Review: Mortal Heart

Author: Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin, #3
Released: November 4th 2014
Publisher: HMH BfYR
Length: 464 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy:Amazon

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...

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 low number of deaths these killer nuns actually 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.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.