I read about 75% of this book and I slowly just stopped reading it. I don't think there was anything that made me stop other then I just got bored of it. I couldnt really get an idea of where it was going. I think it was pretty interesting but just not a book for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've see a lot of reviews opining that this is Lawrence's best work to date. They may well be right - I'm still reeling and can't say. I know I loved this book but whenever I can't coherently formulate an opinion straight after reading a book, that usually means it will come back to me in snatches, that I'll be thinking about it long after I've finished. For me that's the mark of a truly amazing book.


This is very different from The Broken Empire trilogy and The Red Queen's War trilogy. For one thing Lawrence ditches first person in this and gives us a close third person POV. Which works especially well for Nona Grey, the MC, who is a shadowy character, keeping some secrets even from the reader until the end. Another aspect of difference is that Red Sister is comprised of an almost entirely female cast. That may sound both obvious (the title) and a stupid point to raise but what I'm getting at is that I was halfway through the book before I even noticed. All gender politics aside, it takes real skill to create a story and characters so compelling that you don't notice the ratio of male to female characters. The third big difference from the author's previous work for me, was that friendship - and the dangers of trust and lies - was one of the greatest themes. Nona is not in it for glory for herself. Almost all of her motivation is sparked by a desire to protect or aid her friends. Don't let that statement fool you into thinking that they're braiding each others' hair or talking about boys however...

Combine all of that with some truly epic and realistic fight scenes - blood talents aside (who wouldn't want flaw blades, seriously!), hints that the four tribes came from another world, a host of well developed characters and possibly the most sayisfying ending I've seen on a book, and Red Sister has become a fast favourite of mine. I'm not surprised so many people have reviewed it so positively.

Some of my favourite parts were the little snatches of the girls in the future when they are grown, told as if relating a legendary history. Tantalysing and full of action.

As an aside, Lawrence is uncannily accurate in writing a lifestyle based in a convent where the girls are taught by nuns. I attended a convent school and while the curiculum was definitely different to that of the Sisters of Sweet Mercy (we weren't taught battle skills and poisons for instance - well not deliberately) the dynamic between the nuns, and the nuns and the novices , and between the girls themselves, was spot on. You would almost think Lawrence had been a convent girl himself. For that matter, he writes a prepubescent girl and her friendships with remarkable accuracy too.

So in conclusion, I loved this. Nona hasn't knocked Jorg off the topspot but she's definitely an even tie with him. Highly recommend this to all fantasy lovers - you may think you only like epic fantasy or high fantasy or urban fantasy. Maybe you didn't like Prince of Thorns or perhaps you think you won't get on with a predominently female cast. You're wrong - this is the book for you.

5 stars seem insufficent somehow. And now of course there is a long and dreary wait for the second book, which is my only real complaint.

ok so here is the part where i go i received a free ARC copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review and then i actually have to review it in some way that isn't just senseless flailing because THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! and i'm never really sure how to review books that i love because what am i supposed to do, sit here like 'yeah you know literally EVERYTHING about this book? i loved it!'? but it's true! also i apparently had the first books in this author's other two series on my tbr already and didn't realize it. i'm definitely checking those out now.

the world-building, the plot, and the writing were all great but what really stands out in this book to me are the characters. rarely have i ever seen a book full of this many well developed and different female characters. every single one of them had a distinct personality and voice and they all felt very real. the only minor problem i ran into was that i kept mixing up some of the nuns but i think that is because they are generally more minor characters and they have names like 'apple' and 'kettle' and my brain just can't connect them to the people because they aren't people names, but as the book went on i think i got them mostly straightened out.

i also liked how we got the flash-forwards in between the sections of the book because it makes me very excited for what happens next and how we get from our current point in time to there. basically this book was awesome and i literally don't have a single complaint about it. i would definitely recommend it. i'm usually more of an urban fantasy person rather than high / epic fantasy or whatever you want to call this, but i'm definitely hooked.

The story begins when Nona aged 8 is sold into slavery by her mother and is now waiting her turn to swing on the gallows for murdering a prize pit-fighter, the son of the most wealthiest most powerful man in the empire. Nona is rescued by Abbess Glass and is taken to the convent of Sweet Mercy where young girls are trained as warriors.
As Nona settles into her new way of life, close friendships and trust are born but unfortunately so is betrayal.
A fabulous fantasy, I can't wait for the next one. 5*

“All the world and more has rushed eternity’s length this beat of your heart, screaming down the years. And if you let it, the universe, without drawing breath, will press itself through this fractured second and race to the next, on into a new eternity. Everything that is, the echoes of everything that was, the roots of all that will be, must pass through this moment that you own. Your only task is to give it pause – to make it notice.”

This book turned out to be the biggest surprise for me this year. It is the story of Nona, an eight years old girl, whose mother sold it to get rid of her, because she thought herself to be a monster. At least, that’s what Nona thought at the time, too small and frightened to understand the truth behind.

‘You didn’t understand when she sent you away. And you don’t understand now. People lie, Nona, they steal, they cheat, they’re unfaithful. People hurt you, they let you down. They sell you out.’
‘It doesn’t mean I have to be like that.’

And so, her journey starts. It is the beginning of a coming of age story, bloody and action-packed, but at the same time one about friendship, loyalty and betrayal. All the hardships she endured, the struggles and suffering reminded me of Robin Hobb’s Fitz. The world, Abeth, is very different though: ice is closing in, the sun is dying, religion and politics are the master rulers.

