A fun and fast-paced Arthurian retelling that will satisfy fans of fantasy and newcomers to the genre alike. This take on Camelot sees Merlin as a young girl vying for her chance to study magic at the castle, Arthur as more studious than courageous, and Lancelot as a knight fallen from grace. All of this adds up for a surprising twist on the figures we know and love.

Read my full review for The Mary Sue here: https://www.themarysue.com/the-other-merlin-gender-bent-arthurian-legend-review/

*4.7* Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me an e-arc of this book! (review is spoiler-free)

The Other Merlin is an Arthurian-folklore retelling, following Emry, the daughter of the esteemed warlock Merlin. Though her magic is well above that of her brother's, Emmett, she is forgotten and cast aside due to her gender. However, when an opportunity arises for Emmett to go to the palace, Emry gets the chance she has always wanted. So she takes his place, dressed as a man. What she doesn't expect is the emotions she feels for the prince. Emry must make the ultimate choice; love or magic?

The characters in this book are some of my favorite that I have ever seen in a YA novel. Emry is a beautiful, strong, loveable protagonist, and Arthur is a stunning, dynamic love interest. The side characters -- Lance, Guin, Emmett, Gawain -- added so much dimension to the story, and I loved how Schneider took the time to show the reader their point of view.

The plot was also so smart. This is the first Arthurian retelling that I have ever read, and I was so shocked by how much I loved it. I thought the modern take on such an old, classic story was so well done. The only complaint I have about it is the pacing. This book definitely could have been a lot shorter without losing the effect. Another complaint I have is related to the ending. It felt so fast. It lost the intensity because of how fast everything was happening. It definitely should have been dragged out a little, especially considering how slow every other part was.

The romance was pretty good too. From the synopsis, it sounds as if the romance is one of the main plot points in this book, but that is genuinely not true. Sure, there's a lot of play on it, but if you want slow burn, read the first half of this book. Because it is slow, slow, SLOW burn. I sound as if I think that this is a bad thing, but I loved it. It brought in some much needed angst with Emry, and especially with Arthur.

Lastly, the world building. With an old story like this, the author needs to be careful to still make the world clear enough so that someone who had never heard of the tales of Arthur before would still gain the same amount of enjoyment from this book. I think Schneider did really well with that. There wasn't a lot of world building overall, but she did what was needed, and it was definitely clear enough.

Overall, this book was near perfection. It just felt slow, which leeched some of the excitement and enjoyment from it. But I loved all of the characters with my whole heart, and I can not wait for the next book in the series.

This book really surprised me in a good way!

Arthurian retellings are not my favorite, but this one seemed more unique so I was excited to go into it. I also had seen very few reviews before starting it so I had no expectations.

I LOVED each and every character. The banter was fantastic. I even loved to hate the more antagonistic characters!

The build up of tension between Emry and Arthur was fantastic and believable and I loved how we got to experience it through both Emry and Arthur's POVs.

I will definitely be picking up the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the free eARC.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am a sucker for a good retelling and this one was it! The genuine relationship, and fierce loyalty, found both in the original tale, and this retelling make it so worth reading!

What an astounding novel! It follows a female Merlin named Emry who takes her brothers place as the newest wizard in Arthur’s castle. This is the first in a series, so it definitely leaves off on a kind of cliffhanger, I was definitely wanting more when the novel was finished. I’ve already recommended it to coworkers as I know they would be obsessed with this Camelot retelling. The characters are so well written, I felt like they were going to jump right off the page and start living in the world. The book is told from opposite POV from Arthur and Emry, so you get to see how things unfold from both of them. There is a bit of a steamy romance, but it’s so well written and fits in perfectly to the book. I am obsessed with Arthur and Camelot retellings and this one has me hooked after just the first novel. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to others!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me a finished copy of The Other Merlin.

