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Grey Sister

(Book of the Ancestor #2)

Mark Lawrence (Goodreads Author)

4.38 · Rating details · 29,425 ratings · 2,415 reviews

Second novel in the brilliant series from the bestselling author of Prince of Thorns.

In Mystic Class Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often even the deepest truths just make our choices harder. Before she leaves the Convent of Sweet Mercy Nona must choose her path and take the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blu ...more

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Kindle Edition, 432 pages

Published April 3rd 2018 by Ace

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Jul 07, 2017 Mark Lawrence added it · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Note - if you've finished this book, you might want to read Bound before moving on to Holy Sister - it's not compulsory though.

++++++++++++++++++

An inline comment from my editor when going through it: "Woah, nasty!"

She didn't ask me to change it though! :)

Some lines from the book:

"Never be so focused on picking a lock that you forget kicking down the door is also an option."

"Nothing is as cruel as a righteous man."

She lifted a hand, as if it were the heaviest thing in the world, to XXXX’s cheek. ...more

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Jan 18, 2019 Elena May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“Spend too long watching the long game and the short game will kill you.”

I have a special place in my heart for chessmaster-type characters who weave complex plots and plans that takes decades in the making. Carefully placing pawns across the board, ready for moves to be made years from now. Setting everything up so that a single pull of a string would make all plots flow together into one glorious outcome. Abbess Glass delivers on that account, and it’s delicious to read.

But I have a confession to make. Although from an emotional point of view I root for Nona and Friends, just because we've spent time in their heads and have grown attached to them, on a purely logical level I sympathize with our baddie, the Emperor’s sister Sherzal. It can be frustrating, even if it’s sadly realistic, to see how on the verge of an upcoming ecological catastrophe, humans are so wrapped up in killing each other that no one thinks about uniting against the disaster. Sherzal is the only one who sees the big picture and wants to harness the power of nature. And yes, there are better and less bloody ways to achieve her goal, but I also appreciate that she is not excluding people outside of the Empire. At the same time, our xenophobic heroes dismiss the Battle Queen’s people as savages, just because they have a different interpretation of their faith. Hm, I guess I might have ended up a villain if I lived in that world.

“The greatest threat to any faith is not other faiths or beliefs but the corruption and division of its own message”

One thing didn’t work for me. Nona is so super-powered that even when she ends up in impossible situations, it’s often clear she’ll find a way out. At a couple of points the narrative tries to create false tension that is then dissolved very quickly and easily, so that there is no sense of danger. One example, in spoiler tags since it happens at the very end:

(view spoiler)

Examples like the one above cheapen all the scenes where we have real tension and danger, and we have plenty of those. They would have felt stronger without these fakeouts. Of course, there’s one more book in the series, and it’s possible the event I describe above has actual consequences that affect the plot. Seems unlikely at this stage, but if that happens, I take back my words.

Having said that, I continue to love the worldbuilding. It was a delight to discover more about Abeth's history, landscape, and people. The mythology around the Missing and all the lost knowledge surrounding them is becoming more fascinating with every page. ...more

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Sep 10, 2017 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, magic, fantasy, read-in-2018, demons

ARC provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

1.) Red Sister ★★★★★

“But I must warn you, sister, that a sickness runs in me, and if you fashion yourself my enemy I will make a ruin of your life, for I am born of war.”

Grey Sister is such a wonderful addition to this world, and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Mark Lawrence truly never disappoints, and Nona will always be one of my favorite protagonists of all time. If you guys haven’t, please pick u ...more

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Jun 15, 2018 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I've never done one of those "book reveal" that seems so popular these days, so I thought I'd make an attempt at it for this one.

Did I do it right?

I figure since this book is like, all Harry Potter-ish, with an orphan girl learning about her magical talents, encountering rivals and making lifelong friendships along the way, my bunnies would make the perfect representative for this book. It's such a happy, cheerful, heartwarming book. Rainbows and bunnies and unicorns all the way

^_________^

“Be

...more

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Dec 31, 2017 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-all, own

Fanfreakingtastic!

REVIEW TO COME LATER!

...more

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Sep 12, 2017 James Tivendale rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, freecopy

I received an advance reading copy of Grey Sister in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Mark Lawrence and Ace Books for this opportunity.

The second entry within the Book of the Ancestor trilogy picks up events approximately two years after the exceptional and breathtaking finale of Red Sister. Nona Grey: the black-eyed and shadowless novice is still studying potions, blade-path, kingdom histories, thread-weaving, and all the other dedicated and required lessons a potential rel I received an advance reading copy of Grey Sister in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Mark Lawrence and Ace Books for this opportunity.

