Red Sister

It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size...

When Abbess Glass finds Nona, she has only moments left to live, a hangman's noose ready to end her life. A child who has never known friendship, or the comfort of a warm home. With her dark hair and pale skin, Nona stood out from the rest of her village. The word monster whispered behind her back due to the violent and bloody trail she's left behind. The hint of an old blood rests within her veins, one that could prove to be a powerful weapon. Abbess Glass is no ordinary nun, and the convent of Sweet Mercy is more than just a place to learn prayer. Saved from certain death, None will be thrown into a new world in the convent, where she will learn show more the extent of her powers and discover friendships she's never had. But with learning to trust others, also comes the inevitable betrayal.

The first line alone hooked me into this novel. I had a similar experience when I picked up Prince of Thorns off the book store shelf, also by Mark Lawrence. I decided right then and there I had to read it. I was also extremely interested in his take on writing a female main character.

I will have to admit I was surprised that parts of this book were a bit slow. However, Mark Lawrence is setting the ground rules for a new and fascinating story of forgotten abilities and magic. Watching Nona struggle to understand people and the rules that surround interacting with them was so well written. Her frequent bouts of anger and frustration perfectly mirrored what a young girl growing up experiences. She also had to learn that even though the people of her village thought she was a monster for being different, it wasn't something to be ashamed of.

Despite the main story being about Nona learning and progressing through the teachings at Sweet Mercy, there is a plot that lurks in the background. Short glimpses into the future at the beginning, middle, and end of the novel. The characters growing up before your eyes are being pushed into a situation you just can't picture them being in. It made me continue reading, trying to put the pieces together that would eventually lead to these scattered moments. Even by the end of the novel, you wonder how they went front point A to point B. I am eager to read the next, even though I know I'll most likely have to read the whole trilogy to form a complete picture. show less

When Abbess Glass finds Nona, she has only moments left to live, a hangman's noose ready to end her life. A child who has never known friendship, or the comfort of a warm home. With her dark hair and pale skin, Nona stood out from the rest of her village. The word monster whispered behind her back due to the violent and bloody trail she's left behind. The hint of an old blood rests within her veins, one that could prove to be a powerful weapon. Abbess Glass is no ordinary nun, and the convent of Sweet Mercy is more than just a place to learn prayer. Saved from certain death, None will be thrown into a new world in the convent, where she will learn the extent of her powers and discover friendships she's never had. But with learning to show more trust others, also comes the inevitable betrayal.

The first line alone hooked me into this novel. I had a similar experience when I picked up Prince of Thorns off the book store shelf, also by Mark Lawrence. I decided right then and there I had to read it. I was also extremely interested in his take on writing a female main character.

I will have to admit I was surprised that parts of this book were a bit slow. However, Mark Lawrence is setting the ground rules for a new and fascinating story of forgotten abilities and magic. Watching Nona struggle to understand people and the rules that surround interacting with them was so well written. Her frequent bouts of anger and frustration perfectly mirrored what a young girl growing up experiences. She also had to learn that even though the people of her village thought she was a monster for being different, it wasn't something to be ashamed of.

Despite the main story being about Nona learning and progressing through the teachings at Sweet Mercy, there is a plot that lurks in the background. Short glimpses into the future at the beginning, middle, and end of the novel. The characters growing up before your eyes are being pushed into a situation you just can't picture them being in. It made me continue reading, trying to put the pieces together that would eventually lead to these scattered moments. Even by the end of the novel, you wonder how they went front point A to point B. I am eager to read the next, even though I know I'll most likely have to read the whole trilogy to form a complete picture. show less

Pausing the book at 14%. I won't place this as a full DNF, just a respite until I'm in the mood to at least reach 20% and then decide. If the book picks up, I'll likely up this review.

Now, Mark is considered to be an excellent writer, and given Red Sister is the only book that I have at least tried, I would be more than glad to try one of his stories when I both have the cash and the time (both of which I have in very short supply for now).

