An unusual blend of historical fiction and fantasy, this is a spellbinding mythical read, set in a sixth century Britain which has been abandoned by the Romans. There is plenty of pagan magic and superstition, as the tribesmen war against the encroaching Saxons, and rebel against the Christian church, who are trying to convert them from their belief in the goddess Brigid. A strong feminist cast lead the plot in three sisters, daughters of a King: Riva, a healer; Keane, a warrior; Sinne, a dreamer. They all three believe in the old ways despite their Roman mother, and are trying to find their way in a world that doesn’t understand them. I can see this being the next Circe (Madeleine Miller) or A Thousand Ships (Natalie Haynes) because while it’s a fictional version of the past, this story very much set within the historical record of ancient Britain and the beliefs of its people, and the beautiful writing gives this a similar feel; particularly to Circe which has some mythical and magical elements too. I liked the characters, they have some good learning arcs although Riva and Sinne are annoying at different times. Keyne was fantastic throughout. I struggled through some of the section just before ending but the resolution was good, and overall I can say that I enjoyed this read - and I loved that it was set at Sidmouth, which I visited last year - the dramatic red cliffs are something special and lent their atmosphere to this spellbinding tale.

This could equally be read and loved by a fantasy reader with no interest in the historical side, as this is only a backdrop to a land full of magic.

My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sister song.
A thought provoking book, set in Ancient Britain after the departure of the Romans. Other tribes have their eyes on the village Dumnonia, that was once protected by magical powers, but King Cadow turned away from the Pagan traditions and so the village and the Earth suffered.
This is a sort of green, Eco warrior story, that emphasises the reverence for the Earth, its natural power and the forgotten magic that used to protect people, the natural skills of healing and the care of the people of the land. Keyne, Riva and Sinne are the three daughters of King Cawdor.
Keyne, born a girl, but feels her true destiny is as a boy, to fight for the village and to eventually rule after her father. She dons male garb and learns battle skills, she would be considered transgender today.
Riva, she possesses the gift of healing by using herbs and incantations, but she cannot heal her own injuries suffered in a childhood accident involving fire.
Sinne is the youngest, who is a daydreamer, she wants to be loved, free and happy.
There is a struggle between Pagan rites and the new Christian religion. Gilda is the village priest, who actively discourages the pagan arts and holds great sway with the King and his Queen. The magic is failing because of this new religion, no one is offering gifts to the earth anymore, and the life of the land and people is dying.
There are some thrilling battles ahead, with betrayals on both sides. A friend becomes untrustworthy, and magic is restored to the Kingdom.
I loved the character of Keyne, very strong minded, loyal and dependable. She finds her role in life and love. I really enjoyed the emphasis upon the land, and the power of Mother Nature, a concept that is gradually holding more resonance in the world today.
A book of two halves for me. My Kindle version had many errors, italicised words popping up in random paragraphs, and the letter ‘f’ was hidden in a little box, but all this should be resolved by publication. The first half of this book was rather dull and over wordy, the second half was full of action and so much more interesting! I liked getting in touch with a long gone way of life, it makes one more appreciative of modern times.
I received this free copy in return for my honest review. I give this a four star rating. I was intrigued by this story and loved most of the characters. I will post this review to Goodreads and Amazon.

A really lovely book to sink into. Whilst I found the beginning slow paced and found the twist easy to guess from early on, this was still a great read. I did find that the version I had which downloaded to my Kindle had a lot of errors which impacted reading, with all italicised words appearing two paragraphs early and strange icons which I eventually figured out to represent the letter ‘f’. All this will be gone for the physical copy and finalised ebook, but worth a warning to those struggling after downloading on NetGalley

Bound with magic and betrayal, Sistersong is an epic historical fantasy. Lyrically woven, the three stories and distinct voices intertwine masterfully as they each follow their own journeys. I couldn't put it down, I loved it.

A superbly powerful, beautifully written book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. An absolute joy to read, I am definitely a fan of this author now.

