The Winter Prince (The Lion Hunters, #1)

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily by: Chachic, Estara

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2012

It is probably for the best that I didn't realise this book was written by the same author as a book that recently disappointed me - Code Name Verity - because, although everyong else seemed to enjoy this WW2 story of friendship, I found myself bored. The Winter Prince, on the other hand, never lost my attention for a second. This is exactly the kind of fantasy I love and, though I know this is a very bold statement to make, I'd almost go so far as to favourably compare this book to such as The ...more

It is probably for the best that I didn't realise this book was written by the same author as a book that recently disappointed me - Code Name Verity - because, although everyong else seemed to enjoy this WW2 story of friendship, I found myself bored. The Winter Prince, on the other hand, never lost my attention for a second. This is exactly the kind of fantasy I love and, though I know this is a very bold statement to make, I'd almost go so far as to favourably compare this book to such as The Thief and Finnikin of the Rock. Perhaps not quite as flawless, but very good.

Do you like historical fantasies based around ancient legends with kings, queens, jealousies, backstabbing and scandals all perfectly executed with a cast of colourful and exciting characters? Yeah, me too. This is that kind of book, a wonderful mix of action and multi-layered characters. But be warned, there are not so many likeable characters, they are complex individuals. The protagonist and narrator directs the story at the mother who abused him - a woman who is truly one of the most despicable characters I've ever come across - he is a confused man, torn between the possibilities of vengeance and of love and acceptance.

If you can't stand the kind of book where there are no heroes or heroines, then this isn't the right choice for you. It's an interesting story that makes you think, that makes it impossible to choose sides, you will probably find yourself despising every character at some point or other. But it's also very powerful and it's about the choices people make and whether it's more important to be someone or to be loved by someone. Most of all, I see this as a novel about looking for the wrong things in the wrong places, when what you needed all along was right there with you. And no, this is not a romance.

I think this is a great book. But I can tell you now what a lot of people won't like and I admit I thought it was too much - the copious amount of incest. It is not romanticised, it is not seen as okay, but it happens an awful lot. Nearly every character in this book has either been raped by a relative or had an attempted rape by a relative. Some of the abuse was an important part of the plot and a way of understanding the characters, but a lot felt unnecessary. I really, really don't want to turn anyone off this book, but I see no point in not being honest. I hope readers can overlook it and enjoy this wonderful, well-written fantasy.
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Jan 22, 2013 Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) by: Chachic

Shelves: historical, could-not-put-it-down-books, arthurian, young-adult, favorite-series

[edit] I just upgraded this from four stars to five. Two reasons - one I could not forget the characters of Medraut and Lleu and thought about their beautifully written love/hate relationship for months. It led me to picking up the next book in the series and ultimately to listing the five books as a favorite series]

I listed this as historical because it is a very unique and unusual version of the King Arthur legend. Just very difficult to explain how this is done. The names are different and ch...more [edit] I just upgraded this from four stars to five. Two reasons - one I could not forget the characters of Medraut and Lleu and thought about their beautifully written love/hate relationship for months. It led me to picking up the next book in the series and ultimately to listing the five books as a favorite series]

I listed this as historical because it is a very unique and unusual version of the King Arthur legend. Just very difficult to explain how this is done. The names are different and characters and portions of the story are left out. Perhaps I would not have recognized the connection to the legend had I not known before I read it. It is a play on Mordred, in this book named Medraut. It is the first time I have read a book that is told in the first person as if he were telling or writing it to a specific person, in this case Morgause. Although he calls her grandmother, she is his mother, sister to the King (Arto who represents Arthur in this story. Medraut of course is the bastard son born of incest. Lleu is King Artos' legitimate son and Lleu's twin sister is Goewin (another new character).

