Thank you Sam Davey, Diversion Books and Netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

This fantasy adventure was a really good page-turner.

I especially liked how it ended with a strong move by Igraine.

I feel like the plot and storyline was lacking, and could've used some more editing. It didn't flow like it wanted to I feel and needed to be fleshed out more. The premise and the cover were what drew me in but this book fell flat because of how in-cohesive it was and while I understand that it's a debut and the set up for a series, it needed a little more work to truly hold up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for this ARC ♥️✨

I love myths and legends, so really thought I’d enjoy a retelling of the story from Igraine’s point of view.

Pros:
- I enjoyed the immersive nature of the story, I really felt like I was in the rolling hills of a medieval Brittany.
- I liked the use of foreshadowing and visions to give insight into the plot
- I thought the mother daughter relationships were very well done

Cons:
- The pacing was very very slow, and then other elements too fast
- There was a lot of focus on in-depth explanations of scenes and locations, so much so that I ended up skipping through sections
- There was a lot of lengthy dialogue and speeches. This felt more forced than courtly and I struggled to read all of the dialogue

I think this book took an element of the Arthurian legend and drew it out too long. There isn’t as much in that part of the legend to fill a whole book, and the best/most poignant part was right at the latter end of the book. It felt like the author was writing for the sake of filling a book rather than driving the story forward.

I wish it had told us more of the Arthurian legend and spent less time on seemingly menial things. There was no action and the tension around Uther that was built fell very flat in my opinion. I enjoy books where there is peaks and troughs which grab at your attention, this one didn’t have that pull, and I really struggled to feel incentivised to read.

I think the story had great potential, and there was some parts of the story that felt much better paced (like the scenes with her husband) but overall it was lack lustre.

Before King Arthur, there was his Mother!

Being a longtime fan of Arthurian literature, I saw this book come up as one I would be interested in reading. I am unfamiliar with the author, Sam Davey, but the subject matter was intriguing. The novel deals with the events in the life of Igraine, Duchess of Cornwall, who becomes the mother of the future King Arthur. There are many books about Arthur and his cast of characters, but I am fond of ones that delve into Igraine's story. In some tellings, she disappears after Arthur's conception at Tintagel. Davey provides an in-depth view of a royal woman, loyal to the Goddess, who is betrayed by those she trusts. Davey shows us Igraine dealing with the aftermath of the fateful night when Arthur came into existence. The novel is richly imagined, with royal courts and all manner of nobility trying to curry favor with their lord and lady. Also present are the other children, Morgause, and Morgan, who become powerful enemies of Arthur's in the future. The main characters have passions and duties and are three-dimensional. The ending is poignant and original. I believe that Davey will give us a sequel or two, and I cannot wait for more on this take on the world of Camelot.

I love all that is Arthuri related, and this book was non exception! I loved how the author has told the story and definitely want to read more!

I am a big fan of all things Arthurian, and there is very little on Igraine and her relationship with Uther, so I was very eager to read this! Although I did enjoy getting to know more about Igraine and the magic system, I did feel that the pacing was very slow and overall, not a lot happened throughout the book. The birth of Arthur was foreshadowed throughout, however ended up feeling like an afterthought as it was only passed over briefly at the end of the book.

I love a good retelling of Arthurian legends. I also love stories where authors take a familiar tale and gives readers a back story. Sam Davey does an excellent job of giving a fresh take on a very old tale. Fantastic world building and character development.

The Chosen Queen: A Novel of the Pendragon Prophecy by Sam Davey is a captivating retelling of Arthurian legend, filled with intrigue, magic, and complex characters. Davey’s vivid world-building and gripping plot bring new life to familiar tales, making it a must-read for fans of historical fantasy