Holy Sister

"All leaves must fall in time […] The lives we lived fall away from us, but something remains, something that is part of the tree."

I’m not a fan of Mark Lawrence, however, this trilogy is one of the best. Is not an epic fantasy but a mix between a grim-dark coming-of-age story with tinges of sci-fi. I usually do not like the blend between the two genres, but somehow, Lawrence does a great job mingling them.

Holy Sister is the final installment in this series and an excellent one. There are two timelines in it: first picks up events from where Grey Sister stopped and the other three years later, when Nona must make her choice from the four orders of nuns.

The war between Queen Adoma and the Emperor Crucical is at the door, the Corridor is narrower by the day and salvation resides in bringing the four shiphearts together to find and open the Ark and take control of the Moon.

There are lots of twists, fierce and gruesome battles and quite a few surprises on the way, some of them mouth-gaping. Our heroines are as complex as in the other books, even more here, where all aces must be pulled out of the sleeves in order to survive.

All in all, it was a hell of a ride and I think Nona made her way in the top 10 fantasy heroines of all times.

"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.’"

No, she’s not. And you can’t but love her.

Unlike the previous two books in the series, which kind of integrate the past and the present narratives, (most significantly in the early portions of Red Sister) this book quite clearly sets out two plotlines, one following directly on from the ending of Grey Sister, following Nona and Zole, while the other takes place much later in the narrative. Since I never really warmed to Zole as a character (I’m not sure you’re supposed to…) I tended to prefer the latter of the two ‘timezones’ but I’d say both are strong. If you favour the side characters more than you do Nona - which I think a lot of people do - I think you’ll probably feel a similar way.

Because it is the side characters that really made this series what it was. The last third/half of this book is most certainly a testament to that, there are some truly wonderful moments between the characters with whom readers have fallen in love through the previous two books. One such moment made me actually gasp out loud it was so amazing - I must have confused people on the train.

I will say, there are quite a few things left unanswered by the end of this book, those looking for an explanation of every metaphysic within the world might find themselves a little lacking, but I don’t think that has ever been the point of this world. So much of the way the world is understood is passed down through the years to the point at which our characters encounter the information - there’s something quite special about not having an exact explanation for everything that happens. Well, that’s how I saw it anyway.

This book was a five star read for me, because I had that gut feeling of ‘oh yes I loved that’ when I finished reading it, but there were a couple of elements I think needed a slightly better focus - there’s a little bit of a ‘bury your gays’ towards the end which I think does work for the story but was perhaps not the wisest move as reviewers tend to react poorly to it. I would have also liked some of the romance/relationships to be a little more explicit - if you can get a hold of the short story ‘Bound’ that takes place between Grey Sister and Holy Sister I think that goes some way to filling that gap, but I’d like it if that were built into the book. Hey, I can be utterly obsessed with a book and still call it out a little - that’s fine right?

So yes, overall I loved this book, even though there were a couple of things I would change it’s an incredibly satisfying and exciting ending to a great trilogy. Of the three, I think Red Sister has to be my favourite, though this book has some of my favourite scenes and moments. If you’re wanting to start this series I would thoroughly recommend it - in particular the audiobooks (I have the one for Red Sister and it is great).

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

Holy Sister publishes on April 4th 2019.

I was invited to read and review this title by the publisher. Many thanks to Emma Pickard and Harper-Voyager for the ARC - you made my day, week, year...possibly lifetime!

It's no secret that <i>Holy Sister</i> is one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. Mark Lawrence's books have been an automatic buy since I read <i>Prince of Thorns</i>. I'm pleased to report that Holy Sister does not disappoint, either as a book in its own right, or as the conclusion to an epic trilogy. This is the sort of female led fantasy that I want to see more of.

Once again, almost all the characters are female, which, if you spent your childhood, teens and twenties scraping around SFF for a female lead who wasn't an accessory/ girl in fridge/ sexy lamp or otherwise deprived of agency and actual character, is a breath of fresh air. It's never depicted as a political decision either - these are simply the best characters for telling the story. They are all well rounded, flawed and fully formed individuals who have their own agendas. Nona and her friends are very engaging, and Nona herself has grown as a person since Red Sister in a way that is believable and relatable. One of the things I like most about her competence and wisdom have grown proportionately to her hard work and struggling. Nona should be an anti hero but she's not because in the end she is motivated by loyalty and compassion. She acknowledges and conquers the less savoury aspects of her nature, accepting and harnessing them. In many ways this trilogy is the ultimate story of found family, and by the end the reader sees as Nona does, that every life is connected to hers and they all have value.

The world building was superb. I would have expected nothing less tbh but I'll admit I was nervous about how likely it was to be wrapped up satisfactorily, when there was such a potentially huge issue to overcome. No details but it is a satisfactory ending with all important major and minor threads gathered up and tied off. Talking of threads, this has such a great magic system. Plausibly pseudo sciencey in some respects but still visually and logically able to stand up against magic systems in the best high fantasy.

I mention this in every review of this series but as I've said before, Lawrence does an excellent job of portraying a 'convent girl' dynamic. (Speaking from experience). I'll expand on that with the statement that he does an excellent job of portraying female friendships with all the nuance, subtlety, pushes and pulls of a community of women living together in close quarters. (So other male writers may wish to take note - it absolutely can be done by you guys too. I can't imagine settling for less from you in future :) )

There's so much I could say about this book - I inhaled it in two days - but I would be venturing close to spoiler territory and it's better if you just read it. The action is excellent. The themes are strong, thought provoking and emotionally intelligent. And the way the sub plots fit the main plot, not just of this episode but the entire series, was perfect. I'm a little obsessed with structure so that made me very happy.

I loved this book. It's the best in the series so far. I'm feeling bereft that it's over and I can't wait to reread them all. Dark fantasy at its finest and most cunning. Highly recommend.

Review

What can i say about this series and this book? whilst not my favorite of his characters, It’s the best series he has written and ballsy as hell for a guy to write a female protagonist, and one that takes no crap what so ever. The last book of a series is always bitter sweet, the conclusion of the time you have invested in the world and the character, yet the culmination of an excellent story, and you hope not the life of the main character.

Holy Sister was always going to be bloody, the empire is under siege from the Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west after all, assassins abound, the emperors sister is a cold hearted bitch set on betrayal, the Scithrowl are as many as the Nadir Hordes in Legend and led by one of the most powerful people alive and none of that even touches on the Durn.

This book is told from 2 different times lines, from the end of the last book and also now 3 years ahead, it takes us on both journeys to see how we get to the end, to see what was learned, when and how, to see the pain and suffering each of the novices/ nuns have to endure. we learn painful lessons on the ice and finally get more of an insight into the magic of the ancestors.

The culmination of the book as you would expect is the big finale, the battle, who will win? the rampaging hordes or the beleaguered forces of the Empire, TBH morally you only really root for the empire because of Nona and her compatriots, lets face it most of the Snr people in the empire are self serving back stabbing political climbers and rich nobility, with almost no redeeming qualities. So who should win the fight for the dwindling resources of the world?

What engages is as always the sacrifices of the nuns, the friendships, the loyalties, the ties of youth enduring despite past conflict. Mark Lawrence has woven his threads so well we are all bound to the characters and their fate.

I can’t add much about what happens because id kill someone if they spoiled it for me, suffice to say no matter who you are, keep a tissue handy for the end of this book, it will pull the heart strings of even the most hard-hearted. This is a book full of drama, excitement, heroic deeds and nasty back stabbing. It will make you gasp at the twists and turns and it will make you cry at the inevitable losses. what more can you ask for.

Brilliant ending….. although… do i sense that we may see more one day ??

(Parm)

The final book of the trilogy and it's superb. I was totally gripped from the start.
Written in two different time frames that race along side by side at the start then eventually arriving at the present.
As Nona and her friends face their final challenges and earn their habits a bigger challenge is on the way.... War.
I highly recommend this series.

I am so sad that this trilogy is over, but it did go out as brilliantly as it started.
The threads that Abbess Glass was pulling all came - finally - into view with a satisfying conclusion.
Nona and her gang were utterly fabulous, with reality and complexity that wouldn't be expected from the characters we first met in Red Sister. but the connections and development were visible and believable.

It is a rare thrill to find an author who can keep your brain challenged, your feels fulfilled and your pulse pounding book after book after book. You know, the ones that make you hold your breath without realizing it? Or ignore your family because the book is so damn good? I am happy to report that I am able to pick up any of Mark Lawrence’s books with the same expectation each time: This one will also be epic. The man and his characters and his stories have never let me down.

