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Delacorte Press (2019), 352 pages
Description
Fantasy. Mythology. Historical Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. HTML:"Fascinating. . . . Kiersten White has taken the best parts of the Arthurian legend and made them all her own."�??Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn series. A new fantasy series set in the world of Camelot that bestselling author Christina Lauren calls "brilliant," reimagining the Arthurian legend . . . where nothing is as magical and terrifying as a girl. Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution�??send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name�??and her true identity�??is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old�??including Arthur's own family�??demand things continue as they have been, and the new�??those drawn by the dream of Camelot�??fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself? *THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CAMELOT RISING TRILOGY* "A rare and enviable mix of impeccable writing, heart-stopping action, lush scenery, and complex, relatable characters . . . brilliant!" �??New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren "Stunning. . . . will leave every reader hungry for more." �??Somaiya Daud,… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Camelot revisited!
As always with stories about Camelot, where Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Mordred take center stage, things can't help but be complex. Nothing is as it seems. White has given us another take that comes out of left field, and yet holds the line blending magic and myth
A Delacorte Press ARC via NetGalley
As always with stories about Camelot, where Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Mordred take center stage, things can't help but be complex. Nothing is as it seems. White has given us another take that comes out of left field, and yet holds the line blending magic and myth
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magnificently.A Delacorte Press ARC via NetGalley
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LibraryThing member nbmars
The King Arthur stories are so numerous and varied that they offer a lot of opportunity for reworking. This appealing re-telling of the legend for young adults adds diversity, a coming-of-age aspect, and unexpected romance and gender reversals. Most significantly, the focus in this version of the
Princess Guinevere, 16, comes to Camelot because Guinevere has been matched in marriage with 18-year-old Arthur, the King of Camelot. Arthur was anointed after he was able to remove the sword called Excalibur, deeply embedded in a stone, which had previously held fast against all other attempts to extract it. The great wizard Merlin, Arthur’s mentor, pointed out that only the “true king” of Camelot could remove the sword from the stone. Arthur, thus recognized as King of Camelot, vowed to bring goodness to the Kingdom. In order to do so, he had to push back the forces of the Dark Queen and magic. Alas, this also meant banishing Merlin from the land.
Merlin believed in Arthur, and refused to leave him unprotected. Thus he sent his daughter to claim she was Guinevere, the princess from a faraway kingdom promised in marriage to Arthur. Although she felt like a fraud, Guinevere also believed in Arthur’s vision, and would do whatever she could to protect him from any threats. While she did not possess the full panoply of Merlin’s skills, she did know some elements of magic, and she knew how to sense it in others:
“Until magic was truly gone, it could threaten him. She would be the shield against any magic seeking to destroy what Arthur was doing here. As ill-prepared as she felt, she would not fail him. She would live up to Merlin’s legacy.”
As for Arthur, he thought the problem was elsewhere:
“[It is with] other men. We do not need a dark queen when we have so much darkness within ourselves. But we will beat back the chaos and the darkness.”
Guinevere was not so sure, and saw perils that looked like magic all around her. And indeed, there was increasing menace in the kingdom. Not least, a mysterious masked knight who was winning all the tournaments seemed not quite human to Guinevere. And one of the biggest dangers of all? You might say it was Guinevere’s hormones. She knew, as only an "arranged" wife, she was a companion to Arthur but not a priority to him. She desperately wanted to be loved.
Evaluation: Some young adult books seem “too young” for me at my advanced age, but this one was endearing and entertaining. It helped that there was more at stake in this story than high school and homework; the very future of civilization was at risk. Moreover, while the men were physically adept, their strength was no match for the intelligence, creativity, and courage of the young women in this story. I thought it was an excellent retelling of King Arthur. Best of all, it is only the first book of a trilogy. Unlike some first books of trilogies, I did not feel cheated at the end, and it can even be read as a standalone. But I can’t wait for the next installments.
