Four original tribes arrived at Abeth thousands of years ago: Gerant, Hunska, Marjal, and Quantal and each has a unique power that runs through their blood. The Gerant grow very large, the Hunska are quick, the Marjal can perform magic and the Quantal can use the raw power of the Path and manipulate threads. The ships that brought the tribes from the stars were said to have been powered by shiphearts. Grey Sister follows Nona Grey, who is a three-blood, as she seeks to avenge her friends death when the shipheart was stolen from the Convent of Sweet Mercy.

It begins two years earlier as Sister Apple feels Sister Kettle needs her help and follows the thread to her location where she helps her recover from her injuries. We then see things from Nona's aspect as she is moved into Mystic Class honing her skills and also from Abbess Glass view, the leader of the convent as she has to deal with the Inquisition descending on the convent for a reason that comes into play later on.

It's a dark story with violence by girls in their teens, with a purpose of revenge which is a good enough reason to rip others to bits! I found the magic that was used interesting, the potions that could be used to cure or extract the truth and switching between the characters was easy enough to follow. It explores some of the friendships between the girls and their adventuring some caves below the convent.

Being new to this series, 'the story so far' at the beginning of the book helped some in knowing what had gone on before but it made more sense when I looked at it again once I finished the novel.

Whilst I enjoyed most of the story, it took me longer to read than normal, as if I couldn't quite engage with it properly and once I thought that at the convent the conflict between Joeli Namsis and Nona was very similar to Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, I kept thinking back to it and it wouldn't leave me (with Joeli trying to get Nona into trouble, picking on her with her cronies and coming from a well to do Sis family, whereas Nona does not).

At times I got lost in the sheer number of characters especially when at the palace. A cover is not something I usually comment on but I was surprised by this cover; it doesn't look like it comes from a major publishing house, but rather something a mate has knocked up!

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

I enjoyed Red Sister but I feel like Grey Sister is its better in every way shape and form. This second book builds on the characters and the world in such huge leaps and bounds that it makes the first book feel like a prologue. Mark Lawrence has never been one of my go to authors but this book, no this series is worth reading.

ARC for an honest review - Thank you NetGalley & Harper Voyager.

Oh! Mr. Lawrence! You've gone and done it again. This is the second book in the trilogy, Red Sister, being the first. In this installment, Mark Lawrence raises his game (again!) and begins to flesh out the characters of Nona, Sister Kettle, and the strong, gracious Abbess. Nona's history is written about in Red Sister but as a Grey, she must master the arts of stealth, poison, and assassination. We find out more about Sister Kettle's character, her love for Apple and how she came to the Abbey.

All these threads are incredibly interesting but for me, it is the revelation of the Abbess's character that really slew me. Her past is tricky & complicated earning her multiple enemies in the feared Inquisition and at the various courts but her fiercely protective nature and courage to protect 'The Chosen One' and her charges at the Abbey is a beautiful thing to behold.

Grey Sister is a little more ice-sharp than Red Sister as the cast grows in age and depth and betrayals become life-threatening rather than close shaves or teenage drama. One of my favourite fantasy trilogies already - I'm hoping for a Book 4. *puppy eyes*. As usual, can't recommend Mark Lawrence enough.

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

That is the first line in Red Sister, and the line that made me fall in love with Mark Lawrence's book. Just like in Red Sister his writing is beautiful, almost poetic. Every word is chosen meticulously.

The story continues to be dark, but it's also beautiful and filled with themes of friendship and loyalty and how to battle and overcome your inner demons. Grey Sister starts roughly two years after the final chapters of Red Sister.

Nona is a terrific character, well developed, hot-headed, filled with energy and wit. She's damaged, but fiery and passionate, and she fights for what she believes in. She's often unpredictable, but intelligent and one of my favourite fantasy protagonists despite her young age.

Red Sister mainly focused on Nona, here we also get to see the story from the point of view of Abbess Glass, who is the leader of the convent, and through the point of view of Sister Kettle. Throughout the book, the side characters feel more fleshed out than they were in Red Sister.

The world is complex and intriguing and Mark Lawrence expands the story behind it quite a bit. It's a dying world, ice is closing in on the people living there, from all sides and there's not much more than a corridor left. There's a lot of political intrigue in this, something I always enjoy in fantasy books.

I highly recommend Red and Grey Sister to all fantasy fans.

Second novel in the brilliant new series from the bestselling author of PRINCE OF THORNS.
In Mystic Class Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often, knowing the truth just makes our choices harder. Before she leaves the Convent of Sweet Mercy, Nona must choose her path and take the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blue of a Mystic Sister or the simple black of a Bride of the Ancestor, entailing a life of prayer and service.
Standing between her and these choices are the pride of a thwarted assassin, the ambition of a would-be empress wielding the Inquisition like a blade, and the vengeance of the empire’s richest lord.
As the world narrows around her, and her enemies attack her using the very system she has sworn to, Nona must forge her own path in spite of the pulls of friendship, revenge, ambition, and loyalty.
In all this only one thing is certain. There will be blood.


