| BOOK REVIEW | DARK TRIUMPH BY ROBIN LAFEVERS

Dark Triumph
Author : Robin LaFevers
Series : His Fair Assassin
Genres : Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Publication : April 2nd 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Synopsis : I lean forward, pushing my body out past the battlements. The wind plucks at my cloak, buffets against me, as if it would carry me off in flight, just like the birds or the knight’s soul. Let go, it cries, I will take you far, far away. I want to laugh at the exhilarating feeling, I will catch you, it whistles seductively.

The convent has returned Sybella to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This is the second book in a trilogy called His Fair Assassin. I enjoyed this book but I was expecting more to be honest.

Hate cannot be fought with hate. Evil cannot be conquered by darkness. Only love has the power to conquer them both.

Plot

In this book we follow Sybella, Ismae’s sister from the convent. She has been sent back into her family on a suicidal mission. Her father is Comte d’Albret, the unfamous one. He is plotting against his duchess and is well known for his barbaric methods.

I didn’t appreciate this book as much as the previous one, Grave Mercy. Somehow we lost a big part of the historical aspect and focused more on the romance between Sybella and Beast.
it was a nice read though. I just wished we got more details about Brittany’s struggle to stay independent.
Now, on a more positive note, I found it a little more action-packed than the first book. Maybe it was because Sybella was already on her mission when the book started.

It’s also much more darker than Grave Mercy. Ismae’s story was sad and awful but Sybella’s way worse ! She suffered a lot because of her family and that’s also why she is tougher.

He flashes a grin that is two parts death and one part humor.

There’s something I want to talk a little more : the change of main character. I already made a whole post about it, you can read it here. I was afraid of the MC’s change in a fantasy book to be honest. I still think the story could have been told with Ismae’s POV for the whole series but I think I get why the author decided to change her main character. It’s a wise choice when it comes to the story around Mortain’s will and the reverend Mother’s schemes.

Some days, like today, my aim and timing is so true it takes my breath away and I feel certain Mortain’s hand guides my own.

Characters

• Sybella is a strange mix between the badass well trained killer and a frightened young girl. She is strong but going back into her family is slowly driving her mad. it reminds her how much she suffered during her childhood. But she overcomes it and it has a lot to do with Beast.
• Beast is the stereotypical example of raw force. But beneath his muscles there’s a soft heart. He too suffered a lot. I really enjoyed his character. He is a forced to be reckoned with.

Overall I enjoyed it but I was expecting much more !

About the author

R.L. LaFevers (Robin Lorraine when she’s in really big trouble) grew up surrounded by shelves of old dusty books and a passel of brothers. She has also spent a large portion of her life being told she was making up things that weren’t there, which only proves she was destined to write fiction. She is the author of over fourteen books for young readers, including THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) which received starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Booksense Summer Pick, and nominated for the Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, and the NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST series. Her first young adult novel, GRAVE MERCY, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Spring of 2012. She currently lives with her husband and a demonic cat in Southern California and spends her days gazing longingly at ancient artifacts or wallowing in old forgotten texts.

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