This is really the story of Medraut and Lleu and a very intriguing story of Medraut's deepest feelings as he is tortured by Morgause and yet loves her and cannot get away from her evil influence, resents and yet is devoted to his younger brother Lleu who will some day be king. Medraut and his father Aros both know that Medraut is better suited for the role but it can never be. The development of the relationship between these two half brothers with Lleu starting off as a sickly child unlikely to survive, the incredible sacrifices that Medraut takes to save and cure him, Lleu's sometimes rudeness toward his half brother - well it is brilliantly done. I had a little trouble getting into the story at first, perhaps because I had a little trouble getting into Medraut telling the story to Morgause, but once into it I could not put it down. My copy is a small size paperback of 202 pages and a quick read. The last fifty pages or so had me so drawn in to the story I read into the early morning hours. Betrayal, cruelty, hatred, love - all wrapped up together between these two brothers. Great but very intense reading. I had no idea how it was going to play out.

Goewin - "If you don't bring Lleu back alive and unharmed I'll kill you, I swear it, surely, I will find a way to kill you."

Medraut - "I fear you as little as you fear me, I whispered."

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Dec 25, 2012 jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: spec-fantasy-sf

elizabeth wein always writes about love. this book is about tortured love, hurt love, torn love, and ultimately, gloriously, healed love. it's very beautiful, written with gold ink. it's stunning passage after stunning passage. and it gets down to the depths of the human heart, where goodness and terrible rage live side by side, always, always. (it's also a brilliant depiction of a sado-masochistic mother-son relationship, and of the hurt and torture such a relationship brings to the heart).

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Feb 21, 2008 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, summer-reading-for-leah

Wein writes these amazing adversarial relationships between strong characters who each have morality on their side, and who relate to each other with genuine affection, but are doomed to conflict anyway. That's an oversimplification, but the best way to describe the emotions that power this novel, which is a fascinating character study of Medraut (more commonly known as Mordred, King Arthur's illegitimate and incestuously conceived son). It leads to two more novels in this trilogy which have not...more

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Feb 27, 2009 Djrmel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, young-adult

Where was this kind of Young Adult fiction when I was a young adult?!?! This is a retelling of the Arthurian legend using alternate characters: Arthur becomes Artos, his power hungry sister Morgause remains Morgause but picks up the skills of sister Morgan le Fey, and the focus of the story, the Winter Prince, is Medraut , AKA Mordred. In this book (the first of a series), Medraut has returned to his father's kingdom Camlan after a having spent some very damaging time with his mother and then ta...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Fence rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juv-ya, historical

Medraut is the eldest son of Artos, but he will not inherit the High King’s title, lands, or power. For he is the illegitimate son of the king. And more than that, the result of incest. Medraut’s mother is Artos’ sister, Morgause. In this adaptation of the Arthurian legend Artos, or Arthur, has two more children. Twins, Lleu a son, and Geowin, a daughter. Much younger then Medraut, it is Lleu who will inherit everything. It is Lleu who receives all his father’s love while Medraut has to live und...more Medraut is the eldest son of Artos, but he will not inherit the High King’s title, lands, or power. For he is the illegitimate son of the king. And more than that, the result of incest. Medraut’s mother is Artos’ sister, Morgause. In this adaptation of the Arthurian legend Artos, or Arthur, has two more children. Twins, Lleu a son, and Geowin, a daughter. Much younger then Medraut, it is Lleu who will inherit everything. It is Lleu who receives all his father’s love while Medraut has to live under the cruelty and torture of Morgause.

My main reason behind reading this was Wein’s most recent book, Code Name Verity which I loved. Unfortunately this series of books, The Lion Hunters seem to be out of print, so if you are interested in reading this you will have to look for some second-hand sellers. Although I did see mention of the possibility of some ebook publications in the future. Here is hoping, because while I didn’t love this one quite as much as Verity it is still a great read.

