Review – Igniting Darkness (Courting Darkness, Book 2) by Robin LaFevers (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Length: 561 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books
Release Date: August 4, 2020
ASIN : B07T4LR3PT
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Courting Darkness Duology
Source: Bought eBook for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars
“When you count Death as a friend, who can stand as your enemy?
Sybella, novitiate of the convent of Saint Mortain and Death’s vengeance on earth, is still reeling from her God’s own passing, and along with him a guiding hand in her bloody work. But with her sisters on the run from their evil brother and under the watchful eye of her one true friend (and love) at court, the soldier known as Beast, Sybella stands alone as the Duchess of Brittany’s protector.
After months of seeking her out, Sybella has finally made contact with a fellow novitiate of the convent, Genevieve, a mole in the French court. But Sybella, having already drawn the ire of the French regent, may not be able to depend on her sister and ally as much as she hoped. Still, Death always finds a way, even if it’s not what one expects. ”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Courting Darkness duology. I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle. Previous to this I had read all other of LaFevers books (including her Theodosia series and her Nathaniel Fludd series) and really enjoyed them all.
Thoughts: All of LaFevers historical fantasy novels are exquisitely written and make for beautiful reads. The Courting Darkness duology is no exception and I think it is actually my favorite of all the series LaFevers has written. Both Sybella and Gen are women with such painful pasts who are forced into incredibly dangerous situations. Not only do they try to make the best of these situations, they grow and heal through the process. They make the most of their training as assassins and use it to both help the world and protect those they love. The men and friends who support them are just as amazing and strong as they are.
The story again switches between Sybella and Gen. They are both at the French court now and both trying to keep their monarchs safe in the best way they know how. Sybella continues to serve the queen, while Gen befriends the King. The French King feels attacked from all sides and it is up to Gen and crew to help him sort out the truth. We occasionally hear from other characters as well but the majority of the book is told from either Sybella or Gen’s perspective.
There is a lot of political intrigue in here, a lot of what it means to be family, and a lot about friendship and love in these dire and uncertain times. I loved the historical backdrop and also enjoyed the idea of the Nine and how those nine gods play a role in this story.
La Fevers includes a wonderful afterward that goes through the actual history of the time and what parts she took liberties with in creating this amazing fantasy story. I cannot emphasize enough how incredibly well written this is. It’s a complex historical fantasy but it practically reads itself; it just flows so beautifully. I always approach these books with a bit of trepidation since they are fairly long and normally political intrigue driven stories aren’t my favorite. However, I am always amazed at how I end up loving LaFevers’ historical fantasies.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I adored this duology and really love all of LaFevers historical fantasies. This is a complex intrigue-driven fantasy with amazing world building, intriguing characters and a complex plot. The writing style is truly a thing of beauty; incredibly easy to read but also amazingly lyrical and beautiful. I would recommend both this series and the His Fair Assassin series if you enjoy beautifully written historical fantasy stories.
