I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction, fantasy, suspense, and a little bit of romance. I usually have a hard time reading fantasy stories because I find their plots predictable, BUT I was pleasantly surprised when I finished this book and enjoyed the twists.

One of the reasons I love this book is because it is set in 15th century Brittany (France). The main character, Ismae, is an assassin, and the author does not shy away from having her assassinate people in the story. It was nice that the author wrote these characters as assassins, showing them desperate to do their jobs.

They are still graceful and elegant, but they believe their work is in the name of Saint Mortain, the god of Death. I enjoyed how we are introduced to Ismae’s background and how she was chosen by Death to do his bidding. The story grabs you and pulls you into a twisted tale of mystery and murder.

I enjoyed the world building of her life in the convent, where she is trained, and her life at the court, where she is on the job watching out for the young Duchess of Brittany.

Not to mention two more stories follow the end of this one that shows her friend’s sides of the events throughout the book. The blurb on the back of the book reads:

“Escaping from the brutality of an arranged marriage, seventeen-year-old Ismae finds sanctuary at the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts-and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must be willing to take the lives of others. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany, where she must pose as mistress to the darkly mysterious Gavriel Duval, who has fallen under a cloud of suspicion. Once there, she finds herself woefully underprepared-not only for the deadly games of love and intrigue, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?”