3.5 ⭐️

Queen of None follows the life of the long-forgotten Anna Pendragon, the only full-blooded sister of King Arthur. I found the concept of being behind the curtain fascinating. We all know the story of Kind Arthur and his knights, but what about the woman in the story? This is a tale of duty, sorrow and grief, where women fight King’s Arthur’s wars not in the battlefield, but by being married and offered (ridiculously young) as a vessel to bear heirs. What made this interesting is that this is not just Anna’s story, but that of many women through the centuries that were born to be married and remarried to force alliances, forgotten and powerless.

This book sets a new light to the story known to us all. Arthur might have been a king, but in the end he was only a man that was raised to be king. Merlin might have been a powerful wizard, but at what price did he get all that power and influence? Were they really the heroes of the story? And if yes, according to who and at who’s expense?

The plot was very well placed and the writing is amazing, making the reader not just feel for Anna, but also understand her. I really enjoyed the magic, political ploys and the entire prophecy plot line. The characters were flawed, so much so that it made them stand apart and feel real, and the main protagonist is smart, passionate and determined to not just be a pawn anymore.

Thank you very much Solaris and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.

Thank you netgalley for this arc in return for an honest opinion.


Anna Pendragon, sister to King Arthur, returns from Orkney after her husband dies and is married off to the knight Lanceloch. She is unhappy at court and embraces magic to exact revenge.


On the face of it, this book should have been brilliant. Unfortunately, the plot wasn't clear. The last  third of the book seemed didn't seem to match the beginning. Some quite in-depth magic occurs, but magic isn't really mentioned as existing, until it happens. The time jumps were quite frustrating.


Sad that I didn't like it. I won't be reading the sequel.

first of all i have to say that the book wasn’t bad or anything but just not my type of book and i had a hard time keeping up with the story! i think if your more interested in the old english history and know more about king arthur it will probably be a perfect book for you!
for me personally it was just a little to hard to read and the way the story line progressed was a little weird because everything just happend without a lot of story around it and it was hard to keep all the characters in mind!

Queen of None is an arthurian retelling, which called my attention. I was very interested in a story where Merlin was seen as a villain and we have Arthur's sister to get revenge and take away his power while also trying to be a good mother. Unfortunately I didn't like the writing style, too many plot lines and few explanations, so it didn't really catch my attention to read a possible sequel. I also didn't really enjoy jumps in time where it's not written, so some times I got really lost in the story. But in general, I like some parts, mainly including Lanceloch, he's a complex character and had a good "purpose" so it was interesting.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Arthurian legend is my favourite so i am always open to read different retellings and stories about it. But I am also very reticent and wary to do so and Queen of None had a good premise, different from what I have read until now. Unfortunately, the long chapters and the writing style didn't work out for me.

Queen of None follows Anna Pendragon, sister of the famed King Author, prophesied to be forgotten by all. Whilst she may be a minor character in Arthurian legend, in this book she becomes the protagonist, relegating the more well known royals and knights to side characters in her story. Anna has been a political pawn her whole life, mistreated by men to further their own causes, but in this story she starts to find her own power and strength.

It is a slow, gentle story, full of intrigue, that shows the threads being pulled behind the scenes. For me, it was just a bit too slow-paced. My knowledge of Arthurian legend is limited, but I think those who love the legends will love this. Their knowledge will allow them to appreciate the twist and the different perspective on familiar characters more than I did.

Queen of None is an Arthurian retelling written from the perspective of King Arthur's blood sister, Anna. The story starts strong showing how Anna was used for the benefit of her brother at the behest of Merlin. Married off at the tender age of twelve to a brutal ruler of a neighboring kingdom several years older than her, she's forced to lead a loveless life. Upon the passing of her husband, she returns to her borther's court, and once again faces decisions unacceptable to her. Soon she finds out about her dark talents and decides to use it to turn around her fates.

The story starts off strong with the introduction of charatcters we know a lot (and also very little) about. Anna's plight is something women will most certainly relate to. As a reader, I felt her pain. She's one of the most formidable characters in a historical fiction/retelling setup. While there's much to admire in this tale, I found the story dragging a little after reaching the halfway point. Too many characters were introduced that were lost to the plot. The plot in itself took a rather weird turn in the final act of the story.

Queen of Nothing left me with a lot of questions and loose ends. Having said that, it was quite an enjoyable read and except for a few chapters, I found myself thoroughly engaged. If only the last part of the story were written differently, this would've been a stellar read for me. I would give this a solid 3.5 stars.

