Sisters of Sword and Shadow

The stunning cover grabbed my attention instantly and the premise was so promising!
The beginning was really fast paced, you don't have to wait long for the protagonist to arrive at the sisterhood. The middle part felt a bit slow and you couldn't really grasp were the story headed. In my opinion the magical elements weren't that necessary, (spoiler!) I had liked a strong female protagonist whos strongness isn't based on magic and a prophecy. The sprinkle romance was, in my opinion, also not necessary. (spoiler end) But I enjoyed the feminism throughout the book really much, for it was discussed from different point of views through different characters! I only wished it would be a bit more intersectional. I really liked Cass' character development, how she's empowered throughout the book and becomes an active participant instead of the spectator that she was at the beginning of the story.
All in all I enjoyed the book and think it's a really good autumn read!

Thank you for providing an e-ARC of this book!

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It’s fantasy written really accessibly. If you like Arthurian legends I think you would like this book.

'An interesting thing happens, when a man is defeated in combat by a woman . . . He tells nobody.'

Sisters of Sword and Shadow (SoSaS) is the first installment of a fantasy duology written by Laura Bates and is Bates' debut within the genre. SoSaS is the answer to what would it have been like to have a female version of the Knights of the Round Table and how would they have managed in medieval England. SoSaS follows Cass as she abandons her homestead and everything she knows and joins the Sisterhood of the Silk Knights to learn to fight, protect the vulnerable and right the wrongs of men.

I flew through this book and think it will fit really well within the young adult market, it offers all the usual fantasy elements of power, courage and morality as well as adding in an organic mix of equality and feminism.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates!

The cover for this book is really beautiful and was what initially drew me to the book! A woman with a sword will always intrigue me. The summary also drew me in, a feminist Arthurian tale immediately grabbed my attention!

The female protagonists in this book were incredibly strong and I especially loved Cass' character development. She, as well as the other characters, were so empowered — and continue to be empowering — throughout the book.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves feminist fantasy!

It’s official, every Arthurian story needs a secret keep full of skilled female knights! This was such an interesting spin on the usual Arthurian tale, with Bates’ version featuring far less noble knights who are greedy and destructive, lacking in the honour you expect them to show. However, their female counterparts are battling the injustices of the world anonymously, under the guise of being male knights, whilst trying to protect their way of life from the outside world.

I loved the feminist take and that there were also ethics and morality brought into the story, raising questions of what we would do to protect those ourselves and those we love. In a world where men have the power, how far is too far to take some of that power back? There are plenty of secrets, with Cass caught in the middle of many, but she’s determined to gain her promotion from squire to knight - but there’s something different about Cass that she doesn’t understand, which adds a layer of intrigue to the story and a touch of magic. This was a great book and I’m interested to see where the story takes us next.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I waited a while to get started on reading this, and had forgotten the blurb by the time I started it. That didn't matter, it was absorbing very quickly. Cass is a good main character, she wants more than just marriage and children whilst also loving and having good relationships with her family. The community she finds herself in is an alternative court, made up solely of women, which has a realistic view of what the issues around that would be. The middle section is a little slow, but overall it's a really enjoyable book and I'm looking forward to the follow up.

An Arthurian reimagining with a feminist twist, Laura Bate skillfully turns her pen to fiction in this action packed and thought provoking tale. I am assuming we will have a Book 2, and I'm super intrigued as to what will happen next

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy! I will sing from rooftops about this one! Arthurian legends with a feminist angle? SIGN ME UP. The first couple of chapters were slow to start, but after getting through them oh wow was it worth it… I am blown away by the end of this book I absolutely devoured it in the end. And am distraught it is over.

Upon reread- Again, I will sing from rooftops. I adore this work from Laura Bates, and will go on my bookseller list of books to politely shove young YA-ers/ Fantasy-lovers towards. I cannot wait to read more.

I've previously read Bates' non-fiction so was very excited to see how she managed the shift to fiction. It was a pleasant surprise that it was such a cohesive story, with a lot of feminist undertones that follows on from her non-fiction work. Cass is a rather endearing main character, and the secondary characters help bolster the story. I will say that it is more slow paced than I was expecting, but as a YA novel goes, it kept me interested and is worth a read for anyone who likes Bates' work or would like a relatively simple read.

This was an easy to read, uncomplicated YA fantasy novel set in Arthurian times - with women taking control of their own lives which adds a new and enjoyable twist. The characters are likeable enough with it being clear from the beginning that there is more to be revealed about Cass, the main character, but this is left until the very end to set up the next book.

I LOVED this book.

Gay knights, what more could you want?

This felt like the perfect YA in that it dealt with serious issues in a way that still felt easy to read. The lighthearted and the serious are well balanced.

Although it's YA, it still fun to read as an adult and I'm excited for the sequel which I'm assuming there must be.

An epic novel about what it would be like if the Knight of the Round Table from Arthurian legends had a female counterpart. An epic fantasy reimagining from a feminist writer that takes a well known legend, adds incredibly strong female characters and a story line that could rival the myths of legends. This one definitely reads as a more historical novel than a fantasy series but that didn’t deter me.

Destined for an arranged marriage, our protagonist Cass, dreams of freedom. So when a force and beautiful leather-clad woman rides up and offers to taker her away, Cass does not hesitate to join her. She is introduced to the Sisters of Sword and Shadow, a group of female knights, training to fight, protect their community, and right the wrongs of men.

Fining herself drawn into a world of ancient feuds, glorious battles, and deadly intrigue, Cats soon discovers she holds a power that could change not only her own fate but that of her entire sisterhood. This is the first novel in a breathtaking and sweeping epic fantasy duology that explores questions about power, courage and the stories we tell about the past.

This is an incredible retelling of the Arthurian legends and the Knights of the Round Table that creates a world where women fight for their place in the world, they question to societal norms of what it is excepted of them as a women, and taking their destiny into their own hands. Even if they have to fight for it themselves.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an advanced readers copy via NetGalley of Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates