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A review by jazminrose
Sister Light, Sister Dark: Book One of the Great Alta Saga by Jane Yolen
5.0
I originally tried to read this book when I was around eight years old. It was recommended to me by a well-meaning adult who had never read it but saw a fantasy book with a seven year old protagonist. I don’t remember much other than the basic premise and that I found the writing dry and hard to get into. I didn’t finish it.
As an adult, I’d heard about it in passing several times and thought, “Oh yeah, that book.” In early 2023, it came recommended to me again, this time compared to His Dark Materials. As a serious and longtime HDM fan, my interest was piqued. Some light digging revealed that it’s somewhat of a YA book and I considered that my lack of interest the first time around might have been due to my age and not the book itself. I decided to give it another go.
Immediately, I was drawn in by the narrative structure. The combination of ‘true’ story, folklore, and anthropological review is excellent. This set-up allows for many an observation on how the passage of time skews history and the implications of unconscious bias in research (in this case, an all-women society studied through the lens of a patriarchal society).
As the story progressed, I was also deeply fascinated by the world-building. The dark sisters were a delicious concept to unravel. Culture and religion in the Hames is fully realized, and intriguing at that. Be prepared to find yourself completely immersed in Alta’s universe.
Highly recommend to fans of fantasy. My favourite book of 2023 so far.
As an adult, I’d heard about it in passing several times and thought, “Oh yeah, that book.” In early 2023, it came recommended to me again, this time compared to His Dark Materials. As a serious and longtime HDM fan, my interest was piqued. Some light digging revealed that it’s somewhat of a YA book and I considered that my lack of interest the first time around might have been due to my age and not the book itself. I decided to give it another go.
Immediately, I was drawn in by the narrative structure. The combination of ‘true’ story, folklore, and anthropological review is excellent. This set-up allows for many an observation on how the passage of time skews history and the implications of unconscious bias in research (in this case, an all-women society studied through the lens of a patriarchal society).
As the story progressed, I was also deeply fascinated by the world-building. The dark sisters were a delicious concept to unravel. Culture and religion in the Hames is fully realized, and intriguing at that. Be prepared to find yourself completely immersed in Alta’s universe.
Highly recommend to fans of fantasy. My favourite book of 2023 so far.