The Camelot Betrayal

September 15, 2020
More female-centric meandering through Arthuriana. The sequel to 2019's The Guinevere Deception continues to retell in close third-person the story of Guinevere, a magical blank slate with almost no memories of her past and little understanding of herself other than an unshakeable conviction in Arthur, as she tries to "fight like a queen" rather than a witch. The plot holds few surprises, being more a study of Guinevere's internal landscape peppered with bursts of action slowed by Guinevere's constant self-doubt. Cipher Guinevere wants to understand herself, but her lack of memory means she has little depth to draw from; she has limited identity beyond the questions she ponders and asks of her world. Happily, those questions revolve around power and nature as well as recurring themes of who and how to be, providing rich intellectual fodder for readers who want a think-y book with few conclusions (although the ending implies they are coming in Volume 3). In this version of Arthur's legend, magic is chaos and female while Camelot is order and male; the exception to this dichotomy is Merlin, who is never seen directly but whose hand and lack of care drive Arthur's story and give Guinevere a model of power against which to fight. Guinevere is White; secondary characters are diverse, from those with implied Asian and African parentage to a female Lancelot and a lesbian Isolde, although only Lancelot's identity is interrogated within the context of Guinevere's questions. Thoughtful and introspective. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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August 21, 2020

Gr 9 Up-In this strong second installment in the "Camelot Rising" series, Guinevere continues to struggle to find her place as she feels "part of Camelot and apart from it." Much of this stems from muddled feelings toward Arthur's nephew, Mordred, who used her in the previous book, and how Arthur keeps her at a careful romantic distance. As she tries to balance being Queen and protecting Camelot while keeping her magic a secret, a new danger appears in the form of Guinevach, the real Guinevere's sister. Guinevach appears to know and recognize Guinevere, which should be impossible. Guinevere searches for Guinevach's ulterior motive with her closest friends; maid Brangien and female knight Sir Lancelot. In addition to building on the previous book and adding more original content to Arthurian legend, the story of Tristan and Isolde is also reimagined. It comes with a twist and a rescue mission spearheaded by Guinevere who wants to prove herself as brave as Arthur and worthy of her title. The matter of lies is a strong theme throughout the story, lies Guinevere tells to protect herself and others, as well as those perpetuated by Merlin. Merlin sees all time and has set things in motion for his own unknown purpose, using Guinevere and changing her memories to where she no longer knows who she is or was. Tristan has brown skin and most other characters are white. VERDICT Another dazzling fantasy tale by White, filled with exhilarating adventures, intrigue, and strong female characters; a powerful addition to any teen literary collection.-Rebecca Greer, Hillsborough County P.L. Coop., FL

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