“While Sybella might feel the current abbess to be harsh and unfair, to me she could never be a true monster. Not like the Dragonette, who still gives me nightmares, even though she has been dead for seven years. And while this abbess was as much my rescuer as any knight from the tales of chivalry, I never expected her to use the affection between us like a merchant, with a sack of coins, trying to bind my will to hers.”
Mortal Heart follows yet another Daughter of Mortain. This time it’s Annith’s turn and Mortal Heart is her story. For the first 56 pages (and yes this is accurate as much as it gnawed at me as I read) Annith is at the convent seemingly in a rut. She’s finally coming to grasp the concept that her life won’t change unless she makes it change, otherwise she will be stuck rotting at the convent with very little to excite her. I think this concept of change could have been provided within the first 10 maybe 20 pages, making it drag on and on for about 60 was too much. I almost gave up because nothing was happening, the plot was non-existent and it seemed like the MC was just complaining about her poorly dealt hand instead of trying to fix it. It proved to be annoying but because of how much I enjoyed the first two books in this series I decided to keep going and although by the time I reached the end of this book I found that my favourite was still the second, Dark Triumph.
“If there is no other choice, I will stay at the convent to serve as seeress.’ It is not the first lie I have ever told her, but it is the first one that I do not feel any guilt or remorse for having told.”
Annith isn’t like Ismae or Sybella. She’s way more passive and calm. Obedient even. And just like the lack of plot I was losing faith in her as she told her story, that is however until I read this. This showed some promise of her finally taking control of her life. Now, this was a character I could get behind. I usually gravitate toward the more confident and passionate characters like Ismae and most especially Sybella but I found Annith had a more sheltered life, she hadn’t learned the hatred and anger that her friends had. She didn’t have that same rage to drive her until she finally embraced her potential.
“And there it is. The threat I lived with my entire life. If I am not good enough, kind enough, thoughtful enough, obedient enough, I will be cast from my home like a stunted fish from a fisherman’s net.”
I love Robin Lafevers writing and this is an amazing example at what she’s capable of producing.
For the first two books the love interests have been members of the resistance, men fighting for the Duchess's side. I was excited when I found out that this book was breaking that pattern, especially when it was doing it in such a way to expose even more of the world of death. Enter the Hellequin.
“They are tortured souls of the damned who have pledged themselves to serve Mortain in order to earn their redemption.”
However, I found the relationship between her and Balthazar instant and steamy, lacking the slow build like the first two pairings. I also didn’t like his dialogue with her. I found he spoke strangely and although I know why he did (revealed much later in the plot) I still don’t think that was the way to go. I couldn’t see the attraction. I didn’t know what safe and cautious Annith saw in this mysterious stranger with the shady and vague backstory. I just couldn’t get on board with them as I did with Ismae and Duval and Sybella with Beast. I didn’t feel the romance.
“More than once, my gaze is drawn to the Beast of Waroch. His sheer ugliness is nearly an affront in such polished company, not to mention shocking next to the beauty that Sybella possesses. And yet...And yet the ferocity of his exterior matches the scarred ferocity of her soul, and I believe, against all appearances, that they will suit wonderfully. Any doubts I may have had are quickly dispelled by the quiet pride in the man’s feral eyes as he watches and listens to Sybella give her account. I can almost feel the weight of his regard for her reach across the table and wrap itself around her like a protective arm.”
Annith’s observations sorely pointed out how well suited Beast and Sybella are while simultaneously making me hold up her own attraction and love story with Balthazar seeing the dramatic shift between relationships. No one can surpass Beast and Sybella and having Annith comment on it just pointed out how flat her own love story was turning out to be. I think Lafevers was banking on the twist at the end about Balthazar’s true identity as the saving grace to the story but it wasn’t for me. If anything this plot twist left me more confused than satisfied. I think it was hard to create something to follow the masterpiece that is, Dark Triumph. I really enjoyed Sybella and Beast and I think it was impossible to top what they have.
Overall, I think seeing Annith’s story was important to this trilogy but I feel that this was the weakest out of three in terms of plot and romance. It tried to introduce too many new concepts (Hellequin AND Arduinna) in an attempt to expand this story of Death’s daughters and it just tried to tackle too much that other core aspects turned out flat. I did end up enjoying this story and I appreciated the attempt at trying to let readers explore more of the world beyond Death’s handmaidens but the plot wasn’t even resolved at the end. Yes, the fabric of the world did change for them as the last twist was revealed but the core story with the Duchess is still in turmoil. There was still too much left unanswered and I think that’s inevitable when you leave the story as open ended as this one was. That being said, I am aware of the Courting Darkness duology in which the story does continue but I think that should make the series five books rather than a trilogy and then a separate duology because it’s still the same story, tracing the same plot...But you know what I’m still intrigued enough to pursue this duology. I even hear that Sybella AND Beast are in it which it makes it even more appealing!
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