Lucy Holland’s Sistersong is a retelling of the traditional British folk ballad The Twa Sisters, also known as The Cruel Sister. Set in ancient Britain and revolving around a particular tribe living in Dumnonia, ruled by king Cador and queen Enica, Holland’s lush reimagining of the ballad is a fantastic amalgamation of historical fantasy and English folklore. Brimming with magic, Sistersong is at heart a tale of dysfunctional family dynamics, one where Holland hands over narrative agency to the voices history silenced. I loved every second of this book.

The story is narrated by Riva, Keyne, and Sinne, who are the three children of Cador. As they grow up, they see the world around them rapidly change; they remember a Dumnonia where magic was tied to the very land, where magic came as naturally to the people as breathing. However, as the new ways of Christianity start taking roots around the kingdom with the arrival of the priest Gildas, the king turns his back on magic and the old gods of their land, leaving the kingdom vulnerable without its magical defenses.

Meanwhile, as the three siblings are only beginning to understand their birthright and realising the extent of their respective powers, the Saxon forces are spreading throughout Britain. Further change comes with the sudden arrivals of Myrdhin the magician, who helps Keyne recognise himself, and Tristan the warrior, who drives a wedge between the sisters Riva and Sinne. With the imminent threat of the enemy outside their gates and their ever weakening familial bonds, the three siblings would have to take fate into their own hands and shape the future of Britain, or let their land, and with it its magic, be lost forever.

Holland accurately brings the dark, ominous feeling of the original murder ballad into her novel even as she threads it through with exhilarating magic; even when everything seems to be just fine, you can’t help waiting in trepidation for something to go horribly wrong. Holland’s storytelling is mesmerising, and Sistersong kept me feverishly turning the pages until the very end. Riva, Keyne, and Sinne are the three point of view characters in this novel, and Holland expertly blends each chapter into the next, so the sudden shifts in the narrative voices don’t seem disruptive. As for the magic, while the way it’s woven into the book is nothing new, it was fascinating all the same to see the role it played out in the story.

Each of the three main characters are brilliantly written, and you really come to see them as real people with follies and fears. While all three of them are well-rounded and compelling, Keyne is the one I ended up loving the most. Riva, Keyne, and Sinne all have their own ways of rebelling against the restrictions of the society that only sees them as assets to be of married off into neighbouring kingdoms, but Keyne’s journey to claiming his identity in a world that refuses to see him as anything but the king’s daughter brought some much needed hope into this story. All the secondary characters from the priest Gildas to Myrdhin the gender-fluid druid to the mysterious Tristan were complex, layered and captivating; Myrdhin shined particularly as the mentor to Keyne.

A novel that blends history, folklore, and magic effortlessly with themes wholly relevant in today’s world, Sistersong is unlike any book I’ve come across so far. If you like Madeline Miller’s works and historical/mythological fiction, make sure you give this one a try!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I love alternative histories that include magic, so I was excited about this synopsis, and I wasn't disappointed. The main theme of this novel was believing in yourself and doing what you know is right for you, no matter what anyone else thinks. The inclusion of Keyne's story was also a lovely bit of trans representation, and I loved the reinterpretation of Merlin. I did see the twist coming from a mile off, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves Arthurian stories but wishes there were more strong female characters.

In 535 AD in the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, King Cador’s three children all fear a life confined within the walls of their hold, the last layer of protection against the invading Saxons. But the arrival of Tristan, a warrior from a neighbouring kingdom, brings changes and secrets that threaten to tear the siblings apart. Riva, Keyne and Sinne must reconnect with the magic of the land and take fate into their own hands, or risk losing everything.

This story is based in a Britain where magic is alive in the land, and there are those with the ability to draw from this magic (think Merlin or Brittania). Despite being set in a “historical” time, it feels like quite a modern story, particularly with Keyne’s thread in which he is battling for his right to identify as a man despite being born female. It was interesting to see more modern issues represented in a less common setting.

The plot is told through alternating chapters from each sibling’s point of view. Keyne’s story was by far the most compelling. I struggled a bit with Riva and Sinne because I didn’t like either of them, and wasn’t really able to empathise with them. I would happily have enjoyed a book focussed on just Keyne, but Riva and Sinne’s threads did become vital as the plot reached it’s climax.

Overall Sistersong is a great piece of fantasy with strong Arthurian vibes – the world building was really strong and the history felt authentic – but it wasn’t quite as good as it could have been. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but there was a lot that I could have done without.

