I definitely get the lure of the Arthurian legends, and do enjoy a good story set in that world. Overall, this was one that I did really enjoy. I'm not as well-versed in this world as other people are, so there were some things I was definitely learning about the legends and people as I read, and others that I wasn't quite sure of the characters and had to go do some research outside of the book to make sure I realized who each of them were in the stories. The world White has built in this book is once again so deep and vivid and haunting in some parts. The characters are well-fleshed out, and used to keep you either on your toes to decipher story arcs, or else they fill in the story in such a way that it helps you figure things out with plenty of "ah-ha" moments. I loved how Guinevere made one of her best friends with a person that normally you would read in a story as someone who caused problems for her. To have that person really be someone who just needed to be given the chance to be a good person, even with all her shortcomings and gossip/social climbing traits that were expected of women in those times. I'll be intrigued to see how the story will carry on with Merlin in the predicament he ends up in, and the Lady of the Lake as well as the Dark Queen all playing their roles in this game of a plot. It is hard to decide if I can fall in love with Arthur, because of his many absences from his queen, but then there is Mordred, and what happens with him, can we trust him, is he really on a bad path, or maybe he has the right way of thought? So many twists and turns and things to keep you thinking and wondering and waiting for the next book.

While this was good, it did not blow me away the way The Conqueror's Saga and the first book in the Slayer series did. I'm still excited enough to be awaiting the next book though, but I'll be patiently waiting for the year or so that it takes.

Another amazing Kiersten White book! This one was a departure from her previous work but just as incredible - I really loved her spin on the Arthurian legends and telling the story from Guinevere's POV. I liked the mystery of who Guinevere really was, the friendships the character developed, and just the overall retelling - it felt fresh yet still retained the classic King Arthur feel. I'll def be reading the sequel when it comes out next year!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"There is nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl on the cusp of womanhood"

Kiersten White has delivered yet again a beautiful, twisting tale filled with magic, heartache, and amazing women. I cannot accurately describe the wonderful warmth of hope and recognition that spread through me as I saw this age-old tale of Arthur and Camelot written in such a way that placed women at the front of the conflict. Each woman that graced the pages of this book was powerful, clever, complicated, and real in a way that so many stories have failed to do in the past.

So what is this book about?

The conflict is over, and Camelot is thriving. After defeating the Dark Queen that threatened to overtake Camelot and let chaos reign, eighteen year-old King Arthur has to make some hard decisions for the fate of Camelot, one of those being the banishing of magic from the land in order to keep any other magical threats at bay. Yet threats to the kingdom still linger, and his faithful friend Merlin has been sent away for good. To protect the King from magical threats inside and outside of the castle, Princess Guinevere is sent to marry Arthur. Yet Guinevere is not a princess at all, nor is Guinevere her name. Fighting to keep her secret safe in a city where magic is punishable by death or banishment, Guinevere must make sacrifices to protect the King and the idealistic Camelot from the chaos that magic threatens to unleash.

This book was such a refreshing read for me, and so captivating for so many reasons; from the new take on the Arthurian legend to the depth of the female characters, there are so many reasons to love it. Yet it is our main character Guinevere who takes the cake and really made this story what is it. A witch playacting as a queen, the readers get to discover the wonders of Camelot along with her. Her role at Camelot is something that she is still discovering, just as she is struggling to discover who she is as well.

As Guinevere struggles and grows throughout this story, we get an inside look at the Camelot that is something of legends. The order and peace that Arthur strives for is like nothing anybody has ever attempted before, and Arthur himself is something of a legend in his own right. Alluring, charismatic, and wholly good to the core, King Arthur inspires unbreakable loyalty within all who come to know him, even Guinevere. Other characters we know make their way into this story as well, from Mordred, the King's nephew, to the magical sword of Excalibur, and even the prolific knight, Lancelot. But anybody who finds themselves familiar with the various takes on the Arthurian legend will find that they don't have much of an advantage on any other reader; White has put her own twists and turns on this story to leave anyone surprised and delighted at the new and imaginative new take.

