The Faerie Morgana by Louisa Morgan is an atmospheric and fresh retelling of Morgan Le Fae of Arthurian legend. The story follows Morgana, a young, mysterious, and talented Priestess, and her handmaid Braith, as they traverse both court life and temple life in their shared mission to protect the once and future king, Arthur.

There have been many retellings of the different stories of Arthurian legend, and in most of them Morgana is a seductress, a sorceress, the foil to the good and honorable Arthur. Louisa Morgan successfully shows the complexity of Morgana and humanizes her story. She is a woman who doesn’t understand why she is different but wants to use her powers for good and to protect those that need it.

I loved Louisa’s world building and evocative imagery. It was beautiful, atmospheric, enchanting, and heartbreaking. The characters felt complex and each had their own struggles and sacrifices. The pacing felt off in the beginning of the book and I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed Braith as a character. There was a turning point towards the end of the first part where the pacing changed for the better. After that, it was hard for me to put this book down. In the end, I loved Braith and she will forever be a part of Morgana’s story for me.

If you love mythical retellings and a story with strong female leads, you will want to pick this book up. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you Orbit Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

DNF'd at 10%

Writing was really beautiful and I really wanted to like this book. I just felt that at 10% there was no plot yet and the book was so heavy on world building. I am sure that a lot of people would love this book. It just wasn't for me.

I haven’t ready any Arthurian retellings that I’m aware of but I really enjoyed this story!

Morgana and Braithe had this special relationship. I was truly wishing them the best! They had all the best qualities! Magic, strong.
The story was hopeful yet heartbreaking.
Have to take a deep breath when I think about it.

pleasantly surprised by this one. i really enjoyed getting an arhutrian time book from morgana's pov. this one really shed light on a misunderstood character and humanized her a bit more than we are generally used to. the setting was great and i thought the author did a wonderful job of still capturing the essence of the whole camelot/author vibes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
I am in love with this Arthurian retelling from Morgana’s point of view. It read as a very old telling and felt classic.
Morgana and her sweet handmaiden, Braithe are magical, strong, wise, and good - I rooted for them, I felt for them, and the love they had for each other was #bestiegoals - heartwarming and true. Pure love. Women supporting women.
The story was hopeful and heartbreaking and powerful, I won’t be able to stop thinking about this one for a while. 5/5 stars.

A very humanizing retelling of the story of a legendary woman. I quite enjoyed this version where Morgana is not evil, jealous, or cruel, but simply a woman trying her best to follow where her gifts lead her, protect those who deserve her protection, and rid her land of evil.

While I know the story of King Arthur I have never read a retelling of the story. I was pleasantly surprised with this retelling! It was so good! Love that the author gave voice to a truly misunderstood character. Morgana is more than just a villain or a sorceress and the author did such an amazing job capturing this!

Louisa Morgan was able to weave a strong tale of Morgan Le Fay and thoroughly enjoyed the overall concept of this book. I was engaged with Morgan's story and thought it worked well in this universe. It was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed in the genre and was invested in what was going on in this world.

5 out of 5 stars

Magical, Atmospheric, and Unapologetically Feminine

Louisa Morgan’s The Faerie Morgana is a spellbinding take on one of the most iconic figures in Arthurian legend. Rather than painting Morgana Le Fay as the usual villain or seductress, this novel gives her depth, agency, and mythic presence.

Told through multiple perspectives—including a suspicious priesthood, a wary court, and a devoted acolyte—the narrative brilliantly explores the many ways Morgana is viewed, and how those perceptions fuel fear and fascination in equal measure. Morgan’s writing is lush and lyrical, evoking a world filled with mystery, ritual, and slowly unspooling destiny.

The heart of the book is Morgana’s journey of self-discovery and reckoning with the truth of her power. Her choices shape kingdoms, and her presence unsettles the fragile balance of Camelot.

Highlights:
• Complex, magical female lead who doesn’t apologize for her power
• Rich, vivid setting and mythic tone
• Slow-burning tension with political and magical consequences
• A fresh, feminist reinterpretation of a legendary figure

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the early copy. The Faerie Morgana is not just a retelling—it’s a reclaiming.

As someone who isn't deeply versed in the lore of King Arthur, I wasn’t sure what to expect diving into this book—but what an unexpected and rewarding journey it turned out to be.

This novel takes a refreshing approach to the Arthurian myth by centering the story around Morgana, often sidelined or vilified in traditional retellings. Here, she emerges not as a shadowy figure, but as a strong, compelling enchantress with her own rich backstory. Abandoned in childhood due to her mother’s poverty, Morgana’s path is one of resilience and self-discovery. Her transformation from an unwanted child to a respected figure in Arthur’s court is a powerful narrative that breathes new life into the legend.

One of the most striking dynamics in the book is Morgana’s relationship with Guinevere. Despite the underlying tension and Guinevere’s prickly nature, Morgana manages to maintain a respectful civility—if not for friendship, then for the sake of her relationship with her half-brother Arthur. This nuance adds depth to Morgana’s character, showing her emotional intelligence and strength.

What impressed me most was how accessible the story was, even without a deep knowledge of Arthurian history. The author does a great job of grounding the fantastical elements in human emotion and conflict. Morgana's narrative is intimate, and her growth felt authentic. The magic is there, but so is the raw humanity.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, rich in character and atmosphere. I'm glad I took a chance on it. Whether you're a longtime fan of Camelot tales or a newcomer like me, this book is worth picking up.

I was really excited about this retelling since I love stories set in that time period. But honestly, the author didn’t go deep enough with the story or the characters, so it just didn’t keep my interest like I thought it would.

The writing itself was solid, but the plot and pacing felt kind of flat to me.

2.5 stars

As someone who read multiple retellings of Arthurian legend, I found Morgan’s a refreshing take. As we have seen in other retellings, Morgan Le Fay has been cast as a powerful healer who assists Arthur to Merlin’s rival and a great threat. It was refreshing to have a villain in the story who was NOT Morgana. I loved the role of the far throughout the book. A big selling point of the book for me is Braithe. I found her to be well-written and I enjoyed watching her character growth throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to receive an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback. All thoughts are my own.

I love Arthurian legend, so I was excited to give this book a read. The writing was beautiful and I felt the characters were well developed. I did feel it moved a bit slow though. I think this will go over well with fans of Circe.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! It is hard to do a retelling really well, this book gets close but is not quite there

An interesting take on the legend of Morgan Le Fay! The author did a good job of including the basis of Arthurian legend while also putting her own spin on it. The story features a strong and beautiful female friendship, which was my favorite part of the book. While I loved following Morgana, I was enchanted by Braithe. She grows so much throughout the novel. The story takes place over multiple years. It was nice to see both her and Morgana grow as characters. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming thanks to the author’s fresh take on the story. It kept the story from feeling redundant. I loved the role the fae played in the story. My only wish was that there was more page time with the fae or even the fae realm! But I also understand why that was not possible. Fans of the Book of Gothel and reimaginings of powerful, misunderstood women are sure to enjoy this story!

3.5 Stars

This was a beautifully written story with excellent prose and beautiful atmosphere. It was vivid and immersive with a very distinct tone which I really admired and appreciated. I felt like the flowery prose and heavy handed narration took over a lot of the story and often left me feeling more adrift in the world instead of grounded with the characters. It was very fresh and beautiful, and what it did well it really knocked out of the park. That being said, I did find that the lack of solid footing really affected the emotional pay off in the victories for the characters. I couldn't quite connect with them the way I think they deserved.

This book wasn't bad, but I didn't find it extremely entertaining. I felt like there was almost too much going on and a shorter story would have been better

This book is so atmospheric and well-written in a way that immersed me in the world as well as the time. The perspective and prose are beautiful. This book is an amazing re-imagining of the Arthurian legends, focused on Morgana. I genuinely loved this unique story for Morgana.

However, it felt like an excess of exposition with minimal dialogue. For most of the story it felt like I was being narrated at, it would probably be an amazing audiobook experience. What I missed from many sections was feeling like I really experienced the story. Heavy exposition and slow pacing left some parts a little confusing, but even by the end I was still left wanting more.

If you like Arthurian legends, retellings and seeing the familiar characters through fresh perspectives, this book is absolutely for you.

I went into this pretty much blind and loved every second of it! the story was amazing and interesting, you don't want to put this book down, in fact moving it up to the top of your TBR is the right move to do.

Regardless if this is your first retelling of the Arthurian myths or the hundredth, you'll likely find some fresh detail in each author's interpretation. In The Faerie Morgana, we see this story from the viewpoint of a character, sometimes villain, sometimes witch, but never boring, the lady some may know as Morgan le Fay. Fay...fae...faerie Morgana and her handmaid Braithe guide us through a story of a young girl taken from her mother to be raised as an acolyte and then priestess who aides her brother as he becomes the king of legend. We do have a villain in this story but it is not Morgana and I found this twist to be a refreshing take. The book was a delightful fantasy read that can be enjoyed by newbies to Arthurian lore as well as those who like the myths enough to revisit any chance they stumble upon.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit - Redhook) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.