Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Death, Violence, Murder, War, Child abuse (referenced), Grief, Torture, Captivity, Abuse
Courting Darkness
by Robin LaFevers
Book 1 in Courting Darkness Duology
Two of Death's deadliest daughters running an undercover game inside a viper's-nest royal court, with the kind of slow-burn tension and court intrigue that rewards everyone who loved the original His Fair Assassin trilogy.
goodreads 3.87/5 5,877 ratings
storykind_community 4/5 1 rating
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length498 pages
Series statusOngoing series
Spice3/5 · Longing glances
PacingMedium
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Forbidden love
- Male/female pairing (M/F)
- Slow burn
- Medium
- Longing glances
- The angst delivered
Show more
- War general / commander
- Protective love interest
- Tension / anticipation
- Book hangover
- Closed door / fade to black
- Found family feels
- Found family
- Tension
- Adrenaline rush
- Bound by honor
Fantasy promise
- Historical fantasy
- Political intrigue
- Royal court / palace
- Historical
- Humans only
- Undercover/spy romance
Show more
- Low fantasy / secret magic
- Second chance
Reading experience
- Dual POV
- Dark
- Atmospheric
- Heavy
- High
- Assassin
Show more
- Intense
- Spy/thief
- Character-driven
- Dramatic
- Mysterious
- Brooding
- Court of shadows
- Morally complex
- Cliffhanger warning
- The long game
- Bonds forged in war
Similar stories
Similar in ways that matter
Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
672 pages Completed
Queen of Shadows
Sarah J. Maas
Similar because
Political intrigue · War general / commander · Found family
Different because
Spice is lower (1/5 vs 3/5). Fast pacing rather than Medium.
624 pages Completed
Sword Catcher
Cassandra Clare
Similar because
Found family · Closed door / fade to black · Low fantasy / secret magic
Different because
Spice is lower (1/5 vs 3/5). Slow pacing rather than Medium.
692 pages Completed
Traitor of the Drowned Empire
Frankie Diane Mallis
Similar because
Bound by honor · Found family · Protective love interest
Different because
Spice is higher (4/5 vs 3/5). A longer read (692 vs 498 pages).
Book details
- Length
- 498 pages
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book