Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah 
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 "When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice." 
 Seventeen-year-old Ismae Rienne has been blessed by Mortain; the god of Death. After being saved from an arranged marriage to a terrible man, Ismae is trained in a convent that serves Mortain. She and her "sisters", other handmaidens of Death, are trained in the arts of assassination. They are transformed into deadly tools and sent about to carry out Mortain's will by assassinating those who bear the Marque of Death. 
 When royal politics come into conflict with the duties of the convent, Ismae is sent to the royal court with a man she does not trust. She is to pose as his mistress while helping to protect the interests of a young duchess. While performing her duties, Ismae discovers a deeper conspiracy and must decide between loyalty to the convent or loyalty to the man she loves. 
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 Grave Mercy is one of the best books I have read this year so far. This is saying a lot, too, because I normally have some trouble with Historical Fiction. I think that the thread of fantasy woven into this story was only a partial explanation as to why I found this book so amazing even though it was something I expected to have trouble getting into. The other reason is the politics. Royal politics can put me to sleep in a heartbeat. In this book, it had the opposite effect on me. LaFevers paced this politics-filled plot out so perfectly that I was on my toes the entire time. I am immensely impressed with this book for that alone. If it can keep me so enthralled.. yeah, it's a big deal. 
 I believe the historical backdrop was very well done. Everything was described as it should be in medieval times. I also appreciated that the speech seemed to fit perfectly. I hate it when you read a historical novel with contemporary speech. Tsk tsk. LaFevers impressed me at every turn with Grave Mercy. 
 Next, the heroine. Ismae was such a wonderfully kick-ass protagonist. I just loved her! She had just the right amount of naivete. Growing up with her beast of a father gave her a terrible view of men in general, as well as some experience with the harsher side of life. Moving into the convent at the young age of 14 made it so she was just young enough that it felt she was somewhat sheltered and uneducated in certain things. Love, sex, riches, politics. Most of what she knows was taught to her by the nuns at the convent. I think making an assassin look innocent would be tough, but it was pulled off pretty darn well in this book. I wondered if having a murderer for a protagonist would bother me, but it didn't. Ismae comes into conflict with assassinating people at all the right moments. She questions all the right things and comes to the correct conclusions when it matters most. 
 The romance is really beautiful and not overly done. The main focus of the book is not the romance; it's the politics and the betrayals in the royal house. It's about learning who to trust, who not to trust, and trusting when it really counts. The romance is subtle and written very beautifully. I enjoyed the interaction between Duval and Ismae very much. At first the two of them are pretty much at each others' throats, and they must slowly learn to trust one another if anything in their situation is to go properly. In the end, I totally cried. These two had me in tears, literally. 
 All in all, I think Grave Mercy is a fantastic book. It is a book that moved me emotionally and kept me entertained from cover to cover. The entire plot is fleshed out wonderfully. The characterization is top notch. The fantasy elements are perfect and mysterious. The politics aren't a bore; they are, in fact, the opposite. The romance is sweet and subtle, yet intense and beautiful. It's a book packed with secrets, loyalties, betrayals, and action. I loved every moment of reading this novel and I think you will too. Grave Mercy is a definite addition to my favorites list! 
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 Book source: NetGalley 
 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt