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Mortal Heart (3) (His Fair Assassin) Hardcover – November 4, 2014

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,530 ratings

In the powerful conclusion to Robin LaFever's New York Times bestselling His Fair Assassins trilogy, 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.
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—This thrilling series conclusion narrates the fate of 17-year-old convent-raised Annith who impatiently awaits her assignment to serve as the god Mortain's Handmaiden of Death. When the Abbess appoints her as Seeress, Annith is even more distraught, knowing that the position will condemn her to a life of celibacy and isolation. Vowing to confront her superior and aided by both the Helloquins (damned souls seeking redemption) and the Arduinnites (protectors of women and innocents), the teen escapes to the Breton court, where Duchess Anne and her followers are strategizing against the invading French. Distressed over her true parentage, Annith finds comfort in the Helloquins leader Balthazar, who has secrets of his own. LaFevers again mesmerizes her readers through the political struggles of 15th-century Brittany and the intrigues of the followers of Mortain. Details of court and village life in 1489 add vitality to the historic background, and back matter will further aid readers' understanding of the times. Clear, fast-paced, dramatic prose reveals the story via short, action-packed chapters, and the expert craftsmanship of the writing is worth savoring. The protagonists' sometimes-contradictory natures enrich their characters, and the intertwined relationships of realistic and Netherworld personages add depth to their personal stories. A plethora of strong females and their romantic relationships will have wide appeal for teens, making this a definite purchase where Grave Mercy (2012) and Dark Triumph (2013, both Houghton Harcourt) are popular and a strong story that can stand on its own.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI

Review

"Devotees of His Fair Assassin will be gratified to rexeive this closure."

—Kirkus

* "LaFevers again mesmerizes her readers through the political struggles of 15th century Brittany and the intrigues of the followers of Mortain."
—School Library Journal, starred review


 

"Teens looking for strong, engaging female characters, the evolution of ancient traditions, or a solid adventure tale will adore every page."
VOYA


* "Both a powerful tale of political intrigue and a heady supernatural romance, memorable adventure will entirely satisfy devotees of this series."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"LaFevers effectively ties up the loose ends of the triology's castits loves, connivings, and murderous skillswith more love than war."
—Horn Book Magazine

* "[LaFevers] offers readers worthy heroines: fair assassins whose emotions and choices are as rich and complex as their fearsome abilities."
Booklist, starred review

  

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HMH Books for Young Readers (November 4, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0547628404
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0547628400
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.48 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,530 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,530 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the book and found it a compelling conclusion to the series. They appreciated the blend of historical fiction and paranormal elements, with well-developed characters and an interesting plot. The writing style was described as well-crafted and poetic. Readers also appreciated the strong female protagonists and their determination. Overall, they found the book to be an enjoyable read that provided depth and insight into the time period.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

81 customers mention "Readability"81 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book and find it worth reading. They enjoy the series, though some find the plot predictable. The stories are compelling and well-written.

"...And the romance? Stellar! It's the kind that's slow burning, passionate, and perfect for this series...." Read more

"...accounts and elucidation and incorporated more fantasy and even romantic elements leading to a more satisfying blend than the previous two..." Read more

"...the reveals for each question that pops up is perfectly timed and utterly amazing...." Read more

"...Each is also very kickass in her own particular way...." Read more

79 customers mention "Story quality"68 positive11 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality. They find the book enjoyable, with an interesting conclusion to a historical fantasy novel. The characters are engaging, with fascinating circumstances and plot twists. Readers become attached to the characters and immersed in the story.

"...The romance in this book is perfect! It's slow burning, passionate, and one that leaves me wanting so much more...." Read more

"...so heavily on historical accounts and elucidation and incorporated more fantasy and even romantic elements leading to a more satisfying blend than..." Read more

"...The relationships in this book are just amazing. Of course the romance because WOW, but every relationship -- the good and the bad -- was just so..." Read more

"...With supernatural powers. LaFevers has blended historical fact into her fictional world, most notably the struggles of Anne, Duchess of Brittany,..." Read more

74 customers mention "Ending"74 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the ending of the series. They found the trilogy compelling and enjoyable, with well-developed characters. The book ties the entire story together and is one of their favorite reads.