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legend is on Guinevere, Arthur’s bride, rather than on Arthur. As the author writes in her Acknowledgments at the end, she wanted to emphasize “the girls and women overlooked in stories and in life, who still find ways to create magic and grow in power and truth.”Princess Guinevere, 16, comes to Camelot because Guinevere has been matched in marriage with 18-year-old Arthur, the King of Camelot. Arthur was anointed after he was able to remove the sword called Excalibur, deeply embedded in a stone, which had previously held fast against all other attempts to extract it. The great wizard Merlin, Arthur’s mentor, pointed out that only the “true king” of Camelot could remove the sword from the stone. Arthur, thus recognized as King of Camelot, vowed to bring goodness to the Kingdom. In order to do so, he had to push back the forces of the Dark Queen and magic. Alas, this also meant banishing Merlin from the land.
Merlin believed in Arthur, and refused to leave him unprotected. Thus he sent his daughter to claim she was Guinevere, the princess from a faraway kingdom promised in marriage to Arthur. Although she felt like a fraud, Guinevere also believed in Arthur’s vision, and would do whatever she could to protect him from any threats. While she did not possess the full panoply of Merlin’s skills, she did know some elements of magic, and she knew how to sense it in others:
“Until magic was truly gone, it could threaten him. She would be the shield against any magic seeking to destroy what Arthur was doing here. As ill-prepared as she felt, she would not fail him. She would live up to Merlin’s legacy.”
As for Arthur, he thought the problem was elsewhere:
“[It is with] other men. We do not need a dark queen when we have so much darkness within ourselves. But we will beat back the chaos and the darkness.”
Guinevere was not so sure, and saw perils that looked like magic all around her. And indeed, there was increasing menace in the kingdom. Not least, a mysterious masked knight who was winning all the tournaments seemed not quite human to Guinevere. And one of the biggest dangers of all? You might say it was Guinevere’s hormones. She knew, as only an "arranged" wife, she was a companion to Arthur but not a priority to him. She desperately wanted to be loved.
Evaluation: Some young adult books seem “too young” for me at my advanced age, but this one was endearing and entertaining. It helped that there was more at stake in this story than high school and homework; the very future of civilization was at risk. Moreover, while the men were physically adept, their strength was no match for the intelligence, creativity, and courage of the young women in this story. I thought it was an excellent retelling of King Arthur. Best of all, it is only the first book of a trilogy. Unlike some first books of trilogies, I did not feel cheated at the end, and it can even be read as a standalone. But I can’t wait for the next installments.
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LibraryThing member SandSing7
In theory, this book had so many things to be excited about...intertextuality, a strong female protagonist, a little bit of magic, an expansion of gender roles, and an awesome audiobook narrator. Given all that, it never really delivered. I didn’t care at all for the characters - none of them -
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and because they were all so unlikeable, listening to it felt like a chore. All that fancy literary stuff doesn’t matter if your audience doesn’t care. Show Less
LibraryThing member JennyNau10
I loved this Camelot setting so much! It's got action, adventure, and romance. Plus it's only the first book in a trilogy.
LibraryThing member JennyNau10
I loved this Camelot setting so much! It's got action, adventure, and romance. Plus it's only the first book in a trilogy. Longer review to come
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Kiersten White is an author whose books I will preorder and read because I know I will always enjoy it. I love her refreshing takes on old stories and especially the feminist slant she builds into those stories. Her take on Camelot and the tale of King Arthur is particularly satisfying as she
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approaches the story from Guinevere’s point of view – with a fun twist. The story has a satisfying ending but with plenty of mystery and unanswered questions to leave us wanting more. I’m excited to see what happens next with Guinevere’s story! Show Less
LibraryThing member sennebec
I have never read the tales of King Arthur. After finishing this book, I suspect that might be a bit of an advantage in terms of getting stuck where this story digresses from the original works. This is a dandy first entry in what will be a trilogy. There secrets upon secrets, players who aren't
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what they seem and intrigue aplenty. The cast of characters is very well drawn and the different factions rife with secrets and plots. Guinevere begins the book as a mystery even to herself and, by the end, still knows little more than she did on page one. That merely heightens the interest level in what's to come. Her need to hide her magic while in Camelot is quite challenging, but there are other magic users out there, some with straightforward motives, a few with less honorable ones. Arthur starts out as a strong and honorable king. However, as the story went on, I found him skirting the line between focused on his honor and being somewhat of a twit. I'll be quite curious how that plays out in the next book. This is an excellent choice for both school and public libraries, not only for the Arthurian theme, but because it leaves so many interesting questions unanswered in a truly devious way. Show Less
LibraryThing member deslivres5
Camelot tale retelling with twists and surprises and magic beyond Merlin. First in a series, the mysteries surrounding King Arthur, Queen Guinevere and their court await to be unraveled.