However, up until around 70% of it, I thought this would be just a light, enjoyable reading but nothing more to it to make me gape in awe. Too many resemblances with Harry Potter, Aes Sedai and Wolverine. The four tribes from which descended all people of Abeth and on which primary features are built the four orders of nuns, were too slightly developed in the first part to make an impression. The nuns have too many names/nicknames and I had a hard time distinguishing one from the other; they were like a blur to me. Yet all these together mingled in an action-packed story that kept it going and me alongside with it.

And then the author drew the ace: he immersed us deeply into his world. The worldbuilding started, the magic developed, the characters gained depth and suddenly I found myself trembling along with Nona, Hessa and the others, marveling at the fight scenes and powers unleashed. I devoured the last 30% in one sitting, unable to put the book down.

‘I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin’

Bottom line is that now, after I finished it, not only I want the 2nd part a.s.a.p., but I’m also considering to continue The Broken Empire series (I liked Prince of Thorns but not even close to how much I loved this one).

Bloody, consecration, philosophical, multitude of female casts, lesbian relationship and badass warrior nuns, Red Sister has been a wonderful surprise for me. After the struggle I had with the first 25% of the book, it’s a wonder how the rest of the book could made me love it but oh nun (ha ha ha) it did.

The plot of Red Sister, the first book in 'Book of the Ancestor' trilogy revolves around Nona, a young girl who was taken to Sweet Mercy’s Convent to master her skills in becoming a Red Sister, a Martial Sister specialized in armed & unarmed combat. Why was she taken there and what are the challenges she faced? Well, you have to read it yourself to find out. The story took place most of the time in the Convent and focused on Nona’s training for around 80% of the book, you can consider this more or less a ‘Harry Potter’ for adults or according to some readers, 'Kingkiller Chronicles' with a female lead.

Red Sister is a one character driven book with only Nona as the sole POV, every story in the book, you’ll see it from her perspective and it’s written in 3rd person perspective, sometimes switching to 1st person POV during flashback scenes. This is my first time reading a 3rd person high fantasy book with only one perspective to follow and honestly, I prefer 3rd person multi POV in my epic fantasy read but Mark managed to make it work.

Nona is a great lead character with gradual development, she’s written realistically, loyal and kind to a fault despite her dark pasts but I do find her narrative unsuitable for her age. Throughout the story we focused on her year in Red Class (9-12 years old) and Grey Class (13-14 years old) but her narrative made her sounds like someone in their mid-late 20’s, doesn’t make her a bad character though.

“I have been too young to know, and I have been too old to care. It’s in that oh so narrow slice between that memories are made.”

When it comes down to it, the main themes of the book focused more on friendship, trust and faith more than anything else. As I said before, this book contained a multitude of female characters, Arabella, Hessa, Clera, Zole, Abbess Glass and all the other nuns/mentors, they provide variety for Nona’s narrative. Reading the book, I realized Mark put a lot of planning towards all the characters, he doesn’t shy away from writing something new and different for the current market. For example, some of the nuns in this book had their lesbian relationship blatantly spoken, in fact Nona herself has been hinted to be a lesbian or at least bisexual. Now now, don’t come into this thinking you’re going to find some explicit scenes, you won’t but maybe in the future sequels who knows and I’m interested to know how the relationships between the characters will develop in the future.

You’ll see the Sisters obliterate their enemies to shame regardless of their gender, mostly men but 90% of the few men in this book are either despicable, forgettable, or a coward so they kinda deserved it.

I must state one additional thing, I’ve heard some complaint from readers about these two question: “Why won’t the characters in high fantasy ever bathe?” and “why won’t the female characters showed any sign of having menstruation? it's unrealistic.” well, you’re going to see the characters bathe a lot here, they even raced for it sometimes and Mark actually implemented a scene where the character talked about their first menstrual cramp. (Again, no explicit scenes and I don’t really care about it, I’m just letting you guys know about it.)

The actions are gory and bloody, it has great climax scenes in both end of part 1 (the end of part 1 is the best part of the book for me) and part 2, uniquely complex magic systems, accompanied with beautiful and philosophical prose. Mark’s choices of words are poetic and sophisticated, here’s an example, let this quote sink in.

"Your death has not been waiting for your arrival at the appointed hour: it has, for all the years of your life, been racing towards you with the fierce velocity of time’s arrow. It cannot be evaded, it cannot be bargained with, deflected or placated. All that is given to you is the choice: meet it with open eyes and peace in your heart, go gentle to your reward. Or burn bright, take up arms, and fight the bitch."

Hearing all these praises, you’re probably wondering why I didn’t give it a 5 stars. Well here’s why:

1. I have severe difficulty at first getting used to Mark’s way of telling his story. It took me 6 days to get through the first 5 chapter and more or less 25% of the book to get used to the writing style but once I did, I can finally appreciate and understand his way of telling his story.

2. The worldbuilding of this book is unique but at the same time I find it really confusing without any map for guidance. I’ve read a lot of adult high fantasy books and all of them contained maps, in fact, this is only the 2nd time out of many high fantasy books I read that doesn’t have one. I always loved how authors implement the maps into their story, it strengthens my immersion in the world and this is one of the cases where it would’ve benefited so much from it. I can’t get a sense of how far each location is and where they’re actually located because of it. Hopefully this situation will be resolved in the sequels. (This is for the ARC edition, I have no idea if the official release will have one or not, I sincerely hope it will.)

As you can see, these are minor cons and definitely a “it’s not you, it’s me” situation so you may not find these cons a hindrance at all during your experience.

“A book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one. Treat them with respect.”