This is the second book in the series, if you haven’t read Red Sister I would highly recommend you do as this book picks up the story around 2 years after the ending of the first – I think you would find the story hard to follow if you read this one first. I for one, was thrilled we rejoined the story as I had so many unanswered questions from the first!
Nona is now a young woman growing into powers that threaten to overwhelm her – the empire is going though a massive upheaval as the ice closes in and the corridor narrows. A lot of the action in this book takes place outside of the school so you get to learn more about the empire and the main players who are trying to take advantage of the closing ice to gain power and influence.
We are introduced to a new character very early on – Keot. I found the relationship between Nona and Keot really interesting, almost symbiotic in that they seem to need each other, it added another dimension to Nona who is already a complex character.
As in Red Sister, there are undercurrents of something ‘bigger’ being played out behind the scenes – once again Abbess Glass is gathering players and lining up pieces ready for the bigger picture. During the book you only get titbits and snippets of information which makes the whole thing very intriguing and hooks you into reading more until suddenly all the pieces come together in spectacular fashion.
Prepare yourself for violence, I don’t think it was overdone or unnecessarily graphic but if you are more sensitive you may want to avoid this book.
New relationships are formed, bonds strengthened and new enemies made – I really enjoyed this book, many thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy to review. My only complaint is I am now going to have to wait ages for the next book and I need to know what happens NOW.

First I need to admit that I did not read the first book in this series, Red Sister, which meant that Mark Lawrence's introductory briefing in Grey Sister on the key points of the previous book was incredibly useful!

While I obviously missed out on a lot of key plot points and character development by not reading the first book, overall I don't think this impacted how I read the book at all - I was immediately hooked into the story and by the characters. The pacing was brilliant and I loved the separate character viewpoints of Nona's narrower world of school against Abbess Glass' political dealings outside of Sweet Mercy until the two stories collide.

I can't wait to see where the series goes and will definitely be keeping an eye out for book #3.

Content warning: Violence, torture

I listened to Red Sister on audiobook and, while I think the audiobook is excellent, I was extremely grateful for the short recap at the beginning of the book which, not only brought me back up to speed with anything I had only been half listening to but also let me know how all the character’s names were spelled. I think I enjoyed the book more than I did the audio-format but I think that’s just my preference for visual rather than aural if you like audiobooks I would recommend these titles. But, to answer the question ‘can I read this book without reading the first book?’ I would say that it can be done, but you will get so much more out of it if you read both.

My favourite part of both of these books has been the characters. In fairness, I could have predicted that I would fall head over heels for a whole abbey of murderous nuns, that’s just my way. But there are so many characters in this book that it would be easy for some of them to become lost or to feel insignificant, particularly since this isn’t multiple POV (at least not in the Game of Thrones sense of the word, it certainly doesn’t just follow one character), but Lawrence manages to create a whole cast of characters all of whom have fairly distinct personalities. Abbess Glass is by far my favourite, with Nona a close second, for anyone who is wondering.

In a lot of books, I have read that have excellent characters, the setting normally falls by the wayside. I must say that this isn’t the case with Grey Sister. I love the idea of people living on a world orbiting a dying star. I must confess I have no idea if any of the physics of the moon/mirror that melts a corridor of ice is accurate and, honestly, I do not care. I think it makes for such a clever means of generating conflict and it’s also interesting to read.

The thing I very much enjoy about these books, Grey Sister is the way that Nona problem solves. Time and time again she is set with a supposedly insurmountable task and she has to find a creative solution. I enjoy this set up so much, possibly because it takes me back to the kind of book I loved when I was a bit younger, possibly because it is just really satisfying to see a character succeed! I can see how this might feel a little repetitive, but I feel as if the book is balanced enough between these small successes and the wider ‘big picture’ plot.

I did have a moment or two where I thought Nona was succeeding a bit too much, that nothing was ever going to beat her. But then I realised that it’s one of the strongest aspects of both this and Red Sister, that when Nona does fail it is so much more heart-breaking and you feel for her so much more. I seriously have more feelings about this book than I ever thought I would going in.

Should you read this? If you like thkinding of fantasy setting then I would say definitely read this. Go and grab a copy or treat yourself to an audiobook, you won’t regret it!

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s been several years since Nona Grey was brought to the convent and began training to become a trainer fighter, poisoner, path walker and thread weaver. Now a teenager, Nona is deadlier than ever but is still set on getting revenge for the death of one of her best friends. But people want Nona dead too, and they’re coming to get her.

