, especially since it was slow and sweet yet made my heart race all the same). I am sad that Ismae’s story is basically over with this book (i.e., the next book does not focus on her) because I loved her and her relationship with Duval, but I am looking forward to exploring this world a little more, as well as getting to know Sybella more. Her character pops up occasionally in Grave Mercy — in key parts, that is — and it will be fascinating to find out where the convent sent her, and what is happening with her.

[inlibrisveritas]

Yep, this is going to be another one of my rare 5 star reviews where I have a hard time not gushing uncontrollably about how much I adore the book. I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that I will be buying this the first opportunity I get, but I digress…let me tell you why I’m so enamored.

Grave Mercy is a fairly large book with an equally large plot filled with history, intrigue, murder, a dash of supernatural, and one kick-butt heroine. Not to mention a wonderful hero, and some awesome assassination techniques that will make you wish you could trade places with her. This is a book that not only starts off strong and rich but it also finishes the same way, if not stronger.The plot I found to be fantastic, well thought out and unique. While LaFevers says that the book is not entirely historically correct she does weave enough actual history in that it feels very real. The writing is crisp and fluid and really gives a true voice to the main character, Ismae. Not to mention the fact that the 1st person point of view was executed wonderfully and avoided making the story far too one-sided in scope. The inclusion of the various gods/patron saints was a brilliant touch and I loved the slight supernatural aspect to the story, it’s not forced and it really gives the book an edge to it that is hard to forget. I loved all the twists and turns the plot takes and it makes the book extremely hard to put down. There are so many plots and so much intrigue that I had a hard time trying to figure out who was behind it all, and I had cycled through so many of the characters that they all seemed likely candidates. Needless to say I was hooked.

Ismae is a fantastic main character who has real depth and actually evolves over the course of the story. Her back story was really interesting and right from the beginning you begin to connect to the character in some way. She’s one of those rare characters that really do feel possible, her emotions are real and her actions are all understandable. I loved the fact that she is part of a convent raised order of assassins, it’s such a new and cool idea. Then of course there is Duval, the main male in the story. Oh how sigh-worthy this man is, he’s definitely on my list of favorite fiction men now. His interaction and relationship with Ismae is one that I really enjoyed reading about and watching evolve, nothing about it was forced and the dialog flowed perfectly. All of the other various characters through out were equally as rich as Ismae and Duval, and even if some where only mentioned a few times I had a clear image of what they were like.

I do have to admit that at one point I felt like I could cry, and since I’m not a weeper when in comes to books it’s definitely noteworthy. Overall this was a fantastic and fun read, that despite it’s size I had no qualms about reading it continuously. This book was so finely crafted that every word was a jewel and I couldn’t help but read more. I truly did try to think of flaws in this as I rarely give out 5 stars, but even after thinking about it all night and most of the next morning I couldn’t come up with a single thing. I am truly in love with this book.

I received this from Houghton Mifflin Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One word: amazing Seriously, this book was just utterly fantastic! I could not put it down! I tried, believe me, but everything I was supposed to do (ya know homework, food, sleep) took a backseat to finishing this book. So, I've now made it my goal to convince you to read this book with a list (I've noticed that I've made a lot of these lately. Since when did I get organized o_O)

1. Ismae
She's an assassin. I've noticed that I've had a really unhealthy obsession with assassins lately, but, what the heck :P They are pretty awesome. And Ismae is no exception. Strong, intelligent and fierce. But it wasn't just her strength that I fell in love with. Her growth is what made her truly admirable. Yes, even from the beginning she was strong and independent but she grows to learn more about herself. She starts of as an abused girl who finally finds her place in nunnery where she learns where she came from. As a handmaiden of Death (who was her father) it is her purpose to do his bidding. Should you bear the marque, your death will come by her hand. But on her journey acting as Duval's mistress to protect the queen and see who wishes to do the queen harm, she becomes a strong woman that, while sometimes vulnerable, learns to make her own decisions and follow what she feels is right in her heart. Her loyalty and heart are astounding. While she may be a bit tough and cold at the beginning, once you get to know her, you see how good she truly is.

(P.S. The fact that she can kill a man in one of those huge medieval dresses didn't hurt in me admiring her more :P)


2. Assassin Nuns
Honestly, need I say more?

3. Duval
Oh, Duval, Duval, Duval. First off, I'm pretty much guaranteed to fall for any man who knows how to handle a weapon but I really fell in love with Duval. Yes, he's your typical cold, aloof guy that you know actually has a heart underneath all that man's man attitude that he just doesn't show to Ismae. However, his loyalty and love for his sister and country made him just that much more swoonworthy! I liked his cold demeanor because I wanted to find the man beneath it. I knew he had to be good, but part of the fun is learning and figuring it out. I liked learning why he was like that and learning to fall in love with him just like Ismae did. His honorable nature coupled with his intense loyalty and heart definitely made him a man to remember.