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info: 1st book in the Camelot Rising trilogy, from NetGalley for review.
Characters (3/5): The characters in here were a bit lackluster. I really wanted to like Guinevere but she just seemed a bit complacent and needy to me. King Arthur was supposed to be compelling but came off as
Story (3/5): The story was interesting. I liked that it kind of followed the story of King Arthur but had some twists to it. The pacing was a bit slow, the whole time you know something is going to happen with the Dark Queen, but it takes a very long time for anything to actually happen. Most of the book is watching Guinevere get settled as the Queen and learning the secrets around King Arthur and Mordred.
Setting (4/5): The whole story takes place in Camelot. The setting was beautifully described and a very typical fantasy style. It’s a great setting for this story and I have no complaints.
Writing Style (4/5): This is writing in White’s typical writing style. The writing flows well and is very easy to read. The whole story is told from Guinevere’s perspective. While there isn’t anything that really stands out, this book is well written.
Summary (3.5/5): Overall this is an interesting reimaging of the King Arthur tale. I did like some of the deviations and twists away from the original King Arthur story and I found some of the reimagings intriguing and interesting. However, I struggled to engage with the characters and just didn’t find them interesting (with the exception of Mordred). I also thought the story moved very slowly and wished things had picked up pace quicker. I am sad to say that I probably won’t continue with this series because I just wasn’t that engaged with the story or the characters.
Characters (3/5): The characters in here were a bit lackluster. I really wanted to like Guinevere but she just seemed a bit complacent and needy to me. King Arthur was supposed to be compelling but came off as
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thoughtless and overpowering. None of the characters had much depth to them. I feel like the only character that was actually intriguing and had any personality was Mordred.Story (3/5): The story was interesting. I liked that it kind of followed the story of King Arthur but had some twists to it. The pacing was a bit slow, the whole time you know something is going to happen with the Dark Queen, but it takes a very long time for anything to actually happen. Most of the book is watching Guinevere get settled as the Queen and learning the secrets around King Arthur and Mordred.
Setting (4/5): The whole story takes place in Camelot. The setting was beautifully described and a very typical fantasy style. It’s a great setting for this story and I have no complaints.
Writing Style (4/5): This is writing in White’s typical writing style. The writing flows well and is very easy to read. The whole story is told from Guinevere’s perspective. While there isn’t anything that really stands out, this book is well written.
Summary (3.5/5): Overall this is an interesting reimaging of the King Arthur tale. I did like some of the deviations and twists away from the original King Arthur story and I found some of the reimagings intriguing and interesting. However, I struggled to engage with the characters and just didn’t find them interesting (with the exception of Mordred). I also thought the story moved very slowly and wished things had picked up pace quicker. I am sad to say that I probably won’t continue with this series because I just wasn’t that engaged with the story or the characters.
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LibraryThing member humouress
{First of 3; Camelot Rising trilogy. Fantasy, YA} (2019)
I got hit by a book bullet for this book and I am not happy.
Sixteen year old Guinevere is on her way to Camelot to marry the eighteen year old king Arthur - but she is actually a changeling witch put in place by Merlin to protect Arthur
And so the new Guinevere, who has grown up in the forest, must navigate the city and make new allies while not giving away her true nature and trying to discover what dangers she has to protect Arthur against. Meanwhile, as she wields her magics, she discovers gaps in her memories - maybe Merlin did not tell her the whole truth?