The second entry within the Book of the Ancestor trilogy picks up events approximately two years after the exceptional and breathtaking finale of Red Sister. Nona Grey: the black-eyed and shadowless novice is still studying potions, blade-path, kingdom histories, thread-weaving, and all the other dedicated and required lessons a potential religious assassin nun should be partaking in. Yet, she's no longer quite the same Nona Grey that we witnessed previously.

"But I must warn you, sister, that a sickness runs in me, and if you fashion yourself my enemy I will make a ruin of your life, for I am born of war."

Due to Nona's often unpredictable skills and intelligence, she has been promoted to Mystic Studies, the next stage of qualifications at the convent of Sweet Mercy, where all revere the Ancestor. She has issues at this level with potential bullies, problems in certain studying areas, however, our main protagonist is deadly and she is haunted by her past actions, literally. Lawrence is known within the fantasy scene for possessing two extremely respected qualities throughout all his stories and both are showcased here in great fashion. He is arguably one of the darkest and most brutal writers currently working yet he's also the author whose words, prose, and unbelievable quotable segments can capture readers in a trance. Engaging almost like it is all subliminal written linguistics controlling us to emphasise the movements, moments and excitement that frequent every single one of his narratives. There is a reason that on Fantasy Book Review- he is one of the most consistent, top-rated current authors and his approximately yearly novel output puts the majority of his peers to shame.

Red Sister was mainly focused on Nona Grey regarding her relationships with fellow students and side players being the focus of the action. Here, we have two, perhaps even three point of view perspectives. Nona is still the main individual and the most interesting to us even though she might not be the most important in the grand scheme of things. The other scripted perspective is Abbess Glass who is the leader of the nunnery. She's very wise, deep and oozes goodness but her narrative doesn't follow the sort of path the description may predict. Her chapters seemed to be shorter than Nona's and to begin with I only really cared about when Nona was there included and seen from Glass' viewpoint. They are very important; however, and towards the end, you equally want to see what happens to her just as much, and perhaps even more so than the trilogies lead cast member. In addition to their being more viewpoints, I found the so-called side characters much more fleshed out. Especially Zole, Ara, Kettle, and a newer entry called Keot. My mind is often dark so he was my favourite character in the whole story. Powerful perhaps, definitely mysterious and I read his words and voice with an intensity that is rarely created. "Tonight we will slice their throats as they sleep."

I have to commend Lawrence for how deep and complex his world is that he has created within the constricting miles high walls of ice that are closing on the remaining villages and cities of the corridor. Grey Sister is brimming with religions, races, family trees, exquisite archaic books, bizarre poisons, more complicated antidotes, and a potential prophecy that certain characters may orchestrate then manipulate to try to destroy or save the world.

The pacing and plotting are well worked out for the majority of readers. There was a section about half way through which caused me to not pick it up as frequently as I maybe should have. I love action, however; upon completing the book I saw that everything Lawrence did makes absolute sense, which is why he is the writer and I am not. About 30-percent through there is a twist that throws everything "into the wind." Then the last 30-percent is genius and unputdownable. This ending sequence follows two brilliant yet highly different variants of characters motives. The action sequences in these truly fluid segments were the sort I adore and often make me speechless. I had to re-read certain chapters. Not as I didn't understand what was stated but because I truly wanted to relive that scene once again before I moved on to the ever heightening and expressive climax. These sections included especially some of Keot's moments or when characters 'walked the path'. Even meeting the Noi-Guin, old favourites like Regol, and hearing rumours about Yisht, there is so much going on here that fans of the series will truly adore.

When I finished Grey Sister I then put the book down, took a deep breath and just reflected on what had taken place at the conclusion for the next half an hour. When a book has that effect on a reader then you know it is excellent and hits in all the correct emotional places. The finale is so surprisingly well worked. This book is full of elegant statements and deep passages. The whole ensemble shine. Blurb for publishers: Book of the Ancestor is Mark Lawrence's finest series by a great distance and Grey Sister is a far superior outing than the critically acclaimed first entry and his previous works. The characters are brilliant, the magic-scheme I raved about in the first book has impressed me far more this time for its creativity and intricacy sevenfold. The more devilish Nona gets the more intriguing she appears to us all. Blurb for readers: It's Mark Lawrence. So stop reading me and buy it. ...more

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Apr 26, 2018 Anne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2018

All the goddamn stars!
This was some of the best authoring I've ever seen.

description

If you had any idea how lazy I've become with books that don't have pictures, then you would realize how unbelievable it was that I couldn't put this one down. As it is, you'll just have to take my word for it.
I'm lazy. This was unputdownable.

description

The Sisters of Sweet Mercy are back and they are kicking ass in their own various ways all over the place! I loved all the Sisters and novices at the convent (minus one or two, of cou ...more

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Feb 27, 2019 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An action-packed sequel that offers relatable commentary about faith, corruption, authority, and family.

