History is integral to the novel, as it builds legacy and depth to the events, emphasising the significance of this period that is often left behind and reminding you of the characters of people who were affected by the greater changes on the British landscape.įurthermore, Holland adds a certain level of fantasy to her narrative.

Holland is successfully able to present her story in this timeline, again making sure that it does not overwhelm nor detract from the main storyline of her characters, often using it as a tool for background development and tension building with the threat of Saxon invasion from the East. Sandwiched between the fall of Rome and the oncoming Anglo-Saxon invasion, the story and characters are uniquely placed in this period of late antiquity but remain thoroughly attached to the idea of traditional and historical practices from centuries long gone. One of the key and fundamental points to the story is its historical context.

Holland is incredibly well researched, and this shows throughout the novel, with the ancient festivals of Imbolc, Ēostre, Beltane, and Samhain acting as key plot markers, tracking character and story development, with their symbolic significance easily translated to the reader. From her descriptions of the fort to the forests, it is easy to imagine the world in which her story is set and can even be described as a character within itself and the power it beholds, as the wild and untamed yet essential force, in Dunbriga. The novel, set in the heartlands of Devon in the sixth century, is a complex, heart-breaking, and magical retelling of the “The Two Sisters” ballad that encapsulates the landscape and the familial dichotomies of early medieval British life in a feminist retelling of the Arthurian age.įirst of all, Holland’s writing is totally divine she is able to directly relate to the reader the landscape, culture, and feelings that her characters inhabit without taking over the storyline and the focus from her narrative. The tale of three siblings, set against the backdrop of the fall of Rome and the oncoming Anglo-Saxon invasion, Sistersong by Lucy Holland is easily one of the best Young Adult historical fantasy books of the year.

Sistersong by lucy holland