I’m so excited to be joining in on the Courting Darkness blog tour with Raincoast Books today!
I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the book as well as a mini Q&A with the author, Robin LaFevers!
The publisher kindly sent me a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning …
Sybella has always been the darkest of Death’s daughters, trained at the convent of Saint Mortain to serve as his justice. But she has a new mission now. In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, she agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Their one ray of hope is Sybella’s fellow novitiates, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent — provided Sybella can find them.
Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she struggles to remember who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. Her only solace is a hidden prisoner who appears all but forgotten by his guards. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands — even if it means ignoring the long awaited orders from the convent.
As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time, or will their worlds collide, destroying everything they care about?
Courting Darkness Review
Courting Darkness is unlike anything I’ve ever read before, but I really liked it!
Courting Darkness follows two characters, Sybella and Genevieve. While Sybella accompanies the duchess to France as she marries the French King, we also see Genevieve as she spies on the French court.
Both of these characters are enjoyable! They’re both incredibly strong and it shines through the pages. The characters definitely draw you in and make the story so enjoyable.
I also really enjoyed the writing. I’ve never read a book by Robin LaFevers before, but this won’t be my last! The writing is sometimes complex, but it’s so descriptive. It’s absolutely immersive and makes you feel like you’re right beside these characters in the 1400s.
Going into this book I didn’t know that it was connected to a another trilogy by Robin LaFevers. While the author mentions on Goodreads that you don’t need to read the original trilogy to read this new duology, I do think it’s necessary.
At times, the story lacks some background information and character development. This is specifically the case with Sybella, who is a character from the original trilogy. Sometimes I was confused or I just needed more information. So I think it would be a benefit to read the original series before diving into this one!
Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it! Whether you’re a fan of Robin LaFevers or not, it’s an enjoyable fantasy with great writing and characters!
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
Favourite Quote
Time is the best salve for heart wounds.
Q&A with Robin LaFevers
If Courting Darkness was a movie, who would you cast as the characters?
In my mind, I have always seen Sybella as a combination of a young Eva Green — that razor sharp wit, that cunning knowing! — and an even younger Catherine Zeta-Jones — that arrogant toss of her head, that playful but deadly challenge in her eye!
As for Genevieve, I think Astrid Bergès-Frisbey would be great in that role, bringing a very subtle sense of vulnerability to someone who, at first appearances, is so tough.
The men are harder. Beast has always been difficult to pin down, for while he is ugly, his personality is so attractive to me that it’s hard to find something that conveys the two. So maybe part Ray Stevenson, who played Dahomey in the 2004 movie King Arthur, part super grungy Chris Hemsworth in Snow White and the Huntsman. (I know Hemsworth isn’t ugly, but he almost is in that movie — plus his eyes have the same colour shifts that Beast’s do.)
Maraud is probably the most difficult because I only have an idea in my head — not one I’ve seen somewhere in real life. Actually, this might be a great question for your blog readers, as they probably have some better ideas!
About the Author
Robin LaFevers is the New York Times bestselling author of the His Fair Assassin Trilogy. While she has never trained as an assassin or joined a convent, she did attend Catholic school for three years, which instilled in her a deep fascination with sacred rituals and the concept of the divine. She has been on a search for answers to life’s mysteries ever since. She lives with her husband in the foothills of Southern California.
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[…] Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers: I read this one for the blog tour with Raincoast Books. While I didn’t love it, it’s still an enjoyable read. I think if I read the previous trilogy my thoughts would be different. Be sure to check out my review and Q&A with Robin! […]