I went back and forth on my rating for this one before I realized I was comparing it to more serious, high-fantasy stories unfairly. This is a fun, quick, comedic rom-com which happens to be a contemporary Arthurian retelling, and judging it on those parameters, it's a wonderful fun story.

Emry is a feminist leading lady without it being too preachy or in-your-face, and her natural talent for magic compared to her brother is handled incredibly well. Arthur is an awkward bumbling boy who never expected to be king and has no idea what to do with his newfound glory, which is the best possible way to write him. Lancelot is a flirty bisexual disaster in the best way, which was unexpected and also wonderful. Gawain and Guinevere are more minor but equally enjoyable familiar characters whose roles in the story I was pleased to see.

With all the casual queer representation in the book, the cis-heteronormativity of Arthur questioning his attraction to Emry while she was disguised as a boy was a little disappointing, but not egregious enough to really dampen the story, especially when we're given Emry's own bisexuality as prominently as we are.

The humor of this book was crass and at times almost childish, but remembering that this is a story about teens written for teens makes it justifiable. The sex jokes and nearly constant drunken debauchery may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it fits the setting and tone of the story excellently.

Of course, the main draw of this book is the inevitable romance between Arthur and Merlin, and it happens just as clumsily and awkwardly as you'd hope.

One downside of this book is the length and pacing - if this were simply a rom-com and nothing more, the story may have started and ended much quicker. But instead, we get a few moments of exposition and info-dump to set up for what ultimately becomes a villain reveal towards the final 1/4th of the book, which seemed late in the story until you realize this is the start of a series.

Overall, a funny and romantic read, and the start of a potentially great series for those looking for fantasy but not wanting a super serious story.

To start off, I love when original stories/tales are gender bent. In this case, we have the children of the great wizard Merlin, Emry and Emmett - girl/boy twins who both possess the powers of their father, though it's clear that Emry is much strong than Emmett. 

Emry is such a great MC, but I loved getting the story through Arthur and Lance's POV as well. We get a few extra POVs here, including Emmett's, Gawain's, and even Guinevere's, but for the most part, this book is written through Emry and Arthur's POV. I loved getting to see this story from different angles and know what other characters are thinking and feeling. First person POVs are great for some books, but I am a total fan of third person in this story. It makes it so much better!

I loved Arthur and Lance too, and while I wasn't a fan of Gawain and Guinevere at first, I grew to like them too. Though I still don't like Emmett as a character. Emry's relationship with Arthur and Lance is just so wonderful and I was shipping her with Arthur the entire time! Lance is also a great friend to Arthur and I can tell that they truly care about each other. There are a lot of friendships that I loved in this book, though some didn't start out that way. 

And then the relationships and potential relationships are so cute! Plus, I loved that Emry is bi! There is some good rep in this book, including Lance who's gay and obviously, Emry is bi. I'm hoping we get more representation in the next book, because I love seeing it!

In terms of the plot, I liked the story line. I'm so glad there is going to be another book in the series because I love what Robyn did and I want to read more of it. We get a great look at the magic system, how magic came to be, and what might be heading our way in future books. I'm not sure how many books are planned for this series, but I could see this being a trilogy, there's so much potential. 

Another thing I really liked about the book was the humor. This book is more lighthearted and is filled with great humor. While there are some darker moments in the book it's generally light and a lot of fun to read! The only thing I could think of that I didn't like was the modern jokes/slang in the book. It's such a small thing to be mad about but it was weird to have modern jokes or modern items mentioned for a time period that's meant to be 1,000 years ago. I get why it's included, but it throws me off while reading. 

Overall, this was such a good book and it was so light and funny. I loved the set up for future books and I can't wait for more Arthur and Emry moments!! If you like genderbent Arthurian legend, lighthearted comedy, or friendships to die for then you should definitely check out this book. It's so good!

Reviews Posted September 18, 2021
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I AM SO OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK!!! Everything from the plot to the characters had be addicted from the start. Honestly while I think this book was the perfect length, I wanted more, because I did not want to leave the world.

One of my favorite things about this book was how fleshed out all the characters were. Even the ones that are just side or supporting characters. As the book went the author did a great job of showing why each character was acting they way they were and how they were growing from they actions. Seeing each characters struggles and thoughts, definitely allowed me to care about them all more and want to see all of them get their own happy ending. I also felt that none of the characters were tokenized and that the representation felt natural.