Written entirely from Nona’s POV this time, the story is broken into two different timelines, three years ago and present day. But first, the prologue takes a few pages to remind us just how freaking kickass Nona is by having her kick some ass in a fighting ring. Lawrence always has the most memorable beginnings.

Holy Sister picks up exactly when Grey Sister ended with the Abbess, Sisters and novices of Sweet Mercy making their escape from the palace. Always keeping her cards close to her habit as she plays the long game, Abbess Glass sends Nona and Zole to the ice with the shipheart.

The story jumps to present day with Nona preparing to take her final tests to become a Sister. I can’t say much about the present day narrative as it reflects what happened on the ice and over the last three years and some events are incredible twists. Fabulous twists. There are others that broke my heart.

The book weaves it way back and forth, past to present, until the day it connects. Then, there is the most epic of battles. It’s bloody. Pulse pounding. Heartbreaking. The Path Walk from some of these women is stunning. The writing is captivating. It’s page after page of Nona fighting what can only be described as a multi-layered, perhaps even multidimensional, battle. It was exciting and thrilling and ultimately exhausting. This is where we are once again reminded,

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

This is a genius piece of work. It is complex but engaging with well-written characters that you care about, or hate, or hate to care about. It has a wicked sense of humor (hey, it made me laugh during a battle scene). And all the threads, all the pieces, all the clues—everything was in its place by the last page.

This book perfectly completes the story of Nona, the dirty little cage girl, who grow to become a fighter, a loyal friend, a tactician, and a Sister. Can NOT wait for the next trilogy!

A HUGE thank you to Emma Pickard of Harper-Collins for the ARC!! (I’m still going to buy a hardback April 9th though because the cover is so cool)

5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2019/03/28/holy-sister-book-of-the-ancestor-3-by-mark-lawrence/
Holy sister is the final book in the Ancestor series and brings to a conclusion Nona’s story. If you haven’t read the first two books then this review may contain spoilers so be aware of that before reading this (although I do try to avoid spoilers as a general rule).

To be honest, and before I say anything further about Holy Sister I must confess that I find myself totally in awe – I’ve read three complete series by this author and every single book has been a five star read for me. If you read fantasy and like your speculative fiction to sit within the grimdark genre then you should be reading Mark Lawrence. I grow tired of repeating the same things in each review and perhaps need to come up with something different but for consistency’s sake I’ll say it yet one more time. Mark Lawrence writes incredibly well. I love his writing first and foremost but then he also has the ability to bring a much longer game into play whenever he creates a story. If you’ve read the first book in this series you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when you pick up this final instalment. His imagination and creativity is amazing, he writes his characters into the most ridiculously difficult situations but then gives them ways to get out of them when it feels otherwise hopeless. Here he’s taken a nunnery, I kid you not, and turned it into a school of novices, not only for those wishing to take holy orders but those wishing to take a much more lethal way of life. I think when this author started the Ancestor series I’ll admit I thought it was a bit of a risk. Here he’s taken a young girl as his main focus and placed her as a novice. It doesn’t really sound like your usual grimdark fayre and yet it works brilliantly. It’s a bold move that paid off and one that I think will hold appeal to a much wider audience. To be clear, Nona is not Harry Potter. There is still bloodshed and death painting these pages but none of it is there for the sake of it and the grim surroundings and brutal lifestyle all help to lend extra focus to the friendships found within these pages.

I’m not going to talk about the story. The series in its entirety is plotted to perfection and you need to read to the end in order to get the full picture.

The story is told in two timelines. The ‘present’, which sees Nona coming towards the end of her novice training. We’ve jumped forward three years, the ice is encroaching and with it the advance of two armies, one from the east and one from the west with the Emperor firmly ensconced in the middle. Things don’t look good, it’s highly likely that the novices won’t complete their training before being recruited into battle and Nona and her friends are conspiring together, yet again, to try and find a solution. In case you’re asking what happened after Grey Sister. Well, the other storyline picks up directly after the conclusion of that book. Nona and her companions have escaped death and have a brief reprise but they still need to return to safety and Zole is carrying a prized possession that will lead their enemies to them. Acting as decoys Zole and Nona take to the ice.

What I loved about this.

The setting is brilliantly imagined. This is indeed a brutal world – mostly covered in thick ice with just a thin corridor of habitable space that is slowly shrinking and creating desperation in the surviving population. The wars here are not ones about money and power but more a simple matter of survival.

