4.75 stars
Hey yes! Can I thank the publishers and Lucy Holand from the bottom of my heart for bringing this Celtic/Britannia tale into my life because I got so many flashbacks from my childhood and reading my Irish folktale storybook.

Taking inspiration from the 'Sister song' ballad and turning it into a tale of heartbreak, betrayal, accident and taking hold of the power within and being who you are, the SisterSong gives us a tale that holds LGBTQ+ characters (transgender REP!) family ties, trauma, magic and religion/beliefs.

Although it was a tad slow in the beginning, I couldn't put this book down the moment I read the third siblings tale (Not spoiling their name, also I will not deadname them) because seeing through their eyes hooked me in, but the dynamic between the siblings and their own beliefs and pains and wants is what really drove this story. This book will be great for any fans of old folklore, mythology tales and tales with magic, family ties, and touches on historical elements perfectly -like I loved how well fact and fiction were done in this book.

An epic that everyone needs to read. A special story with beautiful writing. Seeing a trans character is heartwarming and thought I wasn’t familiar with the original story, this was so fleshed out that that didn’t even matter.

I've been eagerly awaiting Lucy Holland's debut, Sistersong, and was so thrilled when I was approved for an ARC! I can tell you know, with that same excitement, that is book is one of my favorites of the year so far! When it comes to fantasy I can be incredibly picky, as it is one of my favorites genres and one I like to write in. But this blew all of my expectations way out of the water!

My bestfriend is my own sister, so I am instantly drawn to stories surrounding the loving and complicated relationships between them. Sistersong follows Riva, the eldest, who was burned by a fire when young and left with a limp and a hand that she can't use, Keyne, who wants nothing more than for his family to accept him as the heir of Dumnonia, and Sinne who is young, beautiful and a little spoiled.

The siblings lives are thrown into tumult when Riva follows Keyne outside of Dumnonia to his secret meetings with the magician Myrdhin, who teaches him about his magical connection the land, and becomes lost, only to be saved by the secretive Tristan. Sinne and Riva's relationship is further fractured by their jealously over Tristan, and it is this that eventually tears them apart -- forever. With the threat of the priest Gildas, who is determined to root out not only their religion, but their powers, pushing in on them from all sides, can the sisters learn to overcome their differences for the better of their Kingdom?

Sistersong reminded me of everything I love about this genre, and oftentimes reminded me of Arthurian myth and the stories I've read based off of it, although this book is based solely off an old ballad called The Twa Sisters. I was unfamiliar with it, and I highly recommend you don't look if up if you are curious, as it reveals a grim twist towards the end of the book that truly shocked me! I also adored the magic system, which relied on one being able to manipulate the "patterns" of the universe -- from fire to air to earth and more.

With murder, magic, battles and ballads, Sistersong is undoubtedly one of the best fantasies of 2021.

I read an advance copy of this book from Goldsboro books and I just have to say, the intricacy and beauty of Holland's writing is something I've not come across much. Her story of sisterhood, of magic and history, is all blended so well into a final volume that I could not put down. If you love Naomi Novik's books, you have to check this out.

This book is beautifully written with lyrical writing and three POVs that will sweep you away into this sort of King Arthur inspired world.

The story is dark and fantastical with a slow building magic and plot that will leave you whirling towards the end. There was a bit of a pause in the story around the 40% mark but right when I was thinking nothing was happening, things picked up exponentially. The three sisters are so different in voice and tone and the author did a great job juggling their conflicting internal feelings as well as how they conflicted with each other. It was neat to see a new take on familiar faces in the King Arthur myth, especially Merlin and Morrigan. Even those not familiar with Arthur lore will appreciate this fantasy for its world building and overarching themes of our connections to the land around us and the source of magic, even in dark times.

Overall, a very engaging fantasy.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I heard so much about this book from my fellow mythology fans so when the chance came to read it as an ARC i jumped right on board. I loved everything about it, it really wrenches your soul and is written in a way that's poetic and lyrical like the ancient myths themselves. The characters are really compelling and the story is really riveting.

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A retelling of an old british ballad, The Twa Sisters, Sistersong by Lucy Holland is the story of three sisters, daughters of the King of one of the old kingdoms of Britannia. War is close to their land, and after one faithful day the life of the three sisters will change forever. It is, in a few words, a story of love, selfdescovery, treachery, and inevitably of murder.

