This one was unfortunately a DNF for me. I really think I am just not in the headspace for this one and will try again. I will update my review when I read.

The story of Languoreth and her brother Lailoken who were raised in the Old Way in the forests of Scotland during a period when a new religion is coming. The influx of Christianity is bringing with it disputes, riots and civil war amongst their people. When the hero Emrys Pendragon comes to consult their father, Languoreth falls in love with one of his warriors but she is promised to the son of a Christian King and must marry to fulfill her duty for the protection of her people. Her brother Lailoken goes for his training as a Druid.
The author meticulously research the histories and folklore of the time period to construct a beautiful telling of the coming of age story of a powerful queen and her brother who would be better known as Merlin.
This is the first book in the trilogy, an intriguing and satisfying read and I look forward to the coming books.

Such a beautiful adventure! I love we got to see many stages of the heroine’s life, from child, to young lady, to mother. This book gave me all the feels! This book was exquisitely detailed and kept my attention. Such a cliffhanger too! I can’t wait to dig into the second book!

When I saw the blurb for this book on Goodreads I knew I had to read it. Compared to Outlander and The Mists of Avalon, this thrilling first novel of a debut trilogy reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legend of Merlin.

When I was a child I remember my Sister taking me to watch a play in our local park called "King Arthur" sitting in the twilight setting, watching the sun set whilst bats flew around my head, I saw the sword Excalibur raise from the lake and I was entranced. This vision has stayed with me through my adult life, so whenever I see a book about the mythical Merlin, I am always intrigued and hoping to once again feel that magic, only this kind of legend can bring.

This book does not disappoint we follow the story of Languoreth and her twin brother, Lailoken aka Myrddin which is Welsh for mad man or Merlin. Set in sixth century Celtic Britain, a land we now call Scotland, they are brought up to follow the old ways and worship the old gods, but the world is changing and christianity is being heralded as the new religion. We follow Languoreth throughout her life, into her 30's where she is married and has children of her own. It is a time of turmoil thorough the land and she tries to protect herself and her family the best way she can. The book centres on her life, with Merlin and her other family members arraying throughout the book as he is on his own path in the world.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters are vibrant, the writing beautifully delivered and you can't help but be drawn into the story and join Languoreth plight. I did find it a little too stretched out in places but will definitely be delving into the next book when I can get my hands on a copy.

First of all, Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and the author fir the eArc copy.

It's a 6th century book with Scottish history around the Anglo-Saxon war. And this is the first book that ai read about that time. I was intrigued. But Honestly the book felt a little stilted for me. But as historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, I kept on reading. So as the characters grow and establish themselves, it got so much more interesting that I couldn't stop reading it . I also loved all the minute details about that time and every incidents.

Also I am super keen about all the research the author did for the book. The author wrote this book in such an amazing way, that everything felt connected. I loved it. Cannot wait to read the next one.

The story takes place in 6th Century Scotland taking known history and legends and transports them into a new fantasy story. It takes the historical elements and combines them with fiction to create a fantastic start to a historical fantasy series. While covering the legend of King Arthur (the Pendragon family), the story focuses on the family that took in Uther Pendragon (formerly Gwenddolau) as a child. I loved the author’s notes at the end that give more insight into her decisions for the characters and plot of the story.

The novel begins around 550 AD and covers multiple years as the main characters start as children and soon become adults with children of their own. The main character of the series is Langoureth, the forgotten queen. She is the daughter of Morken, a high chieftain and King in the northern part of Strathclyde. The tale starts with her at 10-years-old with her twin brother, Lailoken (“Lail”), who is thought to be a part of the legend of Merlin. Their mother has recently died and the two children are preparing for their new paths in life. Langoureth is promised to marry the son of the High King of Strathclyde, while Lailoken will join Gwenddalau as a spiritual advisor and warrior in the Borderlands to join Emrys Pendragon.

The story is divided into four parts that represent significant changes in the story. There are some time jumps between the parts, but they are no difficult to follow. While I am not always a fan of time jumps, especially years in the future, it made sense in the story and helped keep the plot moving forward at a decent pace. Langoureth begins as 10-years-old and we see her throughout her life all the way until her mid-thirties. During each part of the story, there are new obstacles, alliances, secrets, and betrayals at every step of the way. One of the main constant conflicts in the story is the Old Ways, honoring the legends and wisdom of the Wisdom Keepers, similar to a Druid, while Christianity is gaining steam. As those supporting Christianity are trying to wipe out those of other religions, war is on the horizon with no known end in sight.

