Sistersong by Lucy Holland

Hello dear readers.

Before I dive into my thoughts about Sistersong, here is the synopsis to catch you up to speed:

“My sister’s heart broke on the river—and the river took it and bore it away.

In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, there is old magic to be found in the whisper of the wind, the roots of the trees, and the curl of the grass. King Cador knew this once, but now the land has turned from him, calling instead to his three children. Riva can cure others, but can’t seem to heal her own deep scars. Keyne battles to be accepted for who he truly is—the king’s son. And Sinne dreams of seeing the world, of finding adventure.

All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky. It brings with it Myrdhin, meddler and magician. And Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart.

Riva, Keyne and Sinne—three siblings entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, who must fight to forge their own paths. 

Their story will shape the destiny of Britain.”

I fell in love with Riva, Keyne, and Sinne. I loved that their personality was evident in each chapter, that you could read it and know who was speaking. I never wanted to skip to another's story; I hungrily devoured each of their chapters, as if I was a ravenous animal.

Riva, the eldest, with her fierce worry and protectiveness over her siblings, was something I have felt myself, and it was refreshing to see the internal struggle eldest children have when it comes to caring for their siblings. You become a second parent to them but you’re also their sibling. I could see myself in Riva, and I could put myself in her shoes.

Keyne. My heart goes out to Keyne. While I may never experience the feeling of not being able to present as who I am, to feel like I’m not me in my own body or clothes, I felt for him. It was bittersweet, reading about Keyne’s feelings. It was also an eye-opener for me. I’ve never thought about how much trying to be who you are and being scared to do so would affect you. Hiding yourself the way Keyne did was so saddening.

Sinne is such a sweet, naive young girl. Her dreams to adventure, find love, and make something for herself are ones many of us share with her. She deserved to have these things, and in a way she did. But my heart broke regardless for her. I felt like Sinne was one of my own siblings, and I cried for her. I genuinely love her so much. As the synopsis mentions, there is old magic in this universe, that comes from what the characters originally thought was the gods. This magic and the king were connected, and they served one another in harmony. But when a man of a newer faith, one that viewed magic as evil, was invited to the kingdom, the magic weakened. The king turned his back on his connection to the old ways, the old gods. And so the magic turned to his children. The story and the world behind this book are so well thought out. Holland created a masterpiece that I want to read over and over again. I laughed, I cried and I loved this book. It has been a long time since I devoured a book so quickly, so when I finished after a whole day and a half, I knew this one deserved all of the praise.

This book tackles transphobia, misogyny, and religion beautifully. A person, regardless of gender identity, should be treated with grace and respect, and they should be allowed to present and be who they want to be. A woman has just as much right as a man does, and shouldn't be treated as less than. Religion should not be used to make people fear; it should be a safe place, one that does not use scare tactics to earn members. These things are regular topics in this book and are woven together into a beautiful story about family, loyalty, and identity.

I truly hope you pick this book up, dear reader. This book, this story is one of my favourites ever read. I cannot fathom how this book could be any better; it is truly in its best form.

To the Rivas of the world, be kind to yourself. You are so loved.

To the Keynes of the world, you deserve to be yourself proudly. You are so loved.

To the Sinnes of the world, never give up on your dreams. Regardless of what may come, you will make it and you, as I said to the Rivas and Keynes, are so loved. (I may have just teared up writing this part.)

And to Lucy Holland, thank you. This book was incredible. I'll see you in the next one. Sistersong by Lucy Holland gets a 5 out of 5 stars from little ol' me.

Sending all my love, Vic