As per expected, I really enjoyed this book. The story and plot definitely seemed to move at a faster pace than the last one, and personally I would have loved more time in the convent and the lessons. I really enjoyed the female friendships in this book, as in the last one, but particularly between Nona and Zole in this one.

The end of this book was super fast-paced and I loved feeling on the edge, and not knowing who was going to survive and who wouldn’t. And I am VERY upset about the person who didn’t, let me tell you.

This is just a fantastic trilogy so far that has a world that’s brilliant to jump into, characters you love to root for, and ones you love to hate, and moments that really set your heart racing.

Very sorry but I found it hard to get into this book - probably because I haven't read the first one, although I wasn't taken with the world either. Just didn't appeal to me. I feel two stars may be harsh, as I'm sure there are others out there who loved this.

After thoroughly enjoying the Red Sister, it was great to finally read the Grey Sister. I was delighted for a re-cap, which is always a much-appreciated means for allowing you to get straight back in to the story without pause and I have to say given this is the 2nd book in the trilogy, which are often the hardest to keep up the pace, it is outstanding.



Immersive is an understatement for the quality of this writing. I read Lawrence's character led worlds with such vivid images that it is an absolute pleasure. All the characters are boldly distinguishable and entertaining in their own right. Nona makes an excellent heroine who we catch up with two years after she has killed Raymel Tascis in the Corridor and she is back at the sisters of mercy, studying mystic studies. Now black eyed and carrying a hidden demon, she is becoming more daring than ever.



The world inhabited is as ever intricate, complicated and very innovative. There are wonderful amounts of magical twists, perhaps some perfectly timed luck, some enjoyable humor via Keot and engrossing tension, with a foreboding risk of capture, torture, and death. And not everybody is safe. As with the 1st book there is just too much packed into start to convey the plot, but the character development from book one is engrossing and one I was lucky enough to read in almost one sitting. It is escapism at its best. If you enjoyed the Red Sister you will enjoy this equally. An awesome read. Just try and carve out some quality time to read it as it is very hard to put down!

Received ARC from Netgalley for honest read and review.

I am a huge fan of Mark Lawrence's work and this was stunning and beautifully written as usual.

Once again we are thrown into Nonas world which is hard and cruel,but she has to overcome everything to get to the end.Wonderfully written and ahoy to read.

Read it in a day! What greater compliment is there.

Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence -the sequel to Red Sister - is a good book. Never doubt that. It might even be an excellent book - and just as with Red Sister there will be a wide swathe of people who rave about this book, ensuring everyone they know, and vaguely know, goes out to buy it. This is a good thing. Mark Lawrence is a great writer - he doesn't mess around with anything we don't need to know - everything to his writing has a point - whether we know it at the time or not. His storylines are pretty rock solid, and his 'world-building' never, ever deteriorates into long sweeping paragraphs that are unneeded and detract from the action (which can be a problem with fantasy writers).

Yet, in giving this book 5 stars, and saying how great it is, there is, I admit, a part of me, that wishes it were as dark and complicated and downright transfixing as his previous two trilogies. The Book of the Ancestor Trilogy, for all that some may call it 'dark', is almost a walk in the park compared to his previous diabolical creations of Jorg and Jalan - and I admit - for all that sometimes I did find them a bit too 'dark' - I miss that 'darkness'. Don't all shout at once, I appreciate that death-dealing nuns do sound pretty dark, but when it's mingled with the whole 'school' scenario, it does lose its 'dark' appeal for me - and I find some of the much-quoted sentences a bit misleading as to the path the story ultimately takes. No amount of bloodshed can quite make-up for that, but, I am very excited to see what happens in Book 3. Clearly, there's still a great deal to come in The Book of the Ancestors series, and I'm keen to see how it all 'ends', while also being a little wary - I don't think the final book will answer all my questions - but then, many great fantasy writers (cough, Robin Hobb) leave us thinking about the might-have-beens.

So five stars - and Book 3 is on my 'to-read' list already.

This book failed to interest me.

I only managed 15% before I gave up.

In fact, the whole introduction which set out the story to Book 1 (this is next book in the series) was so convoluted that I nearly gave up there - the author stating it saved him linking the characters to the story in book 1 was lazy in my mind. Most authors manage to tell the reader about previous books in the series without confusing them!

Maybe, if you had been hooked by book 1 then this would appeal. Although some reviews state that book 1 (Red Sister) plods rather so...Hence the 2.

I fell in love with the characters of Red Sister and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to them next, so I was thrilled when I got an early copy through NetGalley. And fortunately, it lives up to its predecessor.

Mark Lawrence did a great job of setting up the characters in the first book, they continue grow through Grey Sister. Everybody through this is morally grey, they do ‘good’ and ‘bad’ things and it makes for very interesting and realistic reading. And I’m obsessed with Nona as a character!

If you thought the stakes were high before, you haven’t seen anything yet. As the story continues, we learn more and more about that world and delve deeper into the mysteries hinted at previously.