"...Stellar! It's the kind that's slow burning, passionate, and perfect for this series...." Read more

"...MORTAL HEART without any spoilers because it's the finale of this epic series and I immediately just wanted to discuss ALL THE THINGS...." Read more

"...Mortal Hearts was a great book to end the series with. It highlighted the best of what the series has to offer and what it offers is worth reading." Read more

"I’m conflicted about this book. I liked the ending, the surprise twists and turns, and the integration of all the main characters from the entire..." Read more

30 customers mention "Character development"30 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find the main protagonists to be strong and different, with their own emotional journeys. The books fit each character perfectly and are action-packed, allowing readers to connect with Annith on her adventures.

"...If you love history, fantasy, romance, action, and some incredibly awesome characters, I highly recommend picking up this book, and the entire series!" Read more

"...the pace picks up nicely and I found myself being pulled along with Annith in her adventures...." Read more

"...decisions to trust -- just felt so genuine and I really connected with her as a character...." Read more

"...The characters. Our three main protagonists are all very different in character; each has her own emotional baggage and journey...." Read more

18 customers mention "Writing style"17 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style. They find the book well-written, with a masterful storyteller's narrative that draws them in. The language, pacing, and plot are also highly praised.

"...I adore Robin LaFevers. I love her writing,and I absolutely love this series. It's one of my all time favorites...." Read more

"...Please don’t misunderstand me; the narrators did a good job, but for me personally the voices chosen were completely wrong for the characters..." Read more

"...I definitely appreciate the writing style and attention to detail. Unfortunately the first quarter of the book had way too much internal dialogue...." Read more

"...it apart, not only because it is different but because it is so well thought-out and coherent...." Read more

14 customers mention "Strength"12 positive2 negative

Customers find the book's characters strong-willed, determined, and passionate. They appreciate the portrayal of women in an intriguing way. The characterization remains strong, although some readers have issues with mechanical inconsistencies. Overall, the book provides a satisfying and credible experience without getting stuck on mechanical inconsistencies, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the story.

"...Annith was incredibly relatable, entirely badass, and fiercely determined...." Read more

"...I felt this gave a very strong, solid base for her more creative world building. I found the mythology of the old Gods and the convent gripping...." Read more

"...She was able to have Annith be both strong-willed and dedicated while also infusing her with a vulnerability that stems from the self-doubts..." Read more

"...Characterization also remains strong, although I must say one of my few complaints is that in each book we get an in-depth treatment of one character..." Read more

11 customers mention "Depth"11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's depth. They mention it has an intricate detail in a well-documented time period. The narrative is sophisticated, and the story is complex and interesting. Readers describe the series as beautiful and engrossing, with a rich backstory and unexpected twists. They appreciate the characters being intricately interwoven together and the continuous theme and order. Overall, they find the trilogy creative and different.

"...It was truly awesome, incredibly deep, and also incredibly interesting...." Read more

"...LaFevers created a beautiful and engrossing series that combined history, fiction, romance, drama and magic...." Read more

"...It has most of the qualities I loved about the series: a rich (and suitably dark) backstory for the main character, emotional depth, and excellent..." Read more

"...The author is superlative at spinning a yarn and using a sophisticated narrative that reels in you in and keeps you guessing...." Read more

11 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive7 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it excellent and reasonably paced, with a well-timed question. Others feel it's slow-going at first or rushed.

"...was very strong in the end but barely built in the beginning, it felt rushed a bit...." Read more

"...However, after that the pace picks up nicely and I found myself being pulled along with Annith in her adventures...." Read more

"...It was slightly slow-going at first, but I feel the building of Annith's character required this...." Read more

"This was a little slower than the previous 2 books, but I still enjoyed it a great deal...." Read more

great series!
4 out of 5 stars
great series!
This series is awesome! I got Grave Mercy while I was on vacation in the Outer Banks, at the amazing Buxton Village Books. The cover is beautiful and the story is unique. LaFevers combined history with a little fantasy, yet it all still felt realistic, like it all actually happened that way. The convent of St. Mortain was fascinating. I doubt I would make a good assassin, but I would go to the convent! The main characters, Ismae, Sybella, and Annith are all likable and relatable. Of them all, I think my favorite is Ismae. She is the main character in Grave Mercy and the first of the assassins that I got to know. She embraces everything with grace and her abilities are the most interesting. Her story sets the tone and standard for the rest of the series. I’ll admit that when I started reading book 2, Dark Triumph, I was a little worried that the story was starting to get predictable. Thankfully, the further I read, the less predictable it was. Sybella’s story was definitely the most surprising and Annith’s romance came out of nowhere! So, each book has its own merit. And each one is very good and worth reading. I did read them separately, with a couple of books between so any predictability was staved off really well. The men were all great as well. I don’t want to take about them in too much detail because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that I was crushing on each of them as I was reading. Fictional boyfriends are all part of my nerd life, and I regret nothing! Overall, this was an excellent series, with engaging characters and fascinating circumstances. This is also a great series for older teens.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2014
    One of my favorite reads of 2015! I absolutely loved this book!

