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Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2)

by R.L. LaFevers (Goodreads Author)

4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 · rating details · 1,938 ratings · 566 reviews

Sybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy.

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her ref...more

Hardcover, 385 pages

Published April 2nd 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

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Apr 18, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Dark Triumph is a stunning sequel to Grave Mercy. I had high expectations picking it up and I was not disappointed. I loved this story just as much if not more than Grave Mercy!

Sybella is one of St. Mortain’s daughter’s and thereby gifted with deadly talents, and skills in the art of killing to carry out his will. She owes a debt to the convent in service to St. Mortain since they brought her back from the brink of madness, taking her in at fourteen and training her for special assignments. Syb...more Dark Triumph is a stunning sequel to Grave Mercy. I had high expectations picking it up and I was not disappointed. I loved this story just as much if not more than Grave Mercy!

Sybella is one of St. Mortain’s daughter’s and thereby gifted with deadly talents, and skills in the art of killing to carry out his will. She owes a debt to the convent in service to St. Mortain since they brought her back from the brink of madness, taking her in at fourteen and training her for special assignments. Sybella never thought she would be forced to go back to the very same household that caused all the terror in her life, but that’s exactly what she’s had to do. To aid the young duchess of Brittany she is sent as a spy into the d’Albret’s household, one she knows only too well. For the last year there she’s been there, languishing in hell until she is instructed to move against him. The only thing that keeps Sybella going is knowing that she’ll be the one to kill d’Albret, and finally bring retribution to this vile man.

Finally Sybella receives word to take action, but it’s not what she expected. Instead she’s instructed to save one of the duchesses’ knights being held in d’Albret’s dungeons, the mighty Beast.

While I was thrilled to pick up Dark Triumph, I was also a little nervous. Knowing it would be Sybella’s story, I knew it would be darker than Grave Mercy, because she was such a tortured character. I was even more nervous when I found out Sybella was in d’Albret’s house. I shuddered thinking of what she might be going through, because one thing you found out in Grave Mercy is that d’Albret was a man of twisted and dark depths! It was heartbreaking to find out the full story of Sybella’s past but her strength and bravery made you love and admire her. Plus, she was no defenseless creature, and I love that she dealt out some much needed kick-ass!!

Another hesitation I had was the thought of a romance between Sybella and Beast. He’s described as a big hulking and ugly character, and to be honest, that didn’t sound very appealing as a potential love interest. I had nothing to fear because what Beast lacked in looks he made up for with his big heart, and charismatic personality, he’s like a magnet you can’t help but be drawn to. I loved the slow progression of their relationship and how is lightened Sybella’s soul. I can’t tell you how much this romance touched and filled my heart!

While Dark Triumph is an adventure and full of action, I felt there wasn’t as much focus on political drama as there was in Grave Mercy, and I liked that change. I would like to know more about the abbess: her motivations whether they’re good or bad. I couldn’t stand the woman for most of the story.

If you’re a fan of Graceling, Fire, or Poison Study, I highly recommend this story and Grave Mercy. You won’t be disappointed. Dark Triumph is a story you won’t be able to put down! I was addicted to the point of sneaking pages in between work when I could! Robin La Fevers’ writing utterly captivated me, and I will be picking up anything she writes in the future. I can’t wait for Annith’s story!

A copy of this story was provided by the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an honest review.

You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
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Jan 21, 2013 Nenia Campbell marked it as books-to-look-up-at-library

OMG COVER REVEAL.

OMG I NEED THIS, LIKE, LAST YEAR.

GIMMIEGIMMIEGIMMIEINEEDITIWANTITOHBABYOHBABY.

::grabby hands::

WHEN IS IT COMING OUT????? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TELL ME WHEN-

::looks at publication date::

"April 2nd, 2013."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

::looks at cover again::

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Jan 20, 2013 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
About a year ago, the words ‘assassin nuns’ first started showing up around the blogosphere. Pretty soon they were everywhere, and everyone was talking about Grave Mercy, some obviously thrilled and some not so much. Seeing as I neatly fell into the first category, Dark Triumph became one of those books I often thought about… dreamed about, to be completely honest. And I was not disappointed.

