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His Fair Assassin #3
Mortal Heart: The Thrilling Conclusion to the Young Adult Romantasy Trilogy His Fair Assassin
Mortal Heart is the powerful conclusion to Robin LaFevers's New York Times bestselling His Fair Assassin trilogy—perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Victoria Aveyard. "LaFevers again mesmerizes her readers through the political struggles of 15th century Brittany and the intrigues of the followers of Mortain." —School Library Journal , starred review In fifteenth-century Brittany, the sisters of the convent of St. Mortain are trained assassins, now mobilizing to protect the French duchess from the rumblings of war. Newest among their ranks is Annith, but she’s escaped the convent to seek her own destiny with the god of Death. When Annith meets a mysterious knight at court, she can’t tell if he is friend or foe, and she must make a desperate choice.... Don't miss this final chapter to the critically acclaimed His Fair Assassin series that takes reader’s deep into the wicked world of corrupt politics, dangerous love, and hard-won vengeance.
496 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2014
495 people are currently reading
26947 people want to read
About the author
Robin LaFevers
10 books3,112 followersSee R.L. LaFevers
You can find her most current blog posts--including information about the upcoming COURTING DARKNESS--over there.
You can find her most current blog posts--including information about the upcoming COURTING DARKNESS--over there.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,766 reviews
March 12, 2016
3.5 stars
“If Death could grant you a wish, you would use it for someone else? Trade your happiness for someone else's?”
As I always do with my 3 star reviews, I maintain that just because I rated a book 3 stars does not mean I didn't like it/it isn't good. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the two books before it. Therefore, 3 stars.
I truly believe that Robin LaFevers has brought something special to the young adult genre with her His Fair Assassin trilogy. I can't recall a historical fiction book(s) within this genre that has been so beautifully executed with strong female characters. That being said, Mortal Heart is probably my least favorite book in this series, the second book Dark Triumph the best.
Mortal Heart is Annith's story. We know her from the previous books, as she is friend and sister to Ismae and Sybella. Unlike the other girls, Annith has spent her life in the convent since birth. Annith has been waiting and longing for years to be sent out on an assignment, like her sisters before her. One day while spying on the Reverend Mother, Annith discovers that she is not meant to leave the convent, but to stay forever and be the next Seeress. Finding this a horrible fate, Annith strikes out on her own after the Reverend Mother to demand answers as to her fate.
Being that this book is almost 450 pages, it was really a sad fact that it took almost 100 pages in for the book to finally grasp my undivided attention. In my opinion this book was pretty darn scattered, with Annith doing one thing but then getting roped into other journey next. For example, when she leaves the convent with a set course but then ends up with the Helliquin, and then the women warriors. It just felt a little jumbled in my opinion. The plot at times was very straightforward, but really only when it pertained to the political plot with the Duchess. I felt that it was not consistent when it came to Annith's plot.
I liked the addition of the helliquin and Balthazaar to the series; he was a very interesting and mysterious character and remained so throughout the entire book. The connection (romantically and otherwise) between him and Annith was a bit difficult to believe at the beginning, but near the end of the book it made a lot more sense.
“I am beginning to think that love itself is never wrong. It is what love can drive people to do that is the problem.”
I enjoyed the fact that we got to see a bit more of Ismae and Sybella, and a part of my wishes that the author would write some epilogue novellas for them. It felt to me like the stories of the 3 main girls remains largely unfinished.
I also liked the resolution of the Duchess's struggles. After 3 books of trying to find a solution I believe the author found a very inventive and creative end to her story. I'm also kind of hoping for the Duchess to get her own book.
Strong end to a strong series, but not my favorite book of the 3.
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
“If Death could grant you a wish, you would use it for someone else? Trade your happiness for someone else's?”
As I always do with my 3 star reviews, I maintain that just because I rated a book 3 stars does not mean I didn't like it/it isn't good. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the two books before it. Therefore, 3 stars.
I truly believe that Robin LaFevers has brought something special to the young adult genre with her His Fair Assassin trilogy. I can't recall a historical fiction book(s) within this genre that has been so beautifully executed with strong female characters. That being said, Mortal Heart is probably my least favorite book in this series, the second book Dark Triumph the best.
Mortal Heart is Annith's story. We know her from the previous books, as she is friend and sister to Ismae and Sybella. Unlike the other girls, Annith has spent her life in the convent since birth. Annith has been waiting and longing for years to be sent out on an assignment, like her sisters before her. One day while spying on the Reverend Mother, Annith discovers that she is not meant to leave the convent, but to stay forever and be the next Seeress. Finding this a horrible fate, Annith strikes out on her own after the Reverend Mother to demand answers as to her fate.
Being that this book is almost 450 pages, it was really a sad fact that it took almost 100 pages in for the book to finally grasp my undivided attention. In my opinion this book was pretty darn scattered, with Annith doing one thing but then getting roped into other journey next. For example, when she leaves the convent with a set course but then ends up with the Helliquin, and then the women warriors. It just felt a little jumbled in my opinion. The plot at times was very straightforward, but really only when it pertained to the political plot with the Duchess. I felt that it was not consistent when it came to Annith's plot.
I liked the addition of the helliquin and Balthazaar to the series; he was a very interesting and mysterious character and remained so throughout the entire book. The connection (romantically and otherwise) between him and Annith was a bit difficult to believe at the beginning, but near the end of the book it made a lot more sense.
“I am beginning to think that love itself is never wrong. It is what love can drive people to do that is the problem.”
I enjoyed the fact that we got to see a bit more of Ismae and Sybella, and a part of my wishes that the author would write some epilogue novellas for them. It felt to me like the stories of the 3 main girls remains largely unfinished.
I also liked the resolution of the Duchess's struggles. After 3 books of trying to find a solution I believe the author found a very inventive and creative end to her story. I'm also kind of hoping for the Duchess to get her own book.
Strong end to a strong series, but not my favorite book of the 3.
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
August 16, 2016
I felt sorry for Annith for a good part of the book. All she wanted was to go out and do her duty and serve Death (Mortain) but she has been kept at the convent. She can't understand why, as the best assassin they have, that she is being kept and not sent out on missions. Yeah, I never saw that reason coming, not for a long shot.
Annith misses Ismae and Sybella from the first two books so much and she can't understand why she is still at the convent and not helping them. I already said that, but still. She's just really sad and down on herself.
I cannot help it--I laugh. "You think you can best me?"
She lifts one shoulder. "I think I would like to know if I could or could not."
At her words, my smile wobbles and it is all I can do to keep from throwing my knife down in defeat. Even this child thinks I am not longer a match for her. I carefully avoid looking out at the ocean, just beyond the trees. It is too painful a reminder that both Ismae and Sybella have been sent places I have not, have begun to fulfill their destinies while I am stuck here playing nursemaid to a gaggle of budding assassins.
When Annith learns of what the abbess wants her to become she decides to set out on her own. She runs into some interesting people on the way to her destination. One would be the hellequins <--- I hope I spelled that right. They are immortals that basically go around and get lost souls to cross over and they are a rough bunch. They are trying to redeem themselves of bad things they had done in their past lives.
Annith meets Balthazaar, the leader of the hellequins and they have some chemistry. I thought he was hot, just sayin.
Then Annith gets some things into her head and runs away and ends up meeting a group of warrior women called the Arduinnites. They were really nice to her but they brought some really sad news to Annith and now she is on a mission to kill.
Annith finally makes it to Sybella and Ismae, she tells them of some things she thinks is peculiar in the covent. Something is up with the abbess and it's more than I would have thought. That was a pretty deep revelation when I got to it.
And in this book we also find out more about Mortain and who he really is and OMG, I loved it! It was one of those holy crow moments that everyone else probably figured out but me!
Either way, I enjoyed all of the books in this trilogy! How often do you read about bad to the bone butt kicking nuns that will take you out?
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Annith misses Ismae and Sybella from the first two books so much and she can't understand why she is still at the convent and not helping them. I already said that, but still. She's just really sad and down on herself.
I cannot help it--I laugh. "You think you can best me?"
She lifts one shoulder. "I think I would like to know if I could or could not."
At her words, my smile wobbles and it is all I can do to keep from throwing my knife down in defeat. Even this child thinks I am not longer a match for her. I carefully avoid looking out at the ocean, just beyond the trees. It is too painful a reminder that both Ismae and Sybella have been sent places I have not, have begun to fulfill their destinies while I am stuck here playing nursemaid to a gaggle of budding assassins.
When Annith learns of what the abbess wants her to become she decides to set out on her own. She runs into some interesting people on the way to her destination. One would be the hellequins <--- I hope I spelled that right. They are immortals that basically go around and get lost souls to cross over and they are a rough bunch. They are trying to redeem themselves of bad things they had done in their past lives.
Annith meets Balthazaar, the leader of the hellequins and they have some chemistry. I thought he was hot, just sayin.
Then Annith gets some things into her head and runs away and ends up meeting a group of warrior women called the Arduinnites. They were really nice to her but they brought some really sad news to Annith and now she is on a mission to kill.
Annith finally makes it to Sybella and Ismae, she tells them of some things she thinks is peculiar in the covent. Something is up with the abbess and it's more than I would have thought. That was a pretty deep revelation when I got to it.
And in this book we also find out more about Mortain and who he really is and OMG, I loved it! It was one of those holy crow moments that everyone else probably figured out but me!
Either way, I enjoyed all of the books in this trilogy! How often do you read about bad to the bone butt kicking nuns that will take you out?
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
May 18, 2018
3.5 stars
Not a bad finish for this trilogy, but it was a bit too long for my taste. There just wasn't enough action to keep me interested in this 444 page book. By the 60% mark, I was checking in earnest to see how much longer till Mortal Heart wrapped up.
It wasn't boring, per say, it just got kinda draggy.
Also, I had already figured out the 3 Big Reveals, and I was sort of just waiting on the end of the book for confirmation.
Pssst. I was right about all of them.
And, you know, that's just a bummer. I hate it when nothing surprises me, because then I end up feeling sort of blah about the whole book. Not horrible, mind you, just meh.