This story, at its heart, is about women, and White made sure everyone knew about it. With Guinevere at the forefront of this story, she brings all other female characters to the front as well. Now the story of Arthur that has so long been dominated by him and his knights has been pushed to the back, focusing on the women that truly make the differences. Characters like Brangien, Guinevere's maid, to ladies of the court like Dindrane, from good witches to the Lady of the Lake and the Dark Queen, all come together to make this a tale about the women of this time. Each of these women was as complicated and nuanced as every character should be, and they were given their space to thrive in the story.

Reading through this story, I found myself wishing for characters like Arthur and Mordred to be more complex and dynamic. And while I still believe that this would be a benefit to the story, it is clear that these characters may have been intentionally flattened in order to allow the readers to better focus and appreciated the women of this story. Yes, Arthur is beautiful, idealistic, and sparks such love and loyalty among others, but White let's Arthur's story speak for itself rather than taking the time away from female characters to develop him more, and that is a strategy that undoubtedly makes this book unique.

"There was good, and there was evil, but there was so much space between the two"

While this may be a classic re-telling, this book adeptly tackles the age-old trope of good versus evil that so often arises in legends such as this, and how those lines can be so easily blurred. What lengths will we go to in order to meet the end goal? What lines will be cross and morals will be sacrificed in order to see the good of Camelot, or even the good of the world, reign true? The notion of a gray area is one that I find is not explored in many classic tales and the "good guy" is so easily distinguished from the "bad guy." However, lines like that cannot be drawn as stark in this book, and readers may find themselves at the end torn between empathizing with the "bad guys" and questioning the "good guys." When both sides of the conflict can be argued well, that is the sign of a truly captivating and real conflict.

With the new perspective on the story through Guinevere's eyes, White also uses our main character as the bridge between the two sides; as a girl of magic, Guinevere feels her freest when she is out in the wild and all the magic there is to offer there. Yet as a human, she can see the amazing work that Arthur is doing in Camelot for the forward progress of human-kind. Therefore this struggle between magic and man is one that not only takes places throughout the events of this story, but is also the conflict at the center of Guinevere's heart.

In the end, it is White's captivating writing, deeply engaging female characters, and her fresh look at a classic tale that makes this book one you cannot pass up.

#TheGuinevereDeception #NetGalley #ARC

"I am untouchable."

4 STARS

CW: violence, loss of a loved one, self-harm, sexual assault (referenced, not on page), child death, animal death

After not really enjoying Kiersten White's Conqueror's Saga, I was nervous about going into The Guinevere Deception. Was my disappointment with The Conqueror's Saga about the content, or was it more related to the author and her style?

I can now say it was just that And I Darken wasn't for me, but The Guinevere Deception most certainly is! Following Guinevere (who is actually someone else entirely, a changeling sent by Merlin using the name of the dead princess Guinevere), The Guinevere Deception navigates the danger lurking in Camelot, with Guinevere as Arthur's wife but not wife, tasked with keeping him safe against a threat that Guinevere will know when she sees it, if Merlin's vague directions are to be believed. There's forbidden magic, tentative friendships, knights in patchwork armor, and best of all, there's the full force of the Arthurian legends woven underneath. 

I found it hard to connect to Guinevere initially, but as the book went on, it became clear that the initial distance between reader and character was meant to emphasize that Guinevere was a changeling, not the real princess. Distance means survival for her. Carefully structured interactions keep her surrounding company at bay, lest they discover she is not who she says she is, and she is only meant to be there to save King Arthur's life from the mysterious impending doom Merlin has foreseen.

Of course, this made it all the more satisfying as Guinevere opened up and became herself around some of Camelot's more important figures (and, of course, with her clever lady's maid). As closed off as she tried to be, she had to ask for help, had to trust the people around her, and I am a SUCKER for that kind of content. Yes to the power of friendship! Yes to asking for help!

Equally delightful is the gradual unspooling of the plot. While this book isn't all action (there's still two books to go, and this one has more of a political intrigue and deception air rather than the air of an adventure), it does have a touch of mystery to it, with fast-paced combat scenes interspersed between moments of careful political maneuvering and sly investigation. For some folks, this may, admittedly, be a little slow, but I think it does a reasonably good job at setting up the plot to come.