Told in the first person, by Medraut, and addressed to his mother, it took me a little while to get use to when he addressed her as you, but apart from that it was an engrossing read. Medraut is such a conflicted character, he often doesn’t know how he feels about his situation or his siblings, he has been so twisted by his years under Morgause. And there is a lot of darkness there, mostly hinted at, very little overt, but you still totally understand that Medraut has been badly damaged. And like many victims he is still very much under Morgause’s sway, he may hate her, but he will also obey her because he fears her. And he also does resent Lleu, afterall, the favoured son has everything that Medraut could possible want, and yet doesn’t seem to appreciate it. Lleu’s arrogance pushes at Medraut, provokes him, but is it enough to push Medraut over the edge?

This isn’t a book that everyone will enjoy, but I certainly appreciated its beauty, and will be reading on in the series.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: magic-and-sparkles-and-shit, ya-baby-ya, x-1990s, historical-wotsits, reviewed, x-series-bk-1, celtic-and-arthurian

This is surprisingly twisted for a young adult novel - not in the sense of "icky situations" described in too much detail (although it does have icky situations - incest and pedophilia, much?). I mean twisted in the sense that the characters are so complicated, you find yourself sympathizing with them, hating them, and admiring them, by equal turns. The Winter Prince is narrated by Mordred, King Arthur's illegitimate son made doubly illegitimate because he was the product of incest with Morgan l...more This is surprisingly twisted for a young adult novel - not in the sense of "icky situations" described in too much detail (although it does have icky situations - incest and pedophilia, much?). I mean twisted in the sense that the characters are so complicated, you find yourself sympathizing with them, hating them, and admiring them, by equal turns. The Winter Prince is narrated by Mordred, King Arthur's illegitimate son made doubly illegitimate because he was the product of incest with Morgan le Fay. Because of this, he will never be high king in Camelot; and he resents his younger brother, Amr, while simultaneously holding his sister, Gwydre, in higher esteem.

Mordred was physically and sexually abused by his mother as a child and this has - understandably - warped his personality. He is caught in the thrall of his beautiful mother, but also craves the love of his kind and noble father - and at the same time, is ravaged by jealousy for his perfect, beautiful siblings who will always be in a different class altogether. Amr does not make this situation easy for Mordred; he is a braggart and often whiny. He wields his power like a petty child wielding a plastic sword, and often humiliates his older half-brother by gouging large holes in his pride. Wein really captures the intense love-hate aspects that make up sibling rivalry. I could really relate to Mordred; it's not easy being the awkward bookish older sibling who gets held accountable for every foolish thing your younger siblings do.

Where was this book when I was a young adult? My goodness! It seems like all the good YA books were published in the 90s. With few exceptions, most of the stuff coming out now is crap. Lots of cheesy paranormal romances and "lifetimes of the overindulged and disaffected" and high school stereotypes sitting by the phone like total losers waiting for the boys not to call prior to their magical transformation into prepland. I don't buy it. OK, I do buy the books (on occasion), but it's so much more fulfilling to read books like these where the characters aren't perfect, and their flaws aren't manufactured, and the prose is so beautifully rendered that it's almost fantasy in and of itself. Aaaahhh. I love good writing. *clings to Elizabeth Wein's leg* Please write more books. Pleaseeeee.

Interestingly, I was looking up Wikipedia articles about these characters and it said that King Arthur (according to Medieval legend) actually killed Amr and Gywdre. I'm not quite sure why - and it doesn't say in the article. Still, it is interesting to see that. I liked the fact that Wein wrote about such obscure characters. It's fun to read about the popular favorites, of course, but it's the footnote characters that are the best because the author gets to start with a clean slate (you won't be judging him or her on how well they portray your favorite character) and breathe new life into obscurity.(less)

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Nov 17, 2010 Elisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This story was interesting... It took me a while to get into it but once I did I found it quite gripping. The character of Medraut's mother (Morgause)- who just happens to be his father's sister(!) - was especially interesting. I did think she was just a bit TOO evil - she had no good in her at all, which doesn't make for a believable character. I was left wondering what had happened to her in her childhood to make her such an amoral, embittered and emotionally/physically abusive person! I would...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens, arthurian legend enthusiasts

Shelves: arthurian, teens

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Oftentimes, renditions of the Arthurian legend aimed at teens or younger audiences are whitewashed or simplified, and if you just read the summary for this book, you might think that this would be the case with this version. However, Wein surprised me with her thoughtful portrayal of Medraut, showing him to be far more complex than many versions make him out to be.