“Did Merlin teach you this?” Arthur asked, curious.
“No, he—yes.” Guinevere paused, trying to remember. Merlin would never stoop to knot magic, even to demonstrate it. It was far too human. Frail and temporary. She tried to conjure a memory of Merlin explaining it to her, teaching her. It would have been at their sturdy table. Or in the forest? She remembered her neat bedroll, the cottage she kept tidy. The trees and the sun and the birds. Staring at her own hands in wonder. Night and day, sleeping and waking, hunger and food and everything swirling and obscured as though she were searching through fog…
Merlin, frowning, pushing his fingers against her forehead. “This should be enough,” he had said. “Do not look for more.”
She rubbed at the spot on her forehead. He had pushed the knowledge into her brain. Willed it to be there, rather than teaching her himself. He could be very lazy.
“Yes, he taught me, in his own way.” She finished the knot.
Satisfied, she turned and almost ran into Arthur. He had come up behind her to watch her work.
“Sorry!” Her hands were on his chest. She pulled them back quickly. “I am sorry. I should go. I am tired.”
He walked her to the tapestry, pulling it aside again and holding it for her. “Thank you. I am glad you are here, Guinevere.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, surprised to find how much she meant it. And surprised by how much she wished she had told him her name after all.
As the door closed behind her, leaving her holding a candle in the dark passageway, she closed her eyes and leaned close to the flickering light. She whispered her name directly into the flame.
And then she blew it out.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Guinevere is a very capable young lady but she has to discover the ways of her new world as much as we, the reader, do as well as uncover what may be missing in her own past. And she has to work out what her place is at Arthur's side as his queen. Arthur is charismatic and tries to be all things to all people so it’s no wonder that they all love him. His knights have come to Camelot because they share his vision of what it can be, a beacon for justice.
She and Arthur both come across as very human, facing the uncertainties that come with their huge responsibilities while having to present a strong facade to those around them despite their young ages. I appreciated seeing them able to be themselves with each other. The people around them have lives and personalities too, such as her lady's maid Brangien and Arthur's nephew Mordred.
I must confess that the romantic in me is hoping that the cautious attraction between Arthur and Guinevere develops into something a lot stronger. I devoured so many versions of the story in my youth (partly because I wanted to be a knight) in the hopes that the shining dream that was Camelot would not be destroyed until I finally gave up in despair and refused to read any more of them. However, reading this book, I am hopeful again.
At the end of the book, although Guinevere is starting to find her place in her new life, the mysteries of the past are still mysteries. I can't wait to find out what happens next - but the second book in this trilogy isn't due to be published until the end of this year. Thank you so much whoever it was that shot that book bullet in my direction.
5 stars
I got hit by a book bullet for this book and I am not happy.
Sixteen year old Guinevere is on her way to Camelot to marry the eighteen year old king Arthur - but she is actually a changeling witch put in place by Merlin to protect Arthur
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against the danger that is coming. Unfortunately Merlin, who lives across all times, has not been specific about what type of danger it is or when it will arrive and so the girl - who deliberately loses her name to magic so as to be more convincing in her role - does not know what to protect against or for how long she will be required to play her part. Merlin helped Arthur defeat the Dark Queen - the embodiment of chaos - but Merlin and all other practitioners of magic have since been banished from Arthur's lands so that, should she return, she should not find a foothold within Camelot. So the girl will have to practise her tricks, which she feels have nothing like Merlin's power, in secret so that she neither undermines Arthur's position nor has to leave Camelot and be unable to protect him.And so the new Guinevere, who has grown up in the forest, must navigate the city and make new allies while not giving away her true nature and trying to discover what dangers she has to protect Arthur against. Meanwhile, as she wields her magics, she discovers gaps in her memories - maybe Merlin did not tell her the whole truth?
“Did Merlin teach you this?” Arthur asked, curious.
“No, he—yes.” Guinevere paused, trying to remember. Merlin would never stoop to knot magic, even to demonstrate it. It was far too human. Frail and temporary. She tried to conjure a memory of Merlin explaining it to her, teaching her. It would have been at their sturdy table. Or in the forest? She remembered her neat bedroll, the cottage she kept tidy. The trees and the sun and the birds. Staring at her own hands in wonder. Night and day, sleeping and waking, hunger and food and everything swirling and obscured as though she were searching through fog…
Merlin, frowning, pushing his fingers against her forehead. “This should be enough,” he had said. “Do not look for more.”
She rubbed at the spot on her forehead. He had pushed the knowledge into her brain. Willed it to be there, rather than teaching her himself. He could be very lazy.
“Yes, he taught me, in his own way.” She finished the knot.
Satisfied, she turned and almost ran into Arthur. He had come up behind her to watch her work.
“Sorry!” Her hands were on his chest. She pulled them back quickly. “I am sorry. I should go. I am tired.”
He walked her to the tapestry, pulling it aside again and holding it for her. “Thank you. I am glad you are here, Guinevere.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, surprised to find how much she meant it. And surprised by how much she wished she had told him her name after all.
As the door closed behind her, leaving her holding a candle in the dark passageway, she closed her eyes and leaned close to the flickering light. She whispered her name directly into the flame.
And then she blew it out.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Guinevere is a very capable young lady but she has to discover the ways of her new world as much as we, the reader, do as well as uncover what may be missing in her own past. And she has to work out what her place is at Arthur's side as his queen. Arthur is charismatic and tries to be all things to all people so it’s no wonder that they all love him. His knights have come to Camelot because they share his vision of what it can be, a beacon for justice.
She and Arthur both come across as very human, facing the uncertainties that come with their huge responsibilities while having to present a strong facade to those around them despite their young ages. I appreciated seeing them able to be themselves with each other. The people around them have lives and personalities too, such as her lady's maid Brangien and Arthur's nephew Mordred.
I must confess that the romantic in me is hoping that the cautious attraction between Arthur and Guinevere develops into something a lot stronger. I devoured so many versions of the story in my youth (partly because I wanted to be a knight) in the hopes that the shining dream that was Camelot would not be destroyed until I finally gave up in despair and refused to read any more of them. However, reading this book, I am hopeful again.
At the end of the book, although Guinevere is starting to find her place in her new life, the mysteries of the past are still mysteries. I can't wait to find out what happens next - but the second book in this trilogy isn't due to be published until the end of this year. Thank you so much whoever it was that shot that book bullet in my direction.
5 stars
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LibraryThing member TheYodamom
Camelot has kicked out Merlin, and moved into a magic free zone. It is forbidden to use magic inside the borders. Arthur is under some sort of danger so he must marry a protector (Guinevere) disguised as his bride. This protector is a magical person and King Arthur knows. So what is going on
Guinevere who isn’t Guinevere is sent to save the King. She must protect him from what ? she doesn’t know, how would she do this saving ? She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know a lot. Merlin her father but not her father sent her to marry King Arthur with instructions to protect him. Guinevere spends a lot of time wandering around making friends, watching for danger, longing for clarification on her duty in Camelot. She must focus on everything because she doesn’t have a clue what she is supposed to do there. Sure protect Arthur, but how ? She must find the danger without anyone knowing she’s magical, except she’s not very good at being sneaky. I felt sorry for her, she was expected to do this great thing with not a clue of what or how.
Arthur, he’s an odd duck. Rarely there, and when he’s around he’s not very interesting. He’s young, overburdened, and distant. He knows why she is there, and yet he rarely talks to her, leaves for days with no notice and just disappears. I really can’t say much about the character I didn’t get to know him to have much feelings except indifference. he just wasn’t there enough.
The last 25% had some awesome twists, finally Guinevere had a direction. She of the characters started to show their true colors. I never saw that twist coming.
The story was good, I enjoyed it but tired of the wandering girl bit. There was so much unsaid about these characters I never really got to know them. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series.