I was sold the minute Ayushi (@bookwormbullet) told me this was She's The Man x Arthurian legend. I absolutely loved this book! I am a sucker for arthurian retellings and The Other Merlin gave us a fun, new story while still keeping the familiar elements of the legend we all know. Emry is the daughter of Merlin and is able to do magic in a way that is different than most wizards but she is never given a chance due to her being a woman! Emmett is Emry's less magically talented twin brother who is invited to the castle to learn more magic and become Arthur's wizard. Right before the trip to the castle is supposed to happen, Emmett gets into some trouble and isn't able to leave right away. Emry comes up with the plan to pose as her brother at the castle until Emmett is able to switch back with her. The adventure doesn't stop there and I found myself unable to stop reading about this hilarious group of characters.

This book has a full cast of queer characters including our two MCs. I absolutely loved the way Arthur's feelings are explored. With medieval London comes medieval misogyny and I really enjoyed how this was handled when it came to Emry. THE MAGIC IN THIS!! The adventure kept me hooked! Arthur, Lance, and Emry have some of the best banter which made it easy to fall in love with them. This is an easy to read fantasy that will keep you entertained throughout! I had no idea this book was part of a series and now I get to rejoice knowing that Emry, Lance, and Arthur will be back to keep on making me laugh. Hopefully with more additions from the crew we meet towards the end of the book. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!

Thanks so much to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I ADORED THIS. And that's not something I say very easily these days. I feel like King Arthur retellings, especially lately, have been a dime a dozen, but that doesn't stop me from trying them all because they will always be special to me. I fell in love with the King Arthur tales from a very young age, and I am a HUGE fan of the show Merlin.

This retelling? I could not put down. It was everything I had wanted The Guinevere Deception to be, but so much better. I know some people might hate on the anachronistic humor and writing style, but I LOVED it. I laughed out loud so many times, and Emry as a strong main female character taking what she wanted and deserved made me incredibly happy. Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain, and Guinevere were delightful, with both their interactions with each other and the way they approached the problems in front of them. Every page I read made me love them even more (and also made me want to rewatch Merlin, so....I did start doing that).

I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars, but it was a very HIGH 4. There were some things that happened that were a little too predictable, but overall I greatly enjoyed this and will absolutely be reading the rest of the series when it comes out.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Let me start off by saying: this review will likely be pure chaos. Mostly because I loved this book so much I don’t even know where to start, but also because that’s the kind of week this has been.

Right from the beginning, I fell in love with the writing style. There was just enough description to build the setting in your mind but not so much that you got bored and skipped ahead. One sentence flowed into the other and into the next and suddenly it’s 2 am and you have no idea where all the time went.

Secondly, the dialogue! The banter was amazing. And not just between the main character and the love interest, but with their friend Lance as well and with the main character’s brother. I laughed out loud more than once.

Speaking of, our main character is Emry Merlin, daughter of the great wizard Merlin and twin sister of Emmett Merlin. Her whole life, Emry has been denied her dreams because of her gender, even by her own father. But when a royal summons calls Emmett to the place to be the wizard apprentice and Emmett is unable to go, Emry decides to go in his place. Sure, she’ll be killed if anyone finds out, but it’s only for a week. Right? (wrong).

This might just be me and my lack of knowledge about medieval England, but I could have used a bit more worldbuilding. Especially about the geography and the other countries. A map would have been amazing. This is literally my only complaint, however.

Let’s talk some more about Emry. She is a strong independent lady who don’t need no man. She is epically good at magic and is incredibly motivated as well. She studies hard and it pays off. Emry is brave to the point of being reckless and is totally not falling for the future king of all of England. Everything is fine. I absolutely loved Emry, but to be honest I loved almost every character in this book.

Arthur is the current price of Camelot, and as the puller of the sword from the stone, the future king of all of England. But he is not happy about it. His father is King Uther, all around not so good guy. Arthur feels suffocated, and his only escape is the library. That’s right, the prince of Camelot, the man who pulled the famous sword out of its famous stone, is a book nerd. People who are attracted to men, get ready to fall hard for Arthur. He is so kind and funny and epically bad at swordplay (which is hilarious). I love him so much.

Arthur’s best friend, and the third member of our nicely rounded out trio, is Lancelot, or Lance. Lance and Arthur have the best banter and some serious Marauder vibes, especially when they first meet Emry (one of my favorite scenes, btw). Lance is one of the most hilarious characters in this book, which is saying something, believe me.