While there many characters to keep track of, many of them appear multiple times and each are very unique. The names are difficult, at first, to pronounce, but I loved that there was a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book. While many of the situations, thoughts, and inner thoughts may have a modern twist, they all are based in history. It was an excellent mix to read through as it expanded the writing to be more accessible to a wider audience, at least to me. There is a romantic entanglement that Langoureth goes through in this story between her first love and the one she is duty-bound to be with and her heart is constantly struggling with herself. While I am not usually a fan of love triangles, I found this story to fit well in the story and I loved how it did not pull focus away from the main plots of the novel.

Overall, the story starts off a little slower in the first few parts as the characters and plot are all established. While it was not fast-paced, it was very interesting to read and I find myself wanting to keep reading. The story picks up after ~100 pages, or so, and then the events are set into motion where it captivated me even more and it was difficult to put the book down. There are a lot of secrets that could potentially be revealed, mistakes that need to be remedied, and conflicts that need to be resolves, so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the rest of the series! [Actual rating - 4.25/5]

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, Atria Books, and the author for a review copy of this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I loved this book! I cannot believe I hadn’t read it before. The characters were new and interesting, and now I understand the second book, which I accidentally picked up before this one. Full review on my blog.

An engaging and well-researched book that mesmerizes the reader with its fluid, character intensive story. The Lost Queen is set in a time and place that combines Scottish history and the seeds of Arthurian legend. It both educates the reader and seizes the imagination in a sweeping story that won't let you go. This spell-binding book will appeal to discerning, historical fiction readers who love the alchemy of "the old ways" when measured against the changing times. This story has everything: Kings and queens and Wisdom Keepers, mystical forests, star-crossed lovers, political intrigue and concerns of family loyalty. Above all, The Lost Queen has heart and soul and intelligence. If you're a fan of Phillipa Gregory and Marion Zimmer Bradley, this book is for you!

A great historical fiction retelling of a classic tale, the author focuses on Celtic history around the time of the Anglo-saxon wars, a time period that not much is known about.

I wanted to enjoy the book but had to start it several times before I was able to finish it, it just didn't hold my interest

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike provides a most interesting historical version of political turmoil written against the background of Anglo-Saxon history. The storyline allows for a detailed description of relationships, political turmoil and agreements made between different parties. Pike's well defined and detailed descriptions of the history behind religion, fight for land and identity allows any reader to become familiar with the era. In addition, the book allows the reader to enjoy a fictional description of historical landscapes and enjoy a page-turner book and continue to wonder what may happen next.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I admit in my joy at joining NetGalley I may have been overzealous in my requesting numbers. As this book has already been published, I am choosing to work on the current upcoming publish date books in my que. As I complete those I will work on my backlogged request and will provide a review at that time. I again send my sincere thanks and apologies.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to review this book.
The Lost Queen is one of my favorite books. It has everything I love: history, Scotland, magic, folklore, and a strong heroine. The history of ancient peoples woven in with the tale of Merlin, gives the perfect balance of fact and fiction. I love that Languoreth and her brother start the story as children, and they grow throughout the story both in years and maturity. Signe Pike has a beautiful writing style. The story flows well. I can not wait to read the other books in this series.

The Lost Queen
By Signe Pike

More than a brilliant retelling of the Merlin legend, Ms. Pike’s “Lost Queen” is a meticulously researched story that takes a deep dive into what little is known of early Celtic history circa AD 500. Based on the latest scholarship, Pike weaves facts and hints teased from ancient poetry and obscure monastic annals into a believable - or at least quite likely - story.
The man who would go down in myth and legend as Merlin (known in Celtic as Myrddin or “madman”) she identifies as Lailoken, a keeper of the Old Wisdom and Chief of Song in the region of Strathclyde - today’s Glasgow area. His twin sister, Languoreth, the lost queen of the title, rules as wife of the high lord of Strathclyde.
This first book of a planned trilogy details the tragedies that beset the region, and Languoreth herself, in the early days of Anglo-Saxon migration to the British Isles. Eventually, these stories would be displaced from Scotland as the Celts themselves moved to safety in Wales and southern Britain, taking their legends with them.
Especially appreciated is the brief pronunciation guide provided by the author. The Celtic language, with pronunciation so different from spelling that it frequently reminds me of some sort of code, can make for dense reading without some sort of guidance.
Pike’s previous book is a travel memoir (“Faery Tale: One Woman’s Search for Enchantment in a Modern World”) and she hopes that her current works will spark an interest in exploring the Scottish countryside in her readers. It certainly did with me. I’ll be including visits to Clyde Rock and other landmarks from the book in the Glasgow region, an area that previously held little interest for me, on my next visit to Scotland to pursue my own quest for Merlin.
I much look forward to reading the subsequent volumes of the series. Ms. Pike, at least, will understand my fascination with Merlin: my father’s name was Stobo.

