Guinevere's Gift

Chrysalis Queen Quartet #1

by Nancy McKenzie

On the night of Guinevere’s birth, there was a prophecy that foretold she would one day be highest lady in the land and wed to a great king. But 13 years have passed, and the prophecy couldn’t be further off. Guinevere is now an orphan and a ward of her aunt and uncle, the king and queen of Gwynedd. Tomboyish and awkward, Gwen is no great beauty, and nobody takes the prophecy seriously–especially not Gwen.

But then one day Gwen meets a strange young man in the woods who claims to be part of an ancient tribe whose mission is to guard and protect her. Then she stumbles across a sinister plot brewing within the castle walls–one she alone might be able to prevent. Guinevere is beginning to realize her destiny is more complex than it seems–and this is only the beginning.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Arthurian, Retellings, Fiction, Historical

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2002

About the author

Nancy McKenzie is the author of several novels based on Arthurian tales. Guinevere’s Gift is her first novel for young adults. She lives in Danbury, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting compelling read for teenage readers, from the author of The Queen of Camelot books. This book beautifully and imaginatively he childhood of Arthur's beautiful Queen. It starts with Guinevere at the age of twelve, tomboyish and not yet bloomed into womanhood, Gwen prefers riding her horse into the wilds of Gwynedd in Wales to more feminine suitable pursuits and seems to live in the shadow of her cousin and bosom friend Elaine. One day she meets a boy from the ancient tribes of the Welsh hills, and finds out the villainous plans of the evil Sir Darrick against her guardians and against an innocent people. A gripping and easy to read adventure entails, where Gwen will save the day together with her friends.Strong characters such as the enigmatic and strong Queen Alyse, the cunning Marcus, the attractive but flighty Elaine and the loyal boy warrior Llyr give this novel depth.
I liked the way this book follows on from McKenzie;' earlier works focusing on the feminine character of Guinevere in a tale that has focused in the past mainly on Arthur and his knights, and Merlin, with the notable exception of course of The Mists of Avalon. Highly recommended for teenage readers-colourful and written a way where we grow attached to the characters who are well described for a young readership.

[Liaken · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I've been complaining in some of my recent reviews that I haven't read any books lately that I would actually want to own and re-read. It is with great pleasure that I announce that THIS book is worthy of owning and re-reading.

The thing that really impresses me about this book is how truly human the characters are. They are complex, making both good and bad decisions, thinking through what they're going to do and why, demonstrating good and bad qualities, and having their good qualities show up as a weakness. 13 year-old Guinevere was a heroine worth engaging with. Her intelligence, courage, and difficult background, her love of horses and freedom, her desire to escape prophecy, her loyalty to her cousin Elaine--filled with power imbalance ... her character is wonderful. And Queen Alyse. Ah. Another wonderful character. I responded to her character as though to a real person. She was so truly charged as a human being and a Queen. During a particular moment near the end of the book, there is a series of moments that gave me a wonderful view of what it could mean to be a true queen and be aware of your people and how best to help them and rally them. Heh. Can you tell I'm trying really hard not to give anything away? It's very exciting toward the end. I couldn't put it down.

This is the first book in a quartet. The second book has been published (I immediately ordered it from the library), but the other two are yet to come forth.

[milo in the woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

dnf: 44% (page 151)

even though i didn’t finish this, it’s still a fantastic middle grade novel. its well written, with compelling characters and an entertaining plot and it’s perfect for the age i was when i first read it (9/10) but sadly unlike some of the other books i read at that age, it hasn’t really got the same weight behind it when i tried to reread it. so to clarify i would absolutely recommend this to younger readers or parents with primary school children, it’s just not for me anymore so i will probably donate this book after having loved it for a few years

[Caity · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't end up finishing this one; it seemed like every other paragraph had something about spirits, witches, or superstitions.

[Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider Nancy McKenzie's Queen of Camelot the best Arthurian legend book I have ever read. This is a YA book by the same author. I am sure I would have enjoyed it more if I had not read Queen Of Camelot first as the first third or so of this book is very similar to the first part of the former. Queen of Camelot is told in the first person by Guinevere and this book is not told in the first person however. As this book evolves there are characters and events that were not in the other book so it took on a life of it's own, and it was very well written and hard to put down. The introduction of Llyr, who is one of the OLD ONES, was really an interesting twist and fit in well with the prophecy made at Guinevere's birth.

I definitely want to read the next books in this series. No matter how many times I read the Arthur legend and how many ways authors deal with it, it is one of my favorite mythical stories. I love the way that this author has made me feel like I really know Guinevere, and I have read no other book that has done this as beautifully as these have. Guinevere in stories tends to be treated rather badly and often as a victim or a selfish disloyal woman. I love the Guinevere of Nancy McKenzie's books.

I would highly recommend this to anyone of any age, but it is a beautiful introduction for a YA reader to this legend that will live on forever.

[Shersten Rosenfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I randomly selected this book at the library and brought it home. As I started to read it, it seemed like an okay book, maybe something worthy of 3 stars. But after the first few chapters, this book sucked me into a world of adventure and mystery. This story tells of the glorious Guinevere of Gwynedd, King Arthur’s renowned wife. She is a scrawny 13 year old in this novel, mischievous and brave. She fights between becoming an obedient, beautiful princess to please Queen Alyse and fulfilling her passion with horses, something the Queen doesn’t approve of. She meets Llyr, a “savage,” and becomes good friends with him, a friendship that is proven to be helpful later in the story. She helps to overrule a tyrant and put an end to a sinister plot, with help from only a few friends. This is a wonderfully crafted tale of coming of age and discovering who you really are. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in ancient history.

[Emily Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guinevere's Gift is a fairytale set just before the dark ages following Guinevere in the years leading up to marrying King Arthur. This is technically not part of a series,however, Nancy Mckenzie has written many other books on the latter life of Guinevere Pendragon.

This book is centered around the prophecy entailing that Guinevere will become the highest lady in the land by marrying the one they call "the man unconquered." No one knew who he was at the time. Never would they guess the landless King Arthur. Meanwhile, Guinevere's foster Father, the King, leaves to fight along side King Arthur; leaving his kingdom to his wife, the Queen. A mutiny breaks out between the queen and her guards that threatens the fate of the entire land. Guinevere must save the kingdom, before their is no kingdom left to save.

[Dillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, Guin isn't just some pretty girl in a pretty world and ever man alive is trying to woo her. There is danger, trickery, and twists to events that we would have thought to play out differently. She isn't a stunning beauty, she is only a young girl, but we can see what she will become in a few years time, and that leaves you with the urge to want to read the next installment.