    I'm going to fangirl here for just a moment. I adore Robin LaFevers. I love her writing,and I absolutely love this series. It's one of my all time favorites. This series introduced me to some incredibly strong heroines who over the course of their own journeys learn a lot about themselves, and the truths of the missions they're sent on. Not only can these characters take care of themselves, they're intelligent and they think for themselves. They learn to balance between what they've been taught, what they feel/know is right, and what's right in front of them. And the romance? Stellar! It's the kind that's slow burning, passionate, and perfect for this series. The guys of this series have proven they can definitely hold their own with these tough women. I loved seeing everyone back together again in Mortal Heart.

    I really enjoyed getting to know Annith. Similar to her two friends who's stories proceeded her's in the series, she has to discern between the things she's been taught at the covenant with the things she's seeing, and the secrets she has uncovered. There's a shocking reveal and betrayal that I didn't even see coming. The outcome of it makes Annith question everything about herself, what she's been raised to. One of the things I admire about Annith is she never cowers away from the things that scare her the most. She owns her choices, and the consequences for her actions. I like how she thinks things through, and doesn't rush into action without having plan. Most of all, I admire the way Annith follows her heart. In doing so she reaffirms the confidence she needs in making the choices she does.

    The romance in this book is perfect! It's slow burning, passionate, and one that leaves me wanting so much more. I love it when an author brings two flawed people together, and allows them the time and space to figure out the desires of their hearts. That is the best way I can describe this romance. It's so well written. It simmers, and constantly burns even when the two characters aren't together. When they are together..... I want more. I love that twist that LaFevers threw into their relationship. I absolutely LOVED the love interest in this story. He is so, well, I can't say. I guess you need to read the book to find out more about him. Trust me, you'll love him.

    Similar to the other two books, with Mortal Heart I not only found myself cheering on the main character her love interest, but the host of other characters who play big roles in each of the stories. I love it when secondary characters become more than just a supporting role in a story. LaFevers supporting characters are characters I came to care about as well. Annith's story has some great supporting characters. I liked how some of their lives intertwined with other characters. For all the good characters in this story, there are also a few cringe worthy characters who had me cringing, and wishing I could jump through the pages at them.

    I'm sad to see this series end. It's always so bittersweet when you come to the end of a favorite series. It's like saying goodbye to good friends...This series is one of my all time favorites. The way LaFevers ended it was bitter sweet and perfect for all the characters involved. I love it when the last book in a series gives me answers I've been looking for, while at the same time it leaves me longing for. Though I know what the future holds for Annith and her friends, I'm both happy to each of the characters, and sad that I have to say goodbye to them. I've loved reading about their journeys of hope, love, heartbreak, and the fight for a greater cause.

    If you love history, fantasy, romance, action, and some incredibly awesome characters, I highly recommend picking up this book, and the entire series!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2018
    This is the final book in the His Fair Assassin trilogy and I finally feel that I got the book I wanted from the start. ‘Mortal Heart’ is the story of Annith who along with Ismae and Sybella, from book one and two respectively, grew up together in the Convent of Saint Mortain. Mortain is the god of death, but in ‘Mortal Heart’ Christianity has reduced his importance by calling him a saint and incorporating some of his mythos into their religion. He is one of the Nine Gods of Brittany and in this installment Ms LaFevers delves into this world and brings a lot more fantasy elements than the two previous novels combined.

    Firstly, I really liked Annith, and whilst her backstory wasn’t as dark as Sybella’s I still felt that her childhood moulded her into the woman she was and allowed the reader to understand her motivations. The Abbess has decided that Annith is to become the new seeress, a future that Annith finds repugnant. She has trained her whole life for one thing, to become an assassin in the name of Mortain and longs to be able to prove herself. This drives a lot of the narrative, Annith’s need to prove to the Abbess and Mortain that she can be his divine instrument.