The plot was definitely faced paced, which kept me invested. I felt that the twists were interesting and big reveals all played out at the right times. While there were a lot of subplots and romances I never felt they took over the story but instead added to the plot and the characters.

This book reminded me why I love to read and brought back those emotions of falling in love with a book for the first time. The writing style and characters are the type I find addicting and exciting. I was constantly torn between not leaving the world, but also putting it down so it wouldn’t end.

3.5 stars
This was such a blast! This Arthurian tale is filled with castles and gowns and historical courts but also has a modern feel in both humor and magic. We follow Emry who takes her brother's place as the castle's new Merlin and ends up becoming friends with Arthur and Lance (and perhaps ;)more;) with Arthur). Like I said, this book was full of humor and innuendos which made it feel new and fresh. I don't know much about Arthurian legends but I don't think you have to have any previous knowledge about them in order to enjoy this story. This takes the characters, makes them teenagers, and spins the tales on their head. There is also some more sinister magic running along throughout the book but this one is definitely the start to a series and doesn't have much darkness, just world and character building. I did find the middle to drag a bit because it was a lot of time following the characters around and not necessarily building the plot. We do get to see a lot of different perspectives, including (but not limited to) Emry, Arthur, and Lance. There's also a ton of diversity and representation within this book. This is a really good introductory fantasy if you're a newbie but is super entertaining for experienced fantasy readers as well! Highly recommend checking it out on release day!

This was such a fun book! I love Robyn Schneider’s voice--she’s so funny and is great at picking up on the best aspects of teen rom-coms. I only know the basics of Arthurian legend from reading other Arthurian retellings, but I loved how she integrated the classic story into Emry’s story. Even though this book takes place during a medieval era in London, it still felt so modern and fresh in so many ways.

I also adored these characters. Arthur and Lance’s friendship is so pure and adorable. I love how fiercely they love each other and how obvious it is that they would defend and protect each other to their death. Arthur and Emry’s relationship was also really sweet and I loved Robyn Schneider’s take on this “She’s The Man” concept of the male love interest falling in love with the female main character disguised as a boy and accepting the fact that he’s queer instead of trying to queerbait the audience. The ending also definitely brought up so many questions that I hope will be answered in Book 2, which I have so many hopes for. I hope Emry & Arthur and Emmett & Guin are able to be happy and I hope Lance finds someone who loves him as much as he loves them, and I’m (surprisingly) excited to see Gawain return too. Overall I’d give this 4 stars!

I was super excited to get my hands on a galley of The Other Merlin, and this novel somehow managed to surpass ALL of my expectations. The characters, the romance, the banter, and just about everything was top tier. This definitely deserves more hype!

The most enjoyable part of The Other Merlin for me was the characters and their interactions. Schneider is able to write really fun back and forth dialogue that’s extremely natural, and she played to each character’s strengths really well. Each character that we follow throughout the novel has developments and they all have their own problems and conflicts to deal with. Looking back, The Other Merlin doesn’t have much plot, but since the characters were so well written, I didn’t even notice.

Due to the formatting of the e-galley, I couldn't tell if there were indicators for where the author had switched POV, but even then, each character had an extremely distinct voice. I don’t think I’ve read a book with multiple POVs that was done quite like this, it was almost like a no-brainer while I was reading. I could start reading at any point in the book and be able to tell which perspective we’re reading from.

And I can’t write a review without mentioning all the gays in this book. I'm not gonna lie, when I found out that multiple MCs were part of the LGBTQ community, I knew that I needed to read this book.

Overall, this was a really light and easy fantasy novel that I was addicted to. Everyone was super loveable and there was a great balance of humor and some more serious topics. Now I’m going to sit here and wait patiently for the sequel to come out because I really want to see this cast of characters again!

They had me at Arthurian retelling, that’s literally all I needed to know.

This gender bent retelling of The Sword in the Stone was literally exactly what I needed right now! It was light, humor filled with an amazing amount of LGTBQ rep and was just so refreshing all the way around!

