Holy Sister

Moons might rise and fall, empires wax and wane, even the stars come and go, but there are constants too, and though the story of our kind is ever-changing it is also always the same.

Let me tell you first, that as I'm writing this review, I'm moping in front of my laptop. I'm supposed to be working, but here I am, sad that to say goodbye to these characters. It's saying goodbye to a friend that you might not see for a while. With that being said, here's my review:

• The ending is just perfect for me. It's bittersweet, like how endings should be. No crazy cliff hanger here and I felt like all my concerns about the characters were addressed.
•I think what's happening in Abeth is timely. It makes me think that something similar might show more happen to us in the future. It might not be us living in a thin line in the equator and the Earth freezing to death but, I think you get my point. (Maybe something similar to The Broken Empire's world?)
• I really like how the book presented a very powerful weapon can not only be used for destruction but as a leverage for peace as well.
• One thing that I really appreciate this series for is the LGBTQ representation. It felt natural, it didn't feel like it was in the narrative just for the sake of it, or that it was shoved down my throat at every opportunity.
• Nona's a very good example of not letting a broken world corrupt you. A lot of tragic things happen to Nona and those around her, but that hasn't stopped her from being who she is and staying true to her core values
• By forgiving others you also forgive yourself. Nona learned that vengeance can be hollow and that by forgiving, she also forgave herself for not being able to save all of her friends. show less

Would have been superb apart from the very strange chronology jumping back and forth between the ending of the previous book and the current timeline '3 years later'. It's not consistent, sometimes having a few chapters in succession and then alternating for a bit. Eventually by about mid book we're all up to speed, and everything else resolves reasonably.

Fun intense and well finished resolving all the questions raised in the previous two books - quite a feat that I wasn't sure was going to be possible. I wasn't totally convinced by some of the explanations and motivations which seemed a bit duex et machina and imposed rather than natural progression, but they were at least plausible.

Every time Mark Lawrence writes a new series I think he can't top his last one and every time he proves me wrong. The same is true with Holy Sister, the concluding volume in the Book of the Ancestor series. Holy Sister picks up the events at the conclusion of the previous book, Grey Sister. It also has a parallel narrative set three years after those events. Dual narratives are always tricky because often one is less interesting than the other, only making you anxious to get back to the narrative you left. Lawrence’s work doesn’t suffer that problem because both narratives are equally compelling. At the end of Grey Sister, Nona and her friends had just escaped the palace of the emperor's sister, Sherzal, carrying one of the Arcs. show more Now, Nona and Zole have set off across the ice to lead Sherzal’s soldiers away from the rest of the nuns. As they set out across the ice, Nona learns more about the tribe that Zole came from and confronts dangers and uncovers secrets that had only been hinted at previously.

In the present, set three years after the escape, Nona finds herself back at Sweet Mercy Convent trying to complete her classes. She is again at odds with a class rival, there's still a price on her head and she still has to uncover the secrets that can save their doomed world with ice encroaching from both sides and opposing armies moving in on both ends of the empire.

The stakes have never been higher than they are in Grey Sister. The artificial moon which melts the ice and keeps open a narrow corridor that is the only habitable portion of the planet is no longer able to keep pace with the encroaching ice. The secrets of the ancestors are largely lost to the planets modern-day inhabitants. If some of these ancient secrets are not uncovered and put into action the world may literally end.

Not only is Nona Grey one of the most compelling characters that Mark Lawrence has ever created, but the supporting cast is equally compelling. Abbess Glass manages to dominate the story even when she is not present on the page. The plots that she has set in motion and the way she manipulates events truly set her above all the other characters. Nona is fiercely loyal to her friends and fiercely loyal to the Abbess who literally rescued her from death. Though still young, Nona recognizes the decisions she has to make will influence the course of world events and perhaps even the fate of her world. The action is outstanding with events that present true danger to the characters and real moral choices. The politics of this world are intriguing and realistic.

This is a fantastic conclusion to an outstanding series and Mark Lawrence has topped himself once again. I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Mark Lawrence's ability to make you feel all the emotions that these characters are experiencing elevates these books above ordinary fantasy novels.

Heather O’Neill, who narrated this book and this series, does an amazing job, worthy of award consideration. The passion and emotional arc of the characters come through with every word. Each character is distinct and her tone perfectly matches the pace and mood of the story. Her wonderful job is the main reason that audio is my preferred way and my recommendation for how to encounter this book. This is certain to be at or near the top of my best books of the year. Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher. show less

I wish I could give this series more stars. I've said it before but as I make my way through Mr. Lawrence's books, they just keep getting better and better.
The book alternates between the present time for Nona and what happened to her three years before as she wanders with Zole on the ice. It's a superb technique for keeping (and increasing) the pacing of events that weaves together in the end for a brilliant resolution. And we also get the ending for the various chapters through the series that foreshadow Nona's final battle with the Tacsis family.
I've mentioned in each book how the author turns the Chosen One trope on its head. Nona is the peasant girl who achieves great things but is she the Chosen One of prophecy? Or is it Zole? Or show more Ara? The great thing about this series is that it could be any of them or many others who are the heroines of the story. Sure, the books are told from Nona's POV but I think the theme is that friendship and trust make heroes of all because Nona couldn't have done it without Abbess Glass, Clera, Apple, Kettle, and so many other friends and sisters.
I do love Mr. Lawrence's writing style and I can already tell this isn't going to be just one read of his books, but I'll reread them over and over. But first it's onto the Impossible Times series. show less

What a sad ending - even though they won. All the bits and pieces fell into place leaving just the barest hint of making it. And it costs them a lot. By the time I was halfway through the final book I felt dread - a feeling that kept growing page by page. It was like a puzzle. Every piece was turned and turned again until it snapped into place. But instead of a beautiful picture we were shown smuges, and blood, and pictures of grey spots and black - shadows and defeat. The thing is, the protagonists didn't give up - not because they knew they would win, but only for the sake of friendship, and hope. The trilogy was picked out by the library staff for me as a grab bag. It was definitely worth it. And then some.

The ice is closing in on all sides. The focus can no longer hold it back and the nations are at war as the land continues to shrink. The convent has been called to fight for their emperor. Nona and her sisters must use all their training to survive, but they are outnumbered and betrayed. The shiphearts may be their only hope. Tasked with the protection of a shipheart, Nona must face her demons and fight to save whoever she can. Pulled in different directions, she must choose who lives and who dies.

Nona has built a name for herself throughout the series. We have watched her grow from a hated peasant child into a respected and feared warrior. She's learned what it means to be betrayed by those close to you, but still believes there is show more good in people. While she can kill when necessary, she hates every minute of it. In this novel, she will have to the worst parts of herself as the shipheart drags them to the surface.

A lot of long time questions will be answered in Holy Sister. Readers will finally learn more about Zole and how she came to be The Chosen One. We'll also learn what exactly creates the black ice and how the focus can either destroy the world or heal it. But the path to these answers is dark, gritty and filled with emotion. Characters you've come to know and love will be lost. The Ancestor Trilogy has reached a satisfying end. I only wish there were more. I'm not ready to leave this world behind. show less

Here ends Nona's story. Holy Sister is the third and final installment of The Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence. Yet again a big "Thank You" to the author for including a summary at the beginning of the book! More authors need to do this. The story is told in two separate timelines. The main story happens three years after events in book two, with Nona in holy class and war on the horizon. We are also treated to flashback scenes to help fill in events that happened immediately after book two as our characters were left in a tricky situation. This type of storytelling is either hit or miss for me. This time it was a partial miss. While I genuinely found myself interested in both story lines, the way they were broken up kept ruining show more the tension of each story and threw off the pacing for me. This continues for about half the book. The second half of the story is all in the present day and at that point I could not put the book down. Literally. I read the second half in one sitting!

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

All those future glimpses we were given in books one and two play out in a spectacular fashion. If you do not like fast paced action then skip this series. Lawrence writes fantastic action scenes that left me breathless. There are so many great scenes that the action lover in me was in heaven. The body count starts to add up and among all the action there were some truly touching moments.

Fair warning, there is an odd romance plot. You will need to have read the novella Bound prior to this book for it to make sense. I wish it was left out as it wasn't very satisfying.

This was a nice ending to the series. I'm sad that Nona's story is done as I've enjoyed my time with the sisters and novices at Sweet Mercy Convent. I am looking forward to to visiting Abbeth again next year in the upcoming series The Book of the Ice. show less