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Jul 18, 2015forbesrachel rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
From her birth Ismae was claimed by Death. She barely survived the poisoning she received in the womb, and now upon the night of her unwanted wedding, she gets swept away to serve him as one of his handmaidens. The sisters at the convent of St. Mortain train her to be an assassin, and in her effort to do his will, she finds herself tangled in the politics of a country in grave peril. The old gods, now saints under Christianity, will disappear if the French have their way; the duchess's well-being is of paramount importance, so she must accompany the disagreeable Duval to court to take out the traitors, one of whom may be Duval himself. As she works with him though, feelings start to grow that she wants nothing to do with, for he actually proves to be incredibly loyal and noble. Ismae is an intelligent, strong-willed woman who hides her eagerness and passion, and in only one aspect does she fall flat. Too little time is spent on her early life and interactions with men to justify her complete hatred of them. It's not that she's endured too little, but the author didn't build this up enough with her words for us to feel it. This is a minor grievance when compared to the whole. There is some magic in this world, but it comes off as quite natural, making this an evenly balanced blend of Historical Fiction, Romance, and Fantasy. Between the intrigue of this political game, and the tension between Ismae and Duval, Grave Mercy has us reading straight through from beginning to end. Also, it should be noted that the series does something interesting. Grave Mercy recounts Ismae's tale, but the other two follow different assassins. Each of these stories interconnects at points, but all stand alone.