Ok, so this is Annith's story, but the ladies from the other 2 books make appearances, as well. I thought that their additions to the story were very well done. This being the last book, it tied up all the loose ends, so having the 3 of them meet up and finish everything off together was great.
How was the romance?
Well, it was alright. It didn't start off with insta-love on Annith's part, and it was nice to see a woman who wasn't fawning all over the first guy to pay her any attention.
I mean, he was quite literally the first guy she had ever really had any real contact with. So, it would have been pretty easy for the author to make her go all doe-eyed & weak in the knees over him. But since she didn't get stupid over him in the beginning, I kinda enjoyed the lovey-dovey stuff. And by the end of the book, when they were going pretty hot an heavy, it felt more natural than I expected due to {spoilery reasons}. Also, it was all pretty fade to black, so while there was sex, you're not getting anything graphic.
Final Book = Final Battle
So, how was it?
Well, considering how much the book seemed to drag on in parts, I thought the end was pretty good. There was enough of that OhMyGodWillEveryoneMakeIt!? kind of thing going on to keep my ass riveted to the seat. And once it was over, LaFevers tied up all of the loose plot threads quite nicely.
Or, at least, I think she did.
I haven't read the second book yet (still on hold at my library!), but it looked to me like everyone & everything got a tidy ending. And while I wasn't blown out of the water by this one, I'm still glad I read it, if for no other reason than (after I get my hands on book 2!) I can finally tick this trilogy off my list.
Also reviewed for:
Not a bad finish for this trilogy, but it was a bit too long for my taste. There just wasn't enough action to keep me interested in this 444 page book. By the 60% mark, I was checking in earnest to see how much longer till Mortal Heart wrapped up.
It wasn't boring, per say, it just got kinda draggy.
Also, I had already figured out the 3 Big Reveals, and I was sort of just waiting on the end of the book for confirmation.
Pssst. I was right about all of them.
And, you know, that's just a bummer. I hate it when nothing surprises me, because then I end up feeling sort of blah about the whole book. Not horrible, mind you, just meh.
Ok, so this is Annith's story, but the ladies from the other 2 books make appearances, as well. I thought that their additions to the story were very well done. This being the last book, it tied up all the loose ends, so having the 3 of them meet up and finish everything off together was great.
How was the romance?
Well, it was alright. It didn't start off with insta-love on Annith's part, and it was nice to see a woman who wasn't fawning all over the first guy to pay her any attention.
I mean, he was quite literally the first guy she had ever really had any real contact with. So, it would have been pretty easy for the author to make her go all doe-eyed & weak in the knees over him. But since she didn't get stupid over him in the beginning, I kinda enjoyed the lovey-dovey stuff. And by the end of the book, when they were going pretty hot an heavy, it felt more natural than I expected due to {spoilery reasons}. Also, it was all pretty fade to black, so while there was sex, you're not getting anything graphic.
Final Book = Final Battle
So, how was it?
Well, considering how much the book seemed to drag on in parts, I thought the end was pretty good. There was enough of that OhMyGodWillEveryoneMakeIt!? kind of thing going on to keep my ass riveted to the seat. And once it was over, LaFevers tied up all of the loose plot threads quite nicely.
Or, at least, I think she did.
I haven't read the second book yet (still on hold at my library!), but it looked to me like everyone & everything got a tidy ending. And while I wasn't blown out of the water by this one, I'm still glad I read it, if for no other reason than (after I get my hands on book 2!) I can finally tick this trilogy off my list.
Also reviewed for:
July 10, 2022
*4/5 stars*
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
Mortal Heart, the last book from His Fair Assassin trilogy is a great conclusion to the His Fair Assassin trilogy, although in comparison to the other two novels, my least favourite. Wich is not to say I didn't enjoy it, I simply wasn't as in love with it - and the main heorine - as in the first two books.
The story is heavier on romance, as well as slower at parts. It also contains more supernatural elements than the previous two books - readers finally discover more about the gods, Mortain and also the Hellequin, His damned vassals. The plot is a bit slower in comparison to book two. It did took me a bit longer to finish than Dark Triumph.
“You cannot turn a wolf into a lap dog.” - Ismae
Annith lived her entire life in convent of St. Mortain and longed to be sent on assignment and serve as Mortain's handmaiden. She tried to be nice and obedient for fear of being punished and rejected. She needed to excell in everything, be the best in every skill taught in the convent, but underneath it all felt uncertain about her worth as His handmaiden. Why wasn't she sent out on assignment already. She is the best fighter, excels in horsemanship and archery. Then why did the abbess send Sybella and Ismae after just a few years of training, but not her. There's something deeply wrong with the convent and it's abbess.
“I realize now, now that it has been taken away from me, that the only thing that kept me from despair all these years was the belief that one day I would finally be able to get off this island—this place where I have had to guard every thought, hide every true feeling, and weigh every gesture. It was the promise of having a life of my own—away from the convent—that fueled my determination to excel at everything they threw at me.”
When the abbess decides that Annith would make the perfect Seeress - thus would stay locked and oppressed in the convent for the rest of her life - and sends out on dangerous assignment young unprepared girl, Annith decides to finally take matters in her hands and leave, even if it means defy Mortain Himself.
On the way to the duchess, Annith encounters a group of Hellequin. Uncertain and afraid of what tho do, she accepts an offer from Balthazaar - dark, brooding leader of the Hellequin - and decides to hide in their midst.
“If you so much as snicker, I will kill you all.” - Balthazaar
The main issue for me - and the reason as to why I didn't give it 5 stars - is that Annith is my least favourite heroine of the three. Don't get me wrong, I did like her and still think she's much better than a lot of other YA heroines, but I also thought she was rather on the nice, but bland side in comparison to the other two. Maybe partly due to her upbringing, and how different it was to Ismae and Sybella. It didn't harden her as much. I also really liked Balthazaar's character, although the romantic aspect was as well my least favorite - I did prefer Sybella and Beast, and then Ismae and Duval. Still, I can't bring myself to give this book less than four stars.
“I am beginning to think that love itself is never wrong. It is what love can drive people to do that is the problem.”
There's something dark, uncanny and magical about this trilogy. The prose is gorgeous, each main heroine is completely different and the story nicely combines fictional characters with true historical events.
All in all, Mortal Heart is satisfying ending to the trilogy with some very surprising twists (especially one particular thing!!!), I know what would each heroine do for a few years, but still will remain hopeful for some sequel from this amazing world. P.S. Which we are getting in the form of Courting Darkness!
“And so I find myself telling my story for Sybella while she dresses. By the time I am done, she is smiling at me with pride, as if she herself had been responsible for my daring. Which—I realize with a jolt of understanding—she partially is. In giving me love, Ismae and Sybella have given me strength.”
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
Mortal Heart, the last book from His Fair Assassin trilogy is a great conclusion to the His Fair Assassin trilogy, although in comparison to the other two novels, my least favourite. Wich is not to say I didn't enjoy it, I simply wasn't as in love with it - and the main heorine - as in the first two books.
The story is heavier on romance, as well as slower at parts. It also contains more supernatural elements than the previous two books - readers finally discover more about the gods, Mortain and also the Hellequin, His damned vassals. The plot is a bit slower in comparison to book two. It did took me a bit longer to finish than Dark Triumph.
“You cannot turn a wolf into a lap dog.” - Ismae
Annith lived her entire life in convent of St. Mortain and longed to be sent on assignment and serve as Mortain's handmaiden. She tried to be nice and obedient for fear of being punished and rejected. She needed to excell in everything, be the best in every skill taught in the convent, but underneath it all felt uncertain about her worth as His handmaiden. Why wasn't she sent out on assignment already. She is the best fighter, excels in horsemanship and archery. Then why did the abbess send Sybella and Ismae after just a few years of training, but not her. There's something deeply wrong with the convent and it's abbess.
“I realize now, now that it has been taken away from me, that the only thing that kept me from despair all these years was the belief that one day I would finally be able to get off this island—this place where I have had to guard every thought, hide every true feeling, and weigh every gesture. It was the promise of having a life of my own—away from the convent—that fueled my determination to excel at everything they threw at me.”
When the abbess decides that Annith would make the perfect Seeress - thus would stay locked and oppressed in the convent for the rest of her life - and sends out on dangerous assignment young unprepared girl, Annith decides to finally take matters in her hands and leave, even if it means defy Mortain Himself.
On the way to the duchess, Annith encounters a group of Hellequin. Uncertain and afraid of what tho do, she accepts an offer from Balthazaar - dark, brooding leader of the Hellequin - and decides to hide in their midst.
“If you so much as snicker, I will kill you all.” - Balthazaar
The main issue for me - and the reason as to why I didn't give it 5 stars - is that Annith is my least favourite heroine of the three. Don't get me wrong, I did like her and still think she's much better than a lot of other YA heroines, but I also thought she was rather on the nice, but bland side in comparison to the other two. Maybe partly due to her upbringing, and how different it was to Ismae and Sybella. It didn't harden her as much. I also really liked Balthazaar's character, although the romantic aspect was as well my least favorite - I did prefer Sybella and Beast, and then Ismae and Duval. Still, I can't bring myself to give this book less than four stars.
“I am beginning to think that love itself is never wrong. It is what love can drive people to do that is the problem.”
There's something dark, uncanny and magical about this trilogy. The prose is gorgeous, each main heroine is completely different and the story nicely combines fictional characters with true historical events.
All in all, Mortal Heart is satisfying ending to the trilogy with some very surprising twists (especially one particular thing!!!), I know what would each heroine do for a few years, but still will remain hopeful for some sequel from this amazing world. P.S. Which we are getting in the form of Courting Darkness!
“And so I find myself telling my story for Sybella while she dresses. By the time I am done, she is smiling at me with pride, as if she herself had been responsible for my daring. Which—I realize with a jolt of understanding—she partially is. In giving me love, Ismae and Sybella have given me strength.”
December 7, 2014
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
One of the biggest surprises for me this year was discovery of absolutely amazing His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers. I am not the biggest fan of fantasy novels and even less of historical setting, but I picked these books up by sheer luck. Best decision ever because stories about Ismae and Sybella have everything that I love - great premise, strong female characters, political intrigue and enough of romance to make everything interesting.
I was scared to read Mortal Heart. Previous two books had few similar things when it comes to the story, but still each was original and thrilling to read. My biggest fear about Mortal Heart was just that - will it manage to be fresh, new story or it will turn into repetitive pattern. Once again, I was left speechless. Holy Mortain, what a twist! I did not see that coming. Well, I did guessed in the very end, but even then I wan't completely sure.
Medieval biker gang and damsel in distress (who doesn't need a prince to save her). I was swooning and laughing so hard because I couldn't stop comparing Balthazaar and his... gang? crew?... how ever you want to call them, with all my favorite fictional biker boys. They are savages, cruel and intimidating, riding big, scary horses and going all "alpha males" in front of Annith. I loved every second of it.
Nicely wrapped up. I was wondering how will some of the aspects of the trilogy be explained or end (again one of the things that scared me), but I shouldn't have any doubts. I have to keep my mouth shut - spoilers, you know - but I can't wait to see what you will think about the way this book ended.
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Grave Mercy
Dark Triumph
One of the biggest surprises for me this year was discovery of absolutely amazing His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers. I am not the biggest fan of fantasy novels and even less of historical setting, but I picked these books up by sheer luck. Best decision ever because stories about Ismae and Sybella have everything that I love - great premise, strong female characters, political intrigue and enough of romance to make everything interesting.
I was scared to read Mortal Heart. Previous two books had few similar things when it comes to the story, but still each was original and thrilling to read. My biggest fear about Mortal Heart was just that - will it manage to be fresh, new story or it will turn into repetitive pattern. Once again, I was left speechless. Holy Mortain, what a twist! I did not see that coming. Well, I did guessed in the very end, but even then I wan't completely sure.
Medieval biker gang and damsel in distress (who doesn't need a prince to save her). I was swooning and laughing so hard because I couldn't stop comparing Balthazaar and his... gang? crew?... how ever you want to call them, with all my favorite fictional biker boys. They are savages, cruel and intimidating, riding big, scary horses and going all "alpha males" in front of Annith. I loved every second of it.
Nicely wrapped up. I was wondering how will some of the aspects of the trilogy be explained or end (again one of the things that scared me), but I shouldn't have any doubts. I have to keep my mouth shut - spoilers, you know - but I can't wait to see what you will think about the way this book ended.
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Grave Mercy
Dark Triumph
Read
May 9, 2016DNF 50%. Morthain saves me from the boredom, please.
Annith is no Sybella, I don't care about the big reveals whatsoever, and the writing is so freaking dull and dry that even the action parts drag on. I guess I will never know what the fuss what about. Oh well.
France : 0 - Brittany : 1
I give up.
Annith is no Sybella, I don't care about the big reveals whatsoever, and the writing is so freaking dull and dry that even the action parts drag on. I guess I will never know what the fuss what about. Oh well.
France : 0 - Brittany : 1
I give up.
Read
November 24, 2014...forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent.
Oh man, BRAVO on a gorgeous shivery blurb, HMH! *wants*
Oh man, BRAVO on a gorgeous shivery blurb, HMH! *wants*
November 7, 2014
One of the things that I have liked so much about the His Fair Assassins series, besides the Assassin Nuns of course is the blending of completely fictionalized characters with actual historical events. The time lines are not exact but the major events and characters are.
Grave Mercy was more of a political intrigue, Dark Triumph an Adventure and now Mortal Heart is more of a Fantasy and love story. This book is far more invested into the lore of the gods Mortain in particular but the other Nine as well and their increasingly changing roles with the influx of the Christianity. I really liked how LaFever’s imagined the shift in this period of time and incorporated it with actual historical event.
Annith has been in the Convent of Mortain for most of her life. She has dreamed of serving him and being Mortain’s handmaiden of death for as long as she can remember, she longs to get out of the convent and into the real world. But every one of her peers has been sent out before her and now even younger girls are being given assignments. When it becomes clear that the Abbess has plans for Annith to become the seeress for the convent and never leave she decides she has had enough and must take her life in her own hands.
The first 20% of the book is a little slow while Annith is at the convent. But once she leaves things get really interesting. Annith captures the attention and intense interest of Balthazaar, the leader of the Hellequin, Mortain’s army of the dead that hunts wicked or lost souls to return to the underworld.
Annith also finds out so much more about her past, the Abbess and her own role to play in helping Queen Anne and all of Brittany. It seems that the stories of the gods might have something in them that could give Anne a chance against the French.
While I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, this one in particular had more supernatural events going on. More about the gods and their past came into play. I liked how each order had their own stories and how each story held some truth to it but not the complete story.
I don’t want to say too much about the love interest other than he was great and I really liked the way that whole storyline played out. Leader of the Hellequin he is dark, brooding and has a sense of sadness and longing to him. While most people are scared of the Hellequin Annith finds an easy rhythm while traveling with them and something starts to blossom between her and Balthazaar. LaFever’s really surprised me with the Hero of this story. Annith deserved an epic love and I think she got it in him.
Mortal Heart gave me satisfactory endings to Ismae, Sybella and Annith’s stories. I know where all three girls will be at least for the next five years or so. I also really liked how Anne’s story played out. If you knew anything about the period in history you know what will eventually happen but I liked the way LaFever’s imagined getting there. Fantastic re-telling of a historic period with some supernatural elements.
Grave Mercy was more of a political intrigue, Dark Triumph an Adventure and now Mortal Heart is more of a Fantasy and love story. This book is far more invested into the lore of the gods Mortain in particular but the other Nine as well and their increasingly changing roles with the influx of the Christianity. I really liked how LaFever’s imagined the shift in this period of time and incorporated it with actual historical event.
Annith has been in the Convent of Mortain for most of her life. She has dreamed of serving him and being Mortain’s handmaiden of death for as long as she can remember, she longs to get out of the convent and into the real world. But every one of her peers has been sent out before her and now even younger girls are being given assignments. When it becomes clear that the Abbess has plans for Annith to become the seeress for the convent and never leave she decides she has had enough and must take her life in her own hands.
“Reverend Mother, I have spent my entire life training for one thing—to be Death’s handmaiden and carry out His will here on earth. At no time have I ever felt called to the duties that Sister Vereda performs.”
The first 20% of the book is a little slow while Annith is at the convent. But once she leaves things get really interesting. Annith captures the attention and intense interest of Balthazaar, the leader of the Hellequin, Mortain’s army of the dead that hunts wicked or lost souls to return to the underworld.
“I am just overwhelmed by the immensity of Mortain’s grace. That even if we are lost or wandering, He will find us—always, He will find us—and try to bring us home.”
“Yes,” Balthazaar says. “He will.”
His finger lingers against my cheek a moment before he turns and walks away. As I watch him depart, I wonder if the hellequin are Mortain’s way of ensuring I find my way home, wherever that may be, and if Balthazaar’s words are a warning or a promise.
Annith also finds out so much more about her past, the Abbess and her own role to play in helping Queen Anne and all of Brittany. It seems that the stories of the gods might have something in them that could give Anne a chance against the French.
While I enjoyed the historical aspects of the story, this one in particular had more supernatural events going on. More about the gods and their past came into play. I liked how each order had their own stories and how each story held some truth to it but not the complete story.
I don’t want to say too much about the love interest other than he was great and I really liked the way that whole storyline played out. Leader of the Hellequin he is dark, brooding and has a sense of sadness and longing to him. While most people are scared of the Hellequin Annith finds an easy rhythm while traveling with them and something starts to blossom between her and Balthazaar. LaFever’s really surprised me with the Hero of this story. Annith deserved an epic love and I think she got it in him.
Mortal Heart gave me satisfactory endings to Ismae, Sybella and Annith’s stories. I know where all three girls will be at least for the next five years or so. I also really liked how Anne’s story played out. If you knew anything about the period in history you know what will eventually happen but I liked the way LaFever’s imagined getting there. Fantastic re-telling of a historic period with some supernatural elements.
October 14, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Book Three of the His Fair Assassins series
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.
She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...
What I Liked:
It's officially official (again): this series is one of my favorite series everrrrrr. Grave Mercy was my favorite novel of 2012, and Dark Triumph was an excellent sequel (which I just read this past March). I preferred Ismae's story to Sybella's, but I just knew that I would love Annith's story.
Annith has been in the convent, serving Mortain, longer than any of the other girls. She has never been on an assignment, whereas girls her age (like Ismae and Sybella) have been sent out. When Annith escapes, taking matters into her own hands, she discovers that some legends are true, and that she isn't quite like the other daughters of Mortain. Time is ticking for the duchess and the country, and Annith has an important role to play in the war to decide the ruling power of Europe.
I love this series. I love that it appears to be a companion series, and it could be, but it really isn't. There are several general plots that run throughout the series - like the duchess and her marriage and the politics and the war and so much political scheming! Also, we get to see Ismae/Duval and Sybella/Beast in this book, as well as other characters from books one and two that I did not think would appear again.
The first book is still my favorite of the series, but this book comes in second (with Dark Triumph in a close third). I love how complex this book is - it's not just about Annith and her self-discovery. The brewing war and overarching political conflict is also at the forefront of the book, as Annith is heading to Guérande (which is where Ismae, Duval, Sybella, etc. are). Annith has a key part to play in the war, but we don't get to see this until late in the book.
The book is pretty long (450+ pages), but the story is so intriguing and fun to read. Maybe "fun" isn't the right word - I mean like, totally engrossing and engaging. I love Ismae/Duval, and I enjoyed reading about Sybella/Beast, and I really REALLY wanted to know more about Annith (and her love interest, who I will talk about later). We follow Annith from the convent to some crazy forest thing (no spoilers!) to where the duchess and Ismae/Sybella are, and there, Annith takes her place helping the duchess, but also, discovering secrets about the abbess, and her (Annith's) past.