That said, one of my biggest (and only) complaints is that too few questions were answered. Yes, I get that we have to save some mystery and intrigue for future installments, but the heavy hinting at Guinevere's true identity, the name she burned away in a candle, lies unresolved without a hint by the end. I have my own suspicions, that's true, but it felt like a lot of bait for something that lacks any payoff in this installment. 

I'm also a bit irritated with Merlin for his vagueness, and while it does seem in character, I get tired of intentional miscommunication far faster than I can forgive it. Tell each other the truth, GEEZ.

And somewhere in between good and bad, mostly nebulous with potential, I'd like to mention that there is a possibility of either GNC or trans Lancelot, a concept I can get fully behind. I hesitate to tag this review as queer, since only one side character is outright queer, and Lancelot seems queer-coded without any explicit confirmation of queerness, but it's certainly on my mind, and I expect to see further development of this in the rest of the Camelot Rising trilogy. 

On the whole, The Guinevere Deception was a fresh spin on Arthurian myth, woven through Guinevere's eyes, and I have to say that I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the legends of Camelot. It also comes out tomorrow, November 5th, so if you plan to pre-order or get an early request in to your library, today is the day to do it! Too bad you don't get your own personal Excalibur if you pre-order, though. Wouldn't that be fun?


[This review will go live on The Words Gremlin at approximately 12 PM EST on 11/4/19.]

This book did not excite it me. It was well written--the author's effort and research is plausible but the plot meandered and King Arthur was one dimensional. His character reminded me of Superman and why I never preferred him over Batman. Too nice, too good, too little character development, which is ironic because his story IS interesting but White makes him dull.

And "Guinevere" was underwhelming as a character. Is she supposed to be this strong, female lead? Because all the fainting and woes-me could have fooled me.

This book was definitely slow at the beginning and it was hard to tell where it was going. However, as it progressed, I began to enjoy it more and more. I wanted much more as far as the relationship between Arthur and “Guinevere.” I get that Arthur is this amazing king, but he spends very little time getting to know his new wife and I was honestly torn at the end on who I wanted her to choose. One of the things I enjoyed most was how “Guinevere” chose to be kind and friendly to other women, rather than showing the catty behavior so often seen between women in these types of books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of this genre and/or Kiersten White.

One of the really interesting things about reading eARCs is trying to avoid being swayed by other reviewers. Often, folks are very thoughtful about their feedback... and sometimes, they are not. You've already committed to reading and reviewing it, so you're in for it (at least if you want a good NetGalley score!!), but you can start out with a skewed perspective either way if you spend too much time in the reviews.

This is one where I am really, really glad I did not let other people's reviews stand between me and getting started. I am an Arthurian legend aficionado, loving the many adaptations of this book from Steinbeck to Mists of Avalon. This is also my first Kiersten White book, and I was eager to begin since so many seem to adore her retellings.

This a character-driven novel, led by a very relatable Guinevere. She is unsure of her talent, in part due to her upbringing, but is very sure of her mission. I admired her bravery and willingness to be a resource to Arthur even to her own detriment. Her point of view begins at a shallow level, which was concerning for me. However, it was quickly supplemented and we were treated to seeing a girl taken out of her environment with an intense pressure for success.

The idea of magic being banned from Camelot and the political pressure faced by Arthur is one of the most interesting parts of this book for me. Society shifts in unpredictable ways at times, and it is exciting that a YA book is using this as an opportunity to think about how our own society can make decisions based on prejudice that have enormous implications.

There is a significant investment in world-building here, and is clearly a first book in a series. If you expect to have all revealed easily without patience, this is not your book. However, I would definitely encourage you to invest your time.

The Guinevere Deception was a nice twist on Camelot with accessible themes and good pacing. I look forward to enjoying more of Ms. White's books in the future, and following along with Guinevere's experiences in the additional book(s).