The darkness of Ismae’s story pales in comparison to the utter hopelessness of Sybella’s circums...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books

All the gifs cannot describe how awesome this book was.

Minor Spoiler. Just one. If you don't want to know who the knight was, don't read on. But we were all expecting it.

I have to admit, in the beginning, I was a little unsure of how this was going to turn out. One, I forgot kind of what happened in Grave Mercy, and two, I was a little confused. But 20 pages later, I was sucked into the absolute insanity that was Dark Triumph.

Let's take a moment to appreciate what a total badass Sybella is. He...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Where Grave Mercy was a lie, a novel about dancing and political parties deftly wrapped up with a bow-tie of kick-ass assassin-nuns that never assassinated, Dark Triumph is more of the dark, bad-ass story I was looking for with LaFevers's debut last year. Nevertheless, while Grave Mercy was a sore disappointment, I am glad to admit that Dark Triumph completely won me over. It seems to be the case this year that series I swore off of last year have come back to haunt me, making m...more

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Keertana @Aa'Ishah: You're too sweet, thank you! :) I'm really glad you wound up enjoying this first one - this book certainly made me wish I had - but I think...more
Apr 08, 2013 01:00pm

♥Rachel♥ Glad that you ended up enjoying this when Grave Mercy didn't work for you. As you know, I loved this one. Great review Keertana. :)
Apr 10, 2013 11:08pm

Apr 05, 2013 Mitch rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now this is the book Grave Mercy was supposed to be. I was on the fence about Ismae’s story, basically when I discovered (along with everyone else) that the assassin nuns weren’t so much espionage, murder, and mayhem as much as forbidden romance and courtesan intrigue, but I ultimately came down on the ‘pro’ side because the backdrop of Anne of Brittany’s attempts to keep her duchy independent and out of French hands resonated with this admitted historical junkie. Still, I think it’s probably te...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have made no secret of my immense love of Grave Mercy, and have been recommending it to everyone I know who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, and kickass heroines. As with every sequel to a book I loved, trepidation filled me as I approached Dark Triumph. There's always that chance that the sequel will not live up to its predecessor and will color your enjoyment even of that first book. Robin LaFevers, though, hits her sequel out of the park. Dark Triumph does not fall victim to middle book...more I have made no secret of my immense love of Grave Mercy, and have been recommending it to everyone I know who enjoys historical fiction, fantasy, and kickass heroines. As with every sequel to a book I loved, trepidation filled me as I approached Dark Triumph. There's always that chance that the sequel will not live up to its predecessor and will color your enjoyment even of that first book. Robin LaFevers, though, hits her sequel out of the park. Dark Triumph does not fall victim to middle book syndrome and even surpasses Grave Mercy.

Grave Mercy was fairly dark, but still a nice readalike for Maria V. Snyder or Kristin Cashore. Dark Triumph is even darker, not a novel I would recommend to those who do not like unhappy tales. Sybella's dark past makes what Ismae went through look like a healthy childhood, and, those who read Grave Mercy, know that Ismae's youth was no picnic. Ismae and Duval do make a couple of appearances in Dark Triumph, and it's startling how much more optimistic and friendly Ismae is in comparison to Sybella.

My attachment to Ismae formed immediately in Grave Mercy, but Sybella took me some time to adjust to. She's darker, moodier, more pained, and sometimes verges on crazy, though one can't blame her. However, as I got used to her and came to know more about why she is the way she is, I became even more bonded to Sybella, and even more desirous for her to overcome the horrors of her life.

Sybella's childhood, I will reiterate yet again, was...there aren't really words for it. Her father, d'Albret, used her as a pawn, and she had to watch him kill off wife after wife. Two of her brothers sexually abused her, one for the fun of it and one from a misguided sense of love. Her past is without brightness, and I'm warning you now of triggers for rape and incest. On top of that, there is a whole lot of violence.

