Kiersten White has been an active and successful author in the young adult world for a while now. Although I haven’t read her other series, I did have the pleasure to read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, which is a retelling of the original Frankenstien, but with a bit of a twist. I enjoyed the book so much that when I heard she was writing a series centered around Guinevere and King Arthur, I immediately pre-ordered it.
Image via GetUnderlined
This book cannot possibly be reviewed without first stopping to discuss how beautiful it is. The cover art is amazing. It reveals nothing about the plot, but still looks dramatic and inspiring. The premise of the book is that Guinevere is sent to marry King Arthur, except this Guinevere isn’t the real Guinevere. She has magic and was sent to Camelot to keep Arthur safe from magical threats.
Everything you’d expect to be in an Arthurian retelling is here: dragons, knights, annoying courtiers, and mysterious people that disappear just when their identity is about to be discovered. Despite all these familiar elements, White manages to shock and surprise readers every few chapters. The characters have more depth than their original mythical counterparts and it’s quite easy to get caught up in guessing their motives and backstories. In this way, the characters feel like old friends that have changed since you last saw them; you recognize them, but you all still need to catch up.
Image via Tea Books Magic
The only major changes done to the characters is done in the name of inclusion. In order not to spoil anything, I won’t go into details, but the sexuality and gender of certain characters have been altered. In addition, there are many more female interactions in this story than many other Arthurian retellings. Guinevere finds allies and friends among all types of women and their interactions are truly genuine. The interactions also add depth to Guinevere’s character and present female readers with more people to identify with.
The worst part of this book is honestly that we have to wait until 2020 for it’s sequel. I am so happy that I started this book at the beginning of the series’ journey, but I desperately want the whole series in my hands right now.