*My thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the eARC access.*

On the surface, The Guinevere Deception is a cool concept and very interesting, but the execution left me bored. There's a lot of build up happening and the opening to a series which is evident. I feel like that's where it fell short, though, because everything surrounding the set up fell flat. I wasn't invested in the romance despite it having the tropes I love the most, and I didn't have a connection with any of the characters themselves. It all felt very surface level. I did enjoy the feminist take on the story of Arthur and the feminism embedded within this book. I think that's where it's strengths lay. Everything else, though, was just average and doesn't entice me to pick up the next book in the series.

3.25/5 stars

When you get an ARC just a week before publication date...all chaos ensues. Nevermind that I have exams lurking at every corner 😂.

ANYWAYS! I thought this book was just okay. It didn't impress me, but it also wasn't bad. I'll be up front and say that I don't really know the King Arthur legend. I may have seen an old Disney animated movie or read about it in an old fairytale, but overall I have no clue as to what to compare this to. I went in blind, not knowing a single thing of the original work or the gist of this one, but I came out feeling pretty meh. i think that it's best if you're already familiar with the legend, as I found myself lost many times when it came to the central storyline.

This book was a bit all over the place. The beginning felt very rushed, as if it was racing to get to the main conflict and deceptions. The pacing would zoom on by, only for it to abruptly stop in the most awkward places. At the midway point the pacing fixed itself to a steady pace, which was much more easy to handle compared to the beginning. However, I found the story itself at this point to be weird? I can't find the right word for it, but it just felt off to me. I believe that if I had gotten to get a better sense of the characters, maybe even more backstory, it would have lessened this hole that I felt when reading. The characters themselves were a mixed bunch. Arthur I found to be completely uninteresting, and Guinevere I found to be likeable but a bit unrealistic in terms of how others reacted to her. The depth in the characters could've been developed more, as they seemed a bit hollow most of the time. They felt like walking cliches, which I have no problem with, but I honestly did expect better considering the hype this book is generating.

Overall, this book is alright. It's not fantastic but it isn't bad either. If you know nothing of the King Arthur legend, I say to save your coins and head to the library instead. If you're a fan of the legend, perhaps grabbing this book would be a good choice. I went in blind and found myself to have mixed feelings. I don't see myself picking up any of the future books in the series.

ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've been wanting to read some of Kiersten White's novels (I picked up And I Darken from my library a few months ago but the loan expired before I could read it...). Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC.

While I do love fantasy and medieval history, I have to admit that I'm not super familiar with Arthurian legend. That was probably not a good thing with this book; I felt like it dropped me right in the middle of things and assumed I was pretty familiar with the setting and characters. I actually had to double check to make sure this was part one of the series, just to be sure.

The flow of this book was all over the place. There was minimal introduction to anything and so much random information and references. In one chapter, the characters go to multiple places and have multiple confrontations, with each being only a paragraph or two long. The writing style seemed a little simple; there were just a lot of short sentences with very little variety. The dialogue and descriptions were very stiff and formal, making the character's not feel "real".

Most of the characters were lackluster. Arthur had no personality whatsoever. Guinevere is a classic Mary Sue and for some reason, all the males in this book absolutely adored her and think she's the greatest thing to ever come to Camelot. As a character, she is very very weak. I also found it so frustrating how she jumps to so many conclusions with little to no evidence. Mordred was an interesting character and was the only one who had any depth.

I hate to admit that I was forced to skim a pretty large portion of this book. I got to about 50% and really started to struggle. I'm just sad that this one didn't deliver, as I had really high expectations and was so excited to read it.

Overall, 1.5 stars.

I’ve never been well versed on the stories of Camelot so I didn’t really know what to expect when starting this book and unfortunately I don’t think it did either.

“The Guinevere Deception” begins with a wedding where the new Queen works to protect King Arthur from an unknown enemy while hiding her magic from those who wish to see her death or banishment for simply wielding the craft but as the Dark Queen hungers for revenge Guinevere finds herself looking to the past to find the truth which can unmake the future.

