Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Author: Robin LaFevers
Title: Grave Mercy
#1 His Fair Assassin
549 pages
Published 04/03/2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Plot

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?

Review

It's a vibrating tale of a killer novice's adventures during the fifteen century whose abbey raise nuns as her to take care of Britanny's duchy. I found this story gripping and well-written.

The story begins with 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?

The principal character grip us with her sad story and, how studying she gets years later, be settled in the abbey. Early, she receives an assignement and she demonstrates to be a perfect pupil who follows the abess's orders without asking questions. But her nature will split while her assignements increase. The reason will be a man called Duval who will stand in her way, turning the easy things, difficult to her.

I have enjoyed the different characters developped in the book because each and everyone of them do their duty perfectly.

My favourite characters have been Madame Hivern and her son, François, who at the beginning of the story showed some signals of troublemakers (the argument between the family due to the crown, something typical in many books) but, in the end, they give pleasant surprises to the reader.

The story focuses on the future reign of Anne, Duval's sister, in the duchy of Britanny and how the suitors to marry her fight for her and, specially, for the power. Only the interests of the population will be what dominate in the story and they will make us realize the maturity that the future twelve-year-old duchess shows.

One aspect I found a little disappointing was the relationship between Ismae and Duval that finally we can witness, but it is there, in the air.

I would recommend this book because you can find love stories, war, family and political squabbles and theater not being anything what it appears.