SISTERSONG is a book set in the Dark Ages, when we have don't have much surviving written text (comparative to other eras) to construct a picture of what happened after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the British Isles, it was a time of fragment kingdoms and conquest, of tensions between the older religions and the expansion of Christianity.

Lucy Holland (who has also written secondary world, epic fantasy under Lucy Hounsom) manages to capture this world of uncertainty and conflict perfectly. She really brought pre-Saxon England to life, a world lived in the shadow of the former Roman Empire, without the resources and technology to keep it up. The book managed to give you hope that the Britons would endure and ultimately win despite even the vague history of the period I know. I liked how the final chapter acknowledged that.

You don't really learn much about it in school, and the way its taught makes you feel like it's largely guesswork. I am certain it isn't, but that's my enduring impression of pre-Norman England from school "eh, we think it was like this, but there's a lot of feeling around in the dark". This book feels really grounded in research and fact thanks to small details about objects and buildings (and yet another to add to the "I doubt whoever wrote the school curriculum for this period had much expertise in the Dark Ages" list!)

Apparently it is a retelling of a "murder ballad" called The Twa Sisters. (I have no idea what constitutes a murder ballad vs "regular" tragic poetry from the Early Medieval period, but it sounds super cool!) I've never read or heard of that ballad, so I have no idea if it's a close retelling or not. Maybe people who know the story will have noticed things I didn't, or squeal over how certain bits were interpreted.

Even without knowing the story, I pretty much immediately worked out who one of the characters really was and how that played into the ending. However, it's one of those things that I can't work out if it was deliberate foreshadowing and unease, or if I just don't trust anyone in books to be who they say they are if they arrive with nebulous motives.

Something I always find interesting when engaging with these sorts of books is how my faith plays into it. SISTERSONG absolutely is coming down on the side of the ancient pagan religions of Britain, and portraying the Christian priest and his faith as intolerant - and so there's this tug of war in me as I read. And it takes a lot of skill for a writer to create that, to make me deeply root for the characters to triumph over the person representing my own faith.

This one is pitched as being perfect for fans of Circe and I can quite see why, this has a similar tone and feel to it. If you enjoy mythology retellings then I think this book is going to be one for you.

I am slowly coming to the conclusion though, that those books are just not for me. I keep trying, and nothing quite lands like I want it to. Similar to Circe, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me, but also similar to Circe I am certain that is just me and this will also be a huge hit.

The premise here is compelling, the setting is wonderful, and there is good plot and character development, however I found the pacing super slow, and it feels to me like there is a lot of unnecessary filler. This one would have benefitted from being shorter and getting to the point, then I think I would have found it more gripping, but sadly I found myself being thrown out of the story by the mundane scenes about everyday life from each of the different POV perspectives. It was repetition and detail that we just didn't need.

It does certainly have its merits though; the writing is strong, the story has loads of interest once the pace picks up, and the world building is excellent. I particularly appreciated the three POV voices as each one is distinct, and each character has a story of their own to tell. They are complex characters that were handled beautifully.

Thank you so much to @BookBreakUK and @PanMacmillan for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars!

Sitting at 402 pages I have to admit Sistersong took me a bit of getting into. My inner voice read this in an ethereal storyteller way - as if I was sat around a campfire listening to it which definitely added to the atmosphere I felt through the pages. Holland has a unique voice and is obviously passionate about history - the amount of research that went into this book must be a lot (I'm only guessing) based on the language alone.

Sistersong follows three sisters and is a historical fantasy set around the arrival of the saxons. It is an epic tale and is written from the perspective of the three sisters who all use the first person to tell their tales.

The chapters revolve through these perspectives which was great in that you got to piece together the characters and I enjoyed getting to know them this way however this meant that the chapters are relatively short and moved quickly when I wanted more from each of them. I found myself longing to get to Riva's chapters- I enjoyed her portrayal and watching her relationship with Tristan but Sinne frustrated me. Keyne stole the story completely, they intrigued me a lot, especially the development of their magic and its connection to the land.

Sistersong holds themes of family, identity and belonging whilst fighting for freedom and Lucy narrates this beautifully - I could picture everything clearly while I was reading. Whilst this wasn't my favourite read, I did enjoy it and think it is really well written and presented. Definitely one to recommend to historical fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy bard tales or myths and fables. I'll be interested to see what Holland writes next for sure!

I really enjoyed this book, the historical setting was well researched and came alive in the pages of the story and the three different perspectives of the three sisters gave the book an interesting set up. I did find the book a little slow to start but I was soon hooked by the characters and setting and ending up flying through the last two thirds of the novel. A story about magic, family, identity and love, a must read for fans of fantasy and historical fiction.

