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snow_flakes's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
peterkeep's review
5.0
Well what do you know...another Mark Lawrence book, another great story. Mark Lawrence quickly made his way onto my "buy the book, no questions asked" list. And books like this are the reason why.
Nona is great as a main character, with her two (or three) main stages of life to get into. We weave seamlessly back and forth between her past and present with half-truths and hidden truths leaking out along the way. I love the way this works here. Mark Lawrence has always been good at transitioning between the now and the then, but he really mastered it here. I also really like his take on the whole school for magic/warriors trope. It's fun to be in an abbey, it's fun to see the nuns in their habits, and it's fun to mix that with martial arts and ninja stars.
The plot is solid. It's got a mixture of a couple of different things and doesn't really solidify until the last half of the book, but the book doesn't meander it's way there. There are some twists and turns along the way, some of which seems obvious and some of which are told to the reader outright, but they all still work.
The world-building is super though. Coming from the Broken Empire, I was curious to see what Lawrence would write. It looks like he's got another great idea, and he shows enough in this book for us all to get a good grasp on what's going on in the world as well as speculate as to how everything got to be the way it is. I don't want to spoil anything, because the way he teases it out is so great.
Another winner from a great author. At this point, it's not surprising.
Nona is great as a main character, with her two (or three) main stages of life to get into. We weave seamlessly back and forth between her past and present with half-truths and hidden truths leaking out along the way. I love the way this works here. Mark Lawrence has always been good at transitioning between the now and the then, but he really mastered it here. I also really like his take on the whole school for magic/warriors trope. It's fun to be in an abbey, it's fun to see the nuns in their habits, and it's fun to mix that with martial arts and ninja stars.
The plot is solid. It's got a mixture of a couple of different things and doesn't really solidify until the last half of the book, but the book doesn't meander it's way there. There are some twists and turns along the way, some of which seems obvious and some of which are told to the reader outright, but they all still work.
The world-building is super though. Coming from the Broken Empire, I was curious to see what Lawrence would write. It looks like he's got another great idea, and he shows enough in this book for us all to get a good grasp on what's going on in the world as well as speculate as to how everything got to be the way it is. I don't want to spoil anything, because the way he teases it out is so great.
Another winner from a great author. At this point, it's not surprising.
tishywishy's review
5.0
Nona was on death's doorstep when the Abbess of Sweet Mercy Convent came to save her from the hangman. The nuns are not meek or mild. They're deadly and they train girls like her. Nona is one of four bloods, a hunska - fast and agile but there is more, way more to her than what meets the eye.
Currently a top contender for my favourite fantasy book for 2018 for several reasons, with the primary being baddie nuns!
Also, diverse characters, a protagonist who doesn't miraculously learn everything in a day and gets her ass kicked, and no romance - nothing wrong with love but it was great to have a book centered around friendship and female empowerment.
Currently a top contender for my favourite fantasy book for 2018 for several reasons, with the primary being baddie nuns!
Also, diverse characters, a protagonist who doesn't miraculously learn everything in a day and gets her ass kicked, and no romance - nothing wrong with love but it was great to have a book centered around friendship and female empowerment.
nilla_beanie19's review
3.0
3.5 stars. I really liked it. The end was good. It was a lot to take in and I was in a bad slump reading it so it took way too long for me to get through. I look forward to see where the next book goes.
ilona1453d's review against another edition
I'm just not interested at this point in time, might pick
It up later.
It up later.
_ottavia_'s review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Partiamo dalla nota negativa: il ritmo è altalenante, con spezzoni molto belli e adrenalinici e altri meno interessanti e più lenti, alcuni veri e propri WTF da "ma perchè succede sta roba?".
Il ritmo però infastidisce poco se si tiene conto dei molti pregi.
Mark Lawrence sa scrivere e la cosa mi ha colta di sorpresa. Avevo già letto un suo libro anni fa, e lo avevo trovato freddo, lento, scritto insipidamente, violento per il solo piacere di spingere le cose all'estremo. In Red Sister invece la scrittura è a tratti poetica, sempre molto evocativa, a volte violenta ma mai gratuitamente.
I personaggi sono il cuore del libro, con Nona che sale senza sforzo in cima alla classifica dei migliori personaggi fantasy di cui abbia mai letto; un cast complesso e affascinante di Suore (e non), dalle insegnanti alle allieve compagne di Nona. Sullo sfondo un'ambientazione evocativa, simil Nord di Martin, neve e vento e gelo a volontà.