Queen of None is a good fit for those seeking a story of personal empowerment and revenge, set against a backdrop of medieval politics and magic.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

Now I always enjoyed Arthurian legends, so this was an interesting take.
This one is based on Anna Pendragon, the full sister of Arthur. We've read things on her famous mother, and aunts, on her half sisters, and Arthur's famous lovers, and bride.

But there hasn't been much lore on Anna herself. This was a story about a flawed woman, who recognized that in herself, and realized how much of her life, was not guided by her own decisions. How the women around her glorious brother, were used as pawns for the greater glory of Briton, threaded shuttles in the great Loom of Camelot's fate. And after her husband Lot of Orkney's death, the lengths she went to regain control, lose it - once again and seek revenge to those who had done her the worst damage.

And blending her story with Nimue, another well noted figure blended in this lore. A portion of Anna herself. And through her allows Anna freedom that she's never known before. Freedom to live, and love and seek revenge on the man the controlled her fate.

I enjoyed Anna's story. And thought this was a fun jaunt into a rethought version of these characters. A good reimagining.

Queen of None is the first Arthurian retelling I have read and I must say it was pretty good. I enjoyed the story being told from Anna, Arthur's sister, her POV as this gives it a feminist vibe. The other characters (Bedevere, Merlin, Lanceloch, ...) were all greatly written and I enjoyed getting to know them better. The magic system as well as the world-building was beautiful.

I did feel like the story was a bit long sometimes, which made me lose interest at times. As someone who is not familiar with all the characters of the Arthurian legend, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the different characters, which made me less interested in continuing the story.

Couldn’t get past the first chapter- found the writing style really distant and not cohesive.

I think the Arthurian setting is so overdone and this just didn’t feel different enough to read the same story again.

Overall this was an interesting premise with good world building and characters. There were a few moments when it felt like there were inconsistencies with what we knew of the characters and their motivations versus their actions, but they were fairly minor.

Queen of None is an absolutely spectacular read that blew me away with its incredible prose and intricate characters. I was so absorbed in this tale and thought it was a refreshing take on familiar legends and characters. Stories like this make me incredibly grateful to be a reader and get to experience the dedication of authors who work to make their stories an experience. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy to review.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Queen of None by Natania Barron is a retelling of Arthurian Legend through the eyes of Arthur’s often forgotten sister, Anna. When she was born, Anna was prophesied by Merlin to be forgotten by all and it appears to be true not only in the history books but also in life, as Anna is often forgotten about when she leaves a room. Anna returns to Camlorn when her husband passes, hoping to spend time with her eldest son, Gawain, and have some control of her own life again. When Arthur engages her to Lanceloch, it sets in motion Anna’s slowburn revenge plan on the men around her.

Anna is very sympathetic. Her decisions make a ton of sense, from having an affair over the years with her childhood love, Bevedere, to her desire to get back at Merlin to her relationship to Nimue. We see the story from her point of view and it quickly becomes clear that she spends time among the staff in her castle and she has little interest in the world of courtly politics, but her very existence is a subject of court politics.

I wasn’t familiar with Anna despite being a long-time fan of Arthurian Legend and the story of Gawain. It’s a different POV of Gawain as a character if a reader is only familiar with the Green Knight. Same with Lancelot and Guievere.

Content warning for mentions of sexual assault.

I would recommend this to fans of Arthurian lore, readers looking for a retellings from lesser known characters, and for people who are interested in dipping their toes into Medieval fantasy

This Arthurian retelling was delightful. The story was well paced and the plot was action packed. Anna’s character is so well rounded and easy to love. There was magic, feminism, and triumph. This story was mostly plot and I absolutely loved that!

I grew up on Arthurian stories. From reading The Kitchen Knight picture book ad nauseum to singing along to the Camelot soundtrack (the lyrics were quite different in my five-year-old mind), I ate those stories up. Adult me was quite excited to read a slightly less gilded tale of Arthur and Co.

Queen of None is a lush tale of love and revenge, high on the revenge angle. Life wasn’t all peachy for females in King Arthur’s court, and author Natania Barron told the story of Nimue as an angry, hurt, and desperate person. This is the darkest book that I’ve manage to read- and enjoy-in quite a while, and the list of potential triggers is pretty long. Please be aware going in that things tiptoed right up to the brink of SA and there was an incident of domestic abuse. I actually skimmed some bits, because they are things that I prefer not to read.

I almost see Queen of None as Camelot Goes Grimdark. Surprisingly, it works. The story told is gritty and full of rage. Anna, the main character, spent a miserable arranged marriage to the much older Lot of Orkney. She was a victim of politics and was (understandably) relieved when her husband passed away. This is where our story starts: Anna, widowed, has come to Camelot (called Carelon in this book). Nursing a years-long love of Bedevere, she hopes for a happy second marriage. Instead, Arthur decides that she should marry Lanceloch (Lancelot), his favorite new knight.