(view spoiler)...more I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Oftentimes, renditions of the Arthurian legend aimed at teens or younger audiences are whitewashed or simplified, and if you just read the summary for this book, you might think that this would be the case with this version. However, Wein surprised me with her thoughtful portrayal of Medraut, showing him to be far more complex than many versions make him out to be.

(view spoiler)

All in all, I quite enjoyed The Winter Prince and was delighted to see an author write an Arthurian rendition for teens that doesn't whitewash the story.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Jacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Elizabeth E Wein: The Winter Prince

The is the bittersweet story of Medraut, high king Artos' bastard son, born of an incestuous relationship with his sister Morgause. Medraut, ostensibly Morgause's godson, returns to Britain after travelling in Africa and settles in Artos' court where his younger half-brother Lleu, fragile, unskilled and afraid of the dark, is Prince of Britain, Artos' heir. Even Lleu's twin sister, Goewin, seems more suited to rule.

Medraut is educated, intelligent, self-relian...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Lee Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wowee, edge-of-my-seat

Excellent writing!
This book was COMPLEX. It took me a little while to get through it, only because it required a great deal of concentration. Trust me, if I take the time to concentrate on a book, I REALLY LIKE IT!
I’m not familiar with Arthurian Literature, so I probably can’t do this review justice. What I do know is that the main character, Medraut, had a messed up family life! *SPOILERS, Sorry!* He was forced to live with the consequences of his dad’s (/uncle?) mistake and despite being firs...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Lois rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was recommended to me by goodreads.

What a gorgeous and well written prologue. The description and characterisation drew me straight in. It was like reading velvet. I wish the rest of the story had done the same for me.

The story is based around the legend of king Arthur (obviously I don't know enough in that department, because I didn't make much connection myself) - and stuck strongly to its setting. Medraut, illegitimate son of the king, is the main character, who has been mentally, physic...more This was recommended to me by goodreads.

What a gorgeous and well written prologue. The description and characterisation drew me straight in. It was like reading velvet. I wish the rest of the story had done the same for me.

The story is based around the legend of king Arthur (obviously I don't know enough in that department, because I didn't make much connection myself) - and stuck strongly to its setting. Medraut, illegitimate son of the king, is the main character, who has been mentally, physically and perhaps also sexually abused by his mother. He struggles with extreme levels of jealousy as his father's new wife bears him twins - the younger of these siblings now being heir to the throne.

I think the world building didn't work for me, because although the descriptions were vivid, I felt as if there were only eight or so people in the story, and I imagine castle-life or any equivalent to be full to the brim with different peoples. Medraut's mother was almost ridiculously evil, and was more like a savage animal than anything else. And the plot felt unrealistic at points - the heir to the throne and the second in line being allowed to go off with barely a soul to guard them.... Lleu was a bit too bratty to be likeable, his sister was playing background character for the most part, and there was no-one I could really connect with. Medraut had my sympathy very early on when the twins were born (that awesome prologue) and when he tended to Lleu early on in the book, but he was so scarred by his mother that some of his own thoughts and attractions were too ugly to like at times.

Towards the end, the battle of wills between Medraut and Lleu didn't strike me as realistic at all. It was as if they were both playing a very childish game.

If I had to give a very short description of the book then it does sound exactly like the kind of book I'd like to read, so I guess goodreads got that much right.