It's been a while since I've read something set so far in the past, but I'm so glad I did again, this was a spectacular book and it was just so magical I don't think I could do it justice.

I adored the 3 different POVs in this book as you got to know the three siblings, and I think my favourite was Keyne as they were such a well thought out character.overall, definitely one of my favourite reads of 2021 so far, and that ending will have you so emotional as it was absolutely beautiful.

I loved this book! The story was well paced out and the characters well developed. I felt the book was well researched and the ballad that the story is based on well interpreted. I sometimes find with historical retellings that I get frustrated that characters just wouldn’t have spoken a certain way or that certain words wouldn’t have been used but I found this book very authentic.

There seem to be a fair few Greek retellings around at the moment so it was great to read something different. I think it’s easy to forget our own history- before Christianity, Britain celebrated Pagan traditions and I enjoyed reading about these as the book is set over the space of a year and many festivals are referenced.

Ultimately a story about love, identity, family, magic and betrayal. A must for any fan of historical fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
A story of three Sisters told in alternate chapters So you see the events as they unfold from different perspectives. Well written and researched a clever mix of history and fantasy. A story of love magic politics sibling rivalry and ultimately betrayal.
As a sixty three year old bloke and a grumpy Yorkshireman to boot I do not feel I am the target audience for this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Recommended.

This is a beautiful and riveting story; Lucy Holland weaves myth, magic and power together to create a fascinating read.

This is the story of three sisters, daughters of the king - Riva, scarred by childhood burns, a healer, and now in love with a new arrival to the kingdom; Sinne, on a journey of discovery of her own powers, and waiting for tragedy; and Keyne, the rebel.

I loved the three different sisters - all so, so different, yet all clearly related and tied together by powerful family bonds. So many great themes are explored, the most powerful for me is the theme of gender - what is it that creates and suppresses power? Can these hindrances be overcome? Lucy Holland explores these issues in the form of a cleverly crafted and intriguing story that draws you on through every single page. Highly recommended.

Sistersong is a retelling of an old ballad that centres around the three children of a King in ancient Britain. As a new religion takes over the three siblings must work to keep hold of the magic that has kept their land safe all their lives. Keyne, Riva and Sinne are such diverse siblings but each feels authentic in their thoughts, behaviours, actions and reactions and this really carried the book for me.

The pacing was a little slow in places and meant that the action was really crammed in at the end but this did not hinder my overall enjoyment; this is a book to get lost in on a rainy weekend with a warm drink and a few snacks.

I have to admit I was first drawn to Lucy Holland’s Sistersong by it’s absolutely stunning cover. I openly admit to judging a book by its cover and it often does me well, I have found some great books this way and this is no exception.When I was offered the chance of an ARC by Black Crow PR and netgalley via the publisher PanMacMillan I jumped at the chance. This story seemed exactly my thing, a retelling which I love (of the two sisters in this case) set in Britain (which I don’t read enough of in new books) a tale of three siblings but also strong women and finally the words betrayal, magic and murder were used ! Sign me up now, so I did and I am so glad, as I enjoyed it I so much , what I got was was not just magic andbetrayal, but a story of family, love, loyalty and find who you are. I loved all three siblings, but Keyne was my favourite in so many ways, Keyne’s journey is the most emotional to me, the most interesting and so well done by Holland, she handles Keynes journey with so much care and the message is powerful, so much so I think This becomes about Keyne and that Riva and Sinne’s stories become less interesting and Keynes becomes more so. There are so many more issues entwined in this story than just identify, but they all intertwine so well, faith, culture, I love how Holland has interwoven all the threads so cleverly. I absolutely adored, loved and was delighted by Sistersong, it was powerful and emotional reading. I thoroughly recommend this to everyone and it is definitely one of my favourites of 2021.

3.5 stars

Headlines:
Three siblings, three povs
Detailed
Twisty

This fantasy-esque historical story was very different to my expectations and not in a bad way. The story starts with three sisters and ends with three siblings, that detail was core to this story. As such, I favoured Keyne's evolving story to that of Riva and Sinne. I did sometimes wish for more time in each POV before they switched.

This was a deep and detailed story that slowly gathered pace and plot. Set in a time post-Roman rule and at a time of expectation of Saxon invasion, the sense of impeding war was ever present. The story pitched a convincing battle alongside this of old magical ways versus newer Christian beliefs.

Most of the characters in this story were rather complex, none more than Keyne, Mori and Tristan. There were plenty of characters to be suspicicious of and some to really dislike. The context of this English land during this time conjured a dark and barren place in my mind. Freedoms even for the King's children were minimal and there was a sense of oppression from numerous directions.

The plot was clever, twists a-plenty with deep, historical research apparent. Overall, this was an immersive read.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan/Black Crow PR for the early review copy.

There has been a rich period of stories exploring past folklore. These stories have lasted centuries because the storytellers will always find new angles in stories to speak to their current audiences. These retellings have explored the characters often ignored or used the tales to explore subtexts we may have omitted previously. I was bowled over by the excellent standalone novel Sistersong by Lucy Holland that explores a 6th century British folktale that is transformed into a tale of competing powers battling for the throne; magic versus new religions and at its heart three sisters all at a crossroads in their lives.

In the 6th century Great Britain is comprised of various kingdoms such as Wessex or Mercia. On the south coast lies the Kingdom of Dumnonia ruled by King Codor. This is a Kingdom with a long tradition of ancient pagan magic – the old gods meant that the Kingdom was known to have ghost armies to protect it and a King who could wield immense elemental power. But the world has been changing – the Roman Empire is gone and its cities now in ruins; Christianity has started to convert the pagan Kingdoms and Queen Enica has under the influence of an overconfident priest named Gildas have started the process in Dumnonia. However, the King is troubled by constant rumours that the Anglo Saxons are moving across the Kingdoms gaining land in vicious battles. Amongst this are Codor’s three daughters – Riva bookish and fascinated with healing and in constant pain from a childhood injury; Keyne who avoids attending Church and stays dressed in male clothing despite Gildas constantly calling them condemned to Hell for doing so; and finally, Sinne the youngest far less interested in the palace intrigue and more in using her own magic to glamour young men for teasing. Gildas proves a constant pain but more trouble awaits in the arrival of the magician Myrdhin and a handsome man from a neighbouring Kingdom called Tristan.

This was a truly brilliant read I quickly found myself diving into fast and very reluctant to do anything else until it was finished. It’s a tale of transitions and a feel that change is about to hit this royal family. From the start the atmosphere feels mournful as the old ways of pagan beliefs are being turned into Christian ones under Gildas’ eye and with Royal approval. At the same time the rising Anglo-Saxon threat means the Ancient Briton way of life may be facing its own extinction in quite a bloody form. Holland gives the tale a feeling of oppression and we jump through a year at various key festivals such as Beltane and Samhain watching how the Kingdom changes. Add in omens such as snows of ash and broken burnt wrecks on the shore there is an ever-increasing impending air of tension that a huge catastrophe awaits.

At the heart of this tale are the three sisters and while they would previously have had some more latitude now under Gildas’ watchful eyes increasingly women should be seen and not heard and very obedient. For each sister this proves a challenge – Riva wants to use her abilities (both herbal and magical) to heal the sick as she feels she is unlikely to be anything else thanks to her injuries making future love and marriage unlikely. Sinne wants to be a young woman and enjoy life not sit int silent church services spoken only in Latin and most of all Keyne who in their efforts to avoid anything that would class her as a woman dresses as a man and seeks a new way and for Keyne that will mean some truly brutal punishment from the family. Holland gives each of the sibling an arc that impacts each other but really fleshes out their complex characters and takes them to unexpected places. Rebellion isn’t always going to be by who you think it is and this is very much about each of these characters finding out where they can be themselves in a world that often will not allow dissent and can be extremely cruel to those who try to step out of line which means a huge change for each from where we first meet them.

The catalyst for this story comes through the arrival of the other two main characters. Tristan arrives to help Riva in a moment of huge distress and this handsome charming man seeing Riva as a woman in her own right sets up a row of dominos to crash into one another. Sinne is clearly too enamoured of Tristan but this is not a love triangle in the normal sense it is more one character being so tempted by a glimpse of a life they never knew they would have they will do anything to keep their happiness. Sinne and Riva’s story is the heart of the classic tale this story is based on and Holland avoids falling for the tropes of two jealous women competing for one man. Instead, it is much more a tale of first loves; lost happiness, jealousy and betrayal that ends up having the direst of consequences for the kingdom and in the brilliant finale reaches a heart-breaking and, in some ways, chilling moment of magic seeking revenge and justice.