[Reading Through the Lists · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea behind Guinevere’s Gift was undoubtedly to fill in the missing pages about the queen’s childhood in a fun adventure for very young adults. In some respects Nancy McKenzie succeeds at this: her book is certainly very creative, and makes for some pleasant before-bedtime reading, but in other ways it is a significant miss. Here Guinevere stars the orphaned niece of Pellinore, being raised by her steely aunt Alyse and cousins in Gwynedd while her uncle is off fighting against the Saxons with Arthur Pendragon, who is never more than a name in the tale. However the sovereignty of Gwynedd is threatened when the degenerate rogue Sir Darric stages a plan to overthrow Queen Alyse and become king in her husband’s absence. Naturally, it is up to Guinevere to save the day. In this she is helped by Llyr, part a group of mysterious prehistoric people called Old Ones who have been appointed guardians of the princess since her birth. They are keepers of a prophecy saying that she will one day be the greatest woman in the land, a prophecy that Guinevere doesn’t fully believe.
The two main problems I had with this book are first, the character of Guinevere. She’s perfect. Though she’s only eleven, she is extremely smart, extremely athletic, extremely courteous (sometimes even self-abasing), and yet extremely clever when it comes to getting out of sticky situations. Oh and also she’s really beautiful. In some ways she’s a lot like Merida from the film Brave but unlike Merida, she doesn’t have a single character flaw worth mentioning. Even when she does admit a mistake, the reader knows that it’s not really her fault, but simply unfortunate circumstances that have caused her to break the rules. Even her aunt is forced to admit that “everything she [does], she [does] well…” In this way, I think McKenzie is trying to redeem Guinevere by setting her on a good foundation; no matter what she may later do against Arthur and Camelot, the reader will first and always think of her of this gentle but courageous girl who just wants to do what is right, both to herself and to her family. It’s a noble gesture, but unfortunately in a work of young adult fiction, all it does it make Guinevere a bit insufferable. She reads more like a saint than a real girl.
Even so, this depiction of Arthur’s future queen might actually have worked if the story actually had something to do with Arthur. Which brings me to the second problem—this story is presented as Arthurian, but beyond the names and a stray reference to Arthur’s Saxon campaigns (which conveniently keep him out of the plot) there is nothing here that is essentially Arthurian. The story could have been about some completely different girl in 5th century Gwynedd with a jealous aunt, a flighty, foolish cousin, and a wicked neighbor who kind of wants to rape her and it wouldn’t have changed the plot one bit. The story is creative in the fact that it certainly isn’t bound to Arthurian legend as we know it, but it’s almost too far away to feel authentic. So many times I found myself wondering why she didn’t just take the leap and make up her own world, her own princess with whom she could have done whatever she pleased. Why call her Guinevere when she doesn’t have any visible characteristics of the queen? Why not just write the historical fantasy she so clearly longed to write? While this is a conjecture, it is my guess that part of the reason is that things titled “Guinevere,” “Arthur,” “Morgan La Fey,” “Camelot,” etc., sell a lot better than things that don’t. People are always excited for another installment of the Arthurian legend, a different reinterpretation of their favorite characters. And rightly so, since at their core all of the characters in the Arthurian stories hold truths that are part of the very heart of human existence. Whether they wish to or not, everyone sees a bit of themselves in Arthur, in Guinevere, in Lancelot, in Gawain, in Morgan, in Merlin. I believe that people, consciously or unconsciously, want to read things that are true and beautiful and the Arthurian legend has a soft and yet iron-strong beauty twined round with the darkness. I think this is, at the core, what keeps it alive, why things Arthurian tend to fly off the bookshelves. As I said, I think McKenzie is trying to do a good thing in giving Guinevere a fresh start but she doesn’t seem to pick up on any of those deep themes of the tale, such as the nature of love, the price of person freedom, the nature of betrayal. Guinevere in this story never has to face any such pain, nor is it even foreshadowed. Her greatest struggle is between following the orders of her aunt and indulging personal freedom, which may be a kind of foreshadowing to her struggle between Arthur and Lancelot (duty vs. desire) but it is a struggle never lifted from the cliché and trite realm of most young adult works. If the argument is that those themes are suitable for children, well then I say that the whole Arthurian story isn’t suitable for children. It’s not about the age of the reader, it’s about deep truths about people. And children, as C.S. Lewis, once pointed out, are capable of much deeper thought than many give them credit for. In choosing to make her story about Guinevere and yet ignore deep and beautiful things, I think McKenzie really sold out and squelched her own obvious creativity. Her princess is flat, one-sided, and unbelievable. Her world is certainly carefully constructed but the majority of her characters have no life outside the pages of this book. They are certainly not people I ever expect to meet again.

[sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad! I'd even be interested in reading the sequel if I could find it. But while I did like this book, I had some issues with it. The writing wasn't great and the characters, other than Gwen, weren't well-developed. There were also times when the characters were ridiculously stupid, which drove me crazy. All in all, it was a good story but not a great execution.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

At the time of her birth, a prophecy foretold Guinevere would one day be wed to a great king and be the highest lady in the land. Guinevere herself refuses to believe this will be so.

