Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin harcourt
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal
Link: Goodreads
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.
But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...
My Review:
As much as I liked Grave Mercy when I read it last year, it was hardly perfect. Pacing issues and a heroine I don't much care for in hindsight are my two most noteworthy problems with it, but neither of those are anywhere to be found Dark Triumph. LaFevers kick it out a couple dozen notches and shows everyone how writing a sequel is done. It's so good that I'm scared the next book in the series will disappoint me!
Ismae's story in Grave Mercy began with her wedding and escape to the convent, which made the pacing drag a little as we saw her grow up, but Sybella's story cuts right to the chase and reveals a part of her background we never learned in the previous book: she's the daughter of D'Albret, the man trying to force Duchess Anne to marry him. Over the course of the novel, bits and pieces of what living in his household was like for her. Close to the end, we come to learn exactly what had Sybella so wild and distraught when she first arrived at the convent and met Ismae. It's... pretty bad. I don't blame her a bit.
Sybella is also a more engaging narrator. Whereas Ismae is very devout and subdued, Sybella is angry, jaded, and often wonders if St. Mortain exists at all. Her voice is more natural, there's hardly any noticeable flubs in the prose (no blood singing in triumph or whatever, thank goodness), and it's difficult not to cheer her on when she has to deal with a very twisted family. There's her monstrous, occasionally-flat-but-still-terrifying father, one brother who is in love with her and rather messed up, another brother who is even MORE messed up, and two younger sisters she'd do anything to protect.
While reading Grave Mercy, imagining the Beast of Waroch being with anyone was a little difficult, but he fits in well as Sybella's love interest--and especially dear to me because he isn't a handsome man at all.
My Rating:
But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...
My Review:
As much as I liked Grave Mercy when I read it last year, it was hardly perfect. Pacing issues and a heroine I don't much care for in hindsight are my two most noteworthy problems with it, but neither of those are anywhere to be found Dark Triumph. LaFevers kick it out a couple dozen notches and shows everyone how writing a sequel is done. It's so good that I'm scared the next book in the series will disappoint me!
Ismae's story in Grave Mercy began with her wedding and escape to the convent, which made the pacing drag a little as we saw her grow up, but Sybella's story cuts right to the chase and reveals a part of her background we never learned in the previous book: she's the daughter of D'Albret, the man trying to force Duchess Anne to marry him. Over the course of the novel, bits and pieces of what living in his household was like for her. Close to the end, we come to learn exactly what had Sybella so wild and distraught when she first arrived at the convent and met Ismae. It's... pretty bad. I don't blame her a bit.
Sybella is also a more engaging narrator. Whereas Ismae is very devout and subdued, Sybella is angry, jaded, and often wonders if St. Mortain exists at all. Her voice is more natural, there's hardly any noticeable flubs in the prose (no blood singing in triumph or whatever, thank goodness), and it's difficult not to cheer her on when she has to deal with a very twisted family. There's her monstrous, occasionally-flat-but-still-terrifying father, one brother who is in love with her and rather messed up, another brother who is even MORE messed up, and two younger sisters she'd do anything to protect.
While reading Grave Mercy, imagining the Beast of Waroch being with anyone was a little difficult, but he fits in well as Sybella's love interest--and especially dear to me because he isn't a handsome man at all.
My Rating:
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