I received The Lost Queen as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

In sixth-century Scotland, twins Langoureth and Lailoken are the only children of a minor king, . Lailoken is destined to be a Wisdom Keeper, a minister to the gods and a counselor to royalty. Langoureth, meanwhile, is fated to marry well and represent her father's territory. These long-held traditions, however, are imperiled by foreign Angles and traitorous Britons raiding their villages, and the increasing power of the Christian church pushing out the old ways. The violence and darkness threaten to overwhelm Lailoken, who has gone to serve under his foster brother Uther Pendragon, while Langoureth, married to the son of a Christian king and in love with one of Pendragon's warriors, must navigate treacherous political waters while protecting the people and traditions she holds most dear.

I loved this. The late Roman/early medieval period is fascinating to me, perhaps for its dearth of information. The mystery in which so much of it is steeped, and the massive transitions, politically, culturally, and religiously, that were taking place make it a rich source of stories. I loved how the early Arthurian legends were woven into what we do know historically, and the world that's drawn is vibrant in both its beauty and brutality. Can't say enough good about it, and am excited to read the sequel.

The book starts out with twin siblings mourning the death of their mother and only blooms from there. A wonderful world is weaved while the scope broadens - pulling away from the saddest of children to an entire world, with them at their center,
This is the first work I've read by Signe Pike and it won't be my last. From lovely depictions of the scenery to the innermost thoughts of the characters, I felt so drawn to this book and didn't want it to end. To put it plainly, Pike may be one of my favorite authors of all time.

I loved the language of this book! It's so lyrical and immersive - you can literally, so-easily imagine yourself walking in the Scottish woods - their magic, their beauty, their calm and peacefulness. I just love books that wrap you in like that!

The story was great too - we meet Langoureth when she is ten years old and follow her through the next 5 or 6 years as she grows into a woman, finds her first love, then marries another for political alliance. The story then skips forward about 10-12 years or so. Normally I would find that unsettling, but it is handled well, with the gaps in the story filled out in a satisfying manner.

I was hoping for a bit more of the Merlin and Arthur tale in this novel, as it was advertised as "Outlander meets Camelot". We do get to know Lailoken well, the man who is later known as Myrddin or Merlin, and who is Langoureth's twin brother, but there really are not any references to Merlin or Author in this story, save for the Note from the Author at the end. The story is also not like Outlander, unless you count that it takes place in what is later known as Scotland and is in a medieval setting, although The Lost Queen takes place much earlier (6th Century) than Outlander (18th Century).

Also, I was a bit disappointed to learn this was part of a trilogy, as I do prefer stand-alone books. However, this novel definitely stood on its own, with a satisfactory ending, and did not fall prey to the "trilogy cheat" of expanding what should have been one book over three books instead.

All of that said, The Lost Queen is a beautiful book with engaging characters. Langoureth sneaks into your heart and you root for her and feel for her along the way. And you long to enter her beautiful, forested world of magic and beauty. Definitely recommend!

This book is perfect for anyone who loves Outlander. I did find the first few chapters to be a bit slow but this book quickly picks up. Signe Pike sweeps you away with her description of Scotland. Overall an enjoyable historical romance.

I absolutely loved this book. Based on the story itself and the notes from the author at the back I know it was a well researched book that offers a glimpse of life back then, merlin’s past, and his forgotten sister. I felt for the characters and wish I knew more of what happened next.

I actually wish that the history of the books creation was at the beginning of the book rather than the end. It brought more things to life for me in regards to the characters and how things evolved politically. It was a good story. some things seemed to drag a bit, but overall I enjoyed it