Blind Faith In Grave Mercy By Robin Lafevers

The Issue with Blind Faith
During the time of slavery, some Americans justified their actions by using the Bible. They claimed that since biblical Abraham used slaves, it was a reason for them to have slaves as well. This is an example of how people or groups that are trustworthy can be incorrect. Many people trusted the church, but that did not mean the church was interpreting the Bible correctly (ushistory.org 2016). This directly connects to the fantasy book Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers in which the convent similar to the Christian church the justification of assassinations is the equivalent of the justification for slaves. This book teaches readers that even people that are trustworthy are not flawless. Readers learn this through Ismae,

She shows this through Ismae, daughter of the Saint of Death. Ismae is forced by her father into a violent arranged marriage with Guillo, a pig farmer but is rescued from her home by the convent of St. Mortain and trained as an assassin to do the work of death by killing traitors to the country of Brittany. On her second kill mission, Ismae meets Duval. As a mission, the convent sends her with Duval to the place the duchess is living to keep track of what he is doing. Ismae meets D’ Albrete, one of the many people looking for the duchess’s hand in marriage, which is the only way to save the country’s independence. Francois and Madam Hivern are relatives of Duval, who introduces Ismae to them. During her mission, Ismae receives letters from the convent with orders of people to put to death. If that person is a true traitor, they have a dark “marque” on their skin, that only Death’s daughters can see. All of these events are leading up to Ismae learning that even though she trusts the convent, they make

Ismae first discovers this when Duval tells her that on her first assignment that she killed an innocent person who was actually working for the duchess (LaFevers 122). She had killed the man without question, and with blind loyalty to the convent. This is when Ismae first realizes that the convent is not perfect. She continues to learn about her convent when the they send her to kill someone who repents and is forgiven of their sin; Madame Hivern and François. They are plotting treachery, but they are a very small threat compared to other parties. Instead of killing her, she tells Madam Hivern that if she and her son repent, they will not be harmed. Even after they do this and the marque fades from their skin, the convent still wishes them dead. Ismae thinks, “I cannot believe I am refusing to carry out an order from the convent. I glance at the marque upon Hivern’s face. It is one thing to agree to work with Duval on behalf of the duchess, one thing not to tell Crunard of Duval’s whereabouts, but this…this is to move in direct opposition of the convent’s orders – and Mortain’s (LeFevers 433).” This demonstrates Ismae making the decision to defy her convent. Even though she trusts them and pledges loyalty to the same saint, she is still making an independent decision because she concludes they have made a false