I don’t want to say anything more, and you should really just pick this up and discover the wonders for yourself!

First and foremost, I am a massive Mark Lawrence fan. Whenever his latest book comes out, i drop what im reading and pick up his book. And the same was true with Grey Sister. However, i really struggled with this. Dont get me wrong, its a very enjoyable book. I like Nona as a main character, and the book was a satisfying read. However it took me a long time. A book this size id normally polish off in a few days; this took me a week. I found that I couldnt manage more than short spells reading it. Id read a few pages, and put it down. Something was missing, i wasnt as gripped as i normally am by a Mark Lawrence book. Who knows, maybe it was just me.

Ill definitley read book 3 when it comes out, however i dont think ill rush to it.

And as a side point - the decision to change the cover style from Red Sister was shocking. That was a beautiful, striking cover that was different from the standard fantasy fare, however this one in generic and dull. I hate it when publishers change styles mid-series, i know it doesnt affect the story, but it really bugs me!

The 2nd book in the series continues the story of Nona taking place a short while after the first book finishes. There's less of the short "current timeline" sections than in the first book, but they are still present and progress nicely. There's less world building via the story this time around but its still organic via the story. The inquisition arrives in the convent in this book and Nona's life is still in danger. Its a very easy read, and felt shorter than the previous book. I loved it and can't wait for the next book.

Looking forward to reading some of Mark Lawrence's other books now.

Grey Sister picks the story up right from Red Sister; there were a couple of threads in the last book left trailing to follow into the next, and I was very relieved to discover the fate of a certain nun I had been worried about by the end of Red Sister.

Similarly to when I read Red Sister, I found the pace a gentle slow burner which built into a crescendo by the end. Having moved up from Red Class to Grey, Nona is faced with a whole set of new problems, whilst still trying to pursue certain unresolved conflicts from the previous book.

I've said it before and it's something I'll say again and again; Lawrence's storytelling is masterful. Whereas Grey Sister is not a standalone novel and I would not recommend reading the books out of sync, neither is it your typical middle-book-crutch; Lawrence is able to provide satisfactory conclusions to some aspects from Red Sister, create a story with conflict that resolves within this book, whilst at the same time reveal more of the over-reaching story arc which pulls us into the third book. It sounds like a very complicated juggling act, but god it's so smooth. 

This time around we're also treated to Abbess Glass' point of view, and it's safe to say she's a character I had previously underestimated. Much like Lawrence himself, Glass creates layers in her scheming that are perfectly timed. She describes her planning like domino pieces, lined up for the fall; and it's a perfect simile for Lawrence's own plotting, events unfolding around us like a complicated pattern only revealed once each domino has fallen into its place.

Without running the risk of overly repeating myself when I review Lawrence's books (world-building, characters, prose OH MY), his writing style is just so easy to fall into. There were instances where I felt a little confused or misplaced (namely, without hopefully giving too much away, the instances when she's bound?), but on the whole Lawrence's writing here is as immersive as ever, the high quality of character portrayal and progression, the perfect balance of descriptive prose which shows the reader what to see rather than dumps it all upon us. We have some intriguing new characters in Grey Sister who pose new problems for our Nona, and I found one in particular so amusing. I loved the play of its influence over Nona, very much like Freud's Id, Ego and Superego, Nona has to find her path forward through these conflicting motivations.

I feel so deeply invested in these characters and their story; I'm dreading the wait for Holy Sister but I'll relish the re-read. I feel this is a trilogy I'll be coming back to again and again.

I loved this book! Fabulous characters, storyline, adventures, thrills, spills and heartbreak! The central anti-heroine defies all the odds, and herself, time and again, and still comes back for more!

I enjoyed this so much I have purchased the first in the series!

I highly recommend it to all lovers of sword and sorcery, most notably because all the central characters are female!

An outstanding read!

3 1/2 stars

While I liked the first part in the series better, "Grey Sister" is still a really good novel with an interesting main character, solid world-building, and a great storyline.

I liked the novel's focus on Nona and Kettle and how the world was expanded on in this installment of the series, as well as the set-up for the finale. What I didn't like was that the magical powers and physical feats of the characters seemed vastly increased in contrast to the first part, somewhat lowering the stakes.

Overall, I liked this novel but preferred the first part.

I didn't love Red Sister, but it ended in a way that made me intrigued to continue on with the series. Unfortunately I don't think this series is for me. I got half way through Grey Sister before I decided to put it down for good.
The writing didn't gel with me and I found myself zoning out or dropping off when reading, which is never a good sign.
There were definitely things in the book that were interesting, but mostly I was bored and kept confusing all of the characters, especially the Sisters. I'm not saying the book is bad, I'm just saying that there are some series that you click with and some that you don't. Sadly, it's the latter for me with this series.