This book started out as a two for me as it was very slow to get to the meat of the story. It simple and boring i read quite a few of this author book and i was expecting a bang out of the gate. Maybe it cause i know the Arthur stories and read many of them. The one thing that really bumped this story to a four is that it does what many of those do not it centers on Guinevere and other female characters to where you almost forget your reading a Arthur retelling.

The story at the heart of it is a deception story and our king is all in the know about it. Their are small secrets and then their are big ones. Kirsten White is the master of dark materials and this one has hints of it but i have a feeling now that all the ground work has been laid the remaining books in this serious will take that hint of darkness and it going to splash all over the story.

This is one novel that you have to wade into it takes sometime to get the ground work laid and I not usually a big fan of these kind of stories. I want the meat but in this case it paid off to get the ground work. Now that it been laid i really excited to see where the rest of this retelling is going.

Whoo boy, do I have some things to say about this one.

A lot of my friends on Goodreads lamented over the first 80% of this book and thought it picked up at the end. I had the opposite reaction. Because of course I did. I actually loved the beginning of this. I was drawn into the mystery and the intrigue. I have a long attention span, and so I was HERE for the minor details of the time period and setting.

And then the book ended…

Gather round, friends, and settle in for another Feminist Rant That Nobody Asked For.

First, let me address my lack of a rating. In case you haven’t noticed, I stopped reviewing books I don’t like. For a number of reasons that I really don’t want to get into right now. As a whole, I did not like this book, which is one of the reasons I’m not rating it.

The other is that I still have faith in this series. I adore Kiersten White. Her feminist retellings are fire. That was true for most of this book too.

But, Lord, that ending.

My hope is that there was a point to it. That it’s a setup for the rest of the series and that the main character, Guinevere, is going to pull a 180 sometime during the second installment.

WARNING: UNMARKED SPOILERS AHEAD

Let’s dive right into the meat of my issue, shall we? This ending is not feminist. At all. In fact, it embodies a devastatingly subversive antifeminist theme in literature that was first popularized in The Taming of the Shrew.

This book is based on Arthurian legend. Our heroine is Guinevere, but not really, because the real Guinevere died and our nameless female lead is just impersonating her.

Arthur banned magic in Camelot, ousting Merlin, his former adviser. But there’s a darkness on the horizon that threatens the realm, so Merlin sends Guinevere to protect Arthur. They marry.

Arthur is kind and benevolent and everything a king should be. Guinevere immediately worships the ground he walks on. Even though he’s never there for her because he’s so busy running a kingdom. Even though she feels like she can never tell him everything about herself. Regardless of the fact that – SURPRISE – he’s in on her deception.

That’s right. He knows Merlin sent her and is okay with her doing magic even though he regularly banishes or executes others caught practicing magical arts because….well that’s never really fleshed out. Which makes him seem like a massive hypocrite from the get go.

And then there’s Mordred, Arthur’s most trusted knight and nephew (who is actually a year older than Arthur because their family tree is all sorts of fucked up). He tasks Mordred with guarding Guinevere when he isn’t around. Which is almost always.

Mordred and Guinevere grow close. He discovers her magical secret and instead of outing her, he protects her. She can talk to him in a way that she can’t with Arthur. She feels like her real self with him.

A self that she’s confused about. There are massive holes in her memory. Merlin deceived her and she thinks he even went so far as to erase her past from her mind. It turns out he didn’t really send her to protect Arthur, but sent her to be protected from the rising darkness.

And Arthur knew about it. In fact, Arthur knows more about her than she does. Does she poke at that? Ask him why? What he knows? If he can fill in her memory gaps? Nope. She just blindly trusts that he’s not keeping some terrible shit from her, even though there are MANY hints that he’s keeping some terrible shit from her.

The whole premise of this story is nature vs order. Magic is depicted as wild and chaotic. It’s not good or evil, it simply IS. Like a wolf that kills a baby deer. Is that sad and horrible? Yup, but guess what, the wolf’s gotta eat, man. If it doesn’t kill the deer, it dies. We don’t get to choose which one of them lives.

And then there’s order. Man imposing his will on nature. Enacting edicts and laws to curb chaos. Shaping the very landscape around him to better suit his own needs.

Arthur is order. He defeated the Dark Queen, banished magic, and with the help of Merlin, put the land to sleep. When she’s with him, Guinevere is made lesser. She has to hide her magic. She comes at least second, always, but sometimes even third or fourth or fifth. She’s more of an afterthought for him. And like Petruchio from The Taming of the Shrew, Arthur endows her with characteristics he prefers, namely voicelessness and usefulness. He only ever goes to her when he needs her to do something for him. Not him, Arthur, the man, but the king.

At one point, he even portrays her as a helpless victim who had to be saved by a brave knight after SHE heroically saved not one, but two people. He did this because she couldn’t tell him the truth of what really happened.

But she told Mordred.

If Arthur is order, then Mordred is chaos. He’s an outrageous, sometimes hilarious flirt. He doesn’t want to impose his will on Guinevere. He likes her just as she is: wild and free and powerful. There’s a spark between them that doesn’t exist between her and her husband.

And in the end, she chooses Arthur over him.

You see, she accidentally awakens the Dark Queen. Mordred is there, and he revels in the queen’s rise. Because it turns out that he is magical too. And he’s been forced to watch others of his kind flee or be killed by men.

If you’re thinking he was secretly evil the whole time and now I’m trying to get you to have sympathy for the “bad guy”, I assure you, he wasn’t, and I’m not. He’s VERY clear that he isn’t on the side of the Dark Queen. He’s not her minion, he just wants to see a balance brought back to nature before the order of man kills what little magic is left in the world.

And really, who could blame him for that? Just look at the havoc that man’s “order” has wreaked on our planet. I’m at the point where I was actually rooting for the rise of the Dark Queen.

Burn everything to the ground. I am with you, Your Majesty.

Mordred, while not as far gone as me, sees to it that the Dark Queen rises. Afterward, he urges Guinevere to run away with him. To stop making herself less than for the sake of a king who has no time for her. Who lies to her. Who doesn’t even love her like Mordred does.

But Guinevere, working against her own self interest, chooses Arthur instead. And I literally wanted to cry.

The antifeminist theme I referred to in the beginning of this review is one in which women in literature, are “tamed” by the men they’re with. Civilized. Molded into a shape more pleasing for the man. They start the books with their own agency, much like Guinevere, and by the end act as nothing so much as a mirror for their husbands.

I’m praying that I’m wrong about this series. That Guinevere chooses Arthur because of her own naivete and the fact that she’s imprinted on him because of Merlin’s manipulations. After all, the wizard shoved his own trust and love for Arthur INTO her brain.

My hope is that she snaps out of it. That Arthur tells her all the terrible shit he and Merlin have kept from her and she realizes she made THE WRONG CHOICE and runs screaming after Mordred.

Because if not, I am going to be beyond disappointed in this. And I will put a star rating to that disappointment.

I’ve always been a sucker for any Merlin/Arthur stories, so when this new exploration of the kingdom of Camelot appeared, written by Kiersten White, no less, I had little choice but to check it out.

In this story, Guinevere is dead, but no one knows that: Merlin has put a protegee of his in the princess’s place to wed the young Arthur and keep him safe in a Camelot that has banished magic. This secretly magical Guinevere feels out of place in her new home, unused to city living and certainly not familiar with being watched all the time. She is trying to adjust to the strangeness of being a queen in name, even if she doesn’t feel she is truly Arthur’s wife, since her mission is simply to protect him with the minor magic she possesses (compared with the powerful magic her mentor wields). She is constantly on the lookout for any threats to the king and any possibility that she may be exposed.

At the same time, larger threats than she or anyone imagines may be lurking beneath the surface of this bright and promising kingdom. How can one young woman with limited magical abilities be a match for what’s on the horizon?

The Guinevere Deception is an enjoyable revisiting of the world of Arthur and Merlin. It not only portrays the story from the viewpoint of a rare female character, but it empowers her, not with strong dark magic or legendary beauty, but with the opportunity to find herself and her own particular talents and gifts and to try to make things better around her. The story has romance and friendship and intrigue and is a pleasure to sink into.

I didn’t know going in that this would be the start of a series, but by the end I was pleased to know I’d be able to come back to the story.

This was a decent take on an old school tale. It was enjoyable but not amazing for me as a reader. If you enjoy Arthurian literature check it out. 3/5 stars.

Love, love, LOVE Kiersten White, but just couldn't get into this one. That won't deter from a library purchase because regardless of my feelings, I do think it has a reader. Particularly those new to / just getting into / etc. the world of Camelot. I may also try again later.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2716620402

I was so excited for the release of this book and for the most part...it didn't disappoint. I'm pretty familiar with Arthurian mythology, so I think that if you are, as well, you might be able to predict some of the plot points! But there are also enough original twists in the story to also keep you guessing as you read. However, if you're fairly new to the Arthurian myths, everything is explained, so you don't feel like you're missing out on anything important.

