Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this book! This is my honest review.

I regret that it took me so long to read this eARC when I received it months ago- this book was AMAZING!!! What a fantastic retelling of Arthurian legend. I appreciated this version as a feminist take on the court of Uther Pendragon, and how the author focused on this portion of the legend to really flesh out the female characters within the legend. I thought this was wholly unique and engrossing- I read the majority of the book in one sitting! The characters were well developed and believable. I will be interested to see what Sophie Keetch puts out next- she is now on my book watch list!

Thank you for the advanced reading copy of Morgan is my name. This was such a deep and interesting read. We will have to look into this for the shop

All you have to say is Arthurian re-telling, and I will come running. I absolutely adored this feminist re-telling of Morgan Le Fay.

Morgan is my Name does an excellent job of laying out the backstory and groundwork for Morgan's story. When her mother is forced to marry King Uther after the death of her father, Morgan does everything in her power to defy him. She secretly falls in love with a page, finds a way to become educated about topics he doesn't deem suitable for a princess, and discovers an affinity for healing. Regardless of the obstacles that are put in place, Morgan never loses her fire and continues to fight for her independence.

Everything about this was wonderful. I ended up listening to it on audio, and the narrator was perfect. The writing was superb and I really felt immersed in the Arthurian setting. As a character, Morgan had such spark and watching her navigate court, gossip, politics, and all, was truly inspiring. For anyone that loves an Arthurian based story, this book does not disappoint!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I need to start by saying I am a big King Arthur retelling fan/enthusiast. But that also means I can be a little more critical than others because I have a lot to compare to.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and the story Sophie Keetch told.
This was a great start to a trilogy(?)
The more feminist take on Morgan's story was done very well.
I can't wait to see where this story goes.

A compelling origin story of one of most interesting characters from Arthurian legend. I have always been fascinated by the King Arthur story, most specifically regarding the women that surrounded by him. Morgan is My Name is a wonderful take on the untold story of Morgan le Fay. Readers of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon should take note of author Sophie Keetch, definitely looking forward to see what she pens next.

This was definitely a treat. Beautiful writing, wonderfully realized protagonist with all the nuance that made me hungry for me. I’m super thrilled this will not be the end of Morgan’s story. She is an absolute force and join to read from.

I'm a huge fan of Arthurian legend and all of its accompanying lore. Morgan/Morgana is one of the most fascinating characters to me, and this origin story was excellent. She is truly a force of nature, her will unbroken by the many men who tried to do so. Her friendship with Alys, her relationship with her mother, then brother (as well as the slight interactions we see with her sisters) and the love of her father (as well as the burning hatred of Uther) are well done, creating a layered and intriguing portrait of a woman not easily categorized.

A wonderful retelling of the tale of Morgan le Fay. While different from what I usually read, I was drawn in by the characterization and thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book. While I wished we could have continued further into Morgan’s life in this volume, I am eager for more.

I enjoyed this story a lot! I am a fan of Arthurian legends and just knew I had to read this one. The writing is enthralling and submersive - the reader truly gets pulled into a story entwined with politics, family drama and feminine rage. This is a more character driven story but I love that we get Morgan's backstory, we get to see her childhood and I really felt like her voice transitioned from a child to a young woman seamlessly - her character development was excellent. I especially loved her time at the abbey since her thirst for knowledge is definitely something I share. She also makes the best friend here and I love the found family moment going on between the two women. I feel like the author did a great job telling this story - Morgan is the known villainess but when Morgan finally met Arthur in this one, it was a rather interesting encounter because I have to admit, I found myself being wary of him! The story definitely set a suspicious tone surrounding Arthur and, especially, Merlin. Can't wait to see how that develops further. Admittedly, the ending wasn't as conclusive as I expected but after a little googling I found out this is going to be a trilogy so... Bring on the next book!

Content warning: Domestic abuse, death (including that of a parent), child death, toxic relationships, child abuse, sexual assault.

A big thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I did not know when I started this book that it was the beginning of a series. I found it slightly depressing to read as problem after problem arose and I was wondering if it was going to turn around at all before the ending. And then it didn’t end. (Well the book ended, but not the story). I was expecting the usual story arc but being book one in a series it didn't progress far into that arc. So most of this book was just the set up. And reading the book, not knowing this, I was getting antsy reading it wondering when the good stuff was going to happen.
So I did love our heroine and her group, the book was good, but Morgan was only juuuust starting to really fight for herself by the end and so I’m expecting I’ll enjoy the next book much more. I'm actually not very familiar with the story of King Arthur or Morgan Le Fay so I am excited to read the following books and familiarize myself with them a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and to Sophie Keetch for an EArc of Morgan is My Name in exchange for an honest review!