This beautiful quote summed up my overall review towards Red Sister, I opened the book underwhelmed by the beginning of the story, closed the book at the end feeling amazed for the great improvement and how well it’s set up for the rest of the trilogy. Red Sister is a great beginning to a new trilogy, this is the first Mark Lawrence’s book that I read and it certainly won’t be the last, I’m excited to read his Broken Empire and Red Queen’s War trilogy more than ever now.

The book official release date is on 4th of April, 2017.

Side note: There's one chapter dealing with animal cruelty. If you're not up for it, you might want to skip or skim the chapter.

WINNER OF MY FAVOURITE BOOK OF 2017!!

But Aaron, its only March. Surely you cant make that assumption this early? Well put it this way, it will have to be something very very special to knock this from my top spot.

When it comes to fantasy it takes a lot to impress me. This year i have challenged myself to read novels i usually wouldnt and having seen some early reviews of this (mainly on goodreads) and liking what id heard, i decided to give it a chance. I wasnt disappointed.

We meet our 10 year old protagonist Nona Grey as she is in a prison waiting to be hung for attempted murder, for reasons that will remain undisclosed (The less you know about this book the better). Her rescuer arrives in the form of Abbess Glass, who manages to barter for Nonas release and then returns with her to the sweet mercy convent, a training school run by nuns. You see Nona is special. She is a pure blood, of which form ; Gerant, Hunska, Marjal or quantal we are yet to learn, but it is at the school where Nona begins her training to help unlock her full potential.

The bulk of Nonas training takes up much of the book and i have read reviews where people have said that this goes on for far too long. Whilst this is true it is never ever boring. With boarding school settings and nuns teaching different subjects, this at times reminded me of Harry Potters first year in school, only now im 15 years older and this novel is of the more brutal sort. Nonas classes always interested me and we meet a great cast of characters along the way. The bulk of this novel is about friendship and with Nona and her friends Lawrence has created something special. We follow these girls through years. They fight each other numerous times, get battered and bruised taking on the blade path, an intense obstacle course which is near enough impossible to complete. Along with her best friends Clera and Ara we experience these girls growing up. Be it them whinging when they have the boring classes, sneaking around the dorms at night, bickering amongst each other, taking on bullies, trying to better one another on the aforementioned assault cause. Its these little things that make the relationship all the more real and they are needed. A particular highlight is when Nona and Clera are poisoned with truth serum and one admits that they have a crush on another girl. This is an interesting premise which i hope gets explored more in the next books in the series.

Whilst there are different paths a nun can take with their training ( Which are all covered in the novel and equally as interesting as one another) Nona is a warrior through and through. We are with her from the beginning of her training, starting off as a young peasant girl that cant even write, following her through her youth as she becomes a fully fledged warrior. She gets knocked down time and time again and takes numerous beatings, particularly in an early set piece where she has to protect her friend, Hessa. It was refreshing to see the anger in her every time she is thwarted, or fails at the blade path. She is an aggressive, loyal character that never ever gives up no matter what is thrown her way, which is a hell of a lot. We feel her anger, her pain, her emotions. Comparable to Arya Stark, she is seriously one of my favourite characters in fiction.

The world Lawrence has built here is incredible. This review does not even begin to cover it. The writing is meticulous, quotable. Every word is to be savored. I could have read this novel in one sitting but i didnt want to. I took my time and did not want it to end, and it pains me to think of the wait i have now to read the next in the series, particularly after the phenomenal cliffhanger ending.



I received a copy of this from Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This isn't the kind of book I like at all, or so I thought. I like my epic-fantasy to be, well...Epic. One huge world, with tons of different countries, people, castles, and usually a massive magic system. Also, a quest. Always. This book had none of that. It's much smaller in scope, and it didn't take 3000 to 4000 pages for me to figure everything out. I dug this book! They may call themselves nuns, but these are some fierce women. Nona is one of the best female characters I've ever come across. That gal can fight. I honestly can't wait for the next two books in this trilogy. Thanks much to Netgalley, Mark Lawrence, and his publisher Harper Collins for allowing me to read this book. Yep, I'd recommend this book and author.

After saving her friend from a giant ring figther, nine year old Nona is about to hang for attempted murder against the son of one of Verity most powerful family. Shes saved from the noose not a moment to soon when a nun helps her escape to Sweet Mercy Convent where young girls are taught how to develop their magic and become fierce warriors. However the walls of such a holy place may not be enough to protect Nona from the powerful family seeking vengance. Nona might be young but Red Sister reads like an adult fantasy similar to the Name of the Wind, especially with the school setting.

Nona isnt a very reliable narrator and her tendency to keep important information to herself was a little frustrating but after her mother abandoned her and her village gave her to a child slaver, opening up doesnt come easy to Nona. I loved how important friendship was in this story. Despite her difficult past Nona cherishes her friendships. She feels this deep responsibilty for anyone she calls a friend. Hessa was such a kind, smart and brave friend. I appreciated having a disabled character represented. I also really enjoyed her relationship with Ara and I loved what the author did with Cleras character, even though I saw it coming.

Abess Glass and Sister Apple were my favorite nuns but I also like Sister Kettle and Mistress Blade. I didnt like Mistress Spirit but I know I wasnt meant to like her. She picks on Nona for being a peasant when its seems very contradictory to her religion and where she came from. I dont trust all her whispering with Zoles bodyguard. I hope we get some insight into her motivations in the sequel. Im also dying to know what happened to Zoles bodyguard at the end of the book and Im still hoping Zole and Nona become friends. Keeping up with all the different students was a little confusing at times.