Events progress, and Anna realizes that Merlin has more power at court, and over her life, than she is okay with. As her satisfaction and hope dwindle, she hatches a desperate plan to get her revenge on the men who have used others for their own political gain: Merlin and, through him, King Arthur. To do so, she will have to travel down paths dark and dangerous. Thus, Nimue is born.

Despite the darker tone, I really enjoyed this book. The author mainly stayed away from battles and wars, using them in the background to further the plot. Instead, the book is political. Anna wasn’t a likeable character, but she was believable. She felt powerless for most of the book, and acted like she was. She even blamed herself for the one instance of domestic violence in the book. I’m sure this is something that many victims could relate to, but it broke my heart. When she finally realized that the system and the druid at the top were the problem, it was easier to read.

The pacing was slower and took its time setting everything up. It is important to know who is related to whom and how, and that takes a while. Camelot was a convoluted (and sometimes incestuous) place in most stories, after all. I do think that there was a chunk in the middle that didn’t serve the storyline and could have been edited, but overall, the pacing was solid.

The writing was confident and never faltered in tone or theme. The author knew exactly what kind of story she wanted to tell and didn’t deviate from that at all. The ending wasn’t exactly happy, but a happy ending would have been out of place in this book. Instead, it was a breath released (one that I’m sure everyone knew they were holding), and tension slightly eased.

Queen of None is not an easy book, content-wise, and would be massively out of place as a vacation read. It is a fascinating, more brutal, story of Camelot. It isn’t one that I will be able to reread, but it was very well written.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Queen of None is available now.

Summary:

Married off at just twelve years old and thrust into motherhood shortly after, Anna, King Arthur's sister, didn't experience the promising youth she had hoped for. Instead, she dutifully bore three sons and secured the kingdom of Orkney for her brother through her marriage. Throughout it all, she remained unseen and utilitarian—valued only for her name, dowry, and ability to bear children.

Now, two decades later, Anna is called back to Carelon, her childhood home, holding the crown of her deceased husband. She must confront the ghosts of her past: her sisters Morgen, Elaine, and Morgause; the manipulative Merlin and his priests; and Bedevere, her former love.

As Carelon undergoes changes, Anna must adapt as well. New dangers lurk in the shadows, and a mysterious power begins to stir within her. To break free from being a mere pawn in others' schemes, she must leverage her own strength and confront her family in pursuit of her ambitions—and vengeance.

Review:

In this captivating novel, the writer presents a riveting narrative of resilience, ambition, and revenge set against the backdrop of Arthurian legend. The story follows Anna, King Arthur's overlooked sister, who was married off at a young age and spent her life fulfilling the expectations placed upon her.

What makes this book stand out is its exploration of Anna's journey from being a pawn in others' plans to a formidable force in her own right. Through vivid storytelling, readers witness Anna's transformation as she returns to her childhood home of Carelon, facing her past and embracing her newfound power.

The characters are richly drawn and multifaceted, adding depth and complexity to the story. From Anna's manipulative sisters to the enigmatic Merlin and her former love, Bedevere, each character plays a crucial role in shaping Anna's destiny.

At its core, this is a story of empowerment and self-discovery. As Anna navigates the treacherous waters of politics and power, readers are drawn into her quest for agency and justice. The tension builds steadily throughout the novel, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the final, satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this book is a gripping tale that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and strong female protagonists. With its compelling narrative and well-drawn characters, anyone seeking an immersive and engaging story should give this story a try!

I want to start by saying I did thoroughly enjoy the concept of this story. I also like our main character Anna and the array of unique characters we are introduced to. However I rated it 2 stars for a few reasons. The main cause was the sheer number of time jumps and the fact they weren’t often stated. Multiple times I found myself wondering when we jumped months or years ahead. This made it very hard for me to truly live through the story. There was also a magic system that seemed very skimmed over and I would have loved more details about that aspect. I found many grammatical errors and repeats in my copy as well.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. Seemed interesting from the get go, but soon lost my attention. I found myself skipping ahead for something that might interest me, but still found my mind wandering.

Think those who enjoy Arthurian lore and women’s parts in it would find it a good read. Just not for me at the moment.

King Authors sister lived a very different live. Set away from her home at 12 , wedded and using her name for what its worth is all she seemed good for. When her husband dies suddenly she is then thrusted into a different life and forced to confront the trauma of her childhood. This was a fierce read!