This book was everything I wanted and didn’t know I needed. I found myself unable to put it down once I began. Morgan is My Name is a powerful read about love, staying true to oneself, friendship, hope, grief, family, bravery and courage. I felt so drawn to Morgan from just the first chapter and continued to be drawn to her character throughout.

Keetch draws you into the depth and wonder of her storytelling with her reimagining of Morgan le Fay. It is so beautifully written. I loved that as Morgan grows throughout the book from a child into a young woman that it is also reflected in the writing. It’s almost as if we’re seamlessly growing with her in her own story.

I found myself highlighting so many sentences, descriptions, feelings and phrases. Even bookmarking pages that I loved. The writing was phenomenal and this is an instant and forever favourite now for me.

I can’t wait to recommend this book to friends and talk about it. And I CANNOT wait for the next one. After that ending? I’m itching to pick up where Morgan’s story is left off.

I am now an immediate Sophie Keetch fan and am absolutely looking forward to her next works. Thank you again so very much to the publisher, to Sophie Keetch and to NetGalley for an eArc of Morgan is My Name!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars

I loved loved love this reimagining of Morgan le Fays story! It had me hooked since the very first pages and it’s feminist perspective really brings a breath of fresh air to this story which has usually been told from the perspective of Arthur. It was realistic, meaningful and relevant! If you love stories that you’ve known but told through a different lens + Arthurian myths, this is the book for you! Such an enjoyable read!

The story of everyone's life starts somewhere. This novel follows Morgan Le Fay's life as a child to early adulthood. It offers a unique and purely femaile viewpoint of the Arthurian legend, outlining the obstacles encountered by and the motivations of a woman who did not "fit" the world she was living in. Morgan is able to surmount the challenges she faces and these forces ultimately shape Morgan into the legendary sorceress she becomes.

I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about a strong female lead.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with copy of this novel to review.

Morgan is my Name was phenomenal! It reignited my love for Arthurian fiction and fantasy. It was a beautifully written tale about the inequality of women and men in earlier times.

Sophie Keetch wrote a gripping tale and it kept me hooked. This will go down as one of my favorite retellings! I can’t wait for more from Sophie.

The writing was so well done. The characters were so well fleshed out. I felt like I was in the story and that is something truly magical. This is a book I think I will reread many times. It was the epitome of feminist rage, I felt it growing on every new page. Morgan wasn’t a villain, but she was made out to be one because she was powerful, smart, and brave.

I also really enjoy when fantasy books are politically charged. Morgan pushed the bounds of all political decisions and norms in this time because she knew they were wrong and antiquated, that women could be and should be heard.

I am a Sophie Keetch fan and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! Thank you PRH Canada and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this retelling of Morgan le Fay. I just found out that this will be a trilogy. Thank goodness, because when it ended, I wanted more. After Morgan's father is killed, her mother is forced to marry Uther Pendragon, in order to protect her three daughters. Uther is a tyrant and Morgan despises him. Morgan is different from her two sisters. She has a quick temper and is defiant. Uther sends her first to the church to rid her of this defiance. But the priest is aligned with Morgan's mother and he teaches her many things-- given the educa
tion she always wanted in secret. Many things happen to Morgan, as she falls in love with someone she shouldn't have, Uther finds out and she is sent away to a convent. There is so much more to this story, and I promise you won't be disappointed. Morgan is not what you think, as she has appeared in many legends. Enjoy! There is more to come! Thankyou to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this. I give this book a 4 out of 5. Look forward to the next installment.

I really enjoyed this book.

I like how this took part of a myth and imagined how it could have actually played out in history. I also loved that it gave Morgan a voice and looked at what her side of the story could have been.

It was beautifully-written and full of emotion. I couldn't put it down once I got about halfway in.

I also really appreciated how no matter how dark things got, there was always a flicker of hope and courage.

I recommend this book for people who love myth retellings and are interested in seeing what the women's stories may have been.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, even though it's a few years old now, I am still loving mythological retellings that are centred around female figures. (We have had millennia of myths about men, we deserve more than a few years!) And I was doubly as excited to see a British myth featured.

