Sistersong

Three royal siblings fight to keep the old, wild magic of the land alive and the Saxon invaders from their borders in this “absolutely stunning” novel in ancient Britain and inspired by the folk ballad The Twa Sisters (Hannah Whitten, author of For The Wolf).

In the 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 who is not what he seems.

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

Their story will shape the destiny of Britain.

Praise for Sistersong:

“Weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic around the reader.”—Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

“I was utterly captivated from the beginning to the tragic, bittersweet end.” —Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

“Fans of folkloric fantasy will be spellbound.” —Publishers Weekly

“Magical, beautiful and heartbreaking.”—Greer Macallister, author of Scorpica and The Magician’s Lie

“A marvelous tale, gracefully told in language as beautiful as the song that inspired it.”—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

“An enthralling fantasy.”—Booklist

• "Sistersong is a beautiful reimagining of an old British folklore ballad that weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic around the reader. Lucy Holland's lyrical prose and powerful storytelling will lure you into an eerie, intriguing world in which enemies lurk unseen, the threat of betrayal hangs heavy and sisterly loyalties are tested to their limit."
  Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne
• "​From its opening pages, Sistersong transports you to a time period often overlooked, and spins a tale of family, loyalty, and the triumph of becoming the person you were always meant to be. I was utterly captivated from the beginning to the tragic, bittersweet end."
  Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart
• “Holland delivers an enchanting queer retelling of the English murder ballad “The Twa Sisters”… [her] fast-paced plot and fresh, inventive take on a little-known classic make for a stirring experience. Fans of folkloric fantasy will be spellbound.”
  Publishers Weekly
• “Holland’s lush reimagining of the ballad is a fantastic amalgamation of historical fantasy and English folklore. Brimming with magic, Sistersong is at heart a tale of dysfunctional family dynamics, one where Holland hands over narrative agency to the voices history silenced….Holland’s storytelling is mesmerising, and Sistersong kept me feverishly turning the pages until the very end."
   
   
  The Nerd Daily
• "Sistersong is a fresh and gripping retelling of an ancient tale. Set in a realistic, gritty world, the nuanced, compelling characters are the heart of this story about family, love, loyalty and identity. I loved it."
  John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods
• "Brilliantly written and full of memorable characters . . . If you like poetic reimaginings of mythology, such as Madeline Miller’s Circe and The Song of Achilles, you need to make sure to pick up Sistersong."
  Grimdark Magazine
• "Astonishing!"
  Ellen Kushner, author of Swordspoint
• "A masterpiece of storytelling . . . a beautiful story of the complex and loving relationship between three sisters and how their relationship and strength influenced the lives of those around them."
  TheBookBag
• "Beautifully written and with a keen eye for historical detail, Sistersong demonstrates the power of these old familiar ballads when they are opened up to new perspectives."
  TheFantasyHive
• "A gory, gripping and magically mythic tale of love and hatred, loyalty and betrayal."
  Daily Mail