Thank you Netgalley for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
Young Morgan is a princess of Tintagel where she lives with her father, mother and two sisters. Her life is a happy one until one day her father comes home acting differently, mist trailing in his wake. The next day it is announced her father had died in battle. So who had she spoken to that night, who had visited her mother’s bedchamber? The ruthless King Uther Pendragon sweeps in on their family, taking it over completely. Uther marries her sisters off to warlords as brides, her controls her mother’s every move, but Morgan finds her small ways to defy him. But when the young squire Accolon comes to Tintagel, Uther finds Morgan’s behaviour reprehensible. Uther sends Morgan to a nunnery as punishment, but the nunnery is Morgan’s saving grace. There she improves her education, learning the healing arts from the Prioress herself. Morgan and her beloved roommate Alys have plans to take the veil themselves, but Uther throws off her plans yet again. Morgan is called back to Tintagel, it is her time to be married off to a warlord.

Morgan Is my Name is an immersive retelling of the character of Morgan Le Fey from Arthurian Legend. I absolutely loved Sophie Keetch’s debut and I am eager to read more by this emerging author!

4 stars

A compulsively readable biography of famed sorceress Morgan le Fey’s early years, from childhood to Arthur’s coronation, compellingly reimagined as a brilliant young girl’s response to the restrictions placed upon women in medieval Britain.

Refreshingly, Morgan doesn’t read as a person with inexplicably modern sensibilities popped discordantly into medieval life, but rather as the product of a loving and permissive household upended suddenly by the violation and intrusion of Uther Pendragon and the machinations of his sorcerer Merlin. We come to understand how the combination of Morgan’s high-spirited nature, disrupted upbringing, and mingled triumphs and disappointments led her to chafe against the life proscribed for her. Morgan is relatable and yet individual, an easy character to root for.

The strength of this retelling lies in the way that Morgan’s relationships shape her upbringing and character. Her parents, sisters, usurper king, mentor, first love, tutor, best friend, trusted servants, husband, newfound brother—all of these connections leave their mark on Morgan and shape the person she chooses to become, though at all times she endeavors to stay true to herself.

The writing reminded me of the early chapters of Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, though it lacks that novel’s humor and air of adventure. There is, however, an emphasis on relationships that shines through in both narratives, and there are similarities to the way it conveys meaningfully the process of growing up and finding yourself outside of a societally expected role. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Kingfisher, of Arthurian retellings, and of coming-of-age stories.

Ok, so Arthurian retellings can be hit or miss for me. Sometimes I'll find a book that I enjoy, other times I come across a book, get a couple of chapters in, then not be able to finish it. This book was one that I was pleasantly surprised with. I liked how this book gave a more focused, expanded, and in-depth story to the character of Morgan that you don't always see in Arthurian retellings. And while I didn't love the book enough to want to purchase a copy when it comes out this summer, I'll definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new book to try out.

I am always a fan of feminist retellings of legends, myths, and mythology. I especially love Arthurian legends and am totally fine when authors decide to do their own remixes of them because it keeps me guessing and on my toes!

Morgan le fey especially has always been one of my favorite characters, mainly due to Merlin on BBC. So when I saw this book, I was imminently drawn to it. I must say, this book definitely lived up to my expectations.

There are quite a few things I loved about the book and a lot of it is about the character herself, Morgan. I loved how headstrong she was, her power which slowly grew into her life, her search for knowledge, and just how intelligent she was. Morgan was truly just a fantastic character to read, and she had me hooked from the first chapter.

Regarding the plot, it's truly excellent and only improves as the story progresses. I look forward to where this story may lead!

The Mists of Avalon was one of my favourite books growing up, and this novel was a great compliment to my understanding of the Legend of King Arthur. My only complaint about this books is that I wanted more of the story from this author's perspective. I loved the world she built and the characterization of the well known personalities she created. Keetch's Morgan is a perfect combination of magical and learned and I wanted to see where the rest of her life would take her. Excellent retelling of a story we all know well.

I love independent women, and I do enjoy reading books where they try to seize opportunities to be unique in their time period- who doesn't want to see a woman triumph?
But it's almost always written as if it's the fault of an eternally enduring patriarchal system and I am tired of men being the central villain of every woman's origin story, as if every man is a brute or a lech. And in the case of "Morgan is my Name," the title character makes two key choices which place her at the mercy of merciless men; in my head, that makes her the victim of *her* poor decisions but then she's angry that everyone (namely, the men in charge) thwarts her. You can't have it both ways! Overall, to be clear, I enjoyed reading this book and I am intrigued to see how the story of Morgan’s rise of power continues. But I have to be honest: I am irritated by the trope of the beleaguered woman defying the rules of her time because marriage and motherhood are somehow a fate worse than being ostracized, a witch, or dead. Is that really the best we can write for women?

