Holy Sister

So this is the final entry in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy. So far, Book 2 (Grey Sister) was a decent improvement on Book 1 (Red Sister), beefing up the action from the gripping yet slow-paced first instalment, and I’m pleased to say that Holy Sister follows suit in all the right ways. Unfortunately, my review for this is going to have to be a less specific affair than usual due to the file containing my original review doing a disappearing act and me now having to remember the ins and out of this book 6 months after the fact. However, one of those facts that does stick with me is that I really liked this book, so we will just have to go from there.

We are treated to a constant back and forth between the events immediately after Grey Sister and the climactic events of the trilogy set  three years later, with the story see-sawing between the two in that clever way Mark Lawrence often does that always keeps us guessing as to what is really going on. We get a lot more information as to what the world as a whole is like as well as more information on the geopolitical side of things, something that I always love to see when it is done well. And of course, Lawrence does it superbly. The world of Abeth is one of the most original concepts for a fantasy novel I have come across, and learning more about how the different societies within it live and have developed with that ever-present apocalypse closing in for all to see is thoroughly engrossing. 

We also finally lose that tiny little issue that I had from time to time with the previous novels in that Nona’s actions used to feel beyond her years, making me lose a little of the immersion every time that I remembered that she is just a child. An awesome arse-kicking child to be sure, but still a child. The reason for this no longer being an issue is that in this book she really isn’t the little girl we first met in Red Sister. Sure, she is still in school learning to how to be a magic-wielding ninja-nun, but the actions of her character now fully match the maturity of her age. I know, the fact that she has had to go through so much at such an early age meant that she grew up quickly and is the reason that she has to take such adult actions, but I always found it hard to picture first a child then a young teen doing what Nona did in Books 1 and 2. Not any more though. In this book (and more so in the sections set 3 years after the events of Book 2), Nona is a fully grown, fully realised badass, and it is a joy to behold.

Beyond this, Holy sister really goes further than the other books with the development and weight provided to the other characters’ stories. Zole goes from being a slightly two-dimensional death machine (which was entirely Lawrence’s intension in Book 2) to a fully realised and deep young woman with a story all her own. The development of Nona’s instructors is extremely satisfying to watch. The relationship between Apple and Kettle is both beautiful and tragic, and even old Sister Pan becomes an absolute favourite. There comes a time when they all must band together to face what comes, and face it they do. Even that bitch Sister Wheel.

Finally, if you have read any of my other reviews, you’ll know I am an action junkie. I love realistic and practical combat in my fantasy books, and I love the intelligent use of whatever the universe’s magic system is in larger battles, and this book ticks both boxes. I won’t give any spoilers, but there is one part in particular towards the end that blew my mind. If you listen/read the book, you’ll know which bit I’m talking about.

Holy Sister is a brilliant conclusion to a trilogy which has improved with each book. It brings a satisfying end to an original story set within a uniquely built universe. It will speak to those that love their deeper characters and subtlety and also leave those (like myself) with a penchant for adrenaline and bloodshed well and truly sated. I worried about this trilogy after Book 1, and I am very happy to have had those worries utter quashed.

Personal Rating: 4.25

Professional Rating: 4.25

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