What *I* assumed when I heard this was a gender bent retelling was Merlin (one of my fav characters from the Disney version lol) was in fact, a female. HOWEVER, in this case, Merlin has twin children who take his last name, MERLIN. This retelling follows Emry, who has been left with no choice but to charade as her brother and learn to be castle Camelot’s court Wizard. In a world where woman are expected to do only so much, Emry has always dreamed of learning how to better her magic and to show the world that women can also do anything they desire to.

The Other Merlin has made it to my top favorite of King Arthur retellings that I’ve read. I adored watching unlikely friendships being made and no one judged anyone for anything. It was super light hearted and funny at times and pulled together a lot of details from the original legend to make a newer, fresher and more progressive version on this story we all know! I will highly be anticipating the sequel to this story!

This book is kind of ridiculous, and I say that in the most endearing way possible. It is the perfect combination of quality while not taking itself too seriously that just works so effortlessly. It allows itself to be fun and goofy at times, while not losing direction of the narrative. I straight up had fun reading it.

The Other Merlin has this great way of being in third person without being too heavy. You don't necesarily feel bogged down by a super complex world or lots of metaphors inside of metaphors. It definitely is fantasy and has worldbuilidng and such, but it felt a bit lighter within that fantasy realm. Very easy to get lost in the story and breeze through it all.

Bonus points for the multiple pov situation that was going on. You know what the added perk of hearing the thoughts of a bunch of characters??? We get double sided pining for the romance. Which obviously makes it better. Oh! And did I mention the fact that both of the main characters are bisexual? Yep. That is pretty fantastic too.

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The final battle is reliant on the main character to make a kind of reckless choice. Which really *is* in character for Emry to make these ridiculous life choices, but still. I would have liked a bit more groundwork for it so it would’ve been like no no no no no no no no no no. Some more foundation and depth with the backstory so Emry’s ultimate motivation could have been clearer.

To be completely honest, the use of the word “battle” is probally overexaggerating things. The end was the tiniest bit anticlimactic. We didn’t get a clear cut “villian” until later in the book, which means the progression of that storyline felt a little bit rushed. The villians motivations and whatnot are still clear and well developed, but I feel like there could have been more drama at the final showdown.

As for the ending beyond the final confrontation, I could have used a bit more of a conclusion. The supporting cast gets the attention they deserve, with their storylines being tied up and their own moments to shine. But because there was so much focus on all of these subplots and character arcs being tied up, I feel like Emry and Author’s stories were left slightly unattended. But then again, maybe that’s just to leave more room for them to grow in the second book (which i need asap btw AHHHH).

4.5 Overall, I had a blast reading this one. The story kept me hooked, the banter had me cackling, and it was light and exactly what I needed to kick of the fantasy reading season. I’d recommend this to fans of retellings and to those looking for a fast paced book you won’t be able to put down!

I am a huge fan of King Arthur retellings and the fact that this one has a She's the Man esque twist made it even better. I love that Arthur is having a whole crisis trying to figure out why he is so drawn to Merlin, while she is feeling terribly guilty about lying. Merlin is canonically queer and just wants to be seen for her value, even though she's a woman in a man's world. I found all of the characters lovely and couldn't help but to fall for them all. Lance is such a sweet and loyal friend who has been used as a scapegoat. I did get annoyed at Arthur at times because I found him to be pretty passive when it came to standing up to his father. The ending wrapped up a little quickly but I am so excited that it is going to be a series. For me, this was a 4.5/5.

If you like a bookish Arthur, were also obsessed with the BBC's Merlin, or want to see how well a girl can pull off being her twin rake of a brother, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun! I loved the heroine best. She funny and snarky, hero is cute and endearing, Lance I loved. Emmet, heroine's twin, and Guin are both ok, I liked them. I hope in the next books we get more growth for these two.
The hero handled the conflict poorly for someone who seemed to be smart and emotionally wise.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I am a simp for Arthurian retellings. It's just a fact now.

The Other Merlin is a reimaging of Arthurian Legend where Merlin's twin children are the Merlin to Arthur Pendragon. Emry Merlin has only every wanted to learn more about magic, but as a girl her father gave more attention to her twin brother Emmett. Years after Merlin's disappearance, King Uther demands that his son come to court to become Arthur's wizard. But Emmett becomes indisposed after a bad spell, so Emry agrees to go in his place for a week.

Studying magic at court is everything Emry has ever wanted and as she continues to learn more about Arthur, and Gawain, she finds herself making a home for herself at court. But when her secret gets out, she knows it will spell trouble.

I absolutely loved this retelling so much! I loved the added mystery around Excalibur, Nimue and Morgana. I feel like I was finally able to get a good grasp on who all the characters are in the original Arthur canon, but with way more queer people. I loved seeing Emry learn more about magic and making her own little family at court. I wish we would've gotten to see more friendship between Guinevere and Emry, but I'll keep my hopes up for the sequel!

Rep: Pansexual female MC (possibly demisexual as well), bisexual male side character, gay male side character, questioning love interest, BIPOC side character.

CWs: Abandonment/suspected death of parent, alcohol consumption, blood, misogyny, outing, sexism, violence, sexual content (not graphic).

I LOVED this genderbent Merlin YA retelling! Emry is one badass female "Merlin" and I absolutely loved her character. This book is for you if you love witty banter, lasting friendships, LGBT rep, and Camelot retellings!

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

I absolutely loved the Other Merlin. This gender-bent Arthurian retelling was funny, exciting, and I cannot wait for the sequel. Emery has loved magic her entire life. She fought with her father to learn magic along with her twin brother. When her brother cannot go to Camelot, Emery goes in her place dressed as a man. Hilarity ensues.

The brotherhood between Arthur and Lancelot is fantastic and grows throughout the book. They welcome Emery into their circle relatively quickly, and the three become fast friends. The chemistry between Emery and Arthur is present for the whole relationship. The author has multiple LGBTQ+ characters, with Emery being bisexual and Lancelot being gay. Arthur also questions his sexuality throughout the book.

The ending was a little anti-climatic but definitely set the reader up for the next book. I honestly cannot wait for the next book to come. I hope the author makes this a long series with several books!

The author includes a lot of major characters from the Arthurian legends. I absolutely loved the show Merlin, and if you are a Merlin fan, I think you'll like The Other Merlin.

Overall, I would rate this book 4.5 stars. If the author had added a little bit more excitement in the ending, I definitely would have rated it five stars.

This is a high drama, hilarious take on Arthurian legend, featuring a bisexual female Merlin masquerading as her twin brother, a brave gay teen as Lancelot, and an Arthur who would rather be reading than jousting. Full of magic, quips, and bawdy humor, this is the kind of fun ride through mythology (loosely told) that would be perfect for fans of IN OTHER LANDS or A KNIGHTS TALE. A fresh, fun and fast read, despite its length.

Really enjoyed this genderbent King Arthur YA fantasy novel!

Emry is such a fun herione, I love her guts and ambition, and the way she keeps fighting agains't the kingdom's outdated views on traditional gender roles. Her relationship with Arthur is a joy to read, their banter and friendship slowing turning into romance was really fun.

And Lancelot is so great! I love the bisexual rep in this book, the way they just don't care about someone's gender is fabulous. Princess Guinevere took a while to grow on me, but I liked how her character developed, and the found family that formed with everyone by the end of the book. I did think Morganna could have been given a better role- I really thought she would have sympathized with Emry more, and cared about her child more.

Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Give me a gender bend all day any day but… don’t give me this one. I love the idea of it, but the characters are truly baffling - they go from hating each other to best friends with no discernible effort. The book seemed like it would be tongue-in-cheek but I waited a Godot-esque amount time for humor to make an appearance.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love reading Arthurian legends and this book was absolutely amazing to read! I love that the main character is bisexual and there are a lot of LGBTQ+ characters throughout the story. This was a fun YA fantasy comedy to read with well-developed characters and a great plot.

I absolutely loved Emry Merlin. She was an amazing and engaging heroine. I was able to connect with her very well.

It had a fresh take on romance and the world-building is fun and modern. I can’t wait to read more of this series!

I really liked this book! I enjoyed the humor that was featured and the LGBTQ rep was nice! I loved the modern take on it

There's been a number of YA Arthurian retellings in the past couple of years and I would say this is, hands down, the best. Each of the major characters was well developed with their own desires and challenges. The world was fun and modern. There was a fresh take on the romances. And Emry Merlin was an interesting, engaging heroine. This book actually reminded me a lot of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness with the twin swap, sword fights, magic lessons, a lovable prince and a roguish friend. I can't wait to read more of this series.