I think this book had a lot of aspirations but unfortunately didn’t know what to do with them, it was clear we had to get from point A to point B over the course of the novel but everything leading up to that journey was such a drag that it took all the willpower I had to continue. There’s a lot of wandering and sleeping which I would have cut in favor of action or even character development but instead we get a noble King who graciously grants us his presence sparingly thought out the novel with lighthearted romance that is there if you squint your eyes just right, a witch Queen who wants to be the weapon she believes she is but is too often shuffled off or stumbling around the holes in her memory to really be useful and a cast of characters that filter in and out when they can’t have her sleeping anymore.

Lancelot was one I was eager to meet especially with the twist but unfortunately the knights appearance is made at the halfway point and a few times after without really making any sort of statement which was disappointing but I have hope for the character to have a larger role in the books moving forward I’m just not sure this was enough for me to want to stick around and see if it happens.

I feel like if you enjoy all things Camelot and the legends of King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere and Lancelot there’s probably enough here for you to enjoy but if you’re coming into it from any other place it might leave much to be desired.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The Guinevere Deception--I really loved the concept. Guinevere has never been a very likable character (hard to be when the legend treats you as an object) so it was interesting to see the whole character completely turned in a new direction. But the story just didn't have any teeth; it didn't feel like it was wholly fleshed out yet. Perhaps it will find its feet in the next book.

I was excited about this but I found it disappointing and dull. I couldn’t even finish the whole thing and what I did read I skimmed thorough.

I’m a bit conflicted about this book, tbh. To be transparent, I’ve never read the original King Arthur and his knights story. I’ve seen loads of movies. I know the basic premise behind the stories, characters, and even some of the ‘twists’. I’ve only read one King Arthur retelling (that I know of) and I disliked it greatly. I love Kiersten White’s Vlag the Impaler retelling trilogy so I assumed I would love this and I just...didn’t.

I did not dislike this book. I just didn’t love it. The characters fell very flat for me, the plot didn’t seem to know what it wanted even though it did (?), and the story itself just wasn’t as fun to read as I expected. Kiersten is an amazing writer and you can see that in this book but for some reason it just didn’t all come together to be a great read for me.

None of the characters had any defining characteristics that really made them stand apart. I’m sure in a week or so I’ll forget all about them short of what I’ve already associated them with from other avenues. All the twists that were in the story would have been amazing had I not already figured them out myself. I just felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen the more I read, and when I got there and my predictions happened it wasn’t exciting, it just like, “Well, okay.”

This review is such trash because I’m not really giving super specific reasons why this didn’t work out for me. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone and I’m afraid I will if I keep going on. The story was fun to read but for me, it didn’t stand out among all the fantasy YA novels or even any of the YA retellings out there.

Guinevere started off as this badass witch who’s here to rock it out and save Arthur from this unknown ‘threat’ that Merlin would not tell her about. Arthur is in trouble, go save him basically. So she goes and is all gungho to do this. Some truth comes out and Guinevere ends up being like....well, I’m just queen now. Let me plan some parties and pine for Arthur who’s never here and doesn’t pay attention to me. Like...wtf. This is not the Guinevere story that I was expecting. I mean, it all changes later on but still, I was not a happy bunny at all.

Like I said, this review is trash and it’s really hard to explain why I didn’t love this story. A+ writing, piss poor plot, and flat characters. I’m hoping the sequel will be better but at this point I’m not sure I even want to read it.

Beautiful writing with wonderful descriptions! I really liked the characters, too! I was just hoping for more on the romance.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this eARC!!

It's been 1 year since Merlin and all magic was banished in Camelot. Guinevere does not remember her past, but she has been given a task: protect Arthur. Guided with magic, Guinevere, though not the real Guinevere, is sent to Camelot by Merlin. Despite presenting himself as a Christian King, Arthur and Merlin are still close, and Guinevere is married off to Arthur to pose as his queen and defeat the dark magic still lurking from the defeat of the Dark Queen. But Arthur is surrounded by enemies, and no one and nothing is as it seems.

