Thoughts on : Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

Posted by Kay on April 13, 2018 2:04 am in 5 stars reads | 2 comments

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Genre : Fantasy
Series : Book of the Ancestor, book 1

About the Book  :

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

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

My Thoughts :

Now has come the time to talk about my favorite book of 2018 so far – and it’s perfect timing because its sequel, Grey Sister, has been released last week (of course, I’m reading it right now!)

I loved, loved, loved this book. The last time I’ve loved a fantasy novel this much was when I read N. K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. While the two offer very different tales, I can see they share some similar aspects that explain my love for them : they have exquisite language, strong female characters and a fascinating world building. On top of that, the stories they tell are both equally compelling; what more could I ask?

In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting to love this book this much. I’d never read Mark Lawrence before but the idea of killer nuns amused and intrigued me. Then, I read the first two sentences and just knew this was a book I needed.

It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Covent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.

Red Sister has a great hook, yes, but fortunately the hook is just a hint of the deliciousness that is to come. Mark Lawrence’s writing is so evocative, and it makes his story all the more powerful and dramatic. Just like with Scythe more recently, I found many of the scenes in this book to be cinematic, in that I don’t remember reading them as much as “seing” them. But even outside of these scenes, I adored the writing. Whether describing the world or a character’s thoughts and actions, the words the author chose never felt plain or uninspired, and always carefully picked.

And yes, let’s talk about the characters. I adored Nona, but more than that, I absolutely enjoyed all of the characters and how diverse they were in terms of personalities. Considering how numerous they were, I’m impressed by how distinctive they felt from one another, without ever feeling two-dimensional. There were a few surprises there, too: characters weren’t always what I thought they were and the way I perceived some of them shifted as the story unfolded.

Oh and also, I loved seing older powerful women playing important roles in the story! It’s kind of refreshing to have the “elders” involved, rather than simply sitting on the side spouting obscure prophecies and wisdom sayings.

While I’ll easily give this book 5 stars, I can see where others might not enjoy it as much. Nona doesn’t always talk or act her age (which is often the case with kids in books, I find). And the many years at her school, which introduce us to her world and the numerous characters, might feel slow and uneventful for those who seek a fast-moving plot and breakneck action sequences.

But for me, there’s no doubt :  I absolutely adored Red Sister, and I know I’ll see it at the top of my “best of 2018” at the end of the year. On top of the brilliant writing and characters, it also offers an excellent story. You guys know I always enjoy stories taking place in a school/training setting, and this was no exception. I loved the teachers, the classes, the dormitory. I loved the interactions between the girls and their genuine camaraderie. I loved how the story twisted and surprised me, many, many times. I loved how powerful and impressive the magic was. I loved the intrigue and the secrets revealed. I loved the prophecies, the Path and the history of the world. I loved it all.

And I’ll stop here, because I could go on and on about this book. And I couldn’t think of a more perfect quote to conclude :

But be warned, young Nona: 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 books with respect. – Red Sister, p. 332

Series reading order :

1. Red Sister
2. Grey Sister
3. Holy Sister (coming in 2019)