Fantasy readers will no doubt pick up on the name Myrdhin and its connections to other well know British legends. Here the magician is a confidant to the king and the sisters and yet clearly much more casting illusions and in particular helping each of the siblings discover their own powers. A highlight is their relationship with Keyne and here Myrdhin provides a mentor figure to help Keyne find their way forward. In this tale of clashing religions and cultures it is a huge achievement that Holland also looks at gender and identity as effectively with Keyne we have a trans character in a world that struggles with the idea of changing gender roles. Keyne plays a crucial role in this story to save the Kingdom and explores what the old magic can do but their storyline for Keyne to be who he wants to be is in some ways the most classic of storylines of someone finding their role in saving the world and also finding their inner strength but here it is given an excellent twenty first century gaze making it both refreshing and captivating.

It can sound as if this story is very intimate, but Holland knows when to make the move to epic fantasy and that is achieved in two ways. There are some great battle scenes reminding us that this is a dangerous time for everyone, and the final quarter of the book contains both large battles between armies (and a mix of roman and Saxon techniques which made things really unusual) and intimate warrior versus warrior battles one which the stakes of everything sit. But for me the glue that hold of this tale together is the sense of old magic impacting the large and small. Here it’s natural magic that those who understand the world can wield and it has an array of uses but also a magic that pays a heavy price for wielders (my favourite kind) when it is used it’s always delivered carefully but with a sense of awe at what this Kingdom can be capable of.

Sistersong is a triumph of fantasy storytelling delivering both a personal tale of a family being torn apart and an epic tale of magic, religion, war, and political intrigue that keeps the reader thoroughly invested in the outcomes. A story that moves from light and dark skilfully and in particular Holland’s writing makes this relatively obscure period come alive both in a world of nature and magic that are entwined and characters who all are fighting for their own goals even at the cost of others. I think I can safely say you need to get your hands on this one now. Excellent and strongly recommended.

I can resume my review in one word: Astonishing! This book was like a cold breeze in a hot day. It gave me so many feelings. Sistersong is an eye-opening story. Especially Keyne’s life. It helps understanding ourselves and the others.

Sistersong is a retelling of The Twa Sisters. It was first time when I heard about this ballad so out of curiosity I checked it and it’s pretty interesting and dark. Same is the book. It capture you in its nets and the only escape is to find the ending of the story.

I am glad that I had the opportunity to read Sistersong. I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Given how much I have loved reading Circe, The Silence of the Girls, A Thousand Ships, The Glass Woman, about historical (real or not) female experiences - some with magic at their core - I knew I would love Sistersong.

You can feel the cold, smell the tallow, taste the meats described by Holland, whose writing is visceral. I enjoyed all 3 sisters' characterisation and would have enjoyed even more time spent with Sinne and Riva, given the majority of the book is spent on unravelling Keyne's experiences.

I don't personally read about this period much in historical fiction and I'm glad that has partially been remedied in this book. It does make me think there's a huge mine of narrative possibilities we've yet to see...I have also previously loved books about King Arthur's court and magic, and again, things being told from a female perspective have been sadly lacking.

The only reason I haven't given this the full 5*, given characterisation, writing style and originality of plot and (to me) place, is that it took a bit to get going. It didn't stop me really enjoying the book, but I had wondered up to 20% of my way in whether I was going to persist. I'm very pleased I did.

Many thanks to PanMacmillan, NetGalley and Lucy Holland for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was approved for this ARC very last minute so the book is already out, but I liked the characters and the setting, the folklore and the magic.

It could have been a bit faster paced, but it did work either way and in glad to have gone on this journey with the sisters!

‘…the only song people will remember is the other song, the sistersong, with its easy rhyme and grisly story that ends in blood.’

Lucy Holland’s Sistersong first appeared on my radar when I came across the cover while scrolling through book twitter. I was absolutely blown away by how stunning it looked and jumped over to Amazon and Goodreads to find out more. The blurb hooked me. Ancient Britain. Magic. Saxons. Sign me up! Then I read that it was a retelling of the tale of The Twa Sisters. I had heard of that name before, but could not for the life of me remember where. However, I chose not to google it as I wanted to go into Holland’s version of the tale blind and enjoy it for what it was without any spoilers. And enjoyed it I did, for what I found was not just magic and Saxons, but a heart-breaking tale of family, loyalty and identity.

‘My hand shakes as I unwrap the bandage, which hides the old scars of the fire that changed my life.’

Set in 6th century Britain during the last days of the Britons, it follows the story of three siblings, Riv, Sinne and Keyne, who each seek their destiny in a changing world. Riv is the oldest and a truly tragic character in that she is a healer who is unable to heal the physical and mental scars left by a traumatic event during her early childhood. Furthermore, as the eldest daughter of King Cador of Dumnonia her destiny is political marriage, something she desperately seeks to avoid but does not know how. This all changes when she meets Tristan, a handsome and mysterious stranger who has come to Dumnonia as a diplomat for his own king. A romance blossoms but it is one that is stained with jealousy and blood as Riva is not the only one seeking Tristan’s affection. Unfortunately, I found her character less and less interesting as the story progressed, her obsession, jealousy and bitterness a little too much for me.

‘I want adventure. I want to be lost then found. I want to fall in love – and I want my lover to take me away.’

Sinne is the youngest, and like Riva, she has magical capabilities, including the ability to use glamours to seduce and sway. She also has the gift of foresight which furthers her notions of romance and adventure and ultimately drives a wedge between the two sisters. It took me a long time to warm to Sinne. She is spoilt and almost too perfect, and of the three siblings, I found her the least interesting. That was until the latter half of the novel when Holland turns up the tension and drama tenfold. All I will say is that I was absolutely shocked by what happens.

‘My skin is clammy and I want desperately to shed it, like snakes do. I want to run free. I want out of this dim room with its dresses and prospects and Gildas’ censure. I want to be me.’

The final sibling and my favourite character in the entire novel is Keyne, the middle sibling. Keyne may appear a daughter to King Cador but he is very much a son in mind and soul. Not only does he yearn to be accepted by others abut also himself, and his apprenticeship to Mori (another very interesting character) and friendship with Gwen are key to this. Transgenderism is not something I am confident in speaking about as I have never experienced the daily challenges transgender people face, however, I do believe that Holland handles it with great care here and her message is powerful. Keyne’s journey is by far the most engrossing of the three siblings to the point that the Riva and Sinne’s stories pale in comparison. In my mind, Sistersong is no doubt Keyne’s story, and one I believe every reader should experience.

‘A new God is opening His eyes among us. And I don’t think they can be closed again.’

Sistersong is more than just a coming of age story for these three characters. There are many more plot threads at work here, including cultural identity and the conflict of faith. As Christianity sweeps across Britain, the ancient Britons’ connection to the land is severed, their culture fading. It was one of the aspects that reminded me a lot of Giles Kristian’s Lancelot and Camelot. However, unlike Kristian’s duology, here these themes are more fantastical in nature. Magic is very much real in Holland’s Ancient Britain and integral to the plot, characters and indeed the world. When the king and the land are one, the people prosper and magic is everywhere; when they are not, the people suffer and magic fades. I really liked this approach. This conflict of faith is further explored through the rivalry between the wandering druid, Myrdhin (sound familiar?) and the Christian monk, Gildas (based on a real monk by the way), who has the ear of the king and queen. Gildas is one of two main antagonists in the novel. He is fanatical in his mission to stamp out the old ways and is a constant obstacle to the three siblings’ freedom.

‘The Gewisse [Saxons] are a plague on the green, a shadow in the sun; a void swirls beneath their feet.’

Alongside the gradual erosion of the land’s magic is the looming threat of the invading Saxons. Even though they don’t show up until the last third of the novel, their presence is still felt in the first two thirds through rumours and the arrival of refugees. I really liked Holland’s approach here as it not only provides a sense of foreboding for a large part of the story, but it also gives readers time to familiarise themselves with the world and become invested in the three siblings’ stories. When the Saxons do finally appear, they do so in great numbers and their threat is further heightened by Holland’s excellent prose.

Sistersong is an excellent book. When I finished reading it, I finally looked up the story of The Twa Sisters. I am glad I waited until afterwards as it would have spoiled a large part of the story. Nonetheless, Holland makes this retelling very much her own. It is a beautiful and heart-breaking tale of family, loyalty and identity that I recommend to all readers of historical fantasy.

'No magic comes without cost.’

This is an absolutely fierce tale about family and old magic. Lucy Holland has the ability to get deep beneath a character’s skin, and explore the psychology behind them. I loved Riva, Sinne and Keyne, and how they battled against their destinies to embrace what they truly wanted. Their developments are stunning to behold, and I love how each had their own special power. Gildas was a formidable character throughout, and it was great to see attention paid to this period of history that often goes unseen in historical fiction. I loved the constant clash between the new and old religions. I also loved the use of old magic, and how it was shown and explained. Each sequence was stunning. The portrayal of the Saxons and battles were also brilliant