Camelot Rising series by Kiersten White -> Restarting July 27th, 2022

[Emma]

B3 finished

(view spoiler)[ that was good! But I feel a bit unsatisfied by the ending and I can’t really say why (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

***************************************************************
***************************************************************

RESTARTING JULY 27TH, 2022

*******************************************************************
*******************************************************************

[Andy]

I started this yesterday for some reason! :P
I'm only a chapter and a half in, intriguing, very YA.

[Ellen-Arwen]

Haha, I'm in about 2 chapters and that was my first thought - it's so YA! :P

[Ellen-Arwen]

Chapters 1 -10 (view spoiler)[

You're so right about it being very YA haha :P I'm not sure what it is but it seems to fit the 'magic YA formula already' which... isn't the best of starts from my point of view but oh well.

I liked that we were kept in suspense, not knowing that Arthur knew Guinevere isn't Guinevere until about chapter 3 - that was a cool surprise. Someone to have on her side. It's ridiculous how young she is; she may be Merlin's apprentice (or daughter? I'm not exactly clear) but to send a sixteen year old away without explaining about periods?!??! That just makes me angry at her previous caregivers. She's also kinda annoying, being so naive :P

I assumed that real Guinevere's family were in on it too, but then found out they think she's alive - so why didn't any of them come to see her off as she left for, like, the rest of her life?? Something odd going on there.

The magic is interesting - I wish it was more developed. I like the idea of a knotting system for protection etc, but I'd like to see some more detail, a bit more world-building on that front.

The bits from about the dark queen are interesting - they're not from the original King Arthur legends, right? And magic in stones and stuff? Intriguing.

Also, I think she mentioned that moths and other bugs were all dead around her protection spells on the doors - is that because the dark queen has some connection with moths? There was a mention of a moth at some point... (gah, I'm too tired to think).

Got the tournament with the patchwork knight next presumably - I want to know more about the magic. And more about the fake Guinevere! But I guess I'll have to wait... (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Sorry, I'm slow with this. It reads a lot like something I would have enjoyed when I was in middle school, but I'm a long way from there, and it's not really grabbing me! :(

[Ellen-Arwen]

Andy wrote: "Sorry, I'm slow with this. It reads a lot like something I would have enjoyed when I was in middle school, but I'm a long way from there, and it's not really grabbing me! :("

I totally get what you mean - I'm reading it super fast, too fast really to properly appreciate it if I'm honest... It's definitely improving if that's any consolation!

Chapters 11-15 (view spoiler)[
Can Guinevere stop going ON AND ON about Roshyln for a minute? I really think she's a red herring. Or maybe good. Or whatever. Anyway, she's barking up the wrong tree spending so much energy on her and it's irritating me.

I liked Guinevere's sass in visiting Dindrane, the outcast, first. Also good we have a bit more about how knotting magic works - and it's doing it by show not tell thank goodness.

Arthur's background with Maleagant and Elaine is a bit... obvious? I dunno, not riveted by it. Maleagant is not in the original stories, right? He has such an annoyingly predictable name lol. But then I suppose 'Mordred' is obvious as well. But this Mordred is nice so far (obviously suspicion because of prior knowledge) and accepts her magic? Where's the catch going to come?

When she healed Sir Tristan, how the HELL did she not know what an infection was?? I mean, I know she's meant to be ignorant and all that but SERIOUSLY?! She's lived in the woods. They would have got hurt and worried about infection. Stupid. Finding this irritating a bit...

And what is with Excalibur?? (hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

Oops, meant to post this earlier

Chapters 16-20 (view spoiler)[

Okay, some proper action! This set of chapters felt like the story finally got going.

Brangien can do magic - cool! And she's in a relation with Isolde (is she Tristan's daughter? I need to brush up on my Arthurian mythology lol). Nice twist.

The dragon bit was quite cool too.

And cooler twist that Lancelot is a girl - that was fun and unexpected! I knew that Guinevere was wrong about Roshyln - get in! I like the women's community that they have in the woods. Seriously hard for Guinevere to realise that she wasn't sent to protect Arthur but vice versa. She's purposeless.

The bit with Merlin was... strange. I found it kind of comical for some reason - sorry! I don't know what's with me; maybe I've read too many adaptations. So, I guess he can't be dead but he's encased in a mountain? Okay, guess so *shrugs*
I wonder what Merlin has made Guinevere forget? Or pushed out of her head or whatever? Or she pushed out of her head by using mind magic? I get why she's angry with him; it's an interesting take. Hope we'll find out more about how magic works - and who she really is! Although I have a feeling that we might have to read the whole trilogy to find out...

Oh yeah, with the bugs dying around her spells early in the book? I think I was right there because the evil spirit (is that the lady of the lake? unclear) came up again in the spider. Wooh - I like it when I notice things lol. (Which is rare)
(hide spoiler)]
It's definitely improving - and it's best to read it pretty quickly I think!

[Ellen-Arwen]

Chapters 21-25(view spoiler)[

Ooh, we finally get to see Mordred as betrayer - I was wondering whether I'd have to wait until the rest of the series (which I don't own). So, he's in league with the Dark Queen? Is that Morgana in the original?

It was kind of annoying when Guinevere was kidnapped by Maleagnant tbh because she suddenly became a complete damsel in distress and pretty pathetic tbh.

And I like the twist that Lancelot betraying Arthur by cheating on Guinevere is changed to Lancelot rescuing Guinevere as a kind of betrayal (I guess that's going to be it? - there's no suggestion of bisexuality between them)

I like the fact that Lancelot isn't just cross-dressing; she feels wrong dressed as a woman. Early trans representation! (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Chapters 1 -10

(view spoiler)"

Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[This seems to have picked up a bit for me, which is a relief, though reads very very young. I wonder what her lack of memory is hiding... Maybe she is the real Guinevere! In any case I don't think she'd lived in the forest all her life nor that she is Merlin's daughter.
The book is inspired by/wants to be a sequel to The Once and Future King, I think, which is the inspiration for the Disney movie of the Sword in the Stone, so it makes sense in its childlike wonder. Or maybe is just a book sequel to the Disney movie! ;)

I'm in here for the cutesy PG romance I think, Guinevere is an interesting character, Arthur is very standard perfect Arthur. I don't want there to be a "love" triangle with Mordred though!
Plus, if Mordred IS Morgan le Fey's son, shouldn't he have some magic, too? Or was not she magical in this version... Bho!

With my luck, and the slow speed of how things are going, though, the maximum romance I expect is a kiss by the end (and probably not even that). :P

Guinevere really does know nothing except magic though, this lack of memory of her past is hampering her.
(hide spoiler)]

[Ellen-Arwen]

Andy wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Chapters 1 -10

(view spoiler)" (view spoiler)[

Chapter 9: This seems to have picked up a bit for me, which is a relief, though reads very very young. I wonder what her lack of memory is hidi..." (hide spoiler)]

Glad it's picking up! It is a very very young YA book, I agree - which is why it's best read fast.
(view spoiler)[
The lack of memories really does hamper her, pretty crippling in fact! It does feel a bit Disney-esque now you say lol. Although Disney would never dare have anyone queer in their stuff *eyeroll*

Very PG - don't get your hopes up too much. Just blast through and be vaguely entertained :P

(hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Andy wrote: "Ellen-Arwen wrote: "Chapters 1 -10

(view spoiler)"

Chapter 9: This seems to have picked up a bit for me, which is a relief, though reads very very young. I wonder what her lack of ..."

Ahah! :) Love your eyeroll comment! I'll try to be vaguely entertained! ;)

[Andy]

Ellen-Arwen wrote: " Chapters 11-15 (view spoiler)"

Chapters 10 to 22: (view spoiler)[Totally agree about infection!How does she not know what it is??

I called both the kiss and the Arthur-Guinevere-Mordred triangle! Yay me! :P Ahahah.
So difficult for her to be the one that needs to be protected. Poor thing.

Can we talk about the all Elaine-Arthur thing for a minute, though? How old was he exactly? Like 15??? He is 18 now, and keeps sayingit was a long time ago, I mean, dude, your birth is not even a long time ago. I don't think the author thought this through in terms of ages... It always annoys me when this happens... Or maybe the author DID want him to be a very young teen dad... But I doubt it... (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[Aaand there it is, the Mordred backstabbing.
I think Maleagant was in the original, as I have already heard the name before.
Yes, the Lancelot reversal is done well.
I would like to know who Guinevere actually IS, but I don't think I'll read the rest of the series to find out! :P
(hide spoiler)]