I wanted to read Red Sister for quite a long time because everyone says it's a great book. Grimdark isn't my favored fantasy genre, but I do read it from time to time simply because it has so many fans and books to choose from.

The world setting in a dying world is rather interesting. The only other show more fantasy book that I have read where the world is crumbling from a dying red sun is my favorite Narnia Book where Queen Jadis comes from and somehow sneaks into a nascent Narnia. Given Red Sister caters to a much older audience, the world is relatively overpopulated and society very bleak in regards to selling unwanted children away. Indentured slavery is not only socially acceptable, but even a means to a better life. In my opinion, this was the highlight of the book even though I only got a few glimpses in the short span of story I read. I think the story about the child slave trader was the huge bright light because it was so interesting. If Red Sister had been more about the slave trade than ninja nun school, I would have easily ignored the things I disliked and been more willing to continue.

Alas, I couldn't get into the story. The writing seemed very complex, and while flowery writing to describe the desolate landscape in sufficient does to feel the world is good, it becomes an issue with me when I start skimming paragraphs out of boredom. The scenes for example, where Nona learns how to copy the juggler's tricks seemed to drag on far too long. I just felt like the book was too much of an unpolished draft, and not a full-fledged edited book from a major publisher's house. A good editor could have sliced some of the filler and the book could have been much better in my biased opinion.

Nona seemed like an okay protagonist, but nothing stellar. Not someone I could really root for in the first few chapters. The problem wasn't from any fault of hers, more like I was getting confused with the story far too many times and had to return to prior pages... more times than I can count and try to understand what was going on. So, did the nobleman fighter dude try to rape Nona's blond friend Saida or not? Was he just trying to slap her around in the private room? Or was Nona's reaction when she screamed for help just a disturbance from her muddled mind and he never did anything wrong? It could be really hard for me to tell (mainly because I haven't gotten farther into the book to see for myself if Nona's mind is completely there or not). I don't mind scenes where mentally unstable characters see things in a thwarted way if things are explained further, but Saida's fate confused me. So, the nun wasn't out there to save her afterall? But they accepted that preppy noble girl into ninja school, right? I just think the things that confused me about Saida was because of unpolished editing more than anything.

The cast of characters was just a blur to me. Too many nun teachers introduced at the same time and they were all the same. Stringent, strict and pretty much that was it. No mysticism about their religious sect or personas at all. It drew me away from the story, sadly.

At 96% positive reviews, it seems like there was something about this book that for some reason was unable to draw me in. And I think I have to be an honest reviewer and accept defeat. I have decided to put this book aside and give my spare attention to other books.

Will I come back sometime and continue this book? I am more than happy to at least reach the 20% point and then decide. However, while I am known for returning to books I have paused, I am the type of reader that knows within the first few chapters whether a book is a delight to read versus a chore. Sadly, the fact that I found the stories of the slave trader and the mysterious fate of the crippled seer girl to be far more interesting than Nona's stint at the convent means that giving the book a second try will likely end in a failure. But don't shy away from this book due to my experience, perhaps you will love it. show less

Red Sister is the first in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by mark Lawrence. This is my first time reading this author's works and I am mightily impressed! While the story is told in three separate timelines, the bulk of the story is about Nona's time studying at the convent Sweet Mercy and her friendships there. The second timeline provides a look into Nona's past, that secret from childhood that set her on the path that led to the convent. The third timeline is many years in the future and our teaser for what is to come in the next two books. Each of these timelines are blended together seamlessly. But I'm getting ahead of myself. This is not just any convent and these are not your typical nuns.

It is important, when killing a nun, to

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ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent, Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.

Nona has been cast out of her village because there's something not right with her. As she awaits a death sentence at the gallows for killing a man, Abbess Glass of Sweet Mercy Convent sees Nona's potential. Nona shows signs of the blood, extraordinary traits of speed or strength or the ability to use magic that sometimes appear in people at various strengths. The Abbess offers Nona a chance to become a novice, which she gladly accepts. This immediately starts her training in the martial arts and the Ancestral faith. Now Nona must find a way to live up to her potential and prove herself to other girls at the convent that would gladly see her fail.