It took me longer to read and it was a little slow towards the middle but I knew I wouldnt be able to finish an adult fantasy as quickly as I do most YA books. The character depth and fantastic world building made the extra time spent reading worth it. I appreciated the unique world because with all the possibilities in fantasy worlds authors rarely change things up. Its the small differences that really sets a world a part. Their dying sun has caused their world to be covered in ice except for a thin strip across the globe where ice walls are moving ever closer. I also thought the intricate magic system was fascinating and imaginative.

I loved how the author created such a rich story without making it too difficult to follow. Im also totally attached to these characters now and I loved following a darker protagonist who gets her hands bloody. Nonas character was so raw and real. She has a unique way of seeing the world. The plot wasnt as exciting as I expected with the main character spending so much time in class but when we did get action it was very satisfying. I just wanted more brutal assassinations. The first book in the trilogy was definitely a lot more character driven but Im anticipating more action in the sequel.

(Review will also be posted on amazon after publication day and book will be featured in my upcoming monthly wrap up and book tag.)

Review
http://aminoapps.com/p/cbkz06

Adult fantasy
http://aminoapps.com/p/3kyyv

Rec
http://aminoapps.com/p/iw0dpg

Haul
http://aminoapps.com/p/ajtpu7a

Currently Reading
http://aminoapps.com/p/z0l9l

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1893897262

Twitter
https://twitter.com/CharmedChelsie/status/844990457792905216

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRlkkuvhe9a/

ARC provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

“A book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one.”

This story surrounds a young girl, given away by her mother and village after a frightful night. Yet, even being given away, our young protagonist, Nona, proves that there will always be room in your heart to love. The children that are given away to be sold are worth as much as what is in their blood. There are four tribes in this world, and the purer the blood you have, or the more tribes you have in your blood, makes your worth incredibly more valuable.

“What good is holy if it watches my friend die –not because she did something wrong but because her blood wasn’t good enough?”

Four Tribes that the people in this world can descend from:
➽ Gerant - Great size and strength.
➽ Hunska - Quick speed.
➽ Marjal - The ability to tap into lesser magic.
➽ Quantal - The ability to walk the Path and work greater magic.

Nona is sold and has a lot of potential because of her blood, but after Nona is found guilty of a very violent crime, she is sentenced to death. That is, until she is stolen and taken to Sweet Mercy's Convent for young girls, because her blood and potential should not be wasted. Unfortunately, Nona is harboring secrets that are constantly making her question her worth, no matter what's in her blood.

“That’s my secret and my shame. I’m Nona Grey, war is in my veins, and the screams of my enemies are music to me.”

Four Classes in the Convent for the novices to learn as a group:
➽ Red Class - Ages 9-12 typically.
➽ Grey Class - Ages 13-14 typically.
➽ Mystic Class - Ages 15-16 typically.
➽ Holy Class - Ages 17-19 typically.

In ten years, Nona will be educated and taught everything she needs to know in the ways of blade and fist while becoming a Red Sister, but there are going to be many hurdles in her way. This book spans only three of those years, but we already get to see the political, power, and religious problems that will not be ignored or easily fought.

Four Paths for the novices to take once they become nuns:
➽ Bride of the Ancestor, Holy Sister - Honors the Ancestors and keeps the faith.
➽ Martial Sister, Red Sister - Warriors skilled in armed and unarmed combat.
➽ Sister of Discretion, Grey Sister - Masters of stealth and potions with shadow work.
➽ Mystic Sister, Holy Witch - Walks the Path and manipulates threads.

“The hardest lesson I ever learned was that every bad thing you see a friend do to someone else they will someday do to you.”

This story puts such a heavy emphasis on friendship and the importance of believing in others even when you've been hurt in the past. Friendship truly is the constant theme of this story, and how beautiful and cruel it can be. Trust is something we should never give willingly, but it can reap so many beautiful things if you choose to put your trust in the right person.

“Truth is an ax. Without judgment it’s swung in great circles, wounding everybody”

Four girls whose paths cross regardless of what they wanted:
➽ Nona - Our sweet cinnamon roll protagonist.
➽ Arabella - From royal blood.
➽ Clera - Father/family in great financial trouble.
➽ Zole - From the Ice Tribes and the ward of a very powerful woman.

No one is truly all good; everyone comes with failures and faults. Good people can do terrible things just as easily as bad people can perform righteous miracles. Believing in someone else can be a great treasure or a horrible curse, but believing the bad or the good of yourself can be catastrophic.

And the writing, oh the writing. This writing is slow and meticulous and meaningful. It's different and unique and reflective on things going on in today's world. It's mesmerizing and lyrical and completely unforgettable. I honestly feel like I could have highlighted this whole book! I will definitely be rereading some of these quotes for the rest of my life.

For me, this story has seeped its way into my body and embedded itself into my heart. I was unable to put it down, and I still am so invested in Nona's character. Nona is the best character I've read about in years. If there was a way for me to put myself into this story, I would and I would fight by her very side because I believe in her that much.

“A juggler once came to my village. He was my first friend.”

This is a story about a chosen one, but it is done in such a perfect way that you are left constantly questioning what is true and what is false. This isn't your typical chosen one cliché in the slightest. The prophecy in this book is unlike any other you've read, and the battle for the truth is such a treat to read about.

“It says that the Ark will open when the four tribes demand it with one voice.”

And I mean, ultimately this is a story about magical warrior nuns fighting a war from many different sides! How much more do I need to say to sell you?

Okay, let's talk for a minute about *holds breath and pauses for dramatic effect* SCHOOL SETTINGS! Most people, like me, in their mid to late twenties, grew up with Harry Potter which has bewitched all of us to absolutely love and devour books set in boarding school settings. All the different nuns, with all their different specialties, were so reminiscent of Harry Potter, too, that I couldn't help but become addicted to reading this. (Side note: Apple/Mistress Shade is everything I wish Snape was in a Potions Master, and she filled my heart with so much happiness.)

This story also beautifully features lesbians. In fact, I do not believe we even see a hetero relationship in this book. There are two nuns in this book, who are teachers and obviously together, which no one ever shames or questions, but treats the relationship how it should be treated: as normal. There is also a good discussion on being young and having feelings that you aren't sure are "correct" since the feelings are not of the 'norm" of society. One of the other younger girls in the Convent is discovering she is gay, and the transition of her realization is somewhat painful, but so very important. It is never stated that Nona is gay herself, but I truly feel like she is, and I am so excited for that development that could grow, you have no idea. Let the record state that all I want in my life are lesbians in my high fantasy novels and this portion of the story made me completely biased. Also, thank you Mark Lawrence for making a Convent, for only women and girls, have lesbians, because many other authors would have skipped the obvious and made everyone straight.

“Your death has not been waiting for your arrival at the appointed hour: it has, for all the years of your life, been racing towards you with the fierce velocity of time’s arrow. It cannot be evaded, it cannot be bargained with, deflected or placated.”

Overall and needless to say, I loved this. It was so immersive and so all-encompassing. I never wanted to put this book down, and all I want now is the second book. The characters are on a whole other level, the writing is nothing short of phenomenal, and the story is so very captivating and addicting. This book will easily make my "top books of 2017" list. Please, do yourself a favor and pick up this amazing book on April 4th, 2017.

“There is, in the act of destruction, a beauty which we try to deny, and a joy which we cannot. Children build to knock down, and though we may grow around it, that need runs in us, deeper than our blood.”

Oh my gosh guys!
This book is immense.

It has danger and fighting and adventure and magic and mystery and intrigue and swords and poisons and ice and powers and friendship and bravery and nuns.

What more could you ask for?!

Nothing.
You could ask for nothing more.

The story follows Nona as she is given away by her mother and eventually ends up at the Sweet Mercy convent training to become a Red Sister.
But Red Sisters aren't your average type of nun.
Oh no!

While at Sweet Mercy Nona and her friends learn how to fight with fist, blade, arrow and spear.
They learn about the world and all its mysteries.
They learn how to brew poisons and create the antidotes all while trying to avoid being sneakily poisoned themselves by their teacher.
They learn how to connect to the Ancestor and in turn learn patience, clarity and serenity.
They learn how to weave shadows and pull the threads that connect all things.
And they learn about The Path.

I want to become a Red Sister.
Please?!

Nona and her friends face many trials and dangers throughout this story and it never once got boring.
The whole book sped along in one big heap of awesome!
The story and world were completely fascinating; I was hooked from the very first page.

All of the characters we meet are so varied and interesting.
Nona herself is incredibly likeable and easy to empathise with. She's brave, fierce, wild, and a true friend. Yet she's also scared, untrusting, secretive and violent.
I loved her.
In this story we have fierce friends, kindly teachers, terrifying enemies, sneaky liars and everything in between.

The world felt so real and fleshed out.
From the cities and convent buildings where lessons took place, to the freezing wilds of the Corridor and dark underground tunnels. It was written amazingly well and now my life's goal is to gain admittance to the Sweet Mercy convent.
I want to learn from the Sisters, have warm steamy baths, try to walk the whole of the blade path, visit the library with Sister Kettle, and go out on a ranging in the icy winds.
Why is this world not real?!

"They're my babies. My old leathery babies. And I have a very unpleasant poison from Sister Apple for anyone who so much as folds a page." - Sister Kettle

I love my old leathery babies too Sister Kettle.
And my new papery babies as well.
I would totally poison anyone who harmed my books!
Sister Kettle knows what's up!

I am desperate to dive back into this world again as soon as possible.
The sequel can't come soon enough!

Holy Moly- Red Sister was Divine!

Every so often a book comes along that reminds you why you fell in love with your favourite genre. This was one of those books for me. If you are in any way a fantasy lover, then this book will be right up your street!

Utterly absorbing and wonderfully crafted, the world building in this was outstanding. I really admired the dystopic, end of the world feel, combined with high fantasy elements. It was both unique and reminiscent of the best of the genre.

I also loved the writing style. The sumptuous storytelling was nothing short of gorgeous- the kind that is like warm, thick blankets you can wrap around yourself and get totally lost in. Tucked up with such a story, there’s no doubt I felt like I had come home.

And you have to love the characters!! True to form with what I’ve experienced so far of Mark Lawrence’s characters, the whole cast is richly drawn and intriguingly complex. I mean they’re killer nuns for goodness sakes- need I say more? Most importantly of all though, the protagonist, Nona Grey is as sharp as a knife’s edge and one serious badass!

Now while the pacing does change tempo in a lot in places, the ending is so exhilarating that all you are left with is a feeling of “I want more!!”

Rating: 4½/5 bananas

This is out in two weeks on 4th April- so be sure to snag a copy!!

“It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.”

I went to a Catholic school for 12 years, nuns were the ones responsible there. Naturally, we disliked them, they were mean, heartless, and too strict. However, after this book, all I can say is wow, I wish that was my kind of school! Because you see, these are no ordinary nuns. I mean who would train the students to poison, kill, and destroy? Of course, in self-defense 😉

Meet Nona Grey, the female version of Kvothe (of course, no one is as cool but she’s as close as it gets). So Nona is probably the most badass girl at age 8. She almost killed one of the strongest pit fighters and he only survived because of magic and not medicine! So naturally, I will adore her because I love my chicks to be kickass and don’t take shit from anyone.

After she tried to kill the son of the wealthiest family in the empire, Abbess Glass saves Nona from an inescapable death and recruits her to join the convent of Sweet Mercy. Even though they are taught about faith and the Ancestor, the nuns of Sweet Mercy are not ordinary. They train deadly assassins and helps those with special talents to flourish. There, Nona makes new friends and develop her abilities. However, her past won’t stop hunting her and her powers can’t be kept a secret anymore…

One of my favorite things about this book is the friendship between the girls. Usually, in books, we see solid male friendships but so rarely females. Sometimes, it starts strong but they drift apart for some reason. Not in this book. I know it’s natural since they live in a dorm and go to the same classes, but it was well done nonetheless. I liked how Nona developed a special bond with Hessa, how she held Ara precious and was ready to do anything to protect her. Nona’s definition of friendship equaled trust. She’d never betray her friends and expected them to do the same in return. They’ll be hell of a squad when they grow up. I also liked the nuns, especially sister Apple and sister Kettle. I loved how they treat the children, at least Nona, not as kids but as people who will understand and think for themselves.

The story started strong, addicting, and fascinating. It’s told in the 3rd person from Nona’s pov. While our girl is more mature than most of our YA heroines nowadays, she’s no reliable narrator. She told her friends lies and I believed her until she told another lie and I learned to never do. She’s always keeping something to herself or alternating past events. She played with the truth and reformed it. Yet, you can’t help but admire her. Nona is brave, vicious, smart, and deadly. I just love her. Even though the cliffhanger in Red Sister is no major one, I want to read the next book so bad. She was already amazing at 10 and 12, so what will she become at 18?

The worldbuilding in this book is quite creative even if it was too confusing sometimes. The sun is dying, the moon is falling, the globe is iced, except for a very limted part called the Corridor. The moon is the only thing keeping the earth from being completely frozen. The magic system is well developed. Some people have special abilities because of their blood, some more than others. You can be faster, bigger, walk the Path (greatest power), or have some minor magic but also impressive. Those who have more than one gift are rare and more powerful. However, scarce are those who possess more than 2.

Why not 5 stars?
Everything was perfect until we reached the second half. As Nona learned about her world, we learned with her too. But eventually, it got boring. Even introducing Zole (hope they’ll become friends) didn’t help. From 50% to 80% of the book, I felt like I was barely making a progress. Luckily, the events picked up eventually, and I couldn’t put the book down. This book isn’t an exception from one of the most annoying cliches in books. Remember Harry when he never told Dumbledore of what’s happening even though it could’ve saved lots of trouble? I know things turned out okay and he learned his lesson but I’m not even sure things will be fine here! When kids know something, they should tell the grown ups. Sometimes they are bad but not here. Sister Abbess didn’t show Nona but good intentions. I hated how they didn’t tell the sisters what they discovered. It cost them dearly.

Other than that, this book was quite amazing. It’s easily the best book released in 2017 I read so far. I highly recommend it even if you didn’t enjoy Prince of Thorns. I haven’t read it (yet) but heard enough about it to know it’s nothing like this book at all. Mark Lawrence did a splendid job, the writing style was gripping and the characters definitely memorable. It was my first book by this author but certainly not the last.

Go read this book as soon as it comes out! You won’t regret it!

Minor Spoiler:
PS: If you are worried about the Chosen One trope, don’t worry. It’s not Nona.

Who knew a tiny girl-child, covered in grime and stinking of sinister, could be feared, and wanted, by powerful politicians and royalty alike. Who knew a tiny girl-child, abandoned by her own mother, would find family amongst a convent of military nuns. And, who knew a tiny girl-child with anger issues and perfect mistrust of the faith could reach deep into her shadowed soul and find she is more than just a consummate fighter, a loyal friend, a tactician, a prophesy; she is a Red Sister.

Nona Gray, given away to the child-taker, sold to the pit boss, destined for the gallows, is spirited away by the abbess of a rather unusual convent. The novices are trained in arts reflective of the ancient four tribes: martial, spiritual, magical, as well as the necessary art of poison. Considered a monster by her own village, Nona has never been comfortable with other people and her only friend was a juggler passing through the peasant town. At the Sweet Mercy Convent, Nona makes fast friends and experiences for the first time in her short life the true joy of three meals a day, soft beds, and baths; hot, cleansing baths. Conversely, she makes staunch enemies, learns the true meaning of pain, and discovers there is more to being a monster than she knew. And, she learns how to channel all that black energy into becoming one true kickass nun who can, and will, fight to the death for those she loves.

Mark Lawrence built the most incredible world with his Broken Empire series—it was violent but complex and was peopled with violent but complex characters. This series takes place in another world, probably even another planet. Abeth is covered with ice and a tiny corridor of humanity encircles the planet like a miniature belt. Only the collapsing moon known as the focus brings warmth to Abeth and once it dies, the icy walls will advance and crush what remains of mankind. There is magic in this world with magical descendants of the four ancient tribes that landed thousands of years before. Not all are prime; some only carry a touch of ancient in their blood while others bear more than one tribe in their DNA.

The people of Abeth are violent and complex. Nona is complex and definitely violent. Physically small in stature, the girl is a beast when it comes to fighting and her episodes of full-on rage are fabulous works of art. Lawrence may have created a monster but he also kept the girl within her alive. While she may be prickly and temperamental, she remains a young girl, one with self-doubts and sadness and moments of giggles with her friends; the reader cannot help but develop an attachment, of some sort, to Nona. I loved her.

Nona’s friends and the nuns who train them are wonderful creations, especially the abbess and Nona’s friends, Clera, Ara and Hessa. Politically savvy, Abbess Glass has her reasons for saving Nona from the noose. She will fight the church with its political tentacles and she will endure pain for her small charge as she plays her cards very close to her habit. Clera and Ara, friendly adversaries, bring out the human in Nona and she will fight, and endure unbelievable pain, for them. Hessa is just wonderful and her connection with Nona is beautiful.

Throughout the book there are many scenes that made me cringe, more that made me laugh, and even more that made me put it down and say “wow…just wow.” The ending was outrageous and stunning and I cannot wait for the next book. Lawrence is a phenomenal world builder with his layers upon layers of magic and culture and religions and people. He has a wicked sense of humour and his way with words is nothing short of brilliant. To wit, he opens his prologue with this short but critical observation: “It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.” This statement later expands to clarify that you will also need an army of “sufficient skill” and “sufficient bravery”. And how many authors will remind you “No child truly believes they will be hanged.” Those sentences let us know that, in Lawrence’s world, no one is safe and no one is off limits.

This is another brilliant book by Lawrence and I think I like it even better than Jorg’s world. Jorg and Nona would make a deadly combination, though. With her abilities and his lack of moral compass, they could conquer worlds. But, thank the Ancestor, Nona is not Jorg. Because this is a separate series you don’t need to read the Broken Empire, but I highly highly recommend it.

(I do have to share some thoughts that made me giggle as I read late into the night. The convent is like Hogwarts but with habits and throwing stars and tons of estrogen. It's a thrill when Nona expertly channels her inner Wolverine. Oh, and I have a theory about the focus.)

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book in exchange for a completely honest and heartfelt review.

A bit of a stumbling beginning. The pace began to pick up after the prologue, and as a lover of fantasy I was fascinated by the world Lawrence created and had a lot of questions I wanted answered - about the four magic races, about Nona's story - and I also wanted to see better development of Nona's character as well as the other girls. Unfortunately it came to a bit of a (in my opinion) rushed and unfinished ending. I felt the jump from the last chapter to the epilogue confusing. A promising story, but felt like a bit of polishing to the story would've made it better. There were bits that didn't make sense to me, and I wish the author had taken a bit more time to elaborate on certain parts of the story.

I received a free E Arc from Netgalley.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence is a stunning book - I can't deny that - initially I wanted to hold with a four star review but I've changed it to a five star because it is that good, and while I have reservations about it from my view point of a fan of his two previous trilogies (completely unrelated to this book - although the previous two are related to each other (remember that when you finish reading this book)), that's hardly the fault of this book.

Where to begin - Mark Lawrence never starts a book with endless world building - neither does he stick it down your throat about two or three chapters in - in fact he is elusive to it being almost frustrating about the visions he has in his head. This is a compliment. World building - so beloved of all fantasy fans (so it seems) often gives me a bit of a headache because it is so tediously done. Honestly, I'm not that interested in how magic systems work/religious sects organise themselves - if the story works and its believable then I'm happy. (Lawrence does provide a detailed explanation of all of this at the very beginning - but it's not part of the text of the story and because I love surprises, I didn't read it and still haven't, it made me think he finds world building in the main text as tedious as I do and decided to get it over and done with in one foul-swoop).

In Red Sister, Lawrence has envisaged something new, and also, eminently relatable. This is frustrating - when he does 'new' it's great but sometimes he falls back onto more conventional fantasy ideas and sometimes I want to beat him for being a little bit lazy, almost as though it's all been a bit too much and he's had to incorporate something into the text that is easy, and already 'known' by those who read fantasy. As such there are painful parts of the text which are too much like Harry Potter ( a lot too much like Harry Potter), and there are brilliant parts where his four 'races' - so different to elves, dwarves, orcs and dragons - speak for a level of imagination that few others can employ. The ending - so shocking to many in other reviews - was signposted a little along the way if you just looked - and the narrative - while brilliantly done - does tend to dwell on the day to day life of little more than a child at school.

There are flashes of that old Lawrence from his first two trilogies - the witty speech of Jalan and his self-obsessed nature - and the brutality of Jorg - but they are only flashes and I think that other fans of his work will be left feeling the same way I do - not hard done by - but surprised - like, constantly surprised - that he could have changed his style so much. I have hopes that Nona might become as foul mouthed as his first two main characters - but she's at a convent so I might be reaching a little too far.

This story will, however, win Lawrence a whole host of new fans - I don't know where they'll go from Red Sister, apart from onto the sequels, because I'm not totally convinced that they will appreciate Jorg and Jalan. Neither am I trying to imply that Lawrence has sold out for a bigger audience - the book is still brilliant - it is worth a read - it's an easy book to like and an even easier book to read - but, well ... just but really. It's weird to feel the way I do after a five star book - I think that really I was hoping for a little 'more' perhaps a book worthy of a 6/5!!

This is an exceptional book! I fell in love with it, as soon as I started it. I would give 6* if I could.
So the short review is: Stop reading this. Instead go and read sister right away - you will thank me later!