The characters. Well, I think everyone will have their own favourites of course. Nona is an excellent character and one that I feel a lot of readers will love. She values friendship and its this quality that gives her such desperation within the pages of Holy Sister when she has to make difficult choices about who to save first! Here is a person who can forgive and it’s really unexpected, put simply she never wants to give up on a friendship when it can still be redeemed and she makes some very unusual decisions here related to promises. Zole, wow, what a character. Her arc was quite unexpected, well, in some ways it was expected but in others it was completely surprising, She is still cool as a cucumber and totally badass. I really liked her and I had a stomach clenching moment when reading this – but I’m not going to tell you why. Nona also has a small group of very close friends, closest among them being Ara. The two have a beautiful friendship that blossoms into something more. Then we have the Sisters. My giddy aunt. I love these women. Abbess Glass plays the long game, even when she’s no longer around she’s in fact still meddling, she has a longer game than Lawrence himself in fact. Sister Apple and Sister Kettle – I love them both. I think Kettle is probably my favourite although in this instalment Sister Pan definitely showed what she’s made of – and it’s pretty awesome stuff! Where did that come from!! I don’t want to give away spoilers though so my lips are sealed yet again.

What more can I possibly say without giving away plot points. I could tell you to read this series. I strongly recommend it, in fact I beg you to read it, I just want you to be happy after all, you can thank me later.

Any criticisms. No. But, I will just mention that the ending is sort of bittersweet. There is war amongst these pages and it’s never pretty and almost always unforgiving. Characters die. I expected it and yet it was still shocking. I didn’t want anyone to die and yet at the same time I knew it was inevitable. What I can say is that the death here was not contrived but felt like a natural part of the story.

I picked up Red Sister with trepidation and then said in my review ‘it’s a great start’.

I devoured Grey Sister in a couple of days and then said it had ‘paved the way for something that promises to be dramatic’.

I can finish my review of this series by concluding that the end was indeed dramatic. Holy Sister is a wonderful conclusion to a thoroughly entertaining series. I raced through the pages of this book and in some ways that gives me regret because really I wanted to stay longer in this unforgiving world but, the beauty of all of this is that I can read it all again! I closed this book feeling totally satisfied and with a massive book hangover. What more can I possibly say. Read this series.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

4.5 Stars

So I said it in my review of the previous book but I will say it again here. Thank you thank you thank you Mark Lawrence for including a little "catch-up" chapter at the beginning of your books. That little reminder of the characters and events of the previous book really are invaluable and allow us to jump straight into the action.

Rather than two point of view characters in this book we have Nona as our soul narrator. However, we do have dual timelines. One following on directly from the end of the second book and the other 3 years later. This does take a little getting used to in order to get oriented with the book but once you get into the rhythm I very much enjoyed this style of writing. In the chapters set 3 years later we are teased and hinted at about things that have happened in between and directly after the events of Grey Sister which keeps us guessing and reading.

The book goes along at a steady pace for the first half of the book and about halfway through I find myself wondering how everything is going to come to a conclusion with so few pages left! That is where the pace really ramps up and the reader is thrown headlong into twists and turns in a non-stop rollercoaster all the way to the end.

We are once again joined by those wonderful secondary characters from the previous two books. These girls are now coming of age and their maturity and relationships are growing with them. I just wanted a little more of them. Much of the book was all about Nona with the other girls really being in the background. For some reason Nona insists on doing literally everything herself, even when it really would make more sense for someone less conspicuous to do it. Nona's stubbornness is very much one of her flaws and I found myself getting a little frustrated with her at times. I think I'm just a bit salty because Ara is my favourite character and she's not featured as much as I would like her to be in this one.

Having said that, Nona's numerous flaws make her such a realistic likeable character. We do now have some pretty badass female characters in fantasy but I really love how flawed and unpretty Nona is. She's over 6ft tall, short hair, no shadow, jet black eyes, stubborn, jealous and moody. She's also talented, loving and just plain kickass.

The ending perhaps felt a little bit rushed to me and I would have liked a bit more detail. However, loose ends are all tied up. The future is hinted at, and it was mostly very satisfying. I feel such a connection to all of these characters it is genuinely so sad to say goodbye to them. I miss Sweet Mercy already!