One of the main criticisms I've seen of Grave Mercy, even from those that liked it, had to do with the circumstances of the consummation of Ismae's romance. It was seen as a bit of a cop-out, as though Ismae needed an excuse to have sex. In Dark Triumph, the same could not be said. Sybella has had more than one sexual partner, some willed and some not, and does not have any hesitancy about having sex when she desires it. Sybella seems a bit more empowered than Ismae, and will likely be a big hit with those disappointed by that part of Grave Mercy.

The romance in Dark Triumph makes me even happier than that in Grave Mercy. Though I do think this series could just as easily have been marketed to an adult audience, I love that this book will be going to a young adult audience. LaFevers tosses aside convention and delivers a hero utterly unlike those to be found in the bulk of YA romances. He is not handsome; in fact, he is described as ugly more than once. That does not make him unlovable to Sybella or to me. This message is so important for teens, the importance of personality and common interests over physical appearance.

If you loved Grave Mercy, get excited, because you will surely love Dark Triumph too. If you were in the camp of readers who thought LaFevers pulled some punches in the first book, then I urge you to give this installment a try, because it is much darker and more unique. My love for Robin LaFevers' writing has been firmly cemented, and I shall proceed to wait impatiently for the third His Fair Assassin novel.(less)

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Mar 23, 2013 Molli (at Once Upon a Prologue) added it

Shelves: received-for-review, read-in-2013, young-adult, tissues-required, young-adult-historical

THAT COVER. *wants it now* I was drawn to Sybella in GRAVE MERCY and her story sounds every bit as amazing as I expected! I cannot WAIT to read it!

Thoughts after reading: I was a little underwhelmed by this one, but it was still really good, and a great follow up to GRAVE MERCY. Sybella was a fabulous, flawed heroine who I loved, and the romance was genuine, if a little fast. Full review coming soon.

Final Review (also appears at Once Upon a Prologue)

Grave Mercy was one of the books I fangirled...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Vy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, own-read, alamw13

So much love for this book. I wasn't sure if I'd like this since I loved Ismae and Duval, but goodness, how I've become emotionally attached to Sybella, too.

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Mar 18, 2013 Burgandy Ice marked it as to-read

Dark Triumph is Sybella’s story. It has a different flavor than Grave Mercy did that makes me want to compare Sybella and Ismae. The premonition I felt through Ismae’s view of Sybella? Yea… Sybella is that dark and emotionally messed up… and worse.

That LaFevers could slip inside her near-insane mind so that I believed and felt every raw emotion… is just magical.

I am not saying Sybella and I are buddies. This girl scares me. Lol. She’s got so many layers of issues. She has to dig deep to uncover...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Valeria Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, english, favorites

Yes, I loved the viciousness in the book, the violence & the blood, the killing, it was so great it almost made me cry!
Nope, I don't need a doctor to know that I am crazy.

Sybella, Sybella... remember that half crazy chick from Grave Mercy? Well, THAT crazy chick will drive a knife through your gut if you don't show some respect.
I was just too happy to see Sybella in this book. Oooh, the vengeance burning deep in her blood was exactly what I was hoping for in this book. Yes, Sybella, venge...more

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May 07, 2013 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review, publisher-request

Find more reviews at The Demon Librarian.

Death and duplicity

What do you get if you cross a nun with an assassin? It kind of sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, doesn't it? Well, in my opinion, what you get is absolutely fantastic historical fiction set in an era rife with conflict, treason and foul play, and a country in turmoil. Add to that compelling mysteries, strong heroines, and beautifully underplayed romances and I'm seriously in my happy reading place with the His Fair Assassin ser...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 01, 2013 Kelly added it

Liked it, review to come

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May 07, 2013 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favorites, badass-heroines, pg-sexy-times, things-that-make-you-go-ewww

WARNING: If you haven't read this book, DO NOT click on the spoiler links!! It will ruin EVERYTHING!