I was lucky enough to take an English course at university on King Arthur and early Britain, and I was very intrigued by Morgan/a. Keetch has brought her to life in Morgan is My Name and has done it brilliantly. She fleshes out a figure who is fairly one-note in the mythology and makes us immediately stand in her corner. Morgan is a capable and determined character, and her story here is largely grounded in reality. There are some instances of magic, but it in no way dominates Morgan is My Name.

In addition to creating a compelling protagonist, I love that Keetch brings new life to the other figures of the Arthurian legends, including Arthur, Uther, and Merlin. While it does not take away from Morgan's own story, it gives the reader the chance to reconsider the characters who do have more space in the myths from another perspective.

This novel is obviously written by someone who knows their mythology, and who is passionate about it. Morgan Is My Name is a must-read for anyone interested in mythology, or in finding a female-centred past.

This was such an interesting concept to play with that I was very excited to be given an ARC to read. I had vaguely heard of Morgan le Fay and I looked forward to reading what Keetch sets up is her origin story. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I liked Morgan's ability to bend the rules just enough to do what she wants. I loved seeing Morgan go head to head against the likes of Uther Pendragon (her stepfather) and Merlin (yes that Merlin!). She pushes back when the men in her life try to pen her in. The author compares Morgan to the sea - which Morgan conveniently lives next to, whilst a little on the nose, the connection is that like the sea, Morgan refuses to be tamed.

I really enjoyed the friendship she develops with Alys, a novice nun who she meets whilst banished from her stepfather's court. Looking back, that particular relationship seems to be healthiest of the relationships in this story.

SPOILERS - The one element that I didn't enjoy as much was the love story with the Gaule squire. It was intriguing at first but I found that the dialogue between the two characters became overly sweet - yes it's set in the age of chivalry but it was a bit much for me.

I think Sophie Keetch did a great job in her debut novel. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. Thank you Netgalley!

In High School, I loved Mary Stewart's Arthurian Legend series. My favourite character was Morgan, sister to Arthur, apprentice to Merlin, sorcerous in her own right, but a minor character with the likes of Arthur and Merlin being the story's focus. On the other hand, Sophie Keetch has written an entire book telling Morgan's story. Yay!
The novel starts when Morgan is a young girl and her father, the king, is killed. King Uther comes to court and forces the Queen (her mother) to marry him and then pretty much dictates the lives of everyone in the land as most kings were wont to do in the middle ages. Ever the rebel, Morgan is sent to a convent where she is delighted to have the opportunity to study (her passion, anatomy and healing). But her stepfather king eventually interrupts her happiness and orders her back to court, where she has to stifle the powerful woman she is if she is to survive the politics of the land. But just how long will she be able to live a life dictated?
I loved and loved LOVED this book. I loved the characterization of Morgan. I loved the strong female characters presented. I loved the love story, the political intricacies and the elements of "Arthurian legend" woven throughout. What a great addition to my summer reading.
Keetch writes in prose that is accessible to every reader.

I was swept up in medieval court life with its intrigues and politics–all with a hint of magic.

Morgan Is My Name is a new look at the legend of Morgan Le Fay, one character in Arthurian legend. Morgan Le Fay took different personas in medieval literature, perhaps originating from Welsh mythology. Early tales wrote her as a more benevolent figure, but Morgan Is My Name seems to be most closely following the 15th century Le Morte D’Arthur legend in which she ultimately becomes a morally ambiguous figure.

I enjoyed this book! It is a simple tale, following Morgan from late childhood into early womanhood. I won’t say much more, as the book is fairly plot-driven. It is a coming of age story, and her self-discovery is interesting, given that what she is drawn to–the healing arts and magic–is not the sort of stuff a woman of her station is allowed. It’s a battle between the life she wants and the life she is forced to lead.

The feminist perspective was ever-present: the politics of gender, and the physicality of women's lives takes up a lot of the page. Childbirth and midwifery are featured, and I like books with that element. Morgan is a sympathetic heroine, as are her close friends. Though some of the antagonists are truly bad, most are painted in shades of grey, which lends some sophistication.

My only issue with the book is that Morgan is portrayed as generally entirely good; she doesn’t grapple with much with moral ambiguity or darker impulses. There is no shadow here…yet. This is the first of a trilogy, so perhaps Keetch will develop this conflict to be more in line with the legend.

Overall, though not an overly complex or deep novel, I think this will appeal to readers who are drawn to Arthurian legend or to feminist retellings of historical and mythical women.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC.