SISTERSONG by Lucy Holland

535 AD. In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, King Cador’s children inherit a fragmented land abandoned by the Romans.

Riva, scarred in a terrible fire, fears she will never heal.
Keyne battles to be seen as the king’s son, when born a daughter.
And Sinne, the spoiled youngest girl, yearns for romance.

All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold – a last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. But change comes on the day ash falls from the sky, bringing Myrddhin, meddler and magician, and Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear the siblings apart. Riva, Keyne and Sinne must take fate into their own hands, or risk being tangled in a story they could never have imagined; one of treachery, love and ultimately, murder. It’s a story that will shape the destiny of Britain.

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Title : Sistersong
Author : Lucy Holland
Format : Hardback
Page Count : 416
Genre : Historical
Publisher : Macmillan
Release Date : April 1, 2021

Reviewer : Micky
Rating  : ★ ★ ★.5

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Micky’s 3.5 star review

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.