Nona is a highly likeable character. She's fierce, stubborn and has lived a hard life but doesn't let that keep her down. Her journey is captivating. Even doing all those things typical to growing up - figuring out friendships, standing up to bullies and being bored in class - they are written in a realistic and engaging manner. Nona's past follows her throughout the story and she is forced to face some uncomfortable truths. Throughout it all Nona stays reasonably positive and tries to see the good in people, especially her friends whether they deserve it or not, despite life kicking her (literally) in the face. It is her hope that I found the most touching and gives the story an uplifting feel. Most of Nona's classmates are interesting, their personalities and abilities playing off one another nicely. Assuming they stick together in future books this group of girls will be a force to be reckoned with!

Lawrence has created an interesting world for his characters to live in. Sweet Mercy Convent is very much like other magic schools only with a martial edge. Kind of like if Harry Potter met Into the Badlands. Yes, seriously! Only here you might have to worry about both the teachers and other students poisoning you during class. The planet the story takes place on is barely habitable. Polar ice caps have grown to cover most of the earth, leaving a small strip of land several miles wide where humans can eke out a modest living. The moon is failing and their star burns red. I haven't decided if this will be a mystery to be solved later or if it's just that the planet is dying.

The book is not without it's flaws. The story is a hero journey which makes a few parts of it predictable, particularly around how some of Nona's friends end up behaving. There are still plenty of surprises, especially around the legend of a "chosen one," that more than offsets any predictability I encountered. All of it leads to one dramatic and explosive finale that did not disappoint.

In the epilogue the story closes with a final glimpse into the future and I can't wait to see how Nona ends up there. Book two is already written and scheduled to be published April 2018. I've heard Lawrence's previous books are vastly different from this one. I might give one a try in the meantime just to see how they compare. show less

“It is important when killing a nun to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.”

If an opening line like that doesn’t reel you in, then I don’t know what will. That is how Red Sister, book one of the Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence begins.

From this stirring opening, we flash back to the main narrative which takes place at Sweet Mercy convent. Nona is saved from the end of a hangman’s noose by Abbess Glass. But Nona has made rich, powerful enemies and even if they dare not breach the walls of the convent, the danger they represent is always present. The Convent teaches girls to be deadly. Along with learning history and the religion of their world, the girls are taught hand-to-hand and weapon skills. They show more are taught how to make and hopefully how not to die from poisons. Some of the girls possess rare gifts, which also must be honed and trained.

Nona fears that her secrets are too terrible and that their discovery will cost her her friends. Friends have been rare enough in her life that she puts great stock in them and holds them precious, even as trust is harder to find. As Nona’s training progresses, she begins to have a better understanding of the world and an idea of her place in it. With her innate skills and the training she has received, the world is about to become even deadlier.

Mark Lawrence has written some of the best epic fantasy of the past decade. With Red Sister he embarks on a new series in a new world and he has topped himself once again. The characters are strong and vivid and his descriptions of scenes and events is both brutal and beautiful. The plot moves along briskly from beginning to end. Nona and the young novices of the convent are front and center, but the nuns who teach them are every bit as strongly written. I would read a whole book just about Abbess Glass. Lawrence brilliantly describes events, or portions of events, from Nona’s perspective. He returns to these events, viewing them from a different vantage point or offering more information that changes your interpretation of them until you are gasping with amazement.