Annith is a mystery, for most of the book. We don't know who she is, or what she is, but we know that she cannot be an "ordinary" daughter of Mortain. She has no gifts of Mortain, but she is a faithful servant and a very skilled assassin. Annith is obedient, but there is always a thread of rebellion laced through her heart. She is determined to discover the truth of the abbess's schemes and plotting - and we know how twisted the abbess seemed in books one and two.
Yes, yes there is romance in this book. The romance is a bit... unexpected, as LaFevers introduces a new element to the lore of the story. The male love interest in question is part of the new element of the story (which I won't give away). His name is Balthazaar, I'll give you that. I loveeeee Balthazaar - he is an interesting character, and has quite the dangerous edge. I like edgy. I won't say more. I thought it was interesting how LaFevers resolved the romance - I didn't know how it would end, honestly.
This is probably my favorite historical fiction series in YA literature. Like, I loveee historical fiction, and I read a lot of it, but this has to be my favorite. Medieval historic times? Totally my thing. Plus all the politics and conflict AND breathtaking romance? Like woah.
The ending of this book (and therefore, series) is good. I'm not going to say if it ended with a "happily ever after" or whatever - no spoilers from me! But it was good. I loved it. I love how things fit together. LaFevers addressed all of the conflicts in the book and series. Very well-done!
Sufficient it to say, I was VERY pleased with this book. All the waiting and putting off reading this one despite having a review copy (I do things chronologically) was totally worth it. This book was stunning, beautifully written, solidly crafted, and all around, amazing!
What I Did Not Like:
Okay, I have to be honest, it took me a bit to get into the book. Maybe like, a hundred pages (or thereabout). It's a 450+ page book, so one hundred pages isn't really THAT much. Things get interesting when Annith leaves the convent, basically. Before that, I'm kind of like okay... I know LaFevers is setting up the scene, but eh. Necessary "evil".
I don't really have many dislikes - this one just FEELS like a 4-star-read, you know? I loved Grave Mercy more, but I really liked this book! More like 4.5 stars.
Would I Recommend It:
I would recommend this book AND I would totally recommend this series in general! Seriously, this series is an Alyssa-approved series, one of my favorites (and probably my favorite YA historical fiction series). Plus, check out the covers! I like the original cover of Dark Triumph, but in general, I LOVED the covers of these books. And the books.
Rating:
4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (only because it's not quite to 5 stars, like Grave Mercy. If that makes sense). But really guys, this book (and series) is so so so good! One of the best!
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Book Three of the His Fair Assassins series
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.
She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has...
What I Liked:
It's officially official (again): this series is one of my favorite series everrrrrr. Grave Mercy was my favorite novel of 2012, and Dark Triumph was an excellent sequel (which I just read this past March). I preferred Ismae's story to Sybella's, but I just knew that I would love Annith's story.
Annith has been in the convent, serving Mortain, longer than any of the other girls. She has never been on an assignment, whereas girls her age (like Ismae and Sybella) have been sent out. When Annith escapes, taking matters into her own hands, she discovers that some legends are true, and that she isn't quite like the other daughters of Mortain. Time is ticking for the duchess and the country, and Annith has an important role to play in the war to decide the ruling power of Europe.
I love this series. I love that it appears to be a companion series, and it could be, but it really isn't. There are several general plots that run throughout the series - like the duchess and her marriage and the politics and the war and so much political scheming! Also, we get to see Ismae/Duval and Sybella/Beast in this book, as well as other characters from books one and two that I did not think would appear again.
The first book is still my favorite of the series, but this book comes in second (with Dark Triumph in a close third). I love how complex this book is - it's not just about Annith and her self-discovery. The brewing war and overarching political conflict is also at the forefront of the book, as Annith is heading to Guérande (which is where Ismae, Duval, Sybella, etc. are). Annith has a key part to play in the war, but we don't get to see this until late in the book.
The book is pretty long (450+ pages), but the story is so intriguing and fun to read. Maybe "fun" isn't the right word - I mean like, totally engrossing and engaging. I love Ismae/Duval, and I enjoyed reading about Sybella/Beast, and I really REALLY wanted to know more about Annith (and her love interest, who I will talk about later). We follow Annith from the convent to some crazy forest thing (no spoilers!) to where the duchess and Ismae/Sybella are, and there, Annith takes her place helping the duchess, but also, discovering secrets about the abbess, and her (Annith's) past.
Annith is a mystery, for most of the book. We don't know who she is, or what she is, but we know that she cannot be an "ordinary" daughter of Mortain. She has no gifts of Mortain, but she is a faithful servant and a very skilled assassin. Annith is obedient, but there is always a thread of rebellion laced through her heart. She is determined to discover the truth of the abbess's schemes and plotting - and we know how twisted the abbess seemed in books one and two.
Yes, yes there is romance in this book. The romance is a bit... unexpected, as LaFevers introduces a new element to the lore of the story. The male love interest in question is part of the new element of the story (which I won't give away). His name is Balthazaar, I'll give you that. I loveeeee Balthazaar - he is an interesting character, and has quite the dangerous edge. I like edgy. I won't say more. I thought it was interesting how LaFevers resolved the romance - I didn't know how it would end, honestly.
This is probably my favorite historical fiction series in YA literature. Like, I loveee historical fiction, and I read a lot of it, but this has to be my favorite. Medieval historic times? Totally my thing. Plus all the politics and conflict AND breathtaking romance? Like woah.
The ending of this book (and therefore, series) is good. I'm not going to say if it ended with a "happily ever after" or whatever - no spoilers from me! But it was good. I loved it. I love how things fit together. LaFevers addressed all of the conflicts in the book and series. Very well-done!
Sufficient it to say, I was VERY pleased with this book. All the waiting and putting off reading this one despite having a review copy (I do things chronologically) was totally worth it. This book was stunning, beautifully written, solidly crafted, and all around, amazing!
What I Did Not Like:
Okay, I have to be honest, it took me a bit to get into the book. Maybe like, a hundred pages (or thereabout). It's a 450+ page book, so one hundred pages isn't really THAT much. Things get interesting when Annith leaves the convent, basically. Before that, I'm kind of like okay... I know LaFevers is setting up the scene, but eh. Necessary "evil".
I don't really have many dislikes - this one just FEELS like a 4-star-read, you know? I loved Grave Mercy more, but I really liked this book! More like 4.5 stars.
Would I Recommend It:
I would recommend this book AND I would totally recommend this series in general! Seriously, this series is an Alyssa-approved series, one of my favorites (and probably my favorite YA historical fiction series). Plus, check out the covers! I like the original cover of Dark Triumph, but in general, I LOVED the covers of these books. And the books.
Rating:
4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (only because it's not quite to 5 stars, like Grave Mercy. If that makes sense). But really guys, this book (and series) is so so so good! One of the best!
Want to read
November 14, 2014How the hell is there already 30 ratings?!!!!!!! The book hasn't even been written yet, not least published!!
Crazy, I tell you, crazy.
There's already one annoyingly-cheerful psychic in Twilight, we don't need another to foretell what Mortal Heart's going to turn out like. I'm happy in my ignorance and I'm still going to read it, because hell I love this trilogy.
Judge it after you read it.
In the meanwhile, I'm going to be suffering from withdrawal until 2014. I think I'll live...possibly...maybe...50/50 chance at least.
What the hell, I'm going to keep on rereading Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph until Mortal Heart 's expected publication date. Until then-
I SHALL WAIT!
Crazy, I tell you, crazy.
There's already one annoyingly-cheerful psychic in Twilight, we don't need another to foretell what Mortal Heart's going to turn out like. I'm happy in my ignorance and I'm still going to read it, because hell I love this trilogy.
Judge it after you read it.
In the meanwhile, I'm going to be suffering from withdrawal until 2014. I think I'll live...possibly...maybe...50/50 chance at least.
What the hell, I'm going to keep on rereading Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph until Mortal Heart 's expected publication date. Until then-
I SHALL WAIT!
May 27, 2021
Re-read 2021 review:
Downranking it to a 3 star upon rereading, because while I still enjoy the romance, there's a lot of contrivances happening all the time and several elements of the story that don't make sense. Also the fact that there is maybe one action scene made the book kind of a slog to get through (it is 500 pages after all). I would still recommend this series to lovers of fantasy romance, but the magic was unfortunately kind of lost to me when I reread it.
Read 2020 review:
4.5
This is truly one of the best, most underrated historical fantasy-romance series EVER. I adore the historical background, the way the author manages to weave history, mythology and fantasy together so seamlessly to create a complete and convincing picture.
I adore the romances in these books, because even though they might become a little cliché at times, they always come with a good, empowering message and that tips the scales in favour of them far more than anything else could.
This was a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy, that brought everything full circle and answered many of the open questions from the previous books. It was well written, suspenseful at times and most importantly, incredibly entertaining.
Will forever be re-reading these books, for sure.
Downranking it to a 3 star upon rereading, because while I still enjoy the romance, there's a lot of contrivances happening all the time and several elements of the story that don't make sense. Also the fact that there is maybe one action scene made the book kind of a slog to get through (it is 500 pages after all). I would still recommend this series to lovers of fantasy romance, but the magic was unfortunately kind of lost to me when I reread it.
Read 2020 review:
4.5
This is truly one of the best, most underrated historical fantasy-romance series EVER. I adore the historical background, the way the author manages to weave history, mythology and fantasy together so seamlessly to create a complete and convincing picture.
I adore the romances in these books, because even though they might become a little cliché at times, they always come with a good, empowering message and that tips the scales in favour of them far more than anything else could.
This was a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy, that brought everything full circle and answered many of the open questions from the previous books. It was well written, suspenseful at times and most importantly, incredibly entertaining.
Will forever be re-reading these books, for sure.
February 8, 2015
I love Robin LaFevers's work--such a cool mingling of history and fantasy and romance. I'm sorry the assassin nun trilogy is coming to an end.
February 6, 2021
2015 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.