I will say one thing in the book's favour though. Before buying it, I read a review on here stating that it could be compared to the Attolia series, my favourite series. It really is nothing like it, and I think the disappointment of that made my own view of this story a little more unkind than it should have been.(less)

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Dec 23, 2008 Rosalee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf

Oh my goodness. I haven't been on goodreads in awhile, but I just had to get on and say... I thought this book was awesome. After finishing it, whenever I had an idle moment when my mind wasn't otherwise occupied, I would find myself thinking of this book and how seriously awesome it is. I'm currently working my way through the sequels, which are also awesome, but some of their awesomeness seems to come from association with this book... (Ok, so I'm gushing. I think I need a bit more distance fr...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Rachel Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, fantasy, young-adult

An intense, heartbreaking novel in the form of a letter from the young Medraut to his mother Morgause. It’s notable for featuring no magic, and for adding the characters of Lleu, Arthur’s high-strung legitimate son with whom Medraut has a tormented love-hate relationship (tormented love-hate sums up all of Medraut's significant relationships, actually), and Goewin, Arthur’s practical legitimate daughter. Guinevere is very sympathetic, and there is no Lancelot. Nor is there Merlin, though in some...more

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May 07, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, reread

Here's what I had to say the first time I read this:

This was a small book, but pleasantly dense, with characters who straddled that fine line between likable and unlikable in a realistic way. The story uses Arthurian legend, but minus any trappings of chivalry or fantasy or the Romantic period - the world felt more like something out of Rosemary Sutcliff, with the types of political and family tensions that fans of Megan Whalen Turner would relish. Not for reluctant readers, but the characters a...more

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May 11, 2011 ambyr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: acquiredㅡgift, authorㅡfemale, ageㅡya, protagonistㅡmale, genreㅡfantasyㅡpast, genreㅡarthurian, ownㅡpreviously, warningㅡincest, i-am-not-the-right-audience

This is a good book, I think, (it's certainly beautiful writing), but not one that really captured me. I think perhaps I would have enjoyed it more when I was younger and had more tolerance for angst.

I guess if I had to pick one word to describe it, it would be "claustrophobic." It's told first-person, and not just first-person but styled as a letter that the narrator is writing to someone whom he hates. So the focus is very narrow, and the opportunities for unreliable narration legion. And yet...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Hirondelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 20, 2011 Liz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-kids-reads, favorites

This is one of my favorite books of all time, and I revisit it practically once a year. A retelling of the Arthurian legend, from the point of view of Arthur's illegitimate son Medraut. The excellent twist is that in this version, Arthur and his queen had heirs, and Medraut has been assigned to train his rival to the throne. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for it's incredibly drawn characters, beautiful prose and compelling plot. Unfortunately it is out of print now, but thanks to Ama...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Estara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 03, 2009 Ana rated it 5 of 5 stars

BEST BOOK EVER!!! i read it for the first time when i was ten( by the way it is extremely inappropriate for a ten year old, medraut kisses his mom, and various other family members), and i have loved it ever since. the writing is beautiful, the plot is absolutely haunting, and each time i read it it seems like i have never read it before. It tells the story of how Medraut(mordred) breaks free from the ties of his abusive mother,Morgause. Combining welsh and arthurian legend, this book is truly o...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Deirdre rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I think fans of Megan Whalen Turner might love this one.

It is an amazingly original Arthurian retelling, from the point of view of Medraut (Mordred), who is -- and struggles to be-- an awesome character, despite the way his circumstances, and particularly his mother, have twisted him.

The conflicted relationship between Medraut and his half brother, Lleu, is fascinating. It struck me -- particularly when I was reading the ending -- that they are both rather like Megan Whalen Turner's Eugenides. L...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Originally reviewed on RED Book Reviews.

Story: A re-telling, of sorts, of the later King Arthur stories. Medraut is the illegitimate son of the Artos, the high king of Britain. Conflicted and damaged by evil done to him in his past, he struggles with his hatred and envy of his younger--but legitimate--brother.