Overall this was a stunning trilogy that had literally everything I want in a high fantasy. It has the characters, the world building, the originality, the writing and above all it has love. Love has been put into the writing and the story and you really can tell.

High praise indeed for Mark Lawrence!

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this fitting end to a great fantasy trilogy. There was a lot to wrap up from books 1 and 2, but Mark Lawrence still managed to bring this to a satisfying conclusion.

It had all of the action, adventure and mystery that made this series so great. Sweet Mercy convent is one of those settings that has so much to give. The characters there are beautifully portrayed, and the setting is perfect - everyone loves something that combines apparent magic and learning! It would be great to see more from Abeth, or the convent in the future.

The book's one down side was, perhaps, that because there was so much structured plot to cover, the story felt quite forced in places, as it had to fit the ending - the same with cutting between present-day Nona and the None from the end of Grey Sister, and some of the conversations between Nona and her friends. Given the pressing events - there wasn't always time for that level of exposition!

However, that didn't stop the story coming to a dramatic and exciting ending, with the perfect Epilogue.

Nona Grey is coming of age and on the cusp of entering the order at the Convent of Sweet Mercy, as a nun. But with the ice continuing to advance, leaving a narrowing corridor in which all the races must fight for space, enemies are everywhere. Not only must Nona now take up her calling, but at the same time prepare to fight in a war where the outcome does not look hopeful for Nona and her friends.

It really is necessary to read the previous two volumes of this Book of the Ancestor trilogy before embarking on the adventure that is Holy Sister. Not so much because it gives a better sense of Nona Grey’s unforgiving and politically intricate world, but more because you will have missed out on some thrilling and engaging reading.

There is a wonderful consistency across this trilogy with regards to the quality of the plot, and immersion of the reader into Nona’s world, enabling an intense read made all the more thrilling because you really care about the characters within it.

The Book of the Ancestor trilogy is certainly a series which lends itself to a cinematic rendering as it zooms in and out to embrace both the epic scale of the planet of Abeth orbiting a dying red sun, and the intimacies of its inhabitants’ trials and tribulations.

The plotting is superb. No less due to the steady unfolding of the indomitable Abbess Glass’s incredible legacy, leading to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.

The trilogy is worthy of being considered a classic because of its broad scope and ability to weave in the type of details which makes it all the richer with subsequent reading. Added to this the age of the main protagonist should firmly place the novels within the young adult category. But Mark Lawrence is the master of the type of writing which extends the reading age range right into main stream adult grim-dark fantasy.

An absolutely perfect end to this series! I appreciate a series where an author clearly has a plan right from the start and just writes the story that they set out to write instead of dragging it out with unnecessary filler. I also appreciate that Lawrence includes a brief 'previously on' section at the beginning of his sequels because it gives your brain a jumpstart on the relevant information without the characters having to awkwardly info dump.

As with the previous two books in this series, I think the characters are really what sells this story. It's rare to find so many different and well rounded female characters in a fantasy book like this, and I love seeing all the different characters interact and how they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. I don't want to give away too much about the plot, but I like how this book was structured with flashbacks that took place right after the end of the second book and then the 'present day' scenes which are about three years later. There's lots of action here, but also a lot of great character moments and there were even a few parts near the end where I teared up a bit.

Overall just a really great series with great characters and great world-building as well. It's definitely one of those series that I plan to come back and reread all the books together one day and catch some of the things I might have missed the first time around.

It is important when killing a nun to bring an army of sufficient size.

There is something to be said about a series when the opening line to the first book is that. You know from the very first page it is going to be an epic read.

Mark Lawrence has never failed to disappoint me and as a reader Mark Lawrence is on my auto-buy list. I don’t care what it’s about I’ll buy it because I know it’s going to be fantastic.

Holy Sister unfortunately marks the end of an era – dramatic? Yes. Does it matter that it’s dramatic? No, not really. As a reader you become so invested in the characters that you’re reading about that you feel what they feel – joy, sadness, love, despair. I’m simultaneously delighted and devastated to say I experienced all of those and more whilst reading Holy Sister.

I have two words for this book: Holy Schit. Bravo Mr. Lawrence, Bravo!

Holy Sister begins with a start like an electrical shock – its quick, its sharp and would hurt like fuck if you stick a fork in a toaster (Disclaimer: don’t do that).

Lawrence has this signature flare for the dramatic that hits you with a gut punch and keeps you begging for MORE! The writing style – as always – is totally on point and I can’t fault it. Except one thing – why? Why do you do dis?!