April 12, 2016
After falling in love with GRAVE MERCY and DARK TRIUMPH, I had high expectations for MORTAL HEART. Turns out I didn’t need to worry, this book exceeded my expectations and made an absolutely great conclusion to the epic His Fair Assassin trilogy.
Despite somewhat of a slow start, MORTAL HEART quickly picks as we get to know Annith a bit more. She was somewhat of a mystery in the previous books and the beginning of this one really focuses on answering some of the questions you might have had about her, and we realize why she is the way she is. It wasn’t the most exciting or suspenseful bit, but it allows the reader to connect to Annith and really grow to care about her.
There are plenty of familiar faces but a whole heap of fresh ones as well, which is a nice surprise considering this is the final installment. I loved seeing returning characters and what they’ve been up to since we left them in the previous books. Speaking of new characters though…
The romance. So heartbreaking, so sweet, so dangerous, so awesome. If you fell in love with Duval and Beast, you just wait. Just when I thought there couldn’t be yet another amazing love interest in this series…
And guys, the twists. There was one I saw coming, but the other… The other…
I loved the way it was revealed too. Chills. Serious chills. So good.
We learn so much more about everything in this book, discovering the truth just as Annith does. All of these revelations make me want to immediately go back and reread all the books, especially MORTAL HEART, with this new knowledge. Everything really comes together in the end, and there couldn’t be a more satisfying conclusion to this series.
LaFevers’ writing continues to impress, it is gorgeous. It’s not the type of writing that goes on and on to fill pages with endless prose, but is meaningful and really adds to the story as a whole. I want to include ALL THE QUOTES but they are pretty spoilery so I suggest getting to this series ASAP so we can gush about them. I’m sold on LaFevers’ storytelling, and I can’t wait to get my hands on whatever she writes next.
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
None of these gifs are mine.
Despite somewhat of a slow start, MORTAL HEART quickly picks as we get to know Annith a bit more. She was somewhat of a mystery in the previous books and the beginning of this one really focuses on answering some of the questions you might have had about her, and we realize why she is the way she is. It wasn’t the most exciting or suspenseful bit, but it allows the reader to connect to Annith and really grow to care about her.
There are plenty of familiar faces but a whole heap of fresh ones as well, which is a nice surprise considering this is the final installment. I loved seeing returning characters and what they’ve been up to since we left them in the previous books. Speaking of new characters though…
The romance. So heartbreaking, so sweet, so dangerous, so awesome. If you fell in love with Duval and Beast, you just wait. Just when I thought there couldn’t be yet another amazing love interest in this series…
And guys, the twists. There was one I saw coming, but the other… The other…
I loved the way it was revealed too. Chills. Serious chills. So good.
We learn so much more about everything in this book, discovering the truth just as Annith does. All of these revelations make me want to immediately go back and reread all the books, especially MORTAL HEART, with this new knowledge. Everything really comes together in the end, and there couldn’t be a more satisfying conclusion to this series.
LaFevers’ writing continues to impress, it is gorgeous. It’s not the type of writing that goes on and on to fill pages with endless prose, but is meaningful and really adds to the story as a whole. I want to include ALL THE QUOTES but they are pretty spoilery so I suggest getting to this series ASAP so we can gush about them. I’m sold on LaFevers’ storytelling, and I can’t wait to get my hands on whatever she writes next.
This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
None of these gifs are mine.
May 12, 2015
I'm on a roll with assassins!!!
I can’t even start with how much I love Mortal Heart. This is my favorite book in the series. I love it even more than Dark Triumph.
The characters are fabulous.
I’m in love with Annith. I’m in love with Balthazar. I’m in love with Death. I’m in love with Sybella. I think you get the general idea.
The antagonists are believable and even though it is easy to hate them, it’s also hard not to sympathize with them. The plot and twists and turns are awesome. Can’t give anything away ;) The writing and flow are nice. Not overwhelming. Not underwhelming.
The feels <3 Oh dear lord, the feels! The turmoil of this book matched Dark Triumph in almost every way— the tragedy of a painful childhood, the sorrow of loss, the hopelessness, the distressing weight of betrayal versus forgiveness, the triumph of defeating the dark, the bliss of finding your place in the world.
I feared Mortal Heart would disappoint, but Robin LaFevers wrote a worthy book to end His Fair Assassin. She wrote this series like a boss!
I do have a few issues with the book, but ehhh, you can read other reviews for that.
I can’t wait to read more of LaFevers books!
I can’t even start with how much I love Mortal Heart. This is my favorite book in the series. I love it even more than Dark Triumph.
The characters are fabulous.
I’m in love with Annith. I’m in love with Balthazar. I’m in love with Death. I’m in love with Sybella. I think you get the general idea.
The antagonists are believable and even though it is easy to hate them, it’s also hard not to sympathize with them. The plot and twists and turns are awesome. Can’t give anything away ;) The writing and flow are nice. Not overwhelming. Not underwhelming.
The feels <3 Oh dear lord, the feels! The turmoil of this book matched Dark Triumph in almost every way— the tragedy of a painful childhood, the sorrow of loss, the hopelessness, the distressing weight of betrayal versus forgiveness, the triumph of defeating the dark, the bliss of finding your place in the world.
I feared Mortal Heart would disappoint, but Robin LaFevers wrote a worthy book to end His Fair Assassin. She wrote this series like a boss!
I do have a few issues with the book, but ehhh, you can read other reviews for that.
I can’t wait to read more of LaFevers books!
November 3, 2014
3.5 stars.
When Grave Mercy first came out, it polarized opinions and caused some very heated discussions. Some felt that it focused too hard on the romance and others were disappointed by the number of deaths these killer nuns inflicted. Some, on the other hand, felt that it achieved a perfect balance between court politics, murder and romance. I myself was an immediately fell in love with the characters, all the court intrigue and the beautiful historical setting. Dark Triumph further confirmed my opinion. It was much darker than its predecessor, incredibly painful and cruel to both Sybella and the reader, but it was also heart-wrenchingly beautiful and it made me feel unimaginable things.
Needless to say, I dreamed of getting my hands on Mortal Heart, desperate to learn Annith’s fate. But when it finally came and when I managed to read it, the emotional impact was not at all what I’d hoped for. Alas, I found myself feeling oddly indifferent.
There is nothing technically wrong with Annith’s story. LaFevers once again deserves praise for her gorgeous writing, her planning and her strong historical basis. She built an entire imaginary world around few vague historical facts and I think her idea, as well as her execution, is nothing short of admirable.
I felt, however, that after all the build-up inevitably caused by the previous two books, Annith’s character lacked the necessary strength to hold everything together. I liked Annith well enough, I suppose, but compared to Sybella or even Ismae, she somehow fades into the background. For me she never managed to become more than a fairly prominent secondary character.
My lack of connection with Annith caused a noticeable lack of connection with the romantic aspect of this book. Admittedly, Sybella and Beast were hard to live up to, but Annith’s romance came completely out of the blue and was far too outlandish for my taste.
Once the focus shifted away from Annith, though, the overall plot was executed perfectly. I admire LaFevers for keeping everything together and planning the main plotline so well while staying true to those few historical facts. It’s quite ingenuous and it makes me incredibly excited about her future projects, regardless of how I felt about this book.
As the author of my two all-time favorite reads, LaFevers firmly remains on my auto-buy list. While this book wasn’t at all what I’d hoped for, the trilogy as a whole is unforgettable and so very clever. If you haven’t already, I’d definitely give it a try.
When Grave Mercy first came out, it polarized opinions and caused some very heated discussions. Some felt that it focused too hard on the romance and others were disappointed by the number of deaths these killer nuns inflicted. Some, on the other hand, felt that it achieved a perfect balance between court politics, murder and romance. I myself was an immediately fell in love with the characters, all the court intrigue and the beautiful historical setting. Dark Triumph further confirmed my opinion. It was much darker than its predecessor, incredibly painful and cruel to both Sybella and the reader, but it was also heart-wrenchingly beautiful and it made me feel unimaginable things.
Needless to say, I dreamed of getting my hands on Mortal Heart, desperate to learn Annith’s fate. But when it finally came and when I managed to read it, the emotional impact was not at all what I’d hoped for. Alas, I found myself feeling oddly indifferent.
There is nothing technically wrong with Annith’s story. LaFevers once again deserves praise for her gorgeous writing, her planning and her strong historical basis. She built an entire imaginary world around few vague historical facts and I think her idea, as well as her execution, is nothing short of admirable.
I felt, however, that after all the build-up inevitably caused by the previous two books, Annith’s character lacked the necessary strength to hold everything together. I liked Annith well enough, I suppose, but compared to Sybella or even Ismae, she somehow fades into the background. For me she never managed to become more than a fairly prominent secondary character.
My lack of connection with Annith caused a noticeable lack of connection with the romantic aspect of this book. Admittedly, Sybella and Beast were hard to live up to, but Annith’s romance came completely out of the blue and was far too outlandish for my taste.
Once the focus shifted away from Annith, though, the overall plot was executed perfectly. I admire LaFevers for keeping everything together and planning the main plotline so well while staying true to those few historical facts. It’s quite ingenuous and it makes me incredibly excited about her future projects, regardless of how I felt about this book.
As the author of my two all-time favorite reads, LaFevers firmly remains on my auto-buy list. While this book wasn’t at all what I’d hoped for, the trilogy as a whole is unforgettable and so very clever. If you haven’t already, I’d definitely give it a try.
December 25, 2014
To be frank, I don't have much to say about Mortal Heart. It's a satisfactory ending to LaFevers debut trilogy--and wraps up all the loose ends nicely--but as far as being Annith's story, I felt it lacking. Perhaps it's simply because Annith isn't as strong a force to be reckoned with as Sybella. It's not that Annith isn't a formidable assassin--because she is--and her force of will is to be respected as she struggles to find the truth within her beloved abbey. Yet, she doesn't possess Sybella or Ismae's dark past which makes their stories compelling from the start itself and though it takes awhile for Annith's tale to find its footing, it continues to lose traction over time, not gain. I love Annith as a protagonist but the journey she undertakes in Mortal Heart pales in comparison to the stakes in both the previous novels. Moreover, the romance did absolutely nothing for me except to make me cringe a time or two and question--a lot--why there couldn't have been anyone else for Annith.