These books... these books have to be some of the most AMAZING young adult books I have ever laid eyes on. I just love them so fucking much. (See, I'm even dropping f-bombs because I can't contain my excitement!)

seinfeld gif photo: Seinfeld Happy Dance seinfelddance.gif

Robin LaFevers, I would read your damn grocery list and give it 5 stars at this point...

Anywho, about Dark Triumph. This one was less political, and more emotional that it's predecessor...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

One of my favorite aspects of reading series that feature companion books or multiple perspectives is the opportunity to love the second book more than the first, and as a result fully invest in a series. That has happened several times recently and I was very excited to discover it again with Dark Triumph the sequel to Grave Mercy. While I love the concept of assassin nuns and found the historical time period to be interesting, I wasn't blow away by Ismae's story, or all the court intr...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, historical-fiction, romance

Between 2 and 3 stars.

Eh, I definitely found Dark Triumph entertaining, but I wasn't wowed. That could be because I had low expectations for the first in this series, Grave Mercy but then ended up liking it more than anticipated, especially the historical fiction and politics, as well as the interesting twist on the typical "assassin" novel. In the case of Dark Triumph, the novel may have been a letdown because I had higher expectations.

Dark Triumph doesn't focus as much on the historical fict...more

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May 07, 2013 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: netgalley

* I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher for review*

The timetable of Dark Triumph overlaps slightly with that of it's companion book, Grave Mercy, and this story jumps right into action. Assassin nun Sybella has been sent to live in the home of d'Albret, a noble who is eager to wed young Anne of Brittany and gain control over her father's extensive holdings. Sybella knows d'Albret to be a cruel and evil man, and is desperately hoping that she will see the "marque" on him, a sign fro...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Nick rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I had to sum up this book in three words they would be : BEST.BOOK.EVER. Grave Mercy was an instant favorite of mine last year and I was dying to get my hands onto Dark Triumph. My excitement over the book amplified when multiple praising reviews started to trickle in, which was why I dropped all the other books I had to read and jumped immediately into it. It was definitely worth my time and the review I'm about to write will definitely not do this book any kind of justice.

I said it in my re...more If I had to sum up this book in three words they would be : BEST.BOOK.EVER. Grave Mercy was an instant favorite of mine last year and I was dying to get my hands onto Dark Triumph. My excitement over the book amplified when multiple praising reviews started to trickle in, which was why I dropped all the other books I had to read and jumped immediately into it. It was definitely worth my time and the review I'm about to write will definitely not do this book any kind of justice.

I said it in my review of Grave Mercy, but I'm going to say it again, R.L LaFevers' strongest point is her characterization in her books. She crafts wonderfully complex characters who you become attached to over the course of the story. And then, she takes physically unattractive characters and make them the most beautiful characters you have ever come across. In a nutshell, R.L LaFevers' characters are exactly how book characters need to be depicted. In Grave Mercy, Sybella was mentioned on multiple occasions as being half mad. In all honesty, I wasn't sure what to expect of her in Dark Triumph, but I will say that I was left pleasantly surprised. Sybella became one of my favorite characters. By the end of the book, she became I character I looked up to. Strong-minded, loyal and iron-willed are the perfect words to describe Sybella. When the reader first gets to meet her, she was full of venom and hatred towards many people and it was hard for her herself to believe in love. However, she was very passionate and loyal towards her sisters. What I loved most about Sybella was her willingness to always help people. Her selfless nature armed with her strength was what made Sybella such a rare character. From the beginning itself, Sybella was a brave and very strong girl, but you will be surprised to learn that she grew even stronger than she was at the beginning, blossoming into an even more likable character over the course of the book.

I feel like I owe Beast an entire paragraph dedicated to him and that's exactly what I'm about to do. One paragraph is definitely not sufficient for me to describe my love for the ugly, unattractive Beast. I'm not sure how she did it, but R.L LaFevers actually made someone who even the MC thinks is ugly a beautiful character and one of my top book boyfriends. Beast, as his name suggests, is beastly ugly. Yet, he had the most beautiful soul that a guy could ever had. Even after all the torment he had had to suffer, he was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy who had a huge heart. Along with Sybella, I simply could not help myself from loving in with him. In a sense, he was the opposite of Sybella, but on the other hand he was also very similar to her. He was such a generous, selfless guy. He always, and I mean always, put others before himself. Even when he was on the verge of death, he was willing to fight to help save innocents. His altruism and kindness are what made him such a wonderfully beautiful and complex character.

The secondary characters were also as fleshed out as Sybella and Beast. The villain, d'Albret, was a sadistic, manipulative and heartless man whose brutal and repulsive actions made him the perfect villain. You could not help but feel disgusted by his character. I was overwhelmed with hatred for him and all I wanted was for Sybella to kill him cold-heartedly. The author also treated us to snippets of Ismae and Duval. For those who had issues with the politics in Grave Mercy, then you will be happy to know that this one focused on the characters rather than the politics. The background and world-building was even more in depth than it was in Grave Mercy. This book was packed with emotions. I found myself being so invested in Dark Triumph that I simply wanted to devour this book in a day. The plot was fast-paced, action-packed and brimming with suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat, just as I expected it to be. Everything about this book was simply enthralling, from the characters to the brilliant writing. R.L LaFevers managed to create a masterpiece with Dark Triumph. This was one of those books where I was so immersed in the characters and the world that I did not want it to end, but when it ended, it left me with a strong sense of satisfaction.

As a sequel, Dark Triumph basically exceeded my expectations by miles. The author needs to be applauded because THIS is how you write a sequel. Fans of Grave Mercy will definitely not be disappointed with this book. In fact, I promise you will love this even more than the first. R.L LaFevers has earned a spot on my auto-buy list because this woman knows how to write.
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Mar 14, 2013 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, assassins, reading-with-em, favorites, signed

So good. It seriously rivals the first book for awesomeness.

_________

I lovedGrave Mercywhen I read it last year. In fact, it's right up there with my favorites of 2012. So, to say that I was worried Dark Triumphwould fall short as a sequel is an understatement...especially since this book is a companion novel, not a true sequel. I wanted to follow Ismae and Duval on their exploits, but alas, I was consigned to learn more about the mysterious Sybella, another of Death's handmaidens. I was intrigu...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-via-publisher-or-author, fantasy, historical-fiction, netgalley, ya, arcs-read, read-in-2013

A copy of Dark Triumph was provided to me by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children for review purposes.

'The abbess and I had a different sort of relationship. One built on mutual dislike and distrust, brought together only by our shared needs: mine for a sanctuary, hers for a finely honed weapon she could let loose as Mortain willed. I trust her as much as I do a viper.'

It seems as if each hand maiden of death has her own story to tell and in Dark Triumph we get to experience Lady Sybella's....more

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Apr 14, 2013 Katy is currently reading it

Crap, I don't remember much of Grave Mercy, just that I really loved it. (Sunday night!)

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May 14, 2013 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Phenomenal. Absolutely breathtaking. Dark Triumph's protagonist, Sybella, is plagued by a past that is extremely, well, dark. She is a daughter of the god of death, and serves as his assassin, killing any man she sees who bears a marque, or the sign her god puts on a man to show he is to be slaughtered. She's forced into an incestuous relationship with a man she was raised with as siblings, and as far as he knows she is his sister. As a member of the wicked Count d'Albret's court, Sybella is sub...more

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May 14, 2013 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This sequel to Grave Mercy follows Sybella, another daughter of Death himself, as she is assigned to the D'Albret household in fifteenth-century Brittany. She must be careful of everything she says and does in a place ruled by fear and brutality. She thinks she might go mad until she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons. As she struggles to help the Duchess of Brittany and to stop D'Albret she discovers that there may be more to life than vengeance.

