Grave Mercy, 1 (His Fair Assassin, #1)

by Robin Lafevers

[nitzan_schwarz]

Originally published on my old log, and re-reviewed on my new blog. Please consider popping by :)
(This is the re-reviewed version)

When  Grave Mercy  came out, everyone were going gaga over the idea of assassin nuns. However, I wasn't planning on reading it. While the idea is superbly cool, I had my doubts on whether the book could live up to such an intriguing hype.

But one day, when I was cruising a site called Libbo (that has since stopped operating), I saw Robin LaFevers put the book up for grabs for those who publicate the book. So I did, not expecting to win. But then I did win, and now I had an e-book copy of this book everyone is talking about. So... I read it. And loved it. And bought it. Twice.

This book was unlike what I expected, but in a good way. It has it's flaws, but at the end of the day, I really enjoyed this mammoth of a book (the hardcover is HUGE. It could double as a lethal weapon, easy).

Grave Mercy is not really about assassin nuns. It's about blind faith, making your own choices and understanding "god's will". Understanding there is no such thing is absolute truth, or even a true truth.

The first installment of the trilogy tells the story of Ismae, a farmer's daughter who was sired by Death itself. Being Death's own, she ends up in the Covenant; a place that worships Death and carries His Will. In other words: Assassination.

She's brave and strong, and she grows and matures throughout he book as she takes off the wool over her eyes and starts thinking for herself and questioning what she is told, instead of blindly trying to prove her worth and loyalty to the Covenant.

The uncovering is set into motion by Duval, a man she is sent to keep an eye on for the suspicion of treason. But instead of a traitor, she finds the most loyal man. A man filled with compassion, care, kindness, strength and duty. A man she grows to care for, trust, and love. And if the covenant is so wrong about him--what else might they be wrong about?

And the romance between these two?


That pretty much sums it up, thanks! Slow burn. 

And the both of them are well suited, covering for each other's weakness and creating one whole together.

That said, I did feel it was lacking in the process of falling in love, especially on Duval's part (since we are not in his head). It was all rather sudden, missing those small moments that would have convinced me he loved her.

This book is pretty unique. I haven't read many historical YA novels before, and none that were also a cross with fantasy and mythology like this one. The mixture creates a delightfully fresh and complex story that you can't help but devour.

I do feel obligated to warn you: yes, they are assassin nuns. It does not mean that the book is fast paced though. The book starts slow and features many political intrigues; schemes; betrayals; as opposed to flat-out action, with the action meter going up slowly as we get farther into the story.

One of the greatest thing about this book is the realism of it. And yes, a fantasy YA novel can and needs to be realistic; in terms of making the reader believe that, were all these things possible, this is how it would've went down.

As for the writing itself... I did not like it. Yep, I know; WTF. This is the main reason the book is a four star; I just didn't connect with the writing style. It took me a long while to get into it and get used to the sound of it.

The other minus of this book is the character's names. They were just so distracting. I kept stopping and trying out different pronunciations, trying to figure out how the heck LaFevers meant for them to sound. And it wasn't just one or two names; it was all the names.

Originally published on my old log, and re-reviewed on my new blog. Please consider popping by :)











_______________________________________________
OLD: I've been a bit... reluctant to read this book. Everyone were going gaga about the idea of ASSASSIN NUNS, but I was a bit skeptical because of it.
Turns out, this book was unlike what I expected (in a good way), and there isn't much "nun" in the assassin (they live in a covenant. That's about all the nun-ish I could find).
It has it's flaws, don't get me wrong, but at the end of the day - I enjoyed what I read.

Grave Mercy is a story of blind faith, making choices, and understanding 'gods', 'faith' and 'truth' are all complicated and complex, and that there is no such thing as 'One, absolute truth'... or even a true truth.

It tells the story of Ismae, a farmer's daughter who was sired by Death itself, and has been abused for it greatly in her life, until she ends up in The Covenant, a place that worships the god of Death and carries on His Will. Meaning: assassinating the people he wishes to kill. She's brave and strong, and at the beginning of the book, she blindly believes in the Covenant, and is sure they can make no mistake. She doesn't question their decisions or how they make them, and is eager to prove her worth and loyalty to Death and the Covenant. She, in fact, knows very little of the organization she belongs to.

But then she meets Duval, a man she is sent to keep an eye on for the suspicion of treason. Instead, she finds a loyal man, filled with compassion, care, kindness, strength, and a strong sense of duty. A man she grows to care for, trust, and...

To read the rest of my review go to my blog; Drugs Called Books