I feel as if Mortal Heart is a tricky novel, being the final installment in this trilogy, and LaFevers succeeds in many ways. Not only does the plot line that began in Grave Mercy reach fruition, but we are able to see our three heroines united, changed, and happier than they were when we first met them. Unlike the last two novels, Mortal Heart doesn't revolve around an assassination or a piece of the plot; it's where the entire story converges into one. Thus, Annith isn't the sole starring character at hand. Though we follow her journey, there are other compelling, strong women at play who--and this just may be my personal love of Sybella--at times undermined Annith's casting into the spotlight.
Additionally, though the romance isn't--and shouldn't be--a deciding factor in the enjoyment of a novel, I wasn't on board with this love story at any point and after Sybella and Beast's tale, felt vastly disappointed with this one. Frankly speaking, I didn't feel as if Annith needed romance. She's such a compelling and strong heroine, one whose loyalties to her sisters and friendships with them makes up so much of her being, that to have that replaced with a romance didn't hold the same weight or resonance for me as it likely should have. Plus, the romances of Ismae and Sybella, held side-by-side with Annith's lack of romance at first and then, later, her romantic interest, only made me feel as if Annith was desperate for the love Ismae and Sybella had found and needed a man to complete her as her sisters did. I have never felt that way about the romances in this series until this odd dichotomy.
Mortal Heart brings up shocking revelations and I have no doubt that die-hard fans of this series will adore this final installment. As someone who didn't plan to continue the series after Grave Mercy--something about that book simply did not tick with me--yet fell in love with Dark Triumph, this final installment falls somewhere in the middle. Not nearly as good as Dark Triumph but far more satisfactory than Grave Mercy. LaFevers trilogy is a beloved one among many and though it doesn't rank among my favorites by far, I love these heroines and everything they stand for. Thus, I do not hesitate to recommend forth this series, flaws and all.
I feel as if Mortal Heart is a tricky novel, being the final installment in this trilogy, and LaFevers succeeds in many ways. Not only does the plot line that began in Grave Mercy reach fruition, but we are able to see our three heroines united, changed, and happier than they were when we first met them. Unlike the last two novels, Mortal Heart doesn't revolve around an assassination or a piece of the plot; it's where the entire story converges into one. Thus, Annith isn't the sole starring character at hand. Though we follow her journey, there are other compelling, strong women at play who--and this just may be my personal love of Sybella--at times undermined Annith's casting into the spotlight.
Additionally, though the romance isn't--and shouldn't be--a deciding factor in the enjoyment of a novel, I wasn't on board with this love story at any point and after Sybella and Beast's tale, felt vastly disappointed with this one. Frankly speaking, I didn't feel as if Annith needed romance. She's such a compelling and strong heroine, one whose loyalties to her sisters and friendships with them makes up so much of her being, that to have that replaced with a romance didn't hold the same weight or resonance for me as it likely should have. Plus, the romances of Ismae and Sybella, held side-by-side with Annith's lack of romance at first and then, later, her romantic interest, only made me feel as if Annith was desperate for the love Ismae and Sybella had found and needed a man to complete her as her sisters did. I have never felt that way about the romances in this series until this odd dichotomy.
Mortal Heart brings up shocking revelations and I have no doubt that die-hard fans of this series will adore this final installment. As someone who didn't plan to continue the series after Grave Mercy--something about that book simply did not tick with me--yet fell in love with Dark Triumph, this final installment falls somewhere in the middle. Not nearly as good as Dark Triumph but far more satisfactory than Grave Mercy. LaFevers trilogy is a beloved one among many and though it doesn't rank among my favorites by far, I love these heroines and everything they stand for. Thus, I do not hesitate to recommend forth this series, flaws and all.
February 13, 2019
4 Stars!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
This was my favorite of the series I think.... LaFevers did an amazing job with this last installment.
In this book we follow Annith, like her sisters, she has been trained to be Mortain's assassin. We know from the previous books that the Abbess wants her to be the new Seeress. Annith is not having it though. She has always wanted to leave the convent so one night she takes off in the night, a few exciting things happen along her way to find Ismae and Sybella. Once she reaches the girls though, things start to unravel and secrets unfold!
I thought this installment was a bit different that the first two. I found it to be more exciting- and the love interest was unique. There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming and it was awesome!! I loved how the story just grabbed my attention and made me want to find out what was going to happen. I am so ready for Courting Darkness and hope that it does not disappoint!
Series Overall 4/5 *'s
🌟🌟🌟🌟
“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.”
This was my favorite of the series I think.... LaFevers did an amazing job with this last installment.
In this book we follow Annith, like her sisters, she has been trained to be Mortain's assassin. We know from the previous books that the Abbess wants her to be the new Seeress. Annith is not having it though. She has always wanted to leave the convent so one night she takes off in the night, a few exciting things happen along her way to find Ismae and Sybella. Once she reaches the girls though, things start to unravel and secrets unfold!
I thought this installment was a bit different that the first two. I found it to be more exciting- and the love interest was unique. There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming and it was awesome!! I loved how the story just grabbed my attention and made me want to find out what was going to happen. I am so ready for Courting Darkness and hope that it does not disappoint!
Series Overall 4/5 *'s
January 21, 2019
This series took the longest to finish, I started reading it in 2017 and finished in 2019, I read a book each year and am glad I splitted it.
This book is my favourite in the series, Annith is also my favourite of all three girls, her story had so much revelations and its a great conclusion to the series.
World building and Writing
Before this series I had no idea the French invaded Brittany. The author did such an amazing job depicting it. There was no confusion whatsoever. The book like its predecessors its written in first person POV of Annith the MC.
Characters
Annith is such a strong female character and she is nothing like the way people thought her to be, she is no where near docile. She is brave and goes for what she wants.
Balthazar the love interest is another great character, can't say much about him cause of spoilers. But one thingis for sure, he is kind, loving and selfless. What more could one ask for.
Sybella, Isbeau, Duval and Beast were all in this and they all played interesting roles, even the Abbess.
This book is my favourite in the series, Annith is also my favourite of all three girls, her story had so much revelations and its a great conclusion to the series.
World building and Writing
Before this series I had no idea the French invaded Brittany. The author did such an amazing job depicting it. There was no confusion whatsoever. The book like its predecessors its written in first person POV of Annith the MC.
Characters
Annith is such a strong female character and she is nothing like the way people thought her to be, she is no where near docile. She is brave and goes for what she wants.
Balthazar the love interest is another great character, can't say much about him cause of spoilers. But one thingis for sure, he is kind, loving and selfless. What more could one ask for.
Sybella, Isbeau, Duval and Beast were all in this and they all played interesting roles, even the Abbess.
March 30, 2017
Originally posted on Super Space Chick:
Personal Thoughts: I’m not quite sure why it took me so long to finally finish the His Fair Assassin’s trilogy. I really enjoyed Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph which I read last year but I hadn’t reached for Mortal Heart until very recently. Maybe I was worried about not having anymore to read once the story concluded but someone pointed out to me that we’re getting two more books set in the same world over the next couple of years so I suppose that’s why I felt ready to dive in! I was certain that none of the girl’s stories would top Ismae’s for me (Grave Mercy) but I actually think that Annith has taken her place as my new favorite.
Plot Summary: Following the events of Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph, the tweenage Dutchess of Brittany is in quite the predicament. The French are threatening to take over Brittany and they’ve been sending their armies in for war. With the help of Ismae and Sybella, the Dutchess has been able to avoid several assassination attempts and attempts at usurping her but the situation is really coming to a head in this final installment which follows Annith, the last of the sisters never to be sent out on a mission by the convent so she takes matters into her own hands.
Critique: Annith is by far one of the most interesting girls at the convent of Saint Mortain. As a handmaiden of death, she spent her entire life training to be sent out on a mission but time and time again she’s seen many of the girls, some much younger and less prepared than she be sent out while she’s stuck at the convent. The mysteries surrounding her birth and her relationship with the abbess and her predecessor is a complex web that is fascinating to watch unfold. I love that Annith takes matters into her own hands and despite always being the agreeable person she is, she really challenges authority, searches for truth and handles the revelations she discovers with a large amount of grace. She never loses sight of herself or her main objectives despite all of the questions that her past leaves her with. I also really loved the relationship between her and Balthazaar. Annith’s unwavering faith in Mortain is also something to be admired and I just loved where her storyline went because it diverged far away from what I had been expecting. I also think Mortal Heart is my favorite of the series because we get to see Annith, Ismae and Sybella reunited and there are so many heartwarming moments between these sisters. Everything plays out nicely and the story is completely tied up upon the completion of the novel but there are enough questions that the further installments will definitely be high upon my TBR list!
Do I Recommend?: Oh yes! But you must start with Grave Mercy and work your way to Mortal Heart first! If you like historical fiction with an element of fantasy and appreciate 15th century jokes, this is the book for you!
Personal Thoughts: I’m not quite sure why it took me so long to finally finish the His Fair Assassin’s trilogy. I really enjoyed Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph which I read last year but I hadn’t reached for Mortal Heart until very recently. Maybe I was worried about not having anymore to read once the story concluded but someone pointed out to me that we’re getting two more books set in the same world over the next couple of years so I suppose that’s why I felt ready to dive in! I was certain that none of the girl’s stories would top Ismae’s for me (Grave Mercy) but I actually think that Annith has taken her place as my new favorite.
Plot Summary: Following the events of Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph, the tweenage Dutchess of Brittany is in quite the predicament. The French are threatening to take over Brittany and they’ve been sending their armies in for war. With the help of Ismae and Sybella, the Dutchess has been able to avoid several assassination attempts and attempts at usurping her but the situation is really coming to a head in this final installment which follows Annith, the last of the sisters never to be sent out on a mission by the convent so she takes matters into her own hands.