Absolutely excellent! A brilliant retelling (and reworking) of a folk ballad that is an historical and fantasy novel that would appeal to lovers of both genres. This book has everything a reader could wan, love, betrayal, obsession, magic, battles, adventure and lots more besides. Fabulous characters that beautifully develop along with the story, interesting and detailed world building, and a believable take on magic. I loved the theme about connection, connection to the land, connection to each other and connection to ourselves, that wove throughout the book and showed how badly things go wrong when we lose this and how right it is when we have it. The book loses a star purely because I felt that much of the action was crammed into the last 50 pages and so much happened that it was hard to feel all the feels I think I would have felt if I had had more pages to process. A fabulous book by a brilliant writer that I shall be wholeheartedly recommending.

Sistersong is a truly compelling novel, blending magic and folklore with suspense and characters that really draw you in. I found the three siblings intriguing in their own right - Riva for her flawed, eldest sister narrative; Sienne for her endless capability for love; and Keyne for his journey from sister to brother.

Keyne's story in particular struck a chord with me, as it will with many others. Born female, Keyne is in modern language transgender, and one of the best things about Holland's depiction of him is that she doesn't try to create a modern character. It stands to reason that people have been transgender or genderfluid for centuries, perhaps with different words for themselves or no words at all, and the associated emotions are not modern either (despite what some people may say!), so I am thrilled to see more queer representations in this genre. Keyne's journey was very realistic and relatable, and the ways in which his sisters realised and accepted him was also realistic and beautiful.

An intriguing, captivating read.

This was such an intriguing book of three sisters, full of intrigue, magic and drama it pulls you in from the very first moment.

There was quite a lot of world building and setup in the first half of the book, however, this all added to the magic of the book and I was immediately embroiled in this story.

I highly recommend this book, it was brilliantly executed and I found myself drawn to each sister in different ways - always a tremendous feat.

Lucy Holland’s Sistersong is an epic historical fantasy that needs to be on your radar. Released in April 2021, this story based on the ‘Twa Sisters’ folk ballad is set in a late Antique Britain after the Romans have left. Many thanks to Black Crow PR and Macmillan for sending me an advance review copy.

Keyne, Riva and Sinne are the children of King Cador, three siblings with complicated relationships. Keyne is struggling to be perceived as the man he feels he is, although he was born a daughter, chafing against the confinements of tradition and religion. Riva, the middle child, possesses healing powers but is herself scarred from a childhood accident with fire. Sinne, their youngest sister is a flighty and free-spirited girl wanting to find love and happiness. Set among the historical background of the advent of the Saxons, and a court dominated by the monk Gildas and his Christian ideas is a tale of betrayal and forging your own fate.

Sistersong retells the story of the ‘Twa Sisters’ ballad, which can be found at least as far back as the seventeenth century, but Lucy Holland manages to craft this story, which might be familiar to many readers, into something fully her own. Combining some of my favourite elements of books in one, I loved Sistersong so much – an undisputed five stars from me and a spot on the top three books I’ve read in 2020. It is a retelling of legend, set in a medieval Britain and queer, all things that would attract me to a book. But it is also brilliantly written and full of memorable characters framing the narrative.

The story is told from the perspectives of the three siblings, all with their own distinct voice and perspective on the world, making them come to life. Keyne’s transmasculinity is approached with nuance within the constraints of the period – avoiding creating an inherently modern character, but one that fits the context of the story. His story was probably my favourite of the three points of view. That isn’t to say that his sisters aren’t just as interesting. Accompanied by a cast of secondary characters, such as the gender-fluid magician Myrdhin/Mori, the historical figure of Gildas, mysterious Tristan and their royal parents, Sistersong is a complex web of relationships and power struggles. Not least of all in terms of the tensions between Christianity and the Pagan traditions still present at the court. This cultural struggle dominates much of the atmosphere, which made me love the book even more. I honestly can’t find anything to criticise about Sistersong, it is a book that feels like it was written for me personally.

If you like poetic reimaginings of mythology, such as Madeline Miller’s Circe and The Song of Achilles, you need to make sure to pick up Sistersong as soon as it’s available.

This is a tale set in the so called Dark Ages of Britain during the times of a Saxon invasion. It's a land where the boundaries between "reality" and "magic" are fluid, which gives a fantasy element to this book.