Kiersten White is one of my favorite authors, and I was so happy to receive this eARC just before it's release! I've heard mixed reviews, but I have to say, this lived up to it ALL! I have a serious weak spot for Knight tales and medieval magic stories along the lines of Tamora Pierce, and Kiersten delivered. It seems around each corner we learn some new piece of this story. Guinevere is such a complicated, strong character, and I am so ready for the next 2 books in this trilogy!

*Spoiler free*

I love the story of King Arthur and I'm sucker for any books written about it. So, a book about Guinevere (maybe I'll be able to spell her name right on the first try after this review haha) definietly caught my attention. And it was supposed to focus on the women of this story and the strength they have and what they can add to everything around them. Plus, it there are lies and magic and Guinevere isn't even who she seems. Trigger warnings: vague mentions of sexual assault

This book wasn't what I expected it to be at all. I was softer than I expected. It was filled more forbidden magic done under the cover of night than sword fights. It was more about the knowledge that Guinevere had and the smart decisions she made, rather than her charging into battle. It took me awhile to get used to it, but I ended up really like this aspect. I liked how Guinevere and all the women showed their strength in their own ways, even if it wasn't traditional. Saying and acting the right way at all times, being patient and laying traps, and putting up with talking to gross men. Though, there is some sword fighting and battles near the end.

I was also surprised about a lot in this book, in a lot of good ways. I'm not too too familiar with the inner workings of the original King Arthur tale, but I loved this story take on it. I liked seeing names I recognized and I liked where this story took their characters.

And that freaking twist at the end, that was brilliant. It came out of nowhere, but in the best way possible. I was actually kind of mad at myself for allowing myself to trust a certain character when I knew he felt slimy in the beginning! It was brilliantly done.

Though, I'm still a bit confused on the inner workings of some things. What is the end game? I guess that's kind of the point since this is a beginning of a trilogy, but I would have liked a firmer grasp on that. There were threads that didn't quite make sense to me from world building to character relationships/development. They make sense, but when I think about where they're going and what is going to happen in the next books, it gets confusing.

I really, really loved Guinevere. She is such a fantastic character and a fantastic person overall. She's caring, she's strong, she's fierce, she's a fantastic friend, and she's just all around super awesome. I also liked pretty much all of the side characters. I wasn't sure about a couple of them, but they all grew on me.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing. It felt like a majority of the sentences were short, and it just felt a bit choppy to me before I got used to it. That's just me though!

I feel like there is so much mystery to this book yet and that there's still so much hidden. I want to know more. I really want to know the name that was just out of reach the entire book. I have a guess, but I'm not 100% sure. I guess I will be waiting to read the second book haha.

I loved Guinevere, I loved the forbidden magic, I love the strength of women in their own ways, I loved the horses, and I loved Camelot. I had a few issues with this book, but I still really enjoyed reading it!

I was sincerely looking forward to all the fantastical twists on Arthurian legend this book promised. Too, I loved the idea of structuring a plot around a Queen of Camelot with "agency and longing" who was "a mystery to everyone" because few things in the world delight me more than giving familiar female characters a new voice, their own vices and virtues, or including surprising deviations from original legend. Unfortunately, with this, with the Guinevere depicted here, I was underwhelmed. Neither she nor the story as a whole worked for me, sadly.

However, I will say that I liked the Lancelot twist even though I saw it coming from ten miles away. The ending was also full of dynamism and adventure and high stakes decisions, which, had they been weaved in a little earlier, I might have been able to enjoy this more.

2.5 stars

Thanks so much to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC!

This book was sent to me 5 days before its archive and publication date. There is no way I could have read it and written a review in time with this being my busy season (I am a photographer and fall is full time). I did start the book and I love the writing and the mystery. The cover is beautiful and I was so excited when I requested it. I just expected to be given more time. Unfortunately I cannot give a full review at this time.

I love Arthurian tales and this one did not disappoint. It was a refreshing take giving Guinevere something to do other than being window dressing and a tortured lover. The author includes other well loved characters like Tristan and Isolde and challenges gender status quos with Lancelot. As this is not a stand alone the books ends with questions.