After all, she's thirteen years old and an orphan living at the mercy of her uncle and aunt, the king and queen of Gwynedd. She prefers riding horses to more feminine tasks, and it would be unlikely a great king would look twice at her boyish figure.

When Gwen discovers an ancient tribe, she learns they not only accept the prophecy as truth, but they have been guarding her all her life. Guinevere is no longer sure what to believe. In the midst of inner turmoil, she uncovers a sinister plot against her uncle and aunt that threatens not only their lives, but the lives of the ancient tribe, as well. It's up to Guinevere to unravel the plot and save the lives of those she loves.

Though the characters presented in these books are well known and loved by many, McKenzie is able to give them new life and has made them her own while still remaining true to the legend. The reader is introduced to Guinevere as a young girl before she even meets Arthur, and this is a wonderful side to see of the future queen.

This is the first book in THE CHRYSALIS QUEEN QUARTET, and Ms. McKenzie does a fantastic job of introducing this new side to the legend of King Arthur. GUINEVERE'S GIFT is a great beginning to what is sure to become a series of books loved by fans of Arthurian legend.

Though I know how the story ends, I loved the beginning of the journey as seen through the eyes of the girl who will be queen. I look forward to seeing how Guinevere and the other characters grow toward their destinies in GUINEVERE'S GAMBLE, the second book in the series.

[Keziah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really enjoyable!It is fiction.It is based on a well known legend called King Arthur.I liked how the author clearly showed the characters personalities and thoughts.

Mainly the book is about the great legend king's,(King Arthur) wife,( Guinevere ) and the story of her childhood. The setting is when there were knights and castles during King Arthur's time. Throughout the story she struggles between right and wrong choices, (especially with her cousin ,Elaine).

I was angry about how Elaine would force Guinevere into doing things for her and getting her into "sticky situations". Two things this story has is loyalty and trust,which leads to most events in in the story.

One thing I learned that was interesting about her in the book is that she did not believe in her own prophecy even though it was meant for her.The author's purpose for writing this story was so people could get
an idea of how King Arthur's wife lived.


I rate this book a 3 out of 5 because I really thought this was an over okay book! I would recommend this book to all legend lovers!

[Cc · Rating 2 out of 5]

1. Summary: "Guinevere's Gift" is the story of young Guinevere's first adventure. It begins when a king's evil son decides he wants her aunt's kingdom for his own. Guinevere's uncle is far away leading a war, so the kingdom is left almost completely defenseless against the oncoming battle. Only with Guinevere's amazing friends, intelligence and wits is the kingdom saved.

2. Like/dislike about book: I disliked how some of the book's issues were never resolved. It hinted at having a sequel, but others who have read it say that it has a better ending hear than in the next book. I liked how Guinevere had such a close relationship with her horse, cousin, and nursemaid. I also loved all the action adventure scenes.

3. Who I'd recommend it to: I would recommend this book to people who like reading books about
medieval times. Anyone who likes horses would also probably like this book (or would at least relate well to the main character). This book would not be best for people who like realistic fiction, because it has some pagan magic. I think that girls would mostly enjoy this book, because lots of the main characters are girls.

[Bmack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Chrysalis Queen Quartet Series. It is a fiction story based on the girl who would grow up to be King Arthur’s queen. At birth, a prophecy was told about Guinevere that she would one day be the highest lady in the land by being married to the King. No one took the prophecy seriously as she was an orphan living with her Aunt and Uncle. Everyone thought her cousin who was more beautiful would become a queen. Guinevere, however, discovers a plot to overthrow her Aunt and Uncles kingdom and realizes that she alone can stop it. She also comes across a hidden group with the responsibility to protect her because of the prophecy. Read to see if she stops the plot against the castle and realizes her prophecy.

[Alantie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Queen of Camelot and enjoyed it so much when I found out the author was going to write about Guinevere for a younger audience I decided to give it a go.