This is a wonderful, heart-wrenching retelling of Morgan la Faye. I loved seeing her young life and her growing into the Morgan we all know. I'm a sucker for anything remotely Arthurian, but her story and her place in it has always enamored me. This book was wonderfully written and riveting. Will definitely be reading again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this book based on the synopsis and I just loved it. I absolutely loved it. So much so that I finished it in less than a day.

I will preface my review by saying that I am not super well versed in Arthurian myth but I do love medieval studies. This book was a very good mix of true, factual elements you would come across in studying medieval history with just enough mystical elements to give it that very good Arthurian vibe. I really, really enjoyed the importance of chivalry that was emphasized throughout the book because it was such a core concept to any true medieval knight.

This book was also a very reflective piece on the minimal power that medieval women did have, especially queens. I found myself very frustrated with Morgan's plight so much of the time because a lot of it just wasn't fair. The forbidden romance elements in this book were also perfect.

Morgan is my Name is definitely more of an origin story than anything else. It looks like this book is set up for a sequel, so I am curious to see how Morgan's character transforms into the mythical one we actually know her as.

Arthurian retelling are my jam and when you make it feminist forward and switch the focus to the iconic Morgan I am sold.

The Mists of Avalon is an all time favourite read and I’ve been waiting for a boon to touch on the magic of the story of Morgan, and Keetch does it.

I was hooked from chapter one and couldn’t stop, so much intrigue and crisp writing.

A perfect introduction to what I’m sure will be a stellar series.

Top marks for character development.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced digital copy all opinions are my own I am looking forward to buying a physical copy for my shelf.

There are not enough words in the English language to describe how much I loved this book. One of my highly anticipated books of the year, I screamed when I was able to read it early. I was so happy to have received an eARC of Morgan is My Name, simply because anything to do with Arthurian legends/lore have always held a spot in my heart. This book was no exception when it came to stealing a piece of my heart.

Sophie does a brilliant job in writing the characters, the setting, and the plot; all while holding onto this integrity of the lore, politics, and familial issues that came along with Morgan's story. This book had me hooked right from the beginning, keeping its claws in me until the very end. It's a book I've read twice now and each read, I've found something new that really makes me think.

Morgan is My Name, is a book that screams feminine rage from the top of its lungs that you can hear it and feel it in every page, though every sentence, and with every emotion that Morgan feels throughout her story. A story we might have known as magical and whimsical, this book showcases the harsher, rougher around the edges side of Morgan and everything we've ever known about her story. Sophie does an incredible job at writing this story in a way that it evokes so many different emotions from the reader.

Hands down, this is probably one of the best books I've ever read and will be one I think about for a long time to come. This book absolutely wrecked me, and I truly cannot wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've always loved King Arthur stories and this one told from Morgan Le Fay's perspective is a good one. The story begins when Morgan is a small girl and her father is still alive. Unfortunately, the new king of Britain, Uther Pendragon catches sight of Morgan's mother and decides she will be his. Morgan grows up full of rebellion and is sent away to a convent where she begins learning healing arts and discovers magic in her veins. The only problem I had with the story was how suddenly it ended. I'm hoping there is a sequel on the way to tell more of Morgan's story.

Wonderfully well written story! I enjoyed getting a back story on the MC especially since most books I’ve read on the Arthurian legends don’t give her much. I received this eARC from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion. Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the e-ARC.

I'm calling it, this is the year of King Arthur. This is the third Arthurian legend book I've read this year and daresay my favorite.

I loved Morgan as the strong willed daughter of Cornwall whose tiny defiances shaped her into the woman who would become the myth. I loved her strong relationships with her family and with Alys. This book really explores what it was like to have no or little agency in the games of men. Morgan continually uses what little power she has to carve out a life for herself where she can learn and heal. There is such a quiet strength in learning how to use the power you have to effect change.

I kind of hope there are more novels by Sophie Keetch exploring Morgan, the person she was and the myth she became, but I'm also happy where this book ended.

Beautifully written, addicting, and a chance to jump into a retelling of Morgan le Fay.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to learn about Morgan through this retelling.

Always a fan of retellings, I will admit I am not well versed in the story of Morgan. This book gave me the opportunity to research and learn more about this famed character.

I enjoyed that she is independent,strong-willed, and confident in a time where it was difficult for a woman to be. It shows her struggles with wanting a future she can choose but having to jump through many dangerous hoops to do so.
Her magic is very interesting and made the story more exciting as she learns to use and improve on it. Even if it is risky.

If you are a fan of Arthurian tales , you won’t want to miss this one.

Finding out this will be trilogy has only made my love for this story stronger and I cannot wait to see where the author takes it.