One of my all time favourite characters is no more. I am devastated for both that character and all the others. Mark you know who I mean!

I don’t think I have ever been so sad for character death than I was when I read that. Books can come and they can go but it takes a true master of the written word to make their characters stick with you and that ladies and gents is something Mark Lawrence’s work does.

I loved how fluid the switch between the past and present day was, practically seamless in its switchover with no drop in quality or consistency.

I was shocked at the ending as that wasn’t how I thought things were going to play out so kudos to you Mr. Lawrence. Always got us on the edge of our seats.

There is so much I want to say about the book but I refuse to give anything away.

Read. This. Book. Read. This. Trilogy.

I leave you with the best quote I could give to signify the ending of this great trilogy.

The Book of the Ancestor says that for everything there is a season. This was a time to reap. A time for death. A time to die.

4.5 Stars.

Trigger Warnings: This book features war and descriptions of dead bodies.

I absolutely adored the first two books in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence, Red Sister and Grey Sister, and getting to know the violent buy fiercely loyal Nona, and the story of the nuns of Sweet Mercy, Abeth, the corridor, and the moon that is failing to hold back the ice. I was beyond excited to read the final book in the series, Holy Sister, and it did not disappoint. It was bloody epic!

What's really interesting about this story is that we have two time lines. One, where Grey Sister left off, with Nona, Abbess Glass, and the novies and nobility others have just escaped from Sherzal's clutches, and the other three years later, back at Sweet Mercy. The first time line has Nona and Zole splitting off from the main party with the Noi-Guin shipheart, knowing they would draw the Scithrowl and the Noi-Guin to them by taking the shipheart out onto the ice, allowing the others to make it back home safely. The second time line, present day, has Nona trying to fulfil a promise to Abbess Glass, planning with her friends Ara, Jula, and Ruli to steal a forbidden book the Abbess believes gives instruction on how to control the moon. Meanwhile, the ice is growing and ever narrowing, and the Scithrowl and Durn people have brought war to the empire, as the ice is taking over their lands. It won't be long - weeks? days? - before the sisters of Sweet Mercy will be called on to help fight the war and protect the empire.

There isn't a huge amount I can talk about in regards to the plot of this book without spoiling things. The inevitable war is happening, with Queen Adoma of Scithrowl bringing an unbelievably huge army to the walls of Verity, and with her, very little hope for the empire. The odds are exceptionally poor, and outlook is definitively grim. I don't think I've read war quite like it; not only are we in the very thick of things, but Lawrence doesn't shy away from the real and bloody realities of war, without sensationalising them or shoving them down your throat. What's more, through Nona, you care. Neither reader nor Nona may know the dead that are surrounding her, but she is affected nonetheless by what she sees; these are not just the nameless dead, they were people, with their own individual lives. When fighting, Nona can be fierce and calculating, almost cold, but that doesn't mean she's heartless. She doesn't need to know these people to care about the loss of life - the loss of their lives - and as a reader, you can't help but be affected by what she sees and feels. It's a war of epic proportions, and one not without it's casualties. This war is going to hurt. But for Nona, it's not quite as simple as fighting the enemy, but also trying to keep those she loves safe, and her loyalties are divided.

But my god, this book is just so clever! So many twists! It's so well plotted! And that Abbess Glass, man, she is just incredible, and I love her and her mind. But it's the final book in the trilogy, which means we finally get some answers. Not all the answers, but enough to give the story a satisfying conclusion. Answers to questions like, is there really a chosen one? What are the powers of the shiphearts? And how do they relate to the Ark? And many other questions that I can't put words to without hinting at spoilers. But mate, it's just so clever! Aspects of it are a little weird and disturbing, others are astounding, and seeing it all play out, and seeing Nona grow as it does. I can't tell you just how wonderful this final book is. And I really just want to start from the very beginning, because the foresight! And now, I want a prequel series that give us the origins to this world, because it's just so fascinating, and I want to know more!

The only negative I have is that I wish the book was a little longer, and at the beginning we got to see some of Nona's classes again. There are things that happen in this book - big, important things - relating to certain characters outside of Nona's immediate friend group, and I just would have liked to have seen those characters get more page time. I can't explain more without spoilers, but yeah, I just would have liked to have seen more of certain characters in this book. And because of this, I think it would have been better if I had reread Grey Sister immediately before starting Holy Sister, just so I have those characters fresh in my mind for this book.