Critique: Annith is by far one of the most interesting girls at the convent of Saint Mortain. As a handmaiden of death, she spent her entire life training to be sent out on a mission but time and time again she’s seen many of the girls, some much younger and less prepared than she be sent out while she’s stuck at the convent. The mysteries surrounding her birth and her relationship with the abbess and her predecessor is a complex web that is fascinating to watch unfold. I love that Annith takes matters into her own hands and despite always being the agreeable person she is, she really challenges authority, searches for truth and handles the revelations she discovers with a large amount of grace. She never loses sight of herself or her main objectives despite all of the questions that her past leaves her with. I also really loved the relationship between her and Balthazaar. Annith’s unwavering faith in Mortain is also something to be admired and I just loved where her storyline went because it diverged far away from what I had been expecting. I also think Mortal Heart is my favorite of the series because we get to see Annith, Ismae and Sybella reunited and there are so many heartwarming moments between these sisters. Everything plays out nicely and the story is completely tied up upon the completion of the novel but there are enough questions that the further installments will definitely be high upon my TBR list!
Do I Recommend?: Oh yes! But you must start with Grave Mercy and work your way to Mortal Heart first! If you like historical fiction with an element of fantasy and appreciate 15th century jokes, this is the book for you!
August 24, 2016
This series is set in the mid 15th century in Britain and revolves around girls brought up in a convent dedicated to assassinating the crown's enemies.
I read the first book and found it a bit dull, a little to clean, but serviceable.
I picked this up seeing a GR friend had enjoyed it and thinking the plot sounded like a bit more fun. It wasn't.
The plot of this book is incoherent and meandering. It takes ages for anything to happen and the "romance" is very weak even compared to the first novel.
There just isn't enough of anything to hold interest- the pacing is slow, the romance is dull, the plot is watery.
I enjoyed it even less then the first book and thought the big reveal was actually a bit gross.
Disappointed. Was looking for a fun read because the other stuff I'm reading at the moment is either dark or laborious but this was just dull.
I read the first book and found it a bit dull, a little to clean, but serviceable.
I picked this up seeing a GR friend had enjoyed it and thinking the plot sounded like a bit more fun. It wasn't.
The plot of this book is incoherent and meandering. It takes ages for anything to happen and the "romance" is very weak even compared to the first novel.
There just isn't enough of anything to hold interest- the pacing is slow, the romance is dull, the plot is watery.
I enjoyed it even less then the first book and thought the big reveal was actually a bit gross.
Disappointed. Was looking for a fun read because the other stuff I'm reading at the moment is either dark or laborious but this was just dull.
August 20, 2020
Overall this was a good resolution to this part of the series and I cannot wait to read the new duology featuring Sybella and Beast in France!
So this book was definitely giving off some Hades & Persephone vibes for sure, with a dash of Artemis because Annith is not no DNB - she out here killing doodz, and I was totally here for it.
I really like how different all 3 girls are in each book, in book 1 Ismae sometimes gives off some Mary Sue vibes, but even she really grows into this dynamic woman. As for Sybella, she is a bad ass bitch that I would die for. It's also worth mentioning that although all 3 girls are very different with their own paths, they love and support each other. Even when they are jealous or have their differences they stick together. Which is so refreshing, can I get an AMEN?
Some of the "twists" in the plot were pretty obvious, but still nicely done. I think the revelations about the Abbess were kind of blah though, and didn't really explain all of her actions well.
As for the love story,
I was worried that Annith being introduced as the "goody two shoes" girl was going to make this installment boring, but Annith really stepped up. She made her own decisions, forged her own destiny, and I was super proud of her by the end of it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series -even though I wished it would get a little darker and sexier at times. However, I get that this is supposed to be YA and I understand why the author held back some. I'm hoping that the next duology will be a little more bad ass with a dash of spice. ⚔️🔥☠️
------------------------
His Fair Assassin Trilogy
Grave Mercy, #1 ★★★★☆
Dark Triumph, #2 ★★★★☆
Mortal Heart, #3 ★★★★☆
Courting Darkness Duology
Courting Darkness, #1 ★★★☆☆
Igniting Darkness, #2 ★★★★☆
So this book was definitely giving off some Hades & Persephone vibes for sure, with a dash of Artemis because Annith is not no DNB - she out here killing doodz, and I was totally here for it.
I really like how different all 3 girls are in each book, in book 1 Ismae sometimes gives off some Mary Sue vibes, but even she really grows into this dynamic woman. As for Sybella, she is a bad ass bitch that I would die for. It's also worth mentioning that although all 3 girls are very different with their own paths, they love and support each other. Even when they are jealous or have their differences they stick together. Which is so refreshing, can I get an AMEN?
Some of the "twists" in the plot were pretty obvious, but still nicely done. I think the revelations about the Abbess were kind of blah though, and didn't really explain all of her actions well.
As for the love story,
I was worried that Annith being introduced as the "goody two shoes" girl was going to make this installment boring, but Annith really stepped up. She made her own decisions, forged her own destiny, and I was super proud of her by the end of it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series -even though I wished it would get a little darker and sexier at times. However, I get that this is supposed to be YA and I understand why the author held back some. I'm hoping that the next duology will be a little more bad ass with a dash of spice. ⚔️🔥☠️
------------------------
His Fair Assassin Trilogy
Grave Mercy, #1 ★★★★☆
Dark Triumph, #2 ★★★★☆
Mortal Heart, #3 ★★★★☆
Courting Darkness Duology
Courting Darkness, #1 ★★★☆☆
Igniting Darkness, #2 ★★★★☆
September 5, 2022
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
‘We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.’
The final installment in His Fair Assassin trilogy introduces Annith who anxiously awaits the day when she’s sent out into the world to serve Mortain. She excels at all she does and can’t comprehend why she still remains at the convent until the day she overhears the abbess proclaim that Annith is to be trained to be the next Seeress. Refusing to be subjected to the role which would keep her locked within the convent until her dying day, Annith decides to take matters into her own hands and serve Mortain in her own way.
So. Mortal Heart. It was easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year because of how much I adored Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph both. The only accurate way I can describe how I felt about Mortal Heart is to pull a Kevin Sorbo and throw my head back and howl my disappointment.
It must be said though, that LaFevers writing remains spectacular and the historically relevant details are incorporated wonderfully into this tale of fiction and makes for an interesting and informative tale. I mostly had issue with Annith herself and found her to be far too impulsive in her decisions despite the fact that I knew where she was coming from in her decision to leave the convent. Almost the entire first half of the book was spent in first person with the intent to get to know Annith and her mindset but I had a dreadfully hard time staying interested. Once she finally does take the leap of faith to leave the convent to venture out on her own, it does pick up but the seemingly requisite male that these females must meet is introduced and as much as I liked the originality of this love interest he was still described as “breathtakingly handsome in a dark, almost broken way”. Queue the eyerolls. I was fine with Ismae and Sybella’s stories and their meeting of their men but I guess by the third time of the same sort of tale it was getting a little old. If any of these girls tales could have done without a romance I think it would have been Annith. I would have much preferred a story centered around her need to flee the convent and grow in character as a strong and independent female making a life for her own.
Setting aside my opinions on Annith, my primary issue with Mortal Heart is the slow and meandering plot that unfortunately never ends up amounting to much. It took me two weeks to read this and while I love a book you can read slowly and savor, it was instead a definite struggle to finish. Its two predecessors were packed to the gills with action and it was sorely missing in this installment. Add to that, the unexpected and decidedly picturesque ending missed the mark completely for me.
As much as I hate to call this the worst installment, it’s still a trilogy I would highly recommend for the first two installments alone. If you’re a fan of action-packed historical novels with a cast of incredible women, do check this out.
‘We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.’
The final installment in His Fair Assassin trilogy introduces Annith who anxiously awaits the day when she’s sent out into the world to serve Mortain. She excels at all she does and can’t comprehend why she still remains at the convent until the day she overhears the abbess proclaim that Annith is to be trained to be the next Seeress. Refusing to be subjected to the role which would keep her locked within the convent until her dying day, Annith decides to take matters into her own hands and serve Mortain in her own way.
So. Mortal Heart. It was easily one of my most anticipated releases of the year because of how much I adored Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph both. The only accurate way I can describe how I felt about Mortal Heart is to pull a Kevin Sorbo and throw my head back and howl my disappointment.
It must be said though, that LaFevers writing remains spectacular and the historically relevant details are incorporated wonderfully into this tale of fiction and makes for an interesting and informative tale. I mostly had issue with Annith herself and found her to be far too impulsive in her decisions despite the fact that I knew where she was coming from in her decision to leave the convent. Almost the entire first half of the book was spent in first person with the intent to get to know Annith and her mindset but I had a dreadfully hard time staying interested. Once she finally does take the leap of faith to leave the convent to venture out on her own, it does pick up but the seemingly requisite male that these females must meet is introduced and as much as I liked the originality of this love interest he was still described as “breathtakingly handsome in a dark, almost broken way”. Queue the eyerolls. I was fine with Ismae and Sybella’s stories and their meeting of their men but I guess by the third time of the same sort of tale it was getting a little old. If any of these girls tales could have done without a romance I think it would have been Annith. I would have much preferred a story centered around her need to flee the convent and grow in character as a strong and independent female making a life for her own.
Setting aside my opinions on Annith, my primary issue with Mortal Heart is the slow and meandering plot that unfortunately never ends up amounting to much. It took me two weeks to read this and while I love a book you can read slowly and savor, it was instead a definite struggle to finish. Its two predecessors were packed to the gills with action and it was sorely missing in this installment. Add to that, the unexpected and decidedly picturesque ending missed the mark completely for me.
As much as I hate to call this the worst installment, it’s still a trilogy I would highly recommend for the first two installments alone. If you’re a fan of action-packed historical novels with a cast of incredible women, do check this out.
November 23, 2015
So probably the saddest thing that happened to me this summer was that I finished this book trilogy way too soon and I wasn't ready for it to be over by the time I finished Mortal Heart. I wish there had been more books in this series following more of "Death's Daughter's" but I understand why it was only a trilogy.