The audio version of Red Sister is narrated by Heather O’Neill who does an amazing job with it. Her accents, intonation and pace perfectly complement the story. When a great narrator is paired with outstanding material as it is here, the experience is transcendent. This is an outstanding story and I can’t think of a better way to encounter it than through this audio version. This book is going to wind up on a lot of “best of” lists at the end of this year. The next book can’t come fast enough. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this audiobook from the publisher. show less

4.5 overall, rounded up. This is the assassin nun fantasy Dune could have been (though more fantasy, less sci-fi). Actually complex women who have strengths and flaws and personalities that exist entirely independent of any man. Each woman is not only totally unique in their speech and habits, they’re also very very multifaceted, adopting different affectations depending on the circumstances (gasp! Like normal people!). These nuns are badass and they know it. While they could be criticized for being “strong” in almost exclusively traditionally masculine ways, I think they’re also flawed enough not to qualify as Mary Sues.

Every once in a while something sounded just a bit too sexual to be appropriate when talking about children, show more like mentioning one child holding her hand above the breast of another for a beat without really explaining why. They were no more than 10 or 11, and because the book is written by a man, I was a littttle suspicious, but I think (and hope) that I was just too on guard, having read too many shitty books about women by men. Very excited for the next one!! show less

Want to hear an opening that will pique your curiosity and grab you by your giggly bits?

"IT IS IMPORTANT, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size."

Want to hear more?

"NO child truly believes they will be hanged. Even on the gallows platform with the rope scratching at their wrists and the shadow of the noose upon their face they know that someone will step forward, a mother, a father returned from some long absence, a king dispensing justice . . . someone..."

In this third person narrative, we have a demonized outcast protagonist (called a few things but best known to all as Nona)is not only young (only 8 years old when she is rescued from the threat of swinging from the gallows for her "murderous" show more crimes)but is unnaturally agile and displays a very distinctive set of skills to boot. Nona is to be raised and educated as a nun in service to the Church of the Ancestor, a church of assasin nuns that take in and train special young girls. The beginning and ending of this book are high octane awesomeness!! I have read other reviews that say the middle feels like a boring snooze-fest. I, for one, really liked the super specialized break-neck training, catty classmates, coming of age and into one's powers, extreme loyalty and inevitable betrayl of (first) friendships and all the melodrama that accompanies. I found them all to be interesting vital-to-the-plot reading goodness. The writing is sublime. The World building, Magic System and Character Development are incredibly complex and perfectly executed (no pun intended). The plot twists were built to a steady creceiendo, crafted and brilliantly divulged. There were sad deaths, sweet deaths, physical/mental capability twists and maulings galore. Though at the core there is Hope, Friendship, Sisterhood and Belonging wrapped up with a gorey bow of violence. Among all of this there are jewels, nuggets of truth and wisdom and beauty:

"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.”

I must I must reiterate, Red Sister is undeniably violent, extremely stabby with a touch of unapologetic comfort zone crushing. There is violence towards (and the killing of) young children as well as extreme brutality and murder of a helpless animal... BUT... if you can find a way to partition and store that in a portion of your brain labeled "Absolutely Unacceptable, Deplorable Actions that Are Only Tolerated in Fictional Settings", you'll LOVE the rest...I pinky promise.

"Violence is the language of destruction, flesh so often the subject, fragile, easy to break beyond repair, precious; what else would we burn to make the world take note? Your death has not been waiting for your arrival at the appointed hour; it has, for all the years of your life, been racing towards you with the fierce velocity of time’s arrow. It cannot be evaded; it cannot be bargained with, deflected or placated. All that is given to you is the choice: Meet it with open eyes and peace in your heart, go gentle to your reward. Or burn bright, take up arms, and fight the bitch."

There is much highlighting in my copy. The story is gripping and the writing, poignant. There are paragraphs of situations that are detestable. There are prose to ensnare and even words to live by:

"The trip from could to should is short and allows little time for reflection."

Reflect on that!!

It also has an excellent quote to wrap up this rambling review:

“Every star, turning in the black depth of heaven, burns for no better reason than that humanity raised its face to look. Every great deed needs to be witnessed. Go out there and do something great.”

Go ahead, do something great! Be a force of Good in the world...that and come back and join me for book #2! show less