As this book is essentially in the same universe as Queen of Camelot, some of the things that happen are rehashing of events we know from the adult book, but it also fleshes out some more of Gwen's childhood and gives some insight to her aunt and gives a bit more understanding as to some of her actions in QoC.

I think this was perfect for younger readers and a great introduction to Aurthurian myth with a focus on one of the best known female figures of the series in her youth. It makes Gwen real and approachable and easily accessible to a young audience.

[Skoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good young adult novel. I started and finished it in the same day (I was flying across the country) It made the trip go really fast.
I didn't find the book to have the darkness that lots of stories have these days, and especially Arthurian tales, which was refreshing. It's a story of two different girls growing up together, and learning how to navigate in a grownup world, where their own desires don't always correspond to the adults around them. I have the next book in the series waiting for me now. If only I was still travelling ;)

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guinevere's Gift is the story of 13-year-old Guinevere of Aurthurian legend. What exactly the gift is, Nancy McKenzie does not answer is so many words, but it doesn't matter. This is a satisfying adventure story about a girl who loves horses and strives to do the right thing, even at cost to herself.

This book contains alcohol consumption.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written. Nancy McKenzie has a refreshing simplicity of style and her storytelling techniques are impeccable. I enjoyed the character that she has created for the legendary Guinevere. She is courageous, humble, and honorable, traits that I find valuable in a strong female protagonist. The plotline was exciting and I found myself unable to put it down. The whole thing has stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

[Fashiongirlgoldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. Unlike a lot of aruthurian books I have read, where the author tries to show how it could have really happened and it makes all the characters who I think are cool, really obnoxious, this book made Guinevere a really good character. Instead of the boring girly character a lot of books have portrayed her as, this Guinevere is much cooler.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't often have to just go through the library and search the shelves for something that looks interesting. I checked this one out and hoped for the best. I was glad I picked this book up, it was definitely worth reading. I loved it. There was great character development and the plot was interesting. It had good pacing and some fun twists. Overall it was well put together and a great book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful tale of young Guinevere. The old ones believe in the prophecy concerning the young princess and watch over her. Others choose to see it as fluff. Guinevere is a charming, thoughtful, courageous and intelligent girl on the verge of womanhood who doesn't know what to believe.
Full of adventure and strong relationships, I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 in the Chrysalis Queen Quartet
On the night of Guinevere's birth, a prophecy foretold she would be the highest lady of the land.
Story of her adventures just before her 13 birthday and before she meets Arthur.
Story for girls grade 5 and up.

[Elzbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an awesome twist on an old tale in this four-book series, Guinevere must deal with a prophecy she never wanted, meet a guardian she never knew she had and deal with a corrupted guard. All before she turns thirteen.

[Catharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guinevere is her aunt, Queen Alyse's ward, but Queen Alyse is still jealous of her dead older sister, Guinevere's mother. When cattle start going missing, Guinevere shows her courage and loyalty and gains her aunt's favor. This was a fun story set in Arthurian times.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a suck for a good Guinevere novel and the author of this title is actually the one that started it. Her transition to a pre-Arthur period is fun, exciting and will set tweens up nicely for her adult novels.

[Faith Fishcrazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well it would have been kid friendly if the villan wouldn't have called the queen a... slut... and a b*tch. Several times. Also, it's a girls book un account of all the talk about a girl's body, figure, and there is some very suggestive scenes...

[Bianca Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. I loved this book. I would definetly recommend this book because it is all about friend ship and love, never mind love more about friendship and war. ( but don't worry it doesn't tell you the details about the wars)

[~Smiley~ :D · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was rlly adeventurous.. kept ur mind wandering....i couldnt stop!!!
~sam:D

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story about guinevere as a young girl, great for fans of that time period or king arthur. drags a little in the middle but wraps up nicely.

[Emily Farrar · Rating 4 out of 5]

REALLY GOOD!!!
I love the Arthurian legend!