A teen novel with a unique premise. Isme, the poor daughter of a farmer who beats her, finds herself in a precarious position on her wedding night when her pre-arranged husbands gets violent with her. Luckily she gets rescued by a do-gooder, and sent off to a convent. This convent is unique because it trains its young charges with becoming assassins, killing men in the name of Saint Mortain, the patron saint of death, who was long ago deified by the members of this convent. After years of highly specialized training, Isme gets sent on her first mission, a convoluted plot in which she must unwillingly become part of the royal council in an effort to find the traitor to the duchess's crown. She even more unwillingly finds herself attracted to the duchess's bastard half brother, as consorting with men without the intent to kill defies the laws of the convent. Yet, the more involved she gets, the more she questions not only the royal family's loyalty to the duchess, but also the integrity of the convent.
A well-written book with an as-yet unparalled premise, great for ages 14 and up.
