I received this ARC from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Courting Darkness by Robin Lafevers Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on February 5, 2019
Pages: 512
Source: ARC from Publisher
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
First in a duology, this darkly thrilling page-turner set in the world of the best-selling His Fair Assassin series is perfect for fans of THRONE OF GLASS, RED QUEEN, and GAME OF THRONES. Told in alternating perspectives, when Sybella discovers there is another trained assassin from St. Mortain’s convent deep undercover in the French court, she must use every skill in her arsenal to navigate the deadly royal politics and find her sister in arms before her time—and that of the newly crowned queen—runs out.
When Sybella accompanies the Duchess to France, she expects trouble, but she isn’t expecting a deadly trap. Surrounded by enemies both known and unknown, Sybella searches for the undercover assassins from the convent of St. Mortain who were placed in the French court years ago.
Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she no longer knows who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. When she discovers a hidden prisoner who may be of importance, she takes matters into her own hands. As these two worlds collide, the fate of the Duchess, Brittany, and everything Sybella and Genevieve have come to love hangs in the balance.
My Thoughts:
I am totally in love with the original His Fair Assassins trilogy. (Grave Mercy – Dark Triumph – Mortal Heart) When the Courting Darkness duology was announced I may have had a minor (read: MAJOR) freakout! I could not wait to be back in the world LaFevers crafted. I was a little nervous that I would have a hard time getting back into the story. Thankfully, this was not the case. Even though it had been a little over 4 years since I’d last read a His Fair Assassins book, I was immediately transported right back to the world. Such is LaFevers’ skill with storytelling!
I was so VERY excited to spend time with Sybella again. She is one of my very favorite characters of all time. I loved getting so much of this story from her perspective. It was truly a treat. And Genevieve! What a complex character. I cannot imagine what her life has been like. Seemingly abandon by the convent that sent her out on a mission and feeling so alone. It was so interesting to see how the events of the original trilogy affected her. I very quickly came to care about her journey as much as Sybella’s.
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers captured my attention from the beginning. I loved the dual perspectives and seeing how the two separate stories develop and eventually entwine. It was exactly my kind of story.
I listened to part of this on audiobook. The narration and pacing were spot on. If you’re an audiobook fan, this is a good choice!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Good to know that you were able to jump back into the world without rereading. I’m not so good about rereading (even though I LOVED the original series). Can’t wait to jump into this one! 🙂