It is narrated through three view points, each voice being distinctive. Riva is the first sister and is renowned as a healer within the community in which she lives. However for all her healing powers, she is unable to heal the results of the horrific burns she suffered when she was younger. Keyne is the second sibling. Keyne is born as a girl but identifies as male. Having to overcome prejudice he establishes himself as a warrior and proves to be a natural leader. However the most difficult war he is fighting is one of acceptance. Then there is Sinne, who has musical ability but whose morality is more "fluid". She is able to cast a "glamour" upon herself which proves irresistible to men. Each sister has inherited an ability, some might call magic, linked to the land of Dumnonia (modern day Devon and Cornwall ) which they inhabit.

A mysterious visitor to Dunbriga is the catalyst for change. He says he comes from another friendly kingdom and is accompanied by the mute, Os. Riva and Sinne both are attracted to him, but is he really all he seems?

This is a time of change, being on the cusp between Romans and Saxons, between the indigenous religion and Christianity (represented by the sly priest Gildas), between the attachment to the land and the detachment from it. The indigenous religion and beliefs has Myrddin (Merlin) as its representative although his identity has a fluidity like Keyne's.

It builds slowly towards its thrilling climax. I didn't predict what for me was a truly shocking ending to one plot strand. This ending had the power of Norse myth/Celtic myth in its rawness and "terrible beauty"

It reminded me of the Avalon series of Marion Zimmer Bradley in placing the women and Keyne at the centre Also its connection to the land and its "pattern" of magic.

I loved the connections and contrasts between the "sisters" which illuminated the book from different angles The sisters are sometimes united and sometimes divided in the way that siblings are..It might be interesting to re-read it following each sibling's narrative alone.

The themes of the book as I see them are identity, connection to the land and love

As a linguistic pedant I do wonder if Keyne is a Brythonic name as K is not a letter common to some branches of the native tongue but then again occurs in Cornish, roughly where the book is set. and it is obvious that the author has done a lot of background research.

George Bernard Shaw said "no conflict, no drama" and there is conflict between the sisters as well as love and war.

The book had an elusive raw quality which you find in ballads, myths and fairy tales which seems to connect directly to the subconscious in the way the best fantasy does.

Thanks for my ARC.

As the titles alludes to, Sistersong is about Sisters in medieval England (around Devon and Cornwall by today’s geography) and relies a bit on old Celtic myth and Magic. Set in around 500 AD as the Saxons are slowly taking over Briton, I enjoyed how the historical setting was written whilst keeping a sense of magic, especially around the Nemeton and the woods that the sisters visit.

There is a lot of world building around the politics outside of the castle, with mentions of Saxons but also allies of Dummonia who we do meet some of within the book. The King is built up as a strong and just ruler, who had been able to conjure up the magic of the land to help protect his people, but the power is starting to be lost as Christianity takes place as the strongest faith.

The Celtic and Pagan influences were woven throughout the story to counter the Priests pushing of God to the people, and I found this intriguing as our characters most often held onto Pagan beliefs, but sometimes nearly fell into the belief of Christianity more. This shows the beginning of Christianity becoming more common in Briton, and whilst most of the book focuses on not letting go of old beliefs, you understand how the people were starting to convert.

Riva as a character irritated me a lot, although I think this was on purpose. She is introduced as the most sensible and realistic sister and then she spirals into a woman who only cares for a man. Her magic is all about healing, and her conflict is that she was never able to heal herself from burns as a child and so she resents herself and others because of it. Her actions predictability hurt her family in the end, however I enjoyed her ending as I found it fitting and good storytelling that contrasts with her sisters.

Keyne is transmasculine and I loved reading how he overcame how others saw him and grew into a stronger character in multiple ways. Keyne has the most growth throughout the book and changes mentally, physically, and magically as he learns to command the land as his father did before him. His relationships with his sisters is one full of love, and their reactions to him are in turn filled with love in the end although confusion is faced near the start and beginning of the book.

Sinne is the youngest and most fanciful of the sisters. She has glamour magic but uses it to play with others more often than not. Her power grows throughout the book too and does lead to altercations with Riva who doesn’t approve. Sinne’s character arc is one of forgiveness, both from and towards her which gave her a lot of emotional impact to the story for all the other characters too.