It’s hard to say more without giving anything away, but trust me this book is amazing. We spend most of our time in the castle, which is full of betrayal and court politics. Arthur, despite not loving his position as prince, is incredibly good at navigating this world. If you know me, you know I love a good book with royalty, castles, and courts and this aspect of The Other Merlin did not disappoint.

Emry spends most of her days in the wizard’s workshop and if I could even spend ten minutes in this room I would trade almost anything. It seems so cozy and interesting with bubbling potions, jars on the walls, and bundles of herbs hanging from the ceiling. Another good trope I love is magical schools, and Emry’s apprenticeship under the current court wizard is sure to satisfy anyone who feels the same.

Writing this review is already making me want to reread this book! I loved it so much and it for sure is one of my new comfort reads which I just know I will return to over and over. It was one of those books I always just wanted to go home and read because it was so engaging and fun yet easy to read. I want to live in this Camelot so badly!

Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone and their dog. It was so amazing and I literally cannot wait for the sequel. You will definitely catch me rereading this one more than once until that comes out.

This book was AMAZING! Such a fun, fresh take on the Arthurian legend and I enjoyed it immensely. The casualty bi-ness of Emry was perfect, and bookish Arthur 10”% had me swooning. Highly recommend!

2.5

I loved the premise of this book but the execution fell flat and overall it was a very mundane read. Emry Merlin, daughter of the famous Merlin, masquerades as her brother after he is summoned to serve as Prince Arthur's wizard as he prepares to lead Camelot. Along the way, shenanigans ensue, Emry falls in love, and court drama flourishes. The writing, while easy to read, is a little stilted and almost feels like reading a script rather than a novel. The story is told primarily from Emry's point of view, though randomly switches to other characters at times, which frustrated me. The characters are endearing and their friendships are sweet. There is Lots Of Drama, which plays out in a very cheesy sit-com fashion, and unfortunately didn't work for me. However, I can see fans of romcoms with a sprinkle of magic enjoying this book.

CW (may be incomplete, may contain spoilers): misogyny, homophobia, parental neglect & abuse, alcoholism, descriptions of injury, poisoning

Thank you to my partner Penguin Teen for a copy in exchange for a review.

DNF at 50%

I have tried to read this book for a month now, and I’m the type of person that devour books in one sitting.

The pacing is so painfully slow that it just feels like nothing is happening.

Yes, Emery is acting as Merlin in her brother’s place because he doesn’t have a quarter of the magic that she does (and he got his girlfriend pregnant), but the author could’ve made this gender bent retelling a bit more imaginative. It just feels so mundane.

No one has gotten an Arthurian Legend retelling right since TH White in 1958…until now.

I don’t have the most positive track record with Arthurian retellings. Abysmal in fact, as evidenced in my now-infamous review of Cursed. I always read them, I always hate them, they’re always deeply flawed.

So to say I was skeptical of The Other Merlin is an understatement. But…it was a very pleasant surprise!

If you like The Once and Future King, you’ll probably like this one. Like TOAFK, it’s a buddy comedy high fantasy at its heart (my favorite fantasy subgenre) and an incredibly good one at that. It’s character driven but is also held up by a fun, clever, and exciting plot.

Schneider has kept much of the bones of the original story, working in our protagonist Emory (really the only new character of note aside from her dullard brother, who is more plot device than person) in a way that feels like she belonged in the story all along.

Other familiar characters play slightly different roles this time around (Gawain, Mordred, Elaine, and others all appear but have either a different plot line or different parentage/relations). And the story has been tweaked for a modern audience as well (Lancelot is queer, the women are not all either sorceresses or high court lawn ornaments). And my personal favorite-the Questing Beast!-has already made a different sort of appearance.

The story is just getting started in book one, but the foundation is excellent. The love scenes are cringey (as most love scenes are) and the cover is terrible, but that’s the extent of my gripes with this one. I loved the story, the characters, the humor, and the spirit of adventure, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

This book was amazing. I obsess over any retelling of the story of Arthur and Merlin, yet this just became my favorite. And so much bisexual representation I love it! Then the sexual tension is amazing. I also haven’t read a book with such a solid, sassy, strong, and badass main character in a while and it was great to get to read. The banter in this is top tier. Then the whole storyline is great and flowed really well along with character stories and development. Everyone should read this!

The tale of the once and future king remains timeless. But the story of the other Merlin has only just begun.
Robyn Schneider’s new medieval-fantasy novel is a heartwarming and adventurous start in a series that’s a retelling of Arthurian legend. For fans of the BBC television series Merlin, this book brings the same familiar joy, humor, and drama. With its own unique twist of events, the tale of King Arthur takes a rather Shakespearean turn reminiscent of Twelfth Night. Rooted in the beloved magical world of Camelot, it is an exciting reimagining of Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and the rest.
Chapter one, enter Emry Merlin. Emry is the daughter of the last court wizard of Camelot. She and her twin brother are the last of a long line of Merlin family wizards. In the wake of a bookish and unpopular misfit prince pulling a sword from a stone, King Uther summons Emmett Merlin to the castle as an apprentice wizard in his court. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Emry must take her brother’s place. Disguised as a boy, Emry finally has the opportunity to cultivate her magic and explore her talents like never before. During her time there, she meets and befriends a disgraced Lancelot, an idealistic Arthur, a pompous Guinevere, and a cunning Gawain. Conquering one challenge, then another, the obstacles Emry faces and the relationships that form because of them will keep readers turning the page, eagerly anticipating what will happen next.
Schneider’s story and characters are both recognizable and written to be refreshingly original. Queer inclusion is interspersed among the characters in a way that makes this world a safe space for queer narratives, and also more representative for diverse readers. Furthermore, Emry demonstrates the remarkable resilience of a young woman challenging a broken system of prejudice and hate.
The Other Merlin was fascinating and fun; a pleasure from start to finish. This journey of myth and magic was certainly worth the read and I can’t wait to know what happens next!

I literally cannot stop grinning. its SO GOOD. Gender bending. Emry poses as her brother in the palace as the wizards apprentance. ITS SO FUNNY. I screamed out loud several times. you have to read it i cannot recommend enough AAAAAAAAAAAAAA. king arthor retelling

So excited for the next book!!

*Special thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

I'm staring at my computer screen right now trying to come up with the words to express what a delight this book was. Honestly, words can't even begin to express the absolute joy I felt reading this book. It was so much fun! Yes, it was quite ridiculous, and yes, the characters were messy in the best ways possible, and ​yes, you need to go read it right now!

​Emry Merlin is truly a phenomenon. A bisexual female wizard impersonating her brother so she can learn magic at Prince Arthur's castle? Yep, that's Emry. But not only that: she's also hilarious, and so many moments made me laugh out loud. I also adored Arthur's character. He's so sweet and bookish. The multiple POV worked great for this story, and it was really well written. This wasn't one of those multiple POVs where you love one character's perspective and loathe when the other character's POV comes around. Both Emry's and Arthur's perspectives were so fun to read from!

The romance! Ugh it was so good. The angst, the longing, the tension! I loved the banter between Emry and Arthur, and I simply could not help rooting for them. They're so adorably awkward. I never knew that a romance between Merlin and Arthur was what's missing from my life, but low and behold it was.

This book was like the child of a fantasy novel and a contemporary novel. It was fantasy but had such a contemporary feel, which I actually loved. It made this a lighthearted, quick read. The dialogue felt so natural, and the characters felt like genuinely real people.

My only complaint is that the stakes did feel a bit low at times. We also didn't get a clear-cut villain until later in the story, which made the action at the end feel a tad rushed. However, this didn't bother me too much. After all, Emry falsely impersonating her brother at the castle provided plenty of drama for the first half of the book!

I'll conclude my review of The Other Merlin with these words of wisdom: ​Go buy a copy of this book now. You shall not regret it.

I gave The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider 4.5/5 Stars ​⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨.

