From the Publisher
[I]t’s impossible not to fall deep into the dark yet alluring world of sorcery and secret assassins.” — Teen Vogue
“In a striking start to a new series full of magic and murder, Cypess has created a heroine at the intersection of Tamor Pierce’s Alanna and George R. R. Martin’s Arya Stark.” — Booklist
“A thoughtful exploration of identity and responsibility wrapped in a twisty, suspenseful mystery and set in a gorgeously realized fantasy world.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Cypess masterfully depicts battles with daggers, spells, and wits. The surprising conclusion leaves readers hoping for a sequel.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
“A dark, atmospheric, murder mystery laced with sorcery, intrigue, and dangerous romance. Prepare to be ensnared from the very first page.” — Cinda Williams Chima,author of the best-selling Seven Realms series
“Death Sworn is YA fantasy at its finest. Intricate and clever world-building, heart-stopping action, and an unforgettable romance that left me breathless—I adored every single moment and never wanted it to end. This is Leah Cypess’s best book yet!” — Sarah J. Maas, author of the best-selling Throne of Glass series
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Cypess masterfully depicts battles with daggers, spells, and wits. The surprising conclusion leaves readers hoping for a sequel.
Teen Vogue
[I]t’s impossible not to fall deep into the dark yet alluring world of sorcery and secret assassins.
Booklist
In a striking start to a new series full of magic and murder, Cypess has created a heroine at the intersection of Tamor Pierce’s Alanna and George R. R. Martin’s Arya Stark.
Sarah J. Maas
Death Sworn is YA fantasy at its finest. Intricate and clever world-building, heart-stopping action, and an unforgettable romance that left me breathless—I adored every single moment and never wanted it to end. This is Leah Cypess’s best book yet!
Cinda Williams Chima
A dark, atmospheric, murder mystery laced with sorcery, intrigue, and dangerous romance. Prepare to be ensnared from the very first page.
Booklist
In a striking start to a new series full of magic and murder, Cypess has created a heroine at the intersection of Tamor Pierce’s Alanna and George R. R. Martin’s Arya Stark.
School Library Journal
03/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Ileni was once a powerful sorceress, poised to be a leader among her people in their war against the Empire that exiled them long ago. But her magic is slowly and inexplicably fading, and she has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life as a teacher to assassins in a distant cave fortress. The teen also hopes to discover who killed the previous tutors sent by her people. The mission becomes further complicated by Ileni's growing feelings for Sorin, the assassin charged with protecting her. As Ileni delves deeper into the caves and the murders, she discovers more than she bargained for about herself and her people's relationship with the assassins and their mysterious leader. This book has a strong beginning that quickly fails to deliver, due in part to poor world-building. While Cypess gives a strong impression of a deep history of Ileni's people and the Empire itself, she doesn't delve into that history enough, which causes the story to lack a sense of true power. The romance is sluggish, despite a promising start, and Ileni herself, while steely and strong, has a tendency toward overt self-pity and whining. The novel's twists and turns set inside claustrophobic caves often lead to dead ends and will frustrate readers. Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Kristin Cashore may be drawn to this title but may not get deeply engaged.—Necia Blundy, formerly at Marlborough Public Library, MA
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2014-01-15
A teenage sorceress without magic attempts to solve a murder in a cave full of killers. What could possibly go wrong? Deemed expendable due to her rapidly dwindling power, Ileni is sent to the Assassins' Caves to teach magic—and secretly to investigate the sudden deaths of the previous tutors dispatched there. Resigned to her task (and likely murder), Ileni despises the assassins and all their works yet is also reluctantly drawn to the unexpected grace and even joy in their lives, as well as their selfless dedication to a greater purpose. Cypess has a talent for bringing freshness and depth to tired tropes; her lyrical prose and understated imagery evoke the claustrophobic caverns and the unbearable stress of ever-present danger. Ileni, with her complex blend of intelligence, arrogance, longing, despair and determination, is an exceptionally vibrant heroine. While her delicately passionate romance with her assassin bodyguard appears uncomfortably close to Stockholm syndrome, it also encapsulates the constant tension between popular perceptions of assassins as awesome and sexy superninjas and as callous, mercenary, bloodthirsty thugs. As her constricted surroundings paradoxically result in a more nuanced appreciation of the wider world, Ileni gradually learns the difference among those things worth killing for, worth dying for and worth living for. A thoughtful exploration of identity and responsibility wrapped in a twisty, suspenseful mystery and set in a gorgeously realized fantasy world. (Fantasy/mystery. 12 & up)
