Published by: Greenwillow Books, March 3rd 2015
Genre: YA, High Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 345
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
When a young sorceress is exiled to teach magic to a clan of assassins, she will find that secrets can be even deadlier than swords. Teen Vogue proclaimed, "It's impossible not to fall deep into the dark yet alluring world of sorcery and secret assassins." A dangerous and eerie fantasy about murder, shocking discoveries, and fiery star-crossed romance that readers of Cinda Williams Chima and Robin LaFevers won't be able to put down.
Ileni is losing her magic. And that means she's losing everything: her position as the rising star of her people, her purpose in life, and even the young man she loves. Sent to the assassins' cave hidden deep within the mountains, she expects no one will ever hear from her again. The last two sorcerers sent died within weeks of each other. Accidents? Or something more sinister? As Ileni navigates the dangers--both natural and human--of the caves, she'll discover secrets that have been kept for decades. And she'll find an ally in Sorin, the deadly young man who could be the assassins' next leader. With Sorin determined to protect her, sparks--magical and romantic--will fly. But will even he understand the choice she must make in the end?
Death Sworn is one of the best fantasies I've read in a long time. There's none of the preamble, none of the lengthy OTT world building. It's just immersive. It throws you head-long into the assassin's caves from page one (literally) and builds the setting so expertly, so exquisitely, that you don't even realise it's happening. I haven't seen this in a YA high fantasy for a long time.
The story is packed with danger and intrigue and mystery without being bogged down by the setting or long winding stretches of the character's internal monologue. Death Sworn is just such a good book. It's fun and fast and hid a plot twist I didn't see coming. Truly, truly good. The characters are complicated and morally grey, the cave of assassins is hella cool (and weirdly reminds me of that underground bunker thing in Unravel Me), and I even loved the romance - it moved at a steady, natural pace.
Everything about this book is awesome and demands your full attention. My only gripe is there wasn't enough magic for my liking but given Ileni's fading magic I understand it. Hoping there's more in the next book!
Characters ★★★★☆
Setting/world building ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★★☆
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