Content Warnings: misogyny, sexism, abandonment, suspected death of parent, ​violence, blood

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Teen, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First and foremost, I would like to say that I'm a sucker for King Arthur retellings, so when I heard about this book, I was beyond excited. I loved everyone. Emry was a light-hearted, fun heroine. Lance was hilarious. Arthur was downright loveable. I loved the whole "girl disguises herself as her brother" plot as it showed that even being a woman, Emry was able to do what every man did. This twist on the Arthurian tale was a new one. The only thing I would change was I wish there was more of a female friendship with Emry and Guinevere or even just more insight on her. Gawain was also left out and I feel like we didn't get to know him as much as a character. Now this book also had some Pansexual, bisexual, and gay reps. However, because I am not a part of the community, I can't say whether or not it was done well. According to her website, I know that this was written by an own voices author who identifies as Bi.

This book does leave off on a cliffhanger! And the second book in the installment is coming out in 2022!

I absolutely devoured this book. I adore Emry so so much. The concept of Merlin's daughter becoming the court wizard, was well executed. The on!y thing I didn't like were the modern catch phrases riddled throughout. It took away some of the fantasy atmosphere.

Pick this book up right now!

This is an adorable King Arthur/Merlin retelling. Now if you are purist this might not be for you, as the story is quite different from the original. However it is such a sweet book that was just so amazing to read.

We follow Arther, obviously, and Emry Merlin. Emry's twin brother Emmett has been summoned instead of her to be an apprentice to become the court wizard. However when Emmett becomes indisposed, Emry decides to go in her brother's place and pretend to be him for a week until they can switch back. Emry, Arthur, and Lance are all such loveable characters and the relationship between them was so fun to read about.

The love story is absolutely adorable. Emry is bisexual and while Arthur's sexuality is never explicitly discussed, when he realizes he is starting to have feelings for a guy, he accepts that. Lancelot is also gay, and there is hints for a relationship that will happen between him and another character from the original legends. I was worried about how the whole "disguising as a guy" thing would go, however it was written very well. I think the author handled things very well in the story as well. I do hope to see some genderqueer characters in the future books though.

The story is paced quite well. It is mostly told from the perspectives of Emry and Arthur, but there are chapters that are told from the perspectives of other characters. This creates a higher stakes feel to the story as the reader is aware of what other characters know, or think they know. I loved what this brought to book and the dynamics it created between the characters.

I liked the way the book built up to the cliffhanger. There were many hints and events that led up to what would happen. Maybe it's because I'm not super familiar with the original legend, but I loved the way the book ended and the implications of what is going to happen in the next book.

Anyways now I will be going to binge all of Merlin on Netflix

Thanks to PenguinTeen for providing a free digital early copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you love a good King Arthur retelling (with a few historical and… well, exact retelling liberties) then you’ll enjoy this one! I loved the unique spin and wondered when we would see some of the “usual” cast of characters. I only had to be patient. In general, this book was a lot fun. I really like how the author turned some things upside down but like...in the best way.

I really adored Emry and felt her struggle of being a girl who isn't allowed to do a lot of things due to the time period. Her brother is really...something else, but not in a good way. I'm glad what happened to him was the catalyst for Emry's journey, and I found myself struggling to like him. However, at least he admits to some things we already knew to be true.

I also found myself enjoying the humor in his story, especially between Arthur and Lancelot. I'm still secretly afraid that if this <i>does</i> follow some of the actual legend, then there will be a rift between Arthur and Lancelot (though I don't think it'll be about Guin, btw) and I'm not prepared for that to happen, lol. I loved their friendship and loyalty to one another, their ability to banter and feel like they can be honest with one another. But of course, we do have to mention Guin. If I know anything, I would think the author will continue to take liberties with the legend, so I don't think we'll see Guin as the one who "betrays" Arthur for Lancelot. I'm glad the author is giving the young woman a real story, too.

And of course I enjoyed the budding romance between Arthur and Emry, and I'm eager to see how this plays out in the rest of the books, especially since it does seem like she is following the whole "Morgaine is evil" thing and maybe even the whole "Mordred will do something horrible." I'm totally down for imagining and Arthur/Merlin relationship especially since this Merlin isn't an old man.

I hope we also spend some more time on Avalon, and I'm glad the author included this visit. I'm definitely all about that magic.