    The first 20% of the book Annith is at the Convent and the story is heavy with detail and exposition that can be a little tedious. However, after that the pace picks up nicely and I found myself being pulled along with Annith in her adventures. We get to meet her love interest, Balthazaar, early in the story and unlike the previous two novels I found that the relationship unfolded at a reasonable pace. It was still a very short jump from meeting to realising they loved each other but the empathy of Annith and kindness of Balthazar won me over in the end.

    The story also has a lot more action which I preferred to the dry political maneuverings of ‘Grave Mercy’. Whilst there were still elements of the conflict that arose in the late 1400’s with the crowning of Duchess Anne, her many suitors and the threat of French invasion, it didn’t overwhelm the story-line. Rather it provided nice plot points for the story as Annith tries to serve Mortain whilst helping Duchess Anne and discovering what the Abbess is planning.

    We get to see Ismae + Duval and Sybella + Beast again which should satisfy fans of ‘Grave Mercy’ and ‘Dark Triumph’. Other secondary characters like Duchess Anne, The Abbess and Viscount Crunard are also more fully developed. The mythology around the Nine Gods is also expanded and we get to meet The Hellequin and the Followers of Saint Arduinna.

    Overall, I felt like the story stopped relying so heavily on historical accounts and elucidation and incorporated more fantasy and even romantic elements leading to a more satisfying blend than the previous two novels.

    4.25/5 Stars! The Assassin Nuns finally come into their own!
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Elin Gemhed
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good fantasy!
    Reviewed in Sweden on April 3, 2024
    Great plot, interesting world building, and well-written characters! Will read more from this author!
  • Léa
    4.0 out of 5 stars wasn't expecting this
    Reviewed in France on December 31, 2020
    i didn't expect the series to go in this direction but why not i'm totally down for it
  • 0101Gi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inesperado!
    Reviewed in Brazil on November 3, 2017
    Por fim, o último volume da trilogia "His Fair Assassins"!
    O foco agora está em Annith, e devo dizer que o livro me surpreendeu com suas reviravoltas... mas de um jeito bom. Recomendo!
  • sandi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in India on April 28, 2017
    good
  • Eileen @ BookCatPin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Assassin nuns are the BEST!
    Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2015
    I plowed through the first three quarters of this book when I first got my hands on it back in November. I didn't want it to end so I told myself to slow down. Then when I got down to the last ten pages, I stopped. I just wasn't ready to say goodbye. Now I've finally finished it. I LOVED IT ALL.

    Annith has been training all her life (literally since she was a baby) to serve Mortain. She patiently awaits her turn to do so. However, without explanation, the abbess informs her that she will become the next Seeress. This hits Annith hard since she never wished to stay at the convent in the first place, let alone for the rest of her life. The abbess refuses to answer her and denies all of her accusations. So feeling angry and betrayed, Annith leaves for the outside world in search of the truth. Her anger and curiosity was more than justified. I loved seeing how the secrets fueled her eagerness to learn the truth. She also had quite the adventure after she left the convent! First encountering and riding with the hellequins then with the Arduinnites. We get dropped small hints here and there and it was beyond satisfying to see them all come together.

    Every scene involving Balthazaar and Annith were my favourite! He was broody and mysterious but Annith was fierce and held her own against him. I suspected the truth about him. Even after I was proven right, it didn't bother me very much. But I can understand the reservation some people have. From a purely romantic relationship point-of-view, it was absolute perfection! From another perspective it was sort of....disturbing. It sure took a big twisty turn. Looking past that, I was so touched when Balthazaar chose to give up something personal to fight alongside Annith, even saying he'd die for her. Major swoons. I ship these two very hard ;)

    I love how the story ran parallel to Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph. Annith reunites with her sisters, Ismae and Sybella. They all try to aid the duchess to the best of their abilities. In the end, it was Annith who comes up with an outrageous but brilliant plan. It was the most ideal way to create peace. I guessed a few twists beforehand but it didn't take away from the overall plot. If anything, it made every discovery, every realization juicer. From the richly-framed myths to the politically-tied world, every part was flawless.

    Even though I am very sad to see this trilogy end, I am comforted that it ended on a beautiful note. Any future works of Robin LaFevers, count me in!!