Insomma, non è un libro perfetto ma mi è piaciuto molto, è ancorato da una protagonista che perfetta invece lo è e lancia una trilogia promettente.
Partiamo dalla nota negativa: il ritmo è altalenante, con spezzoni molto belli e adrenalinici e altri meno interessanti e più lenti, alcuni veri e propri WTF da "ma perchè succede sta roba?".
Il ritmo però infastidisce poco se si tiene conto dei molti pregi.
Mark Lawrence sa scrivere e la cosa mi ha colta di sorpresa. Avevo già letto un suo libro anni fa, e lo avevo trovato freddo, lento, scritto insipidamente, violento per il solo piacere di spingere le cose all'estremo. In Red Sister invece la scrittura è a tratti poetica, sempre molto evocativa, a volte violenta ma mai gratuitamente.
I personaggi sono il cuore del libro, con Nona che sale senza sforzo in cima alla classifica dei migliori personaggi fantasy di cui abbia mai letto; un cast complesso e affascinante di Suore (e non), dalle insegnanti alle allieve compagne di Nona. Sullo sfondo un'ambientazione evocativa, simil Nord di Martin, neve e vento e gelo a volontà.
Insomma, non è un libro perfetto ma mi è piaciuto molto, è ancorato da una protagonista che perfetta invece lo è e lancia una trilogia promettente.
dembury's review against another edition
5.0
A thoroughly excellent fantasy novel that reminded me of other magical school-setting stories such as "The Name of the Wind" and "The Poppy War". I'm totally enamored with the main characters, a group of young girls who are learning at a convent run by badass mystic nuns. I loved seeing their relationships form and grow with one another; Lawrence is also getting extra points by me because of the beautiful ways he wrote these girls - they're so well fleshed out and flawed and just plain amazing. The handful of scenes that flashed forward to the future (I think?) were slightly confusing but took nothing away from the book. I'm reallyyyy looking forwards to reading the rest of the trilogy!
k_shanahan's review
5.0
4.5*
A little confusing at times- I was still working out which nun was which in the final chapters of the book. But aside from that the story is incredible and the characterisations are so detailed. Can't wait to start the next book.
A little confusing at times- I was still working out which nun was which in the final chapters of the book. But aside from that the story is incredible and the characterisations are so detailed. Can't wait to start the next book.
shani0101's review
2.0
I wanted to love this book, I really really did. But sadly, I don't. I brought the second book, Grey Sister, on a whim because of the back cover blurb in 2019. I held on to the book for years until I was able to buy the first and last book in 2023.
But now that I have read the first book, I don't know if I want to move on to the second. Red Sister was such a let down. There was pages and pages of information dumps which was so boring. When the scenes started to become interesting, there was a break in the scene for nonstop internal monologues or because of her connection with Hessa. This would make the chapters so unnecessarily long and drawn out.
Nona's secret as to why she was really given away was not surprising at all, although I still don't understand why soldiers would come after her at such a young. I think it was mentioned that she did something to someone when she was young. But at the time, Nona was just a poor outcast in her town, I don't think soldiers coming after her was necessary.
I did enjoy the world building. I was able to picture each setting(the towns, the convent of Sweet Mercy, the trial, and etc). Although, I still don't understand the whole Ice thing that is happening with the world.
But now that I have read the first book, I don't know if I want to move on to the second. Red Sister was such a let down. There was pages and pages of information dumps which was so boring. When the scenes started to become interesting, there was a break in the scene for nonstop internal monologues or because of her connection with Hessa. This would make the chapters so unnecessarily long and drawn out.
Nona's secret as to why she was really given away was not surprising at all, although I still don't understand why soldiers would come after her at such a young. I think it was mentioned that she did something to someone when she was young. But at the time, Nona was just a poor outcast in her town, I don't think soldiers coming after her was necessary.
I did enjoy the world building. I was able to picture each setting(the towns, the convent of Sweet Mercy, the trial, and etc). Although, I still don't understand the whole Ice thing that is happening with the world.
hannahhbic's review against another edition
5.0
This book took over my brain until I finished it. Very violent magical murder nuns school book! Yay! I loved how Nona is independent to a fault and how it routinely gets her into trouble. Hessa lives in my brain rent free. Best girl. Can't wait for book two.