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A review by hgranger
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
4.0
A solid story. Historical fiction and magic mixed together, a likable protagonist, excellent twists, and assassin nuns. What more could you possibly want? Well, a few details kept this book from hitting literary gold for me:
The book didn't quite warrant 5 stars from me because I felt it could have been a little faster paced and tightened up a bit in some places. I would have liked Ismae to be just a little more assertive and not quite as "I lose all ability to think when he touches my ankle..." Also, it is brave to kill off characters even when they are well-liked but the double whammy at the end seemed a little excessive. (Although the blurb for book two about the wounded knight leaves me with an inkling of hope.)
I would have liked Mortain to be just a little more involved but appreciated that Ismae had to experience her growth alone. And there were some loose threads it would have been nice to tie up - what happened with nasty pig-farmer? Because if he is still alive, they are technically still married. I'm happy with the premise of book two, because I felt Sybilla was wildly short-changed in book one. I hope there is resolution for her and for Annith.
All in all a good 4.5 star read. Looking forward to the sequels.
The book didn't quite warrant 5 stars from me because I felt it could have been a little faster paced and tightened up a bit in some places. I would have liked Ismae to be just a little more assertive and not quite as "I lose all ability to think when he touches my ankle..." Also, it is brave to kill off characters even when they are well-liked but the double whammy at the end seemed a little excessive. (Although the blurb for book two about the wounded knight leaves me with an inkling of hope.)
I would have liked Mortain to be just a little more involved but appreciated that Ismae had to experience her growth alone. And there were some loose threads it would have been nice to tie up - what happened with nasty pig-farmer? Because if he is still alive, they are technically still married. I'm happy with the premise of book two, because I felt Sybilla was wildly short-changed in book one. I hope there is resolution for her and for Annith.
All in all a good 4.5 star read. Looking forward to the sequels.