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?Guinevere who isn’t Guinevere is sent to save the King. She must protect him from what ? she doesn’t know, how would she do this saving ? She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know a lot. Merlin her father but not her father sent her to marry King Arthur with instructions to protect him. Guinevere spends a lot of time wandering around making friends, watching for danger, longing for clarification on her duty in Camelot. She must focus on everything because she doesn’t have a clue what she is supposed to do there. Sure protect Arthur, but how ? She must find the danger without anyone knowing she’s magical, except she’s not very good at being sneaky. I felt sorry for her, she was expected to do this great thing with not a clue of what or how.
Arthur, he’s an odd duck. Rarely there, and when he’s around he’s not very interesting. He’s young, overburdened, and distant. He knows why she is there, and yet he rarely talks to her, leaves for days with no notice and just disappears. I really can’t say much about the character I didn’t get to know him to have much feelings except indifference. he just wasn’t there enough.
The last 25% had some awesome twists, finally Guinevere had a direction. She of the characters started to show their true colors. I never saw that twist coming.
The story was good, I enjoyed it but tired of the wandering girl bit. There was so much unsaid about these characters I never really got to know them. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series.
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LibraryThing member SweetKokoro
I should really stop reading retellings that fall into the YA category, it always feels like the writers do very little research on the stories they are retelling.
The story pacing was slow but so bland. I have nothing against slow pacing stories but when you write 300 pages worth of just nothing
Like most YA books there was the same tired old story telling going on, Guinevere was constantly stating that she was there to “protect” Arthur, I don’t need this constantly brought up, after the 5th time I started rolling my eyes at it, i don’t understand why YA books feel the need to constantly remind the reader what the main characters objective is, I get it, can we move on.
This also hits the good old, “tell her not to do something and give a reasonable explanation as to why she shouldn’t, and said lead female does it anyways, because “I’m girl I strong” then proceed to be shocked by the outcome” yah Guinevere was throwing her magic about even after being told “hey you shouldn’t do that it jeopardizes everything”.
There was also the love story portion were Guinevere was basically in love with everyone who walked in front of her, or touched her, expect Arthur of course because clearly this story isn’t going to go down that road, considering the change that was made to Lancelot, and frankly Lancelot has always been my LEAST favorite Knight but this version just really irked me, it was unnecessary frankly.
The book spent so much time constantly reminding you of what Guinevere was doing, or who she was mad at, or what she worrying over that it made it so boring.
Very little of this story made me feel like I was reading an Arthurian story, it’s pretty much names and places at this point.
Also I wasn’t bothered by the lack of Arthur (even though I love him dearly lol) it made sense for him to not be the center of the story since it’s literally following “Guinevere”.
The book did have a lot of feminism pushed into which frankly wasn’t necessary and annoyed me, but eh that seems to be the way to go in these retellings anymore :/
The story pacing was slow but so bland. I have nothing against slow pacing stories but when you write 300 pages worth of just nothing
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brought about slowly you end up with nothing.Like most YA books there was the same tired old story telling going on, Guinevere was constantly stating that she was there to “protect” Arthur, I don’t need this constantly brought up, after the 5th time I started rolling my eyes at it, i don’t understand why YA books feel the need to constantly remind the reader what the main characters objective is, I get it, can we move on.
This also hits the good old, “tell her not to do something and give a reasonable explanation as to why she shouldn’t, and said lead female does it anyways, because “I’m girl I strong” then proceed to be shocked by the outcome” yah Guinevere was throwing her magic about even after being told “hey you shouldn’t do that it jeopardizes everything”.
There was also the love story portion were Guinevere was basically in love with everyone who walked in front of her, or touched her, expect Arthur of course because clearly this story isn’t going to go down that road, considering the change that was made to Lancelot, and frankly Lancelot has always been my LEAST favorite Knight but this version just really irked me, it was unnecessary frankly.
The book spent so much time constantly reminding you of what Guinevere was doing, or who she was mad at, or what she worrying over that it made it so boring.