That being said, Mortal Heart is my second favorite in the trilogy. It follows Annith now, who just like Ismae and Sybella is going on her own mission to do what she thinks is right. I felt for Annith so strong because she was the only one who wasn't going on missions and the fact that she choose to leave on her own because she thinks it's what she's supposed to do is just awesome.
Annith's story definitely has the biggest fantasy vibe to it, which I loved cause I adore fantasy, and I found that to be interesting. The plot twists in this book were insane. I was not expecting half of the things that happened in this book to happen. I was completely floored at some points.
Annith, in my opinion, was definitely the most relate-able out of the three women throughout this series. I think part of why I loved this trilogy was because it was such a different time and a unique place to tell a story in. Robin Lefevers did an amazing job with this trilogy and I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat.
That being said, Mortal Heart is my second favorite in the trilogy. It follows Annith now, who just like Ismae and Sybella is going on her own mission to do what she thinks is right. I felt for Annith so strong because she was the only one who wasn't going on missions and the fact that she choose to leave on her own because she thinks it's what she's supposed to do is just awesome.
Annith's story definitely has the biggest fantasy vibe to it, which I loved cause I adore fantasy, and I found that to be interesting. The plot twists in this book were insane. I was not expecting half of the things that happened in this book to happen. I was completely floored at some points.
Annith, in my opinion, was definitely the most relate-able out of the three women throughout this series. I think part of why I loved this trilogy was because it was such a different time and a unique place to tell a story in. Robin Lefevers did an amazing job with this trilogy and I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat.
April 7, 2020
I think this was my favourite book of the trilogy! I found Annith's story more compelling somehow!
May 20, 2015
Mortal Heart was a really big letdown after the greatness that was Dark Triumph. There were a few things I liked but they were largely overshadowed by the things I really didn’t like. I do realize that this is probably largely because of my personal preferences, though, so this review is fairly subjective.
I liked that we got to see a different part of the world through Annith’s eyes and learn more about the religion. But if I’m honest that’s about the only thing I truly enjoyed.
I’ll list a few reasons why I didn’t like this book:
- The pacing was really awkward. There were so many parts where the story just dragged on and on and barely anything happened. In fact, there wasn’t really all that much action. The only slightly exciting part was when Annith was on the run from the convent, before and after that she is mostly in one place and there isn’t much activity. There’s even a part near the end where both Ismae and Sybella get missions and Annith stays inside and tends to the Duchess, this is just really weird to me since it’s supposed to be her story. The only thing of interest she does is getting more information out of the Abess but that also takes a long time.
- Annith was alright at the start but she slowly starts being unbearable. All she does is whine, mope, think about the ~brooding eyes~ of Balthazar and unsuccessfully question the Abess. She only interacts with Ismae and Sybella in a handful of scenes despite being in the same place for a large part of the story and she seems to crave a romantic relationship purely because they both have one.
Besides her, there aren’t too many new characters. Balthazar is somewhat important to the plot but he barely seems to have a personality besides being angsty and mysterious.
- The thing that ruined this book most for me was the romance. Balthazar was barely a character at all but we’re supposed to believe Annith fell completely in love with him without any buildup. Once she does, she’s completely obsessed with him and barely thinks about anything else. Romance subplots are often my least favorite parts of a book but this one is definitely one of the creepier ones I’ve seen.
Honestly, I feel like Annith didn’t need a romance story at all. It fit fairly well in Ismae’s story and the relationship between Sybella and Beast was lovely but there was no real reason for it to happen in this book. This book should have been about Annith and should have actually given her stuff to do on her own.
- There were some things that was really predictable.
- I felt like the ending was really weak, after all this buildup over the last 3 books I expected more from the plot with the Duchess.
I’m probably being too hard on this book but after Sybella’s story I had higher expectations of Annith’s, especially since we knew the least about her and there was a lot of potential.
I liked that we got to see a different part of the world through Annith’s eyes and learn more about the religion. But if I’m honest that’s about the only thing I truly enjoyed.
I’ll list a few reasons why I didn’t like this book:
- The pacing was really awkward. There were so many parts where the story just dragged on and on and barely anything happened. In fact, there wasn’t really all that much action. The only slightly exciting part was when Annith was on the run from the convent, before and after that she is mostly in one place and there isn’t much activity. There’s even a part near the end where both Ismae and Sybella get missions and Annith stays inside and tends to the Duchess, this is just really weird to me since it’s supposed to be her story. The only thing of interest she does is getting more information out of the Abess but that also takes a long time.
- Annith was alright at the start but she slowly starts being unbearable. All she does is whine, mope, think about the ~brooding eyes~ of Balthazar and unsuccessfully question the Abess. She only interacts with Ismae and Sybella in a handful of scenes despite being in the same place for a large part of the story and she seems to crave a romantic relationship purely because they both have one.
Besides her, there aren’t too many new characters. Balthazar is somewhat important to the plot but he barely seems to have a personality besides being angsty and mysterious.
- The thing that ruined this book most for me was the romance. Balthazar was barely a character at all but we’re supposed to believe Annith fell completely in love with him without any buildup. Once she does, she’s completely obsessed with him and barely thinks about anything else. Romance subplots are often my least favorite parts of a book but this one is definitely one of the creepier ones I’ve seen.
Honestly, I feel like Annith didn’t need a romance story at all. It fit fairly well in Ismae’s story and the relationship between Sybella and Beast was lovely but there was no real reason for it to happen in this book. This book should have been about Annith and should have actually given her stuff to do on her own.
- There were some things that was really predictable.
- I felt like the ending was really weak, after all this buildup over the last 3 books I expected more from the plot with the Duchess.
I’m probably being too hard on this book but after Sybella’s story I had higher expectations of Annith’s, especially since we knew the least about her and there was a lot of potential.
January 15, 2020
Kitabı elime aldığımda 100 deydim sonra zaten bırakamadım. Ilk iki kitap çok daha iyiydi bence sonu güzel bittiği için harlequinimiz çok tatlı olduğu için 4 u aldi😍
August 22, 2015
Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
It might be surprising why I waited for so long to finish this trilogy. Well the thing is, Annith was one I had high expectations for. After reading Dark Triumph somehow this series started to get away from me, as I did't connect with it as much as I did with Grave Mercy. But luckily for me, Mortal Heart returned this on the right track.
It'll be heart to write a review solely about this book without spoiling the first two for you, so I won't say much. But after hearing Ismae and Sybella's stories it was time to go back to covenant and get to see how things really function there. Annith as one who has been there for a long time has a lot to say about it. She always felt like worthless as she didn't get to go and fulfill her missions without knowing what's really behind all that. After her fears came true and she found out that she is about to become the next Seeress and forever kept in the covenant it's time for her to show what she is really made of.
I wasn't surprised that I always felt strong connection with her as she is so much like me. Always working hard and giving her best but at the same time obedient. Luckily for me she got to be herself and take things into her hands. One weird thing happened though. I really shipped romance here from the start. It had all elements that I was looking for, slow building and whit that ups and downs. But even when I realized what's really happening it didn't bother me as much as I expected. So heck to the author, who made me fall for it to the point of no return.
All in all, this is one of the series that you must have on you reading list. It'll take you back in history, our history and add a spark of magic there.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
It might be surprising why I waited for so long to finish this trilogy. Well the thing is, Annith was one I had high expectations for. After reading Dark Triumph somehow this series started to get away from me, as I did't connect with it as much as I did with Grave Mercy. But luckily for me, Mortal Heart returned this on the right track.
It'll be heart to write a review solely about this book without spoiling the first two for you, so I won't say much. But after hearing Ismae and Sybella's stories it was time to go back to covenant and get to see how things really function there. Annith as one who has been there for a long time has a lot to say about it. She always felt like worthless as she didn't get to go and fulfill her missions without knowing what's really behind all that. After her fears came true and she found out that she is about to become the next Seeress and forever kept in the covenant it's time for her to show what she is really made of.
I wasn't surprised that I always felt strong connection with her as she is so much like me. Always working hard and giving her best but at the same time obedient. Luckily for me she got to be herself and take things into her hands. One weird thing happened though. I really shipped romance here from the start. It had all elements that I was looking for, slow building and whit that ups and downs. But even when I realized what's really happening it didn't bother me as much as I expected. So heck to the author, who made me fall for it to the point of no return.
All in all, this is one of the series that you must have on you reading list. It'll take you back in history, our history and add a spark of magic there.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
December 31, 2014
Annith is the most adept assassin-in-training at the convent honoring Mortain, the god of the dead. Her skills at archery, riding, and weaponry are unmatched. She is ready. Yet time and again she is passed over for an assignment beyond the convent walls. Then the abbess announces that Annith will never be selected as an instrument of Mortain’s justice. Instead she will be trapped in a tiny room and isolated in the role of Seer.
Or . . . she can accept a dull arranged marriage to a local farmer.
Annith chooses neither. Instead, she flees the convent—across the water in the dark of night. And runs headlong into the hellequin, a band of warrior dead who spend every night riding in a dramatic hunt across Brittany and striving to atone for their sins. Not boring . . . at all.
Mortal Heart is the final novel in Robin LaFevers’ His Fair Assassin trilogy. Of the three books, this one veers the farthest into the realm of fantasy, largely due to the intriguing leader of the hellequin. I enjoyed the fantastical elements as well as the unveiling of both the hero and the heroine’s pasts.
Or . . . she can accept a dull arranged marriage to a local farmer.
Annith chooses neither. Instead, she flees the convent—across the water in the dark of night. And runs headlong into the hellequin, a band of warrior dead who spend every night riding in a dramatic hunt across Brittany and striving to atone for their sins. Not boring . . . at all.
Mortal Heart is the final novel in Robin LaFevers’ His Fair Assassin trilogy. Of the three books, this one veers the farthest into the realm of fantasy, largely due to the intriguing leader of the hellequin. I enjoyed the fantastical elements as well as the unveiling of both the hero and the heroine’s pasts.
Want to read
April 12, 2012This is probably going to be about Annith.
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