Thoughts: A dark and tragic story, with a small ray of sunshine at the end which is blotted out almost completely by the preview for the next book at the end. (Why did they have to stick th...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I can truthfully say that I have never read a book like The Winter Prince ever before and I don't think I ever will, simply because the characters are so tortured, the plot so unique, and the ideas so haunting. Perhaps I should start off by saying that The Winter Prince is not a book for everyone. The perspective it is told from is strange, the amount of incestuous relationships is bizarre, and the story is immensely psychological. Despite that however, I found myself drawn into...more Rating: 3.5 Stars

I can truthfully say that I have never read a book like The Winter Prince ever before and I don't think I ever will, simply because the characters are so tortured, the plot so unique, and the ideas so haunting. Perhaps I should start off by saying that The Winter Prince is not a book for everyone. The perspective it is told from is strange, the amount of incestuous relationships is bizarre, and the story is immensely psychological. Despite that however, I found myself drawn into this world of secrets, treason, love, and betrayal.

Medraut is the illegitimate son of King Artos, born nearly ten years before the heir to the throne, Prince Lleu is born. Lleu, now nearly sixteen, is weak, constantly suffering from multiple illnesses. Nevertheless, under the patient guidance of Medraut, Lleu slowly begins to regain much of his strength, proving to be a formidable swordsman and earning the approval of Artos, his father. When Morgause, the cunning sister of the king and mother to Medraut visits the palace, a terrible plot is revealed. It is then that the secrets of Medraut's past - secrets he has sought to keep hidden - begin to unravel and Medraut must choose what - or who - is most important to him.

Medraut, the narrator of our story, is an immensely complex character. He harbors dark secrets of his past and is often haunted by his mother and the truth of his lineage. Despite being loyal to his brother, Prince Lleu, he envies the throne that should rightfully - and would have - been his if it were not for the circumstances of his birth. Medraut, unlike most main characters, is not a hero. He is misunderstood, abused, and deeply frightened of himself and what he may do. He is unlike any character I have ever encountered and I found my heart going out to him.

The Winter Prince is mainly Medraut's struggle to come to terms with his birth, his past, his actions, and his future. It is told as a long story being narrated by Medraut to his mother, Morgause. This strange perspective adds an element of suspense and haunting to the novel that makes it impossible to put down. It is only within the last quarter or so of the book that the abduction hinted at in the synopsis occurs. Wein uses much of the novel to carefully build the complicated relationship between Medraut and Lleu and bring to light their evolving - for lack of a better word - bromance.

Despite having finished The Winter Prince hours ago, I still find myself thinking over the story, its characters, and its psychological tale. It is a remarkably unique story with characters whose suffering is unrivaled. Elizabeth Wein has spun this tale in a way that is sure to stick with you long after the last words have been read and haunt you on sleepless nights. I will definitely be continuing with this series and I only hope that other readers can also enjoy this skillfully written fantasy despite its peculiarities. (less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-and-repeat

During my early teens, I went on a Arthurian literature kick which was jump started by Anne McCaffrey’s “Black Horses for the King,” and spurred onward by this novel, which was stowed away in a tiny corner of the children’s area known as the “JH” section. I read the original 1993 Atheneum version with the blue cover, and I have to say, though I am glad to see it republished, I liked the old cover much better.

In this lovely rendition of Arthurian legend, Arthur and Morgause’s son Mordred returns...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book caught me off guard with its beauty, the strength of its craft and the humanity of its characters. Even though it came highly recommended from a friend, I went in with a slightly embittered attitude having only just finished another King Arthur novel which I found utterly lifeless (Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave). I was filled with dread at the prospect of another narrative about Arthur's resentful son Mordred scheming for the throne, but what I encountered in Elizabeth Wein's lushly...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: based-on-myth-saga-etc, arthurian, historical-fiction-alternatehistory

