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eefera 's review for:
Red Sister
by Mark Lawrence
After a much less enjoyable time with Prince of Thorns, I decided to read Red Sister based on the recommendations I'd been given and the concept it promised. A convent of assassin nuns, as pretty much everyone will say, is an immediate sell.
I loved the way that Lawrence used his previous experience of grimdark to wreath Nona's character. In this case, I completely loved it. She is a pragmatic protagonist who swings far into the gray of anti-hero while still giving us glimpses of the heart she hides. We see a strong story arc in which Nona slowly begins to release her grip on her secrets and her unwillingness to be vulnerable with herself and others. And in a very human way, some of the relationships she forges during the first novel end with strong bonds, and others with betrayal.
I don't know that I would say I was incredibly surprised by any of the events in the novel, it was fairly predictable. However, I would also say that the predictability did not in any way dampen my enjoyment of the story and characters.
I do want to give kudos to Lawrence for writing some really fabulous female characters. The girls especially were very distinct and I enjoyed the dynamic between them. A couple of the nuns stood out to me, Abbess Glass, Sister Wheel, and Sister Rose especially felt more distinct. However, I would have liked to see more depth/distinction between some of the other older nuns/sisters, as the characters sort of bled into each other a bit more than I would have liked.
Overall, highly enjoyable read and very approachable storytelling. I look forward to book 2!
I loved the way that Lawrence used his previous experience of grimdark to wreath Nona's character. In this case, I completely loved it. She is a pragmatic protagonist who swings far into the gray of anti-hero while still giving us glimpses of the heart she hides. We see a strong story arc in which Nona slowly begins to release her grip on her secrets and her unwillingness to be vulnerable with herself and others. And in a very human way, some of the relationships she forges during the first novel end with strong bonds, and others with betrayal.
I don't know that I would say I was incredibly surprised by any of the events in the novel, it was fairly predictable. However, I would also say that the predictability did not in any way dampen my enjoyment of the story and characters.
I do want to give kudos to Lawrence for writing some really fabulous female characters. The girls especially were very distinct and I enjoyed the dynamic between them. A couple of the nuns stood out to me, Abbess Glass, Sister Wheel, and Sister Rose especially felt more distinct. However, I would have liked to see more depth/distinction between some of the other older nuns/sisters, as the characters sort of bled into each other a bit more than I would have liked.
Overall, highly enjoyable read and very approachable storytelling. I look forward to book 2!