If I had to describe this book in just one word, I would say “tragic”. I left this book with a broken heart (in the best way possible). The thing that makes this book so grim it’s that it feels extremely real. It’s clear that the author did her research which adds to the effect, but the realism mainly comes from the strength of the characters' voices and their detailed descriptions. There is a scene near the end of the book that I won’t be able to shake off my mind in a while.

I have to applaud the use of the fantasy elements in this book. The way they integrated into the world makes them feel like something natural, something believable. In addition, the way the fantasy elements play really well of the themes explored in the book and help build some of the more important plot points.

Nevertheless, the biggest strength of the book is its three main characters. When I first started the book I felt like the three sisters were relying on archetypes and cliches, but as I continued to read the book I found myself liking these characters more and more, and I saw them grow beyond said archetypes into complex and interesting characters. Some of the most heart wrenching scenes in the book have such a powerful impact because of how well these three characters are written.

Other than that, I really liked the book, which gave me an unexpected experience. I would absolutely recommend it to any fantasy fan, fans of queer fiction, and fans of tragic story. I think this will be a story that will stay with me for a long time.


Published article link will be updated closer to the book’s publication date, when review will go live.

DNF @ 11%.

This was the last book I ever thought I'd DNF. Immediately-post-Roman-Britain covers a multitude of sins, except:

• Love triangle dynamics.

• Jesus is the evil antagonist, paganism is the true, vibrant, native faith.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an E-arc of Sistersong. Overall, I enjoyed this story. It is quite slow-paced and it gets difficult to differentiate between the points of view since they are all written in first person and read similarly. That being said, the writing is beautiful and atmospheric. You can feel the characters' emotions and see what they see, You can feel the environment and the tone of society within the story. Had the points of view been written in third person, this would have been even better.

Sistersong by Lucy Holland is a wonderful, lyrical, and fascinating historical fiction that is inspired by the ballad, The Twa Sisters, and takes place in ancient Britain. It is fabulous.

I sadly did not know much anout the inspiration of this novel, so reading about the three sisters in alternating, yet intertwining narratives: Keyne, Sinne, and Riva was very informative for me.

I loved the separate yet seamless storylines kept me entertained as I balanced within a world as old as time. Yet some things: family, love, loss, betrayal, trust, hope, the societal and social roles/expectations/restraints of women’s roles, and change remain the same despite the monumental time difference.

Unique, excellent, and I highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Redhook for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

This story is so intricate and each character is so well defined. The three sisters provide such a great way to narrate. Beautiful and well done.

Sistersong is a retelling of a ballad, set in 6th Century Britain and follows 3 siblings, who are children of the King. In a land where magic is real, there is conflict between old pagan beliefs and incoming Christianity, and Saxons threaten the borders. The siblings (2 sisters and trans man) come into conflict when a mysterious stranger appears in their fathers holding. Sistersong is beautiful, haunting, and tragic and will appeal to fans of Madeline Miller.

Set in Ancient Britain, based on the murder ballad 'The Twa Sisters', this book had the perfect mix of magic, history, folklore and the power and strength of sisters. A perfect darky and moody atmosphere. An absolutely beautiful read!

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted to my Goodreads page.

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!

Beautiful and brutal. These are the first two words that come to mind after finishing Sistersong. In the vein of the modern mythology re-tellings, Holland pairs beautiful prose with strong women and tragic circumstances to weave a masterpiece. As with all myths and fairy tales, this is a cautionary tale that reminds us the value of being genuine, the importance of discernment and to be careful what you wish for.

Keyne, Riva and Sinne are siblings, children of the King of Dumnonia. The kingdom has been abandoned by the Romans but is still struggling with their traditional devotion to the gods of the land and Christianity. We see the effects of a people who believe that magic, celestial festivals and devotion to their gods has left the kingdom prosperous. When the Queen finds herself under the council of a priest, she begins to turn the king and the kingdom to Christianity. This tears at the people and coincides with poor harvests and the increasing threat of war with the Saxons. It also forces Keyne, Riva and Sinne to hide their magical ties and use them in secret. We see the whims and desires of the three lead them down paths that will change the kingdom forever.

This book is so great! It's right up there for me with Circe, Ariadne and A Thousand Ships as a perfect retelling with feminist themes, sibling rivalry, challenging societal norms and the darker side of religion and magic. I was so caught in the world, I could barely put the book down. The impending doom was easy to see but you hold on to hope that the right side will win out in the end. The writing had me gritting my teeth in frustration, cheering with joy, swelling with pride and mourning with grief (not necessarily in that order!).