Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross (review)

Twenty-year-old Halcyon, a hoplite in the Corisande legion, is sentenced to fifteen years of punishment after the accidental killing of the Commander’s son; when seventeen-year-old Evadne, Halcyon’s sister and a humble olive farmer with a physical disability, volunteers to take part of Halcyon’s sentence, she is ordered to serve the Commander’s family. As Halcyon serves time in the quarry, Evadne learns the real reason Halcyon and the Commander’s son were working so closely together, and Evadne rapidly becomes entrenched in a secret mission to free the queen’s mind from the power of a manipulative mage by obtaining one of the gods’ relics. Ross is vivid in her descriptions of her Ancient Greece–inspired world, conveying to readers the quaint life on an olive grove, the high stakes of soldier life, lively markets and loose garments, and the interference of the gods in everyday affairs. The story feels like a myth itself, with an emphasis on family dynamics and Herculean trials with some clever twists, including the innovative magic system based on song that requires a mage and scribe to work properly. Fans of strong world building will appreciate Ross’ fond, meandering development, and fans of slow burn romances will likely swoon over the relationship that forms between Evadne and one of the Commander’s sons.