Arthurian myths are something I'll never tire of being retold. With the sheer number of interpretations of them, they all feel so different. Sadly, Morgan is my Name felt different in a bad way.

Morgan is my Name fell short in the way a lot of these "feminist" retellings do. I had the same problem with Circe and Ariadne. They retell a myth from the eyes of a female character, sure. But they don't actually give her agency. They don't make her a major point of her own story. Somehow, these retellings still manage to cast the MC of their book as a side character in the myth.

This is so incredibly disappointing to me because Morgana is such a complex and intriguing character in the myths. She can be interpreted so many ways: evil seductress, morally-grey villainess, misguided hero. Morgan is my Name somehow took all of those and ignored them. In this, Morgan was merely a bystander. She did some things, but nothing consequential. Even her healing, which could've been so fun to explore, was barely there. It almost felt like Keetch needed Morgan to be doing something, so she gave her healing as a hobby. A compelling character this does not make.

Even worse, not even the side characters were compelling. The only one I felt any affection for was Alys, and that was the affection of a disinterested bystander. Tressa had so little page time she barely existed. As for Accalon, he was a boring love interest. Especially because any impact his character could've had was wasted when he was sent away. Seriously, what did his presence accomplish?

The most disappointing books are always the ones that seems like they're going to be good. This one seemed like it was going to be amazing, but couldn't have been farther from it.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read rate and review this arc which is available June 13,2023 for purchase.

This is a very raw passionate retelling of Morgan Le Fey the eldest sister of King author. It is an extremely feminist retelling of women empowerment and what she must do to claim her own autonomy. I liked it. It was well written and emotionally investing.

The gorgeous cover and the promise of a story steeped in Arthurian legend had me more than excited to dive into its pages. Morgan Is My Name takes the mythical sorceress most often written as the villain, and brings to life a more real and fierce woman fighting to find her own happiness… sort of.

The beginning really drew me in, following her POV, and experiencing the origins of Morgan and her painful childhood. I was quickly reminded of Circe by Madeline Miller, because this story is so much more of character study than a plot driven fantasy novel. But where Circe hits the emotions hard and finishes with a satisfying ending, Ketch’s story left me wanting. I kept waiting for Morgan to truly own her power or fight for her desires, yet it isn’t until the last pages we see her take a true stand against the prison she felt her life had become. Morgan was the most fleshed out character, but I had trouble connecting deeply with anyone.

There was a much missed opportunity to showcase significantly deeper magic and play up the tension between Morgan/Merlin/Arthur. I felt that much of the actual Arthurian legends were left out leaving only the vaguest essence of characters to created this story.

Overall this was a quick and easy read but not a favorite.

Each time I review an Arthurian legend retelling I feel the need to give a bit of a disclaimer. I was named after the Morgaine from Marion Zimmer Bradley's 'The Mists of Avalon'. My upbringing was rooted from the start in respect for the feminine voice in retellings. So, of course, I jumped at the chance to read 'Morgan is My Name', the newest in a line of feminists retellings of Arthurian legend.

I expected a more fantastical retelling heading in (not a surprise considering my first introduction to these legends), but I grew to appreciate the more historically-based narrative as time went on. It was nice to read about the small ways in which women did reclaim power in the Middle Ages. The magical elements felt more like book ends to this story and I do wonder if there is any sort of sequel planned that will explore this more.

Arthurian Legend? Check. Giving voice to a female who was previously typecast? Check. Great read? Check.

3.5 stars

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Morgan, daughter of Igraine and half-sister to King Arthur, from her early childhood through early adulthood as she is used as a pawn in the political machinations of the men around her. All the while, she has a power for healing and brilliant mind that she tries to use for good, only to be prevented by those around her - some of whom have good intentions, and some who do not. This novel contains complex examinations of power: who has it, what it means, and how it is used to influence others and control outcomes. Themes of freedom, agency, family, and knowledge were deftly woven throughout the narrative.

I did not like this book very much at the outset - Morgan’s Not Like Other Girls attitude really turned me off and I initially found her very difficult to root for or sympathize with. However, as the story progressed I was taken in by her curiosity, intelligence, and integrity as she grew in complexity as a character and ultimately earned my respect. I also really loved her relationships with the other female characters in the story, especially her friendship with Alys, but also the palpable love between her and Igraine, Elaine, and Morgause.

This one also lost a few points from me because of how predictable it was - every time Morgan entered a new situation, I could easily see how it was going to end. I also felt that it ended somewhat abruptly, in a way that left a lot of story threads still hanging - in particular, the connection between Morgan and Merlin, and the explanation for why Morgan has powers at all, were not explored with any kind of depth or resolved in any way. However, the lovely prose and richly imagined characters carried the novel a long way.

If you’re interested in a King Arthur retelling from Morgan’s perspective, this one is fairly solid and I’d recommend giving it a try!