I have to be honest and say...more

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May 08, 2013 Julia Driscoll rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-best-books, appropriate-for-high-school, fantasy, historical-fiction, sexuality, self-discovery, twisted, violence, families

A really good sequel to Grave Mercy. I strongly suggest reading Grave Mercy first to make the world of this one more clear. I recommend it for high school readers, due to the mature content. In the story, Lady Sybella is both a trained assasin - a daughter of "St. Mortain" the "god of death" - and the daughter (in name) of Alain d'Albret - a most evil and lecherous lord of Brittany. d'Albret is trying to forcibly take over Brittany from it's 13 year old dutchess and ruler. Sybella is sent back t...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, to-buy-wishlist

This book was quite the roller coaster ride for me. It's no secret that Grave Mercy is around the top of my all-time favorite list, and so Dark Triumph has been my most-awaited title of 2013. I could not have been more excited to receive this for review, and so it is with a heavy heart that I tell you, Dark Triumph was a bit of a let down.

That's not to say I didn't love it. I did, in a sort of superficial way. I did love Sybella completely; she was everything I wanted her to be, and more. The wr...more This book was quite the roller coaster ride for me. It's no secret that Grave Mercy is around the top of my all-time favorite list, and so Dark Triumph has been my most-awaited title of 2013. I could not have been more excited to receive this for review, and so it is with a heavy heart that I tell you, Dark Triumph was a bit of a let down.

That's not to say I didn't love it. I did, in a sort of superficial way. I did love Sybella completely; she was everything I wanted her to be, and more. The writing, of course, was superb; and the plot and side-characters were well-maintained. Where the book falls flat is in its pacing, and its overall formulaic feel when reading.

Dark Triumph is the story of Sybella, a close friend of Ismae's from the convent, and the daughter of the depraved Count d'Albret. When the convent rescued her, she was on the far side of the line between sanity and madness - and it's no wonder considering her childhood. Sybella has suffered much by the time she arrives at the doorstep of the convent, and while she does recover some, she's slowly letting go of her weak grasp at reality once more when she is dumped back into her childhood home. Only one thing is fueling her anymore: vengeance.

I enjoyed Sybella from the very first page. She is much more humorous than Ismae, her voice a lot more comfortable and familiar. Where Ismae is very modest, and a bit of a prude, Sybella is not afraid to use any tool at her disposal to get her work done. I loved Sybella's dark sense of humor, her slight exasperation in dealing with those less smart than her. She is quick witted, and often gets into verbal sparring matches with those around her. Though she grew up practically at court, she is no simpering maid; she is very cunning and calculating, and a lot less naive than the heroine before her. But the thing I love most about Sybella's character was her struggle between dark and light, the struggle of her faith in Mortain, and her hope to be a better person than the wretches in her family.

Dark Triumph is a hell of a lot darker than the first book in its series. While Ismae had quite a nasty childhood, Sybella was routinely abused in the vilest of ways by the men who were supposed to protect her. Throughout the book, we are given glimpses into Sybella's past, and with each new revelation, your heart will only break more.

The shining light in this doom and gloom book was Beast, the ugly, ogre-like beast of a man from the previous book. I loved the romance between him and Sybella. They were much alike, having both suffered horrors at d'Albret's hand, but where she succumbed to the madness and darkness that ate at her, he reflected light like a beacon. He is known for calling men to arms and rallying armies, and this same charismatic, joyous gift works on Sybella. He teaches her that it is okay to enjoy the work they do, to believe in their cause, and that they are not like her father. He is forgiving, and kind, and thoughtful, and hardly ever gives into his urge to be overprotective. I love that he can trust her to take care of herself (and even him at times.) What also excited me was that he was not attractive at all, and Sybella didn't spend any time swooning over his handsome jawline or marble-cut abs or anything like that. Instead they fell in love with each others minds and hearts.