Very little of this story made me feel like I was reading an Arthurian story, it’s pretty much names and places at this point.
Also I wasn’t bothered by the lack of Arthur (even though I love him dearly lol) it made sense for him to not be the center of the story since it’s literally following “Guinevere”.
The book did have a lot of feminism pushed into which frankly wasn’t necessary and annoyed me, but eh that seems to be the way to go in these retellings anymore :/
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LibraryThing member jmoncton
I am a big fan of Arthurian legend and this book has a lot of promise told from Guinevere's viewpoint. But this is no mild trophy queen here! She is not what she appears to be ....
Fun, but the pacing seemed a bit off. Sometimes the book dragged on, and other times it felt like it was lacking
Fun, but the pacing seemed a bit off. Sometimes the book dragged on, and other times it felt like it was lacking
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description. Still, overall a fun story. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookbrig
This is a wonderful retelling/reimagining with a twisty plot that touches on magic, memory, and royal politics. I loved Guinevere's voice, and many of the twists/reveals were really satisfying. There are also plenty of loose ends that don't get tied up, and the tantalizing hints of bigger reveals
ALSO: hi, if you read this come talk with me about the ending because I was getting some realLast Witch Hunter vibes with that evil queen scene. Yes, I mean the bad Vin Diesel movie. That movie had many faults, but the dark witch queen was pretty entertaining .
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the digital ARC.
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to come made me sad I didn't get to see more of those threads revealed in this installment of the series. That said, I feel like the ending was satisfying, and it definitely left me wanting to read more. There's darkness and humor throughout, and I think one of this book's strengths is how relatable and nuanced the characters felt. This is a great choice for a reader who's looking for castles, royalty, and magic, and doesn't mind diving into a new series. ALSO: hi, if you read this come talk with me about the ending because I was getting some real
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the digital ARC.
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LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
I always love novels involving the legend of King Arthur, so I was keep to read Kiersten White's retelling and, I must say, I quite enjoyed this book. At times "The Guinevere Deception" was a bit slow but, at the same time, I was surprised how quickly I finished it. I enjoyed the sense of darkness
I thought Guinevere was going to be a strong, feminist character, and at times she was, but too often she made heedless mistakes and had to rely on others to rescue her.
The last part of the novel was definitely the best. It was full of action and unexpected reveals and left the end wide open for a sequel. However, I don't think I will bother any further with this series. I have read better when it comes to Arthur, Genevieve and Camelot.
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that lurked through each chapter and the threat of the evil queen. However, I found most of the characters fairly bland, especially Arthur, and the only ones I had any time for were Lancelot and Brangien.I thought Guinevere was going to be a strong, feminist character, and at times she was, but too often she made heedless mistakes and had to rely on others to rescue her.
The last part of the novel was definitely the best. It was full of action and unexpected reveals and left the end wide open for a sequel. However, I don't think I will bother any further with this series. I have read better when it comes to Arthur, Genevieve and Camelot.
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LibraryThing member Completely_Melanie
I really enjoyed this and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series! I actually enjoyed this even more than I enjoyed Slayer and I am a huge Buffy fan!
LibraryThing member ecataldi
Not my favorite re-telling of Camelot and King Arthur - but it was... ok. This didn't read as overly young adult, so I kept picturing the characters much older. Also, the pacing is slow, and the plot meandering. Guinevere is not who she appears to be. She is not the daughter of a king, she is the
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daughter of Merlin, and she is on her way to Camelot to wed King Arthur. She must pretend to be someone else so that no one will know that she is there to practice magic and protect the king. Since Merlin and magic were banished from the realm, something evil has taken root and Guinevere must protect King Arthur. An interesting take on Arthurian legend but I didn't love it enough to continue with the rest of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member anniesdreaming
4.5 This is the first book of hers I have read, but it definitely won't be the last
Awards
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2022)
Maine Student Book Award (2021)
Language
Original publication date
2019-11-05
ISBN
9780525581697