Holy Sister is a clever, epic, heartbreaking, emotional, hopeful end to this trilogy. The Book of the Ancestor trilogy is just incredible, really, and it's because of this that I don't want to say goodbye. But Lawrence is a high fantasy genius, and I have already bought Prince of Thorns, the first book in his Broken Empire trilogy, so I can read more epic stories. If you loved Red Sister and Grey Sister, Holy Sister will not disappoint.

Thank you to HarperVoyager via NetGalley for the eProof.

I have spent the last year and a half waiting to read 2 series. This one and The Nevernight Chronicles. Honestly I'd love to see Nona and Mia team up! Back in 2017 I read Red Sister. What a freaking revelation. Not only a gal who kicks butt, "actually, the whole nunnery" but also a "for me" different take on the Epic fantasy trope. This trilogy not only opened my eyes to slightly different fantasy, but also led me to Grimdark.
I'll admit that I now have a great fondness for Mr. Lawrence, and have begun reading other books by him. B.T.W, Jorg is also a great and contrary character!
I'm not someone who really review's books. I don't have the patience for it. What I do is just tell you how it made me feel. Imma telling y'all that my feels were all over the place! Mr. Lawrence has written something that few men can. Strong women. I'm not sure that some authors realize how important that is. I was born in 1963. I wish that we had stories like this back then. Nancy Drew? Um, nope. Strong female characters, who take no b.s. is a revelation. Quite honestly, I love it.
Will I like Nuns after reading this book? Unless I see them throwing stars and wielding a blade, then that's a big no! Nuns scare the crap outta me. Not in the "I'm gonna kill.ya'" kind of way, but more like the "I'm definitely going to smack your hands with my ruler" kind of way! O.K. I may be slightly avoiding this review. I couldn't wait to read the trilogy, but once it was done I didn't want to say goodbye.
This trilogy will be one of those that are on par with certain Stephen King, Robert Jordan and John Connolly books. Which means that I will be back! Two years from now I'll be missing these wonderful people, and I will have to read it again. For me, that really is the ultimate in storytelling. Do I miss these characters? Must I read the story again just to revisit and connect again with these people who fill my heart? Yes. Thanks, Mr. Lawrence! You and Nona made it into my favorite people list.
I would.like to thank especially, Emma Pickard at Harper Collins, U.K. For some reason Harper Collins/U.S never approves me, but they do in the U.K? I'll take it! I adored this trilogy. My main regret is that it did end. Do I want to know how things end on this whacked out universe? Yes! I believe that Sister Cage can also play the long game, just as Abbess Glass did. That is something I'd like to read about!

I had the pleasure of being invited to review Holy Sister by the publisher. So thank you Emma Packard and Harper-Voyager - to say this made my day would be an understatement.

Holy Sister is the epic conclusion to Mark Lawrence's fantastic Book Of The Ancestor series, and it's been one I've been keenly awaiting since I finished Red Sister. Words cannot describe how much I have enjoyed reading this series. Whilst I don't want to generalise, I often find that male fantasy writers struggle with female characters - with their personalities, their friendships and all the other nuances that come with it. Lawrence, by comparison, manages to do this with ease. The sisters in his books are well-developed and you can really feel their close-knit bonds.

I love how much Nona has grown since we were first introduced to her in Grey Sister. Through the use of two separate timelines, we're really able to see this character development - Nona is more than just a bloodthirsty warrior nun, she's a young woman balancing so many threads and responsibilities. One of the things I adore most about Nona is her love for her family - her sisters have always taken priority - and how this eventually develops into an understanding that all lives must take priority.

The slow build up to the climax of Holy Sister was perfect - we're left scrambling and wondering how Lawrence could possibly deliver us a worthy ending. Without delving into any spoilers, it's safe to say that Lawrence managed it. My heartstrings were yanked and tugged into every direction, and I really found myself feeling wishing that it wasn't all over yet. The battle scenes were incredible and visceral. No relationship was left undeveloped - Lawrence made sure we got our fair share of time with our favourites.

In all, I loved reading Holy Sister. I could go on and on about it for days - male fantasy writers could learn plenty from what Lawrence has accomplished with this series. I'll definitely be rereading this trilogy so that I can enjoy it all once more. I would highly recommend.