The overall plot of the book is how the three sisters each have their own place as part of keeping their people safe. Keyne as the warrior, Riva as the healer and Sinne as the singer. Reading about a time where they’re all frustrated with the lack of power they have as women despite being the king’s children, was interesting as they pushed past this lack of control to create their own narratives and paths to follow. Without spoilers, each of them leads a very different life despite starting off so similar and inseparable and the story feels and reads like a myth.

Positives of Sistersong
Magical story, world building and characters
Strong character relationships built up througout story
Negatives of Sistersong
Slower pace in areas

This is definitely a book for fans of Madeleine Miller, I have absolutely loved it, even if some of the twist were quite easy to guess.
I did not really paid attention to the blurb of the book, so I got caught by surprise by the queer content, but that definitely added an extra interest for the book.

After their father, the king, abandons the old gods; Riva, Keyne and Sinne can feel the magic of the land fading.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This follows the story of three sisters.
Riva is the eldest. As such, she is sensible and responsible.
When she was younger, she nearly died in a fire; and despite having healing magic, she cannot fix her own scars. The burns have stopped any offers of marriage, giving Riva a strange freedom.

Keyne is the middle child. He also identifies as male, in a time when women's roles were restrictive, Keyne struggles to find their place.

Sinne is the youngest. She has a natural beauty and grace, strengthened by her magical glamour.
Sinne likes to enchant the men around her, whilst she waits for the man of her dreams to sweep her off her feet.

Their lives are changing drastically, with the new priest that is pushing his Christian religion down their heathen throats.
As the people begin to turn their back on the old gods; the magic of the land starts to dry up.
There is also the constant threat of being attacked, as the Saxon invasion looks to be inevitable.

The world-building was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the land of Dumnonia (Devon & Cornwall in the 6th Century).
You get a real feel for what it is like for the people at the time. The Romans have left britain, but their religion remains, getting stronger as more zealots push Christianity onto the papan populace.
Foul people like Gildas use their religion as an authority to cow and punish others.

I found the first half of the book very slow.
Riva, Keyne and Sinne are not close, despite being sisters and each yearning for freedom and a life better than what fate has given them. As such, the narrative is shared by all three, and we are told of the hum-drum life and all the little stuff three times over.

To start with, Riva was my favourite character. Scarred and still bitter about her life-altering injury, she finds some freedom in pursuing her passion of healing.
Keyne was timid to begin with, their chapters slowly building on how frustrating it is to be forced into a mold just because he was born into a girl's body.
Sinne was the spoiled youngest child. Beloved and pampered by all. She has big expectations in her life, and gets jealous when she doesn't get her way.

My feelings towards these characters changed very quickly. Disappointingly so in Riva's case.
Riva flips into a shallow girly-girl who can only think about boys - everything she had previously sworn was ridiculous. I had very little patience for her storyline.
Sinne got mildly more interesting in her friendship with the mute Os, but she got pushed into being a background character. Then three-quarters through the book, something suddenly happened, that had me asking 'what the f?' It was just thrown in their for story progression.

The truth is, this is Keyne's story. It's all about his growth into becoming someone that his father and lords can respect. It starts off subtle enough, but then both of his sisters take a complete back seat; their plotlines are ignored.
To be fair, I did really enjoy Keyne's story. I thought he was a believable and honourable character throughout. I enjoyed watching him find his path, with the help of Mori; and the really sweet connection he has with Gwen.
For his story alone, I would have scored the middle section a solid 5 stars.

Unfortunately, the last section just left me stumped.
In the last 50 pages, Keyne takes their place in the castle; the saxons finally attack; they fight the bad guy; and all live 'happily' ever after.
Ugh, the bad guy. I wanted to smack everyone throughout the book. No subtlety.

Overall, I thought the writing was strong and the story had some real highlights; it's just unfortunate there were so many low points.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a free Advanced Review Copy of this book.