After finishing The Winter Prince, I had to stop for a minute to think about it -- do I like it? How much did I enjoy it? The style is very interesting: it seems to be straight first person narration at times, but when Medraut's mother appears, it becomes apparent that he's addressing the story to her. It deals with one of the issues that lie at the heart of the Arthurian mythos, often blamed for the fall of Camelot: the incest between Arthur and his sister. It works out the issues, in a way, bi...more After finishing The Winter Prince, I had to stop for a minute to think about it -- do I like it? How much did I enjoy it? The style is very interesting: it seems to be straight first person narration at times, but when Medraut's mother appears, it becomes apparent that he's addressing the story to her. It deals with one of the issues that lie at the heart of the Arthurian mythos, often blamed for the fall of Camelot: the incest between Arthur and his sister. It works out the issues, in a way, binding Medraut to his brother, Lleu, and neutralising him, though it's not an easy road for either of them to walk.

It also deals with the issues of abuse, a horribly powerful link between Medraut and his mother, and even between his mother and his brothers. He has to deal with the tangled feelings that come when at one moment someone will hurt you horrifically and the next comfort you, when they'll say it's for your own good or that you did wrong, to excuse them torturing you. Medraut's confusion is well done: I couldn't predict what he would do and how, I couldn't predict whether he would go free of her at the end or not.

With the point of view it took, I suppose it'd be hard to show more of Medraut's mother and her motivations, but I found that somewhat difficult to swallow, of everything in the book. So casually evil, toying with other people as though they're not real... Goewin and Ginevra are positive female characters, to an extent, though the latter does very little after the opening of the novel. Goewin hints at a way she could become like Medraut's mother, so there is a bit of a sense of circumstances making her the way she is, but still... I did want more, I wanted less senseless evil and more a sense of someone made the way she is by being wronged and so on. Turning Morgause and Morgan Le Fay and their like into evil witches is one of those ways of pathologising female power that people don't seem to guard against.

The Winter Prince can be a quick, easy read, but there's darkness at the heart of it -- which is, I suppose, countered by the end.(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Althea Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a companion novel to “A Coalition of Lions". Sequentially, it comes before ‘Coalition,’ but both are fully stand-alone novels – where ‘Coalition’ tells a story from the perspective of the princess Goewin, ‘Winter Prince’ is her brother Medraut’s story. But more than his story, it is an exploration of love and jealousy.
The milieu and characters of the book (very) roughly correspond to the classic Arthurian tales – Medraut is Mordred, bastard child of incest between Artos and his sister Mo...more

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Feb 03, 2010 Josie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, young-adult, books-i-own

I wanted to read this because I'd noticed that multiple people on here had recommended it to Megan Whalen Turner fans - and because her FANTASTIC Queen's Thief series is YA, I was under the impression this would be too... and maybe some people would class it as that, but it dealt with heavy themes (incest being one), and just the overall tone was...mature. Anyway, it was highly original, the whole story being told to the main character's 'godmother', who he addresses constantly ('you were there,...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Maureen E rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, simply-superb, young-adult

by Elizabeth Wein

I kept hearing this title and author in the book recommendation threads on Sounis and then several other people mentioned it. So I finally checked it out. And, man, were they ever right!

Except for the prologue, the book is told in first person, from the point of view of Medraut, the illegitimate son of Artos, high king of Britain. Medraut is a complicated character. He both loves and hates his mother, Morgause, and while he loves his father, he also craves the power he knows he...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Genevieve rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, comfort-reads, ya-childrens, semi-historical, arthuriana, favorites

I don't just love this book; I am imprinted on it. I first read it, far too young to understand anything, when I was in about second grade, which must have been around the time it was originally published. And while I didn't understand it at all then, the image from the prologue, of the boy sitting with his back to the fire, face in shadows, stuck in my mind. When I finally reread it at about 13, it blew me away and became immediately ensconced in my personal pantheon of Favorite Books; along wi...more

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The Winter Prince (The Lion Hunters #1)

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