So far, this is the highest and the most positive rating I ever gave to Lawrence’s middle-book installment; I gave both King of Thorns and The Liar’s Key 2.5/5 stars. I am very pleased to say that I loved Grey Sister. Even though I loved Red Sister more, Grey Sister was another great volume for the series and depending on how I feel about the third and final volume, Book of the Ancestor could ...more

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Dec 06, 2019 Daniel B. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

While Red Sister was a slow burn that was well worth its pace, Grey Sister has ascended to all new highs for the Book Of The Ancestor series.

One thing I failed to speak on full in my full review (https://youtu.be/aJPs1Uv0KpE), is how creative of a world is being crafted here as well. It seems ever possible element of this story is being masterfully worked to draw the reader into this dying world as deeply as possible. ...more

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Aug 06, 2017 Petros Triantafyllou rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Grey Sister might as well be the most well-written book I've read in my life.

It's been two years since Nona Grey killed Raymel Tascis in the Corridor. Now she's back in the Convent of Sweet Mercy and the Mystic Class, training to join one of the four orders: Holy, Grey, Red, or Mystic Sister. But when an Inquisition arrives, Nona has trouble trying to hide two secrets that could get her expelled: A forbidden search of the stolen shipheart, and a demon that she's carrying under her skin.

"Every Grey Sister might as well be the most well-written book I've read in my life.

It's been two years since Nona Grey killed Raymel Tascis in the Corridor. Now she's back in the Convent of Sweet Mercy and the Mystic Class, training to join one of the four orders: Holy, Grey, Red, or Mystic Sister. But when an Inquisition arrives, Nona has trouble trying to hide two secrets that could get her expelled: A forbidden search of the stolen shipheart, and a demon that she's carrying under her skin.

"Every law of church or state seeks to separate you from your anger. Every rule is there to tame you - to take from your hands that which you should own. Every stricture aims to place the vengeance that is yours in the grasp of courts, juries, justice and judges. Books of law look to replace what you know to be right with lines of ink. Prisons and executioners stand only to keep your hands from the blood of those who have wronged you. Every part of it exists to put time and distance between deed and consequence. To lift us from our animal nature, to cage and tame the best. "

In Grey Sister, Mark Lawrence is reminiscent of a well-trained juggler, for he excels in balancing the most important elements of a story such as theme, plot, setting and conflict on one hand while he juggles character development, world-building and magic system on the other. I once said that Mark's work is one of beauty and ingenuity, and that is once again evident through his prose. Prose that not only assembles, orders and modifies, but also weaves together and adds value to the many layers of a story which unfolds with the precision of a timepiece crafted by a master artisan and excels at depicting realistically how deep loyalty lies in one's soul, for it is the paragon of love.

I could keep going. I could rave about how Grey Sister is an epos in its original meaning; a literary masterpiece with no equal that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. I could praise it until I run out of words and need a thesaurus to continue. But I'll not. I'll simply tell you to read it and decide yourself. ...more

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Mar 29, 2020 Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dark, apocalyptic-or-dystopian, fantasy-high-and-epic, 0-in-my-library-read, 4-stars

3.75 Stars

This book is pretty much exactly like the first book in the way it played out for me...

The first half was a trudge-fest and I borderline questioned why I was still even reading it...and then the second half made it all clear.

I am hesitant to talk too much outside of broad generalities here as I don't want to spoil anything that occurred in either this book or book one, so I will just say that I love Abbess Glass most of all. I love her wily machinations and the way she truly does care ...more

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Apr 02, 2018 Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018, fantasy

Red Sister was probably the best first in a series book I read last year so even if I try to lower my expectations when I read any book, I can’t say they were none. The world enchanted me, the characters amazed me, and the plot entertained me quite a lot. While Grey Sister didn’t disappoint, it pales in comparison with Red Sister.

My memory was fuzzy when I started reading this book and Mark Lawrence provided a summary which was helpful, however, I would’ve liked more info about Zole and Joeli. Red Sister was probably the best first in a series book I read last year so even if I try to lower my expectations when I read any book, I can’t say they were none. The world enchanted me, the characters amazed me, and the plot entertained me quite a lot. While Grey Sister didn’t disappoint, it pales in comparison with Red Sister.

My memory was fuzzy when I started reading this book and Mark Lawrence provided a summary which was helpful, however, I would’ve liked more info about Zole and Joeli. And maybe the ending? I was able to figure out stuff along the road, though. Still, I’m very thankful! More authors should do that.

In this book Nona is around 15 in mystic class. As she tries to survive every day’s life in Sweet Mercy, among friends and “enemies”, the people she hurt from her past haven’t forgotten her. I honestly can’t give a longer premise because then I would have to talk more in detail and they aren’t few. As much as that might make the book look like it was full action. It wasn’t. It was slow and bored me a bit at first. By that I mean I could’ve easily stopped reading anytime. It didn’t keep me interested. However, I made it through the first 20% (I guess) and things started to pick up. I became interested in some plots like the cave and Nona’s interactions with Joeli.

While some events intrigued me, like what would be the grey sister trial and if Nona is going to pass, and when things got into motion for the finale of this book (view spoiler), others made me to stop reading altogether. I understand why Abbess Glass’s chapters are necessary however, her (view spoiler) chapters held so little useful information. I get that they play a role in the twist at the end, but they could’ve been summed up all the same. I wanted to jump to Nona’s chapters (it made me feel bad, though, because the Abbess is such a great character). We discover a lot about her past and the politics of this world. I wanted to learn more about the Missing but alas I think it’ll be reserved for the final book of the trilogy.

The most memorable character in this book for me was Zole. She’s so mysterious and unpredictable. Unlike Nona who is always angry at the world, Zole is focused and always keeps her cool. I wish we saw more of her. It’s a very nice change that the MC isn’t the chosen one. I can’t wait to see what the Agartha will do in the third book which I expect to be the best. I also liked Kettle and Apple’s relationship even more in this book. Such great characters! Looking forward to learning more about them.

The second main problem I had with this book was how much it resembled Red Sister. Nona, the totally awesome most badass kid ever, stayed the same. She didn’t feel like an 8 yo in Red Sister and she certainly doesn’t feel like a 15 yo in this book. She sounded the same. No character development. Maybe yes, more honest but other than that, I couldn’t find anything distinctive. Grey sister ignored one of the things I liked about it the most in the first book: friendship. Her relationship with Ara and the others was barely explored. Same old same old. We saw so little of them. I wish it was more developed because it’s one of the highlights of this series. We saw more of Nona/Zole interactions but even that wasn’t satisfying.

Briefly, this book was entertaining but if you are expecting something better than its prequel, you better lower your expectations from now. It’s still worth reading because this trilogy is something else. Not many teen-ish high fantasy worth reading out there. It certainly outshine Prince of Thorns (which btw I couldn’t finish). Nona is so dark but also kind and cares about her friends. Mark’s writing style is stunning although he described certain things too much sometimes. Can’t wait to know how the events will unfold in the finale! I hope it takes less than a year to come out since it’s already written but somehow, I doubt it. ...more

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Apr 11, 2018 Philip rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: high-fantasy, dying-earth, 2018-releases, fantasy, author-man

4.25ish stars.

I've been reading a lot of good books recently. Makes me want to read a gutter book just so I can skewer it in a review. This is a solid follow-up to Red Sister and is a worthy addition to the series even if it can't match the feeling of surprise that came from experiencing the refreshing novelty and creativity introduced in the first book for the first time.

I was unsure about the first half-ish of the book. All of the petty middle school drama - mean, rich girl bully cliques; wr ...more

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Apr 02, 2018 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Grey Sister brings us right back to Sweet Mercy, around two years after the gore stained climax of the first book, where Nona Grey and her new dark passenger dream of deadly punishments for murderer Yisht while continuing a life of relative normality within the convent walls. We're back where we were before, we're learning about thread-weaving, we're fighting with mean girls, we're spending time with friends. It’s a moment of relative calm, with each girl honing her tribal talents and developing Grey Sister brings us right back to Sweet Mercy, around two years after the gore stained climax of the first book, where Nona Grey and her new dark passenger dream of deadly punishments for murderer Yisht while continuing a life of relative normality within the convent walls. We're back where we were before, we're learning about thread-weaving, we're fighting with mean girls, we're spending time with friends. It’s a moment of relative calm, with each girl honing her tribal talents and developing the specific skills necessary to succeed in the Order she hopes one day to attain. For Nona, the choice might seem obvious, she is destined for Red, yet the secrets she is hiding threaten not only her future as a fully fledged Sister, but her immediately safety and even her life. While her intelligence and inventiveness are tested within Sweet Mercy’s walls, the world outside arrives to shatter this fragile normality in the form of an Inquisition, an encroachment of high politicking only partially exposed in Red Sister, and the kind of high stakes games which jeopardise more than just Nona’s destiny. The tension created by the clash of two worlds is expertly done, the noose Nona escaped in Red Sister falling once again round her neck, and tightening with her every slip. Then in one sudden move, Mark Lawrence throws your every expectation to the wind and blows the future wide open. It’s the kind of sharp left turn that has your jaw dropping, but brings a huge smile to your face, knowing that dark deeds and bloody action are coming…

The surprises mean that the wider world is more vividly portrayed than in the first book, with the created realm ever more revealed, both in the detailed scene setting and the world-large issues that are going to come more heavily to bear on the story. From the underground tunnels of the Tetragode, to the destructive power of the Ark controlled moon, there is an authentic interconnectedness, a multilayered and technicolour society with contemporary political, economic, and religious concerns built on a legendary and mythical past. This is a world that is changing and the scramble for power, which in itself reflects a greater competition for life giving land and resources, is more than just a backdrop for character action, it adds a tenseness you can feel in your gut. Nona is revealed to be only one part, though important, of a much larger struggle for survival- one which is going to be very difficult to ‘win’ in the traditional sense. While the respective players fighting each other provides some epic battles, it becomes ever more clear that each group is engaged in an intense, and until now hidden, competition for the means to deal with the coming disaster- an end to the world as they know it.

The complexity of the situation allows the characters really shine. Not only is there a more evolved version of Nona, a girl somewhat altered by the recent past but whose essential characteristics remain her most valuable strengths, the chapters from other perspectives allow for conflicting and more nuanced interpretations of events and individuals. Lawrence gives a lot of time to Nona and her friendship group, allowing the reader to feel like they really know them- their hurt, hatreds, or happiness authentically presented, driving their thoughts and actions. It puts you firmly on their side, the trust and loyalty of their friendships and the bonds of their community so positively contrasted with the greed and dishonesty, personal ambition and pursuit of power evinced by their enemies. The players of Team Bad seen just a little in Red Sister come fully into play here, with the Noi-Guin engaging in some serious badassery, but special mentions go out to the sly mercilessness of both Yisht and Sherzal. It’s wonderful to read a book filled with female characters who have real agency, regardless of their chosen side. And do they ever have some blade-sharp handiwork in this book. After the first quarter, it's packed with it. There's blood everywhere. Buckets of it. Dead people underfoot. Explosions. Surprises. Probably brain matter. It's messy. And worse, all the best scenes were underground- the mix of violent, bloody action and limited, uncertain space brings an edge-of-your-seat nervy claustrophobia, a need to escape that feels like you're the one trapped in the tunnels. Without doubt, some of Mark Lawrence’s best writing. To top it all, a finale so incredible it has to be read several times over… and then once more. I have no idea how he’s going to finish all this off in Holy Sister but, by the Ancestor, I can’t wait.

ARC via Netgalley ...more

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Apr 05, 2018 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-reads, kick-ass-heroines, 4-5-stars, fantastic-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 5 walk the path Stars

That moment when you are happily surprised that not more of your favorite characters died, but reluctant because there is one more book and than means that they aren't safe yet and you know there is a bloodbath coming.

description

OMG it is like Mark Lawrence has been the reader of book in a series before and thought ‘man I hate all this recapping and I totally forgot who dude#6 was’. Well he saved me from any of those feelings by giving a super brief intro to remind you of all the impor ...more

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Aug 26, 2017 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it it was ok · review of another edition

[2.5 stars] I hate to say it, but I think Grey Sister suffered from middle-book syndrome.

It kind of did the opposite of Red Sister, which started out slow and gained momentum. Grey Sister started out with a bang and engaged me with all the things I look for in a good fantasy. It was a nice continuation of the story that took place primarily in a school setting (I never get tired of school settings). There were also a lot of great character dynamics and some really interesting training scenes. No ...more

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May 01, 2020 Lucy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5**** rounded up!

There is purity in rage. It will burn out sorrow. For a time. It will burn out fear.... Rage is the gift out nature gave to us, shaped by untold years. Why discard it?

I was so glad to be back in Nona’s world of Abeth for the second book in this trilogy series. This book picked up right from the ending of the last book where we get to see a certain Sister’s fate. The book then suddenly switches to two years later where Nona has now entered Mystic Class at Sweet Mercy.

Here she i 4.5**** rounded up!

There is purity in rage. It will burn out sorrow. For a time. It will burn out fear.... Rage is the gift out nature gave to us, shaped by untold years. Why discard it?

I was so glad to be back in Nona’s world of Abeth for the second book in this trilogy series. This book picked up right from the ending of the last book where we get to see a certain Sister’s fate. The book then suddenly switches to two years later where Nona has now entered Mystic Class at Sweet Mercy.

Here she is still angered over her friends death and vying for more revenge. Certain events happened in the first book and we get to see what the outcome of this was and how it effected and changed Nona and Sweet Mercy. In Mystic Class Nona has new enemies to deal with, those that are privileged and spiteful as well as bitter over Nona’s killing of a Tacsis- a powerful and rich family member. They will stop at nothing to try and see Nona punished, banished or out to death at Sweet Mercy.

However, we also get to see Nona’s beloved classmates from the first book. This book relied heavily on the importance of loyalty and friendships which Nona needs as a reprieve from her grief and anger. These scenes of friendships were often magnificent and warm-hearted in an otherwise cold dark world.

This books also explored POV’s from Abbess Glass- the head of Sweet Mercy. Sweet Mercy is not safe and the Inquisitors are upon them to ensure that no questions are asked against the Church’s religion and that the “correct” teachings are closely followed. Through Abbess Glass we get to see the politics that are played across Abeth on a grander scale as well as the influence and power of the Church across the Empire. This book largely focuses on politics and religion and how these are used as a weapon to suit those in power. We get to see Abbess Glass in all her cunningness, wits and observations as she battles to play the game and keep Sweet Mercy safe from others hands.

While the first book was more slow paced and cut back to Nona’s childhood and time outside Sweet Mercy, the second book was so tension filled and fast paced that I had a hard time putting it down.

I love this world, Nona Grey and her friends. As Nona as well as Abbess Glass have more enemies stacked against them, I can’t wait to see how things conclude in book 3! I hope it is bloody and with much needed revenge.

...more

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Apr 07, 2019 William Gwynne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, reviewed

I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne

Wow, I loved this book. I thought it would be nigh impossible to equal or surpass the enjoyment I received from Red Sister, I was wrong, very wrong.

Grey Sister continues all the great aspects of the former book with an intriguing plot, diverse characters and a vivid world, then added a lot more consisting of larger conflicts and countless more twists.

The prose was once aga ...more

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Mar 11, 2022 John Mauro rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"How do you—" Kettle abandoned the question in favour of "Why do you want to find Nona?"
"We planned to visit the ice together." Zole almost shrugged, turned away as if embarrassed. "She is the Shield. I am not supposed to lose her."
"I didn't think you believed in all that Chosen One stuff?" Kettle crossed to the first two attackers and stooped to recover her throwing stars with the aid of a knife.
"I do not."
"Why then?" The second star came loose with a wet noise.
Somewhere behind Kettle, Zol ...more

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Jul 02, 2017 Mitriel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I still remember the way Prince of Fools took me by surprise following The Broken Empire trilogy and how I needed a little time to adjust to reading something so different from the same author. Both book series were very much character-driven. Jorg a merciless, broken, cold-blooded killer, but also fiercely intelligent and a philosopher at heart. Hence his tale, just like his worldview, became dark, gritty, dramatic, his observations clever and beautifully worded. Jalan was funny and shallow, he ...more

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Nov 11, 2021 Becca & The Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another solid instalment in the Book of The Ancestor series!

The first 150 pages of this took me a little while to settle into but after that I was immersed, once again loving the grim atmosphere and tone of Nona's story. Nona herself I still adore, one of my favourite things about this series being how you come to sympathise with and root for her throughout the story. I was however, a tad disappointed that this book unfolds in one part, as my favourite element of Red Sister was the interludes th ...more

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Dec 21, 2017 Charlie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Mark Lawrence’s new Ancestor Series is a triumph. I enjoyed Red Sister but I feel like Grey Sister is its better in every way shape and form. This second book builds on the characters and the world in such huge leaps and bounds it makes the first book feel like merely a set up when in reality it was on, if not top of, every fantasy fan’s Best of 2017 list.

It’s two years since the events of Red Sister and Nona is getting ready to take her final test to qualify to enter the Grey order. Despite thi Mark Lawrence’s new Ancestor Series is a triumph. I enjoyed Red Sister but I feel like Grey Sister is its better in every way shape and form. This second book builds on the characters and the world in such huge leaps and bounds it makes the first book feel like merely a set up when in reality it was on, if not top of, every fantasy fan’s Best of 2017 list.

It’s two years since the events of Red Sister and Nona is getting ready to take her final test to qualify to enter the Grey order. Despite this passage of time she is still devastated by Hessa’s murder and utterly driven by her vow of revenge against Yisht, Hessa’s killer and thief of the convent’s shipheart. The animosity she exhibited on Raymel Tascis death and the depth of her hatred toward Yisht have also unleashed something else that may prove to be a help or a hindrance.

Nona has always been a creature of passion and her love for her friends shines through each page as much as her willingness to slaughter her enemies. It’s probably both her greatest strength and weakness all at once as it drives her forward and makes her likeable but also allows others to manipulate her with little difficulty. More than once I inwardly screamed at Nona to control herself, see taunts for what they were and walk away from that bitch but she rarely played ball. That being said when she is pushed to her limits you never quite know what will happen so it’s hard not to anticipate and enjoy such moments when you see them coming. She is a fierce friend, a powerful young woman, a soul torn by circumstance and Nona is quickly becoming one of my favourite characters. Mark writes her beautifully.

Another reason I loved Grey Sister was the development of Abbess Glass and Sister Kettle. In Red Sister I found it a little hard to distinguish between some of the nuns as I tried to figure out who was a Snape and who was just a Sprout, but there is no question in this one who is front and centre and worth keeping an eye on. Abbess Glass is a major piece of work and her quest to guide the development of Nona and Zola’s power whilst protecting them from the politics machinating within the church and the nobility is intricate and filled with turns and twists. She toys with other characters, her wit always giving her a comeback, her shrewd intelligence telling her when to keep it to herself and when to launch it at her target like a spear. She’s the sort of character you want to see prevail as her words and actions encourage you to never give up hope. Then we have a Kettle who will undoubtedly win the heart of every reader as she executes the role of ‘ninja assassin with a hug on the way’ to absolute perfection. The attachment she feels for her students is palpable and there can be no doubt that love is the thing that drives Kettle forward and gives her the strength to outmanoeuvre her opponents again and again. It is through Kettle we learn a lot more about the magical system at play in this world and there are a number of brutally awesome scenes where she is forced to think and fight her way out of situation where the odds are piled against her. There is a great deal of commentary on religion and the church, which is always interesting to me. “The greatest threat to any faith is not other faiths or beliefs but the corruption and division of it’s own message”. The difference between those that hide behind a belief structure and falsely use it to represent themselves and those whose every action defends the heart and spirit of their faith is laid bare for any observant reader to find and digest.

All in all Grey Sister is fantastic and another gift from Mark Lawrence to his loyal readers. The Ancestor Series will no doubt win him new fans and also satisfy us old gnarly one’s too. It’s his best work ever. 10/10

Thanks to AceRocBooks for sending me an ARC. ...more

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Jul 28, 2021 Sofia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, rtc, id-marry-you-with-paper-rings

Second book syndrome? I don't know her.

Review to come... ...more

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Jan 19, 2019 Gavin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Just like the first book in the series this was a good coming of age action fantasy. Mark Lawrence has a fairly engaging writing style and the story had a good mix of action, humour, and drama. It also possessed characters that were easy to like and root for as well as a very intriguing fantasy world. The big plus is Grey Sister eliminated most of the flaws that held me back from giving Red Sister a full 5 star rating and was just a better book on the whole!

In terms of story it was more of the Just like the first book in the series this was a good coming of age action fantasy. Mark Lawrence has a fairly engaging writing style and the story had a good mix of action, humour, and drama. It also possessed characters that were easy to like and root for as well as a very intriguing fantasy world. The big plus is Grey Sister eliminated most of the flaws that held me back from giving Red Sister a full 5 star rating and was just a better book on the whole!

In terms of story it was more of the same as Nona spent time learning and growing her skills in the Convent of Sweet Mercy while being caught up in the political machinations of the Empire on the whole. She still has the ire of the Tacsis family and and the Convent as a whole remains of interest to the Emperor and his scheming sister Sherzal!

The story was pretty exciting and held my full attention from start to finish. That is an upgrade on Red Sister which I felt was a little hard to get into. With the world building firmly established and the characters already known to us readers it was easy to love Grey Sister from the very first page.

I feel like Grey Sister was a book improvement over Red Sister for a whole bunch of reasons. First was the disappearance, mostly, of the wretched flashforwards we had to suffer while reading Red Sister. I hated those things and felt they really detracted from the story as they were riddled with bleak and depressing spoilers! Second was a lessoning of the overly grim and bleak tone. This was still a gritty fantasy world full of grey characters but this time around I felt like Lawrence toned down a bit of the bleakness and the story ended up with a better, and more enjoyable, balance to it. Third was the fact that the story jumped ahead a few years which aged all the characters up by a few years. That was badly needed as the dialogue in the first book felt so unrealistic for kids that were so young!

Nona is the star of these books, and a super easy lead character to root for, but I felt like she was well supported in this one by Glass and Zole, both of whom showed great growth from the first book, and by Koet, the crazy new addition to the story! Glass and Kettle also had a good outing in this instalment. The only character who got less screen time was Ara. On the whole I felt poor Ara got a bit sidelined in this second book. (view spoiler)

The Missing and Lawrence's fantasy world on the whole remains a fun and fascinating place but I do hope he expands on the hints we get about the Missing and some of the other intriguing mysteries in the story.