The full version:
I read Prince of thorns - and I hated it. I hated Jorg to an extreme, and I also didn't like the big twist in the worldbuilding. I intended to never pick up another Lawrence book.
So, when the ARCs for Red Sister went out, I didn't expect 4 people messaging me, that THIS book is different, and I HAD to read it! After being peppered with heartfelt recommendations over and over, I decided to give it a try.

I started reading, and after the first few pages I was hooked body and soul. I had the hardest time to put the book down every time life made me. If I could I would have read the whole thing in one long go.

So what made the book so special?
First off it is full to the brim with great female characters! Not stone cold assassins or weak princesses, but realistic, individual people who won't take any crap. I fell in love with the characters right from the start, and wish I could spend way more time with Nona, Hessa, Kettle, Apple and so on.
Nona, our main character, is sold and gets taken in by a convent, where she is trained as a novice. That means different classes: Blade, Academia, Spirit, Path and Shade. I loved exploring the different magics and fighting styles with her, and seeing the characters grow and change with time.

There isn't so much plot progress, but as it is in the Kingkiller Chronicles, that didn't bother me in the slightest. There is plenty of action going on, and the worldbuilding is fascinating.

The prose is beautiful, and I found plenty of quotable material.

The pacing was exactly right for me. I never felt rushed or bored. There were parts of the book when I found myself holding my breath and turning the pages at record speed, and also times when I was relaxed and enjoyed learning more about the world.

The story is bloody and graphic, but it never felt like there was gore just for gore's sake. It felt a natural part of the story and enriched the reading experience, instead of just being revolting or cheap shockers.

The ending... The ending left me breathless and blinking, and not able to even think about having to wait ages to read more of it. It was action filled, had some twists, was unexpected and brought together quite some strings laid out throughout the book.

The whole book was amazing, but for me the characters where the best part of it. I feel like I know them all - and even the ones I don't like, I somehow developed some feelings for. I was right there with them, and they feel so very real to me! This seriously is one of the best fantasy books I've read so far - and that has been a great amount of books...

So I can 100% wholeheartedly and shouting it from the rooftops recommend this book to both Lawrence fans, and also those who didn't/couldn't read his other series.

Beyond incredible. Mark Lawrence i an incredible author but in Red Sister he outdoes himself and stretches from his male anti-hero protagonist to develop Nona Grey; an incredibly strong female lead. Her growth in the book is fantastic and the pacing with which Lawrence develops her character is genuine. Great read, I'm incredibly grateful to have been able to receive an advance copy and I can't wait to purchase the hardcover once it's released. My only disappointment is that I'll have to wait so long for book two of Book of the Ancestor to continue this story.

Review

It is important, when killing a nun, to bring an army of sufficient size.
I know they say to never judge a book by its cover but first impressions are everything. The above quote is the first line written in Red Sister - Mark Lawrence's newest masterpiece. I don't use the term lightly.

For those of you who haven't read his work before - know this: it will change how you read fantasy for the better. There's a really apt line in this book for this sentiment:

...a book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one.
For those of you who have, you know his main characters are the ultimate in anti-heroes. All male, all rough, all the epitome of badassery. Red Sister is the first with a strong - and I mean strong -all female cast.

From the first instance you know this book is going to be top of the scale of epicness, Red Sister will draw you in within moments of opening the pages.

It follows the story of Nona Grey- an eight year old girl saved from the noose by an unlikely saviour - a nun - Abbess Glass, leader of the Sweet Mercy Convent. Nona becomes a novice nun and begins her journey to becoming a Red Sister- a nun skilled in combat. At first the book can feel a little like you've stepped backwards in time to where children are bought and sold on the road, where the Church has almost absolute power and where little girls do not become killer nuns; however as the story progresses and Nona's back story is revealed to us piece by piece I found my original thoughts to be utter bullshit because frankly the plot is outstanding.

I'll hold my hand up and say I've never read a book about nuns before but Red Sister has ruined me for any other.

As signature with Mark's work, Red Sister has the perfect balance between seriousness and humour with some brilliant descriptions of the most simplest of things:

...and a quill. This latter gave the impression that the bird from which it was taken had died of some wasting disease, falling from its perch into a dirty puddle before being run over by several carts and finally thoroughly chewed by a hungry cat.
The dialogue was witty and the right tone for what is ultimately a group of girls in boarding school who both love and hate each other and what they do on a daily basis. The friendships made at Sweet Mercy are friendships built to last through the toughest of scenarios, literally through thick and thin. Nona's past catches up with her frequently and she is tested to her highest limits and on occasion shoved over that limit.

"Trust is the most insidious of poisons."
There are some harsh lessons to be learned in Red Sister and not just the physical ones - of which there are many. The plot is thick with action, betrayal, uncanny abilities and supernatural old world bloodlines that show through in current generations that haven't been seen since the first tribes settled in Abeth; with prophecies galore and the odd psycho, bare knuckle fighting in the pits and justice is wrought.

The revelations are spectacular and revealed in unexpected ways that have totally done them justice. The writing style of Mark Lawrence is once more on point with the right amount of length for each chapter; the supernatural demon element was written in a great way. Overall, it was a masterpiece of the genre and deserves all the stars.

Red Sister has been one of the highlights of my year so far and it is outstanding. I've tried not to give anything away which is hard cause I want to give all the spoilers! I'll leave you with a parting quote that sums up the book nicely.

"Words are steps along a path: The important thing is to get where you're going."