4. Romance:
Insta-love? What is this insta-love you speak of? Because there is definitely not a single ounce of that in this book. This is definitely my favorite type of romance. Hate (or suspicion) turned love. Oh, of course you know they are going to fall in love in the end, but it's the build-up that makes this romance much more palpable. It starts out as suspicion and lack of faith in one another, to learning to trust and rely on each other. Its slow and steady and real.

5. Awesome weapons:
Knives, garrotes, swords, miniature crossbows hidden in the folds of skirts, pearls decorating the hair that are actually poisonous, plus countless other weapons? Yeah...pretty freaking awesome

6. Beautiful atmosphere:
The author definitely gets perks for creating a wonderful atmosphere throughout this book. Sometimes in historical fiction the author can drag down the book with far to many details, but LaFevers gives just the right amount to showcase the time and give a dark yet intriguing and exquisite atmosphere without bogging you down with unnecessary details. Kudos!

7. Court intrigue and politics:
If there is court intrigue and politics, I'm definitely bound to enjoy it. Its one reason I love historical fiction so much! Scandals? Scheming plots? Backstabbing? Yup, definitely my cup of tea and Grave Mercy does not disappoint. Throughout the plot there were twists and turns and I have to say, I wasn't 100% sure that I saw that coming. Yes, I kind of guessed the villain but I was not absolutely certain. I definitely changed my mind multiple time but thats alright because I like to be kept guessing!

8. Standalone! Well, technically:
NO CLIFFHANGER!! HALLELUJAH!! Actually, I'm kind of sad because I fell in love with these characters so much, but I have to say this is definitely a breath of fresh air. While it is a standalone, the following books will contain characters that are mentioned in this book but they are considered companion novels instead of sequels.

Overall:
This book was fantastic. I fell in love with everything! The characters, the plot, the world-building. It was an adventure that I didn't want to end and I actually wanted to re-read it after I finished. I truly hope that all who read this enjoy it as much as I did :)

All the best ♥
Mackenzie

Part of my 2012 Historical Fiction Challenge

[kimbacaffeinate]

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers is the first novel in a new trilogy entitled His Fair Assassin. Within these five hundred and fifty-eight pages you will be transported back in time and taken on a journey that contains all the key elements of a great tale. There is suspense, murder, a heroine, a hero and a villain. Stir in a little history, the God of Death, supernatural elements, wickedly cool assassin techniques and you have a tale that will grab you from page one. Thus was my experience with Grave Mercy.

The protagonist is sixteen year old Ismae. The child of a turnip farmer, who has despised her since birth. Eager to be rid of her, he marries her off for a price. When her new husband, a beast of a man bids her to undress, his eyes fall to the scar that runs down her back and runs screaming to the priests to have his marriage annulled. She finds sanctuary at the convent of St. Mortain. Here she learns what she is and is offered the chance to serve as a handmaiden to death. She will train to become an assassin. Having nothing to lose and finally feeling like she belongs, Ismae readily accepts. Her she learns the art of being an assassin, is trained in political history and all manner of skills. On her second assignment, she encounters Duval who is brother to the Duchess of Brittany. He is there to question the man Ismae has just assassinated. Duval then appears at the convent demanded answers. The reverend mother informs Ismae that she will be accompanying Duval to protect the Duchess of Brittany. The tale that unfolds was absolutely riveting, the history, the suspense, the plots..Oh the plots…it was wonderful! While I determined who the villain was, a lot of key players went back and forth on my list. Watching the events unfold and seeing Ismae and Duval work together kept me turning the pages at a maddening pace.

LaFevers not only takes us back in history with her deliciously suspenseful tale, she provides us with fascinating characters with depth and humor. Ismae is bright, witty, fearless, independent, and wants to perform her duties to God and Country. Her life has not been easy and it’s wonderful to watch her grow, make decisions for herself and understand not everything is black and white. Duval is dedicated to protecting his sister at all costs, burdened by being the bastard son of the late king, he tries to be true. Together he and Ismae must determine who is in league with the French. His trusted friends Beast, and DeLornay were delightful and I grew attached to them. Ismae’s friends Sybella and Annitha from the convent were equally intriguing and I loved their side stories.

While LaFevers herself states the tale is not historically accurate she weaved enough truth into the novel to make it believable and it made for an intrigue tale. While the tale is longer than most young adult novels on the market, it was well written and evenly paced. I drank in every page and was sadden to see it end. The romance was delightful and genuine. This was not a case of instant-a-love, but rather one that developed out of respect and trust.

I highly recommend Grave Mercy to fans of historical fiction, fantasy, suspense and romance laced with supernatural elements. I am anxious to get my hands on the second novel entitled Dark Triumph. This will tell the story of Sybella. It is expected to be published in the spring of 2013.

I want to thank netGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.