All in all I really enjoyed this and feel like it vies with Prince of Thorns as the best book I've read from Lawrence! I cannot wait for the third instalment.

Rating: 5 stars. An easy rating as this sorted most of the flaws from the first book and lost none of the stuff that made the story so enjoyable:)

Audio Note: I've got used to Helen Duff and felt she did fine with this one. ...more

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Mar 22, 2018 Steven rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-or-publisher, fantasy, read-in-2018

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mark Lawrence, you've done it again. I raved about Red Sister (ps, thanks for sharing my blog post on your Facebook page! I got a bunch of views! WOOHOO!), well, because it was deserved. Like I said in my review for that, I struggle with high/epic/dark/true fantasy because it tends to be slower and harder for me to get into... and harder for me to forgive overused tropes and predictable plots. ...more

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Apr 24, 2020 Dannii Elle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantastic-fabrications, adult-books-read

This is the second instalment in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy.

Nona Grey is an inhabitant of the Sisters of Sweet Mercy convent, which trains its girls less in prayer and more in the art of death. Her new skills will soon be put to good use as all those outside of the convent walls, as well as a fair few inside it, wish to see Nona suffer for her past crimes and ultimately pay for it with her death.

Whilst I adored the first series instalment, which was largely set inside the convent and focus ...more

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Apr 10, 2018 Chris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audible-owned, penguin-first-to-read

I received an eARC copy of this book through the Penguin First to Read program.

Then, since school was bogging down my pleasure-reading time, I used an Audible credit to buy the audiobook once it became available. This was a great idea, because I was able to really devote some good listening time to one of my most looked-forward-to books of the year.

Ever since loving Red Sister so much, I've been itching to get back into Nona's world. Without spoiling anything, I will say that I found the earl ...more

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Feb 10, 2018 Olivia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Re-read in 2019, and changing my rating from four to five stars.

I got a review copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review, but I have since bought the book.

"It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men."

That is the first line in Red Sister, and the line that made me fall in love with Mark Lawrence's book. Just like in Red Sister his writing is beautiful, almost p ...more

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Apr 24, 2018 Kitty G Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the second book in the series, and I was very keen to get my hands on it after having read the first one...so much so, that I picked up the audiobook which is out in the UK earlier than the physical book.

This once again follows the life of Nona Grey, the main protagonist from book #1. We pick up her story about 2 years after the ending of book one and we see her still as part of the deadly Nunnery and we follow her training and the way she has changed since events of book 1. She now has This is the second book in the series, and I was very keen to get my hands on it after having read the first one...so much so, that I picked up the audiobook which is out in the UK earlier than the physical book.

This once again follows the life of Nona Grey, the main protagonist from book #1. We pick up her story about 2 years after the ending of book one and we see her still as part of the deadly Nunnery and we follow her training and the way she has changed since events of book 1. She now has deep black eyes, and a new presence haunting her, and she's also still trying to prove herself and discover which of the paths she is destined to follow.

We have another couple of major characters: Abbess Glass, Kettle, Zole, Ara and more. I personally have to say I like Abbess Glass and Kettle a lot, they are both very much powerful, fierce, and wholly impressive characters. I love the way that they can command situations (particularly Glass) to their own schemes, and I think they have a distinctly loving side to them too which makes them feel human and real.

The magic of this world and the complexity is once more expanded upon in this volume where we see fights and conflict breaking out both within the Sister's ranks and outside of the Monastery. We also have a lot more political manoeuvring which is happening in the background, and seeing all of this come together in a fast-moving and fun plot was great.

My only very slight niggle is there are times where I felt the action was a bit too fast and maybe I would have liked to see a bit more time spent in a certain place/scene or explaining a bit more about the world/magic (but that's probably my epic fantasy heart talking!)

I really enjoyed the direction that Lawrence decided to take the story, I love the characters and the fact that so many of them are young women who stand alone without needing men or lovers to support them. We see each of them battle with bigger problems in a world bracing for war, and I think their stance is a lot more realistic than some of the love-struck heroines we are used to seeing.

Overall, a solidly good continuation and a world I am keen to return to. I look forward to seeing what will come next in this series, and whatever it is I am sure I will enjoy it. 4*s from me :) ...more

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Oct 06, 2017 Claudia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

"[…] I must warn you, sister, that a sickness runs in me, and if you fashion yourself my enemy I will make a ruin of your life, for I am born of war."

I liked a lot Red Sister but this one I loved to pieces! It has it all: character development, worldbuilding, action, twists upon twists; I only slept 4 hours a night in the last couple of days but was totally worth it.

Nona is still that little devil, her powers gradually increased, on par with her rage. Abbess Glass plays an important part in ...more

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