Sistersong struck me as a mix between an epic medieval fiction and a fantasy fiction read. And, oh wow, how much I enjoyed it. The story and characters grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let me go until the very last page. The world building, the characterisation, and the story arc are all done wonderfully. Every single character spoke to me, and I felt as though I lived this epic tale rather than simply read it. Even the less likeable people felt real, and I connected with them all.

My favourite of the three sisters has to be Keyne, who I should really call a brother, for he is a man in a female body. His fight for recognition of who he is added an extra special dimension to this tale. The narrative switches between the POVs of each sister, and each have a unique voice. Below are a few lines that stood out for me …



Her palm is rough and cool, and it soothes the ruffled sea in my chest.

and

But with kindness comes pity, and that is pressure on a bruise, a constant reminder of what I have lost.

and

… and the princes heard his despair–as an evil tide that drags men down to die.

and

The glib cast of his face is just the surface we see: thin ice on a pond. What lies beneath?



Quite early on, I sussed out that a certain somebody wasn’t who he claimed to be and was a spy. It took a while to identify exactly who he actually was, but even when I had, it didn’t spoil the final reveal at the denouement.

This is a story of family, of politics, and a troubled kingdom under threat from an invading army that has defeated much of Briton already. It is a tale of magic and faith lost–or diverted–and the power of the earth that supports and nurtures us. It is a story of remembering who we are and believing in ourselves. And, finally, a tale of redemption and love.

Whether you enjoy historical fiction, a rip-roaring coming of age, or high fantasy, Sistersong will grab you and pull you down to the depths. And it won’t let you surface until it’s all over. This book, and this writer, get a solid five stars from me. Go out and buy this book!

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I really wanted to like this book, it sounded like a fascinating story and there were rave reviews. Unfortunately, it really didn't grab me. The first few chapters are very slow and I couldn't build up a picture of the characters or the place at all. The priest character felt like lazy stereotyping as well - surely a sinister, sour priest would have had limited success in converting the King and Queen?

I'm sure others will love this, I spent a long time trying to but in the end gave up and didn't finish it.

In the pages of this book, I was transported back to a time which held echoes of an Arthurian world. Magical characters that held me spellbound, from the first page to the last. Three siblings of royal blood, each with a very different part to play but all in tune with the earth and its magic and the gifts it had given them. Their stories played out, interwoven with each other right up to the end. It felt like a poignant ending and I was left wanting to know what might happen next.
I loved it and couldn’t put it down.

Whilst the Saxon King watches and prepares the Vikings get closer and closer as his 3 daughters come of age in this male lead Alpha era. I know weren't they all, so how do the sisters survive in this era of Betrayal, magic and murder?
Well the ansa is in these pages obviously so the King is Cador his daughters are Riva who had been badly burnt in a fire you will hear more of that in the book, Keyne who wants to be King and the youngest Sinnne a dreamer waiting for her Prince to ride of with into the sunset. There are several other characters that you will meet all with a important part to play the Bishop the magician oh and who can ignore the Mother the Queen of King Cador.
There is a great mixture of adventure an odd romance or 2 plus the mystery of who is who exactly, that will make a lot of sense when you read it and i feel that is a great idea for you to read it.
So set in it's time zone it felt real i was able to escape into the story and sense to being apart of it, there is a feeling of the new coming as the old ways are being clug to for dear life without getting caught. However the over riding theme is fun, intrigue and suspense a true 5 stars i hope you agree.

I really tried to like this book given the rave reviews and still think I am missing something to be honest. I can see how manywould think it good and the language and way it is written is very good. I just found the POVS a bit confusing and the overall effect not what I enjoyed. I do try to get into these retellings of ancient stories but this wasn't a gamechanger for me.

A new author and genre to me. I found it a very moving and powerful story. Well written and well structured. I shall be looking to read more from Lucy Holland.

This tells the myth like story of 3 sisters, the kings daughters. Keyne is the warrior, Riva is badly scarred and Sinne as the youngest is beguiling. Each section is told from a sister perspective and secrets emerge as loyalties are challenged,
I enjoyed this book, it was well written and atmospheric. There were just a couple of things for me that made it four rather than five stars, the first is that the multiple perspectives were sometimes confusing and the second was that the ending felt very rushed.
All in all I enjoyed this and would recommend it.