Now, where I have complaints, and where I've docked stars, is mostly in the formulaic feeling of the plot arc. I feel like I could outline the story arc of Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph and except for the name changes, and actual action, you will find the same rhythm and climax and everything. Grave Mercy starts in the convent, where Dark Triumph begins in d'Albret's household. Then in each book, our heroine goes on some sort of journey with the love interest, doesn't exactly trust him or like him very much. Then they arrive at the duchess's castle, do a few tasks or missions for her, get orders from the convent, fall in love with the love interest, lose faith in Mortain, regain faith in Mortain, carry out their own wishes, and end happily. The moment it really stuck out to me was when Sybella fell in love with Beast finally. Of course each book has its own variations according to the plot and characters, but it all felt very much the same time.

There were also some issues with pacing. I don't know if it was me, or if it was the book, but I just could not get through the first 150 pages. No matter what I did, I just couldn't do it. I would get bored easily, fall asleep, and dread picking the book back up again. My suggestion to readers, if they face this problem: don't give up! The journey the characters make in finding themselves is entirely worth the slow plot and real lack of mystery/urgency. I promise.

If you read and loved Grave Mercy I urge you to pick up Dark Triumph. It delivers where the first was lacking, in real darkness and grittiness, and the characters are so easy to fall in love with. The writing is excellent as always, and there is a great lead up to the final installment, Annith's story. It wasn't the perfect book for me, but definitely one that I will reread again in the future.(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Rachel Hollis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: light-romance, strong-women

Grave Mercy was good... Dark Triumph is GREAT.

Often when you read a series you expect to get the same level of storytelling in each subsequent book. Sometimes the author gets worse, most of the time they are the same and you hope manage to weave an intricate tale that you liked at least as much as the one before it. In this case R.L. LaFevers has actually become a better writer. I don't mean to sound rude because obviously she's a great writer but something has shifted and changed. The stories a...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Lyea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Her YA books (this is only the 2nd one) are definitely for YA's and not pre-teens or even some teens. "Grave Mercy" was a lot less dark than this one, but still, you know, assassins and all... The reason why I love these books so much, is how much detail Ms. LaFevers goes into the history. I just attended a book signing where Ms. LaFevers explained her research into the Middle Ages societies, Druid lore, and architecture. "Grave Mercy" was steeped in this, and I felt like I was there. "Dark Triu...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Shelver 506 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, need-to-own, paranormal, ya-fiction

Originally posted at http://shelversanon.blogspot.com

It's heeeeeeeere! It's here, it's here, it's here. The sequel to my #1 favorite book of 2012 is finally here. Hot-diggity-dog! I waited many long months to get my hands on this book, and it was a sore trial for me to restrain from calling off work so I could sit and read uninterrupted.

But I've read it and finished it, so here are my thoughts to the best of my ability to transcribe them.

Dark Triumphopens near the climax of Grave Mercy. Duchess...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, fantasy, fiction, historical, romance

Oh, how I adore this series. Where GRAVE MERCY seduced me into this world with it's mix of god-touched heros and mortal politics, DARK TRIUMPH is a much more personal story. Gorgeous, damaged Sybella dominates her story in a completely different way than Ismae, making this both a fantastic sequel and something brand new.

Focused tight on Sybella's world, experiencing both her pain, her strength, and her victories, LaFevers managed to wholly involve me in this new point of view. And the Beast, co...more

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Thoughts on Sybella and Beast	7	62	May 12, 2013 02:37pm
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About R.L. LaFevers

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...more

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Books by R.L. LaFevers

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos (Theodosia Throckmorton, #1)

Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris (Theodosia Throckmorton, #2)

The Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist, #1)

Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus (Theodosia Throckmorton, Book #3)

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Quotes from Dark Triumph

“It is a good thing I no longer have a heart, because if I did, it would surely break.” — 16 people liked it

“Truly, we are the gods' own children, forged in the fire of our tortured pasts, but also blessed with unimaginable gifts.” — 11 people liked it

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Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2)

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