Can I just take a moment to appreciate a Guinevere-centred story for once? Finally, Arthur and Merlin aren't the sole stars of the show! Girl power for the winnnn! ;)

I will admit that the pacing of this book, for the first two-thirds of the novel, is slowwww, and then it's really fast-paced for the last third, which is understandable. It definitely reads like a historical fiction novel as White sets up the backdrop of Camelot, which - due to being part of British folklore - greatly resembles mediaeval Britain. But despite the pacing, I wasn't bored throughout the book. It has knight tournaments, knot magic, enchanted trees, dangerous dragons, wicked faeries, and all sorts of other interesting elements. I especially enjoyed the original magic system using knots. I've never encountered that before. Usually depictions of Merlin's magic in other interpretations of Arthurian mythology tend to utilise elemental magic. I liked seeing Guinevere use something else to protect herself, as well as confronting the threats directed at Arthur and Camelot.

White takes great lengths to demonstrate how young and unsure of herself Guinevere is, with a need to prove herself, and I found her to be an admirable protagonist. Arthur wasn't as developed, in my opinion. He's merely depicted as a caring king who always puts Camelot before his personal feelings and the people he values. Mordred was probably the most compelling character and, as usual, I ended up sympathising with him. (But then, he had to be HIMSELF ugh) I also loved Lancelot and shan't say anything else about the knight because it was a fun surprise. I wish we got to see more of Merlin and the other knights though. Gawain was always my favourite, as well as Percival, but they were only mentioned in passing a few times unfortunately. I hope that we'll see more of them and Merlin in the future.

This was a really good beginning to a fun trilogy and I can't wait to see what happens next. It's a tad slower than Illusions of Fate and Slayer, but it's still very enjoyable nonetheless. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to experience the wonder and magic of Camelot.

I loved this book! This was a unique take on the Arthurian legend of Camelot with intrigue, magic, and an interesting gender dynamic. I highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! There were a lot of familiar elements, and I had de ja vu at one point, but I think that's just because it's drawing from King Arthur, which is very familiar. I loved the magic in the book, as well as the characters. I love the plot twist at the end and am excited to see where our characters go from here.

Series Info: 1st book in the Camelot Rising trilogy, from NetGalley for review.

Characters (3/5): The characters in here were a bit lackluster. I really wanted to like Guinevere but she just seemed a bit complacent and needy to me. King Arthur was supposed to be compelling but came off as thoughtless and overpowering. None of the characters had much depth to them. I feel like the only character that was actually intriguing and had any personality was Mordred.

Story (3/5): The story was interesting. I liked that it kind of followed the story of King Arthur but had some twists to it. The pacing was a bit slow, the whole time you know something is going to happen with the Dark Queen, but it takes a very long time for anything to actually happen. Most of the book is watching Guinevere get settled as the Queen and learning the secrets around King Arthur and Mordred.

Setting (4/5): The whole story takes place in Camelot. The setting was beautifully described and a very typical fantasy style. It’s a great setting for this story and I have no complaints.

Writing Style (4/5): This is writing in White’s typical writing style. The writing flows well and is very easy to read. The whole story is told from Guinevere’s perspective. While there isn’t anything that really stands out, this book is well written.

Summary (3.5/5): Overall this is an interesting reimaging of the King Arthur tale. I did like some of the deviations and twists away from the original King Arthur story and I found some of the reimagings intriguing and interesting. However, I struggled to engage with the characters and just didn’t find them interesting (with the exception of Mordred). I also thought the story moved very slowly and wished things had picked up pace quicker. I am sad to say that I probably won’t continue with this series because I just wasn’t that engaged with the story or the characters.

The first half of the book was a bit boring. Nothing particularly interesting was going on, and I felt that Guinevere was just trailing along behind Arthur and not really taking any action of her own. But then the second half was really fast-paced and intriguing, especially the last few chapters. Finally some interesting twists and unexpected plot reveals. I'm very curious to read the second installment, whenever it comes out!

I LOVED this story! There were a few questions left at the end that I didn't love (who is Guinevere, really? what happened to Merlin? But I enjoyed it so much and it was so well-written.

I am a sucker for Camelot retellings, so I was excited to see Kiersten White’s take on a retelling focused on Guinevere as both a fake queen living a lie and the magical protector of the kingdom.

As she takes over the identity of the dead Guinevere, the new Guinevere-but-not-Guinevere steps into Camelot as Arthur’s queen and secret protector from magical threats, trained and sent by Merlin. She marries Arthur to complete the ruse and must watch for threats within the kingdom while she navigates her relationship with Arthur, his knights, her lady’s maid Brangien, and the intriguing Mordred who is always watching her.

Even though I’m very familiar with Arthurian legend, I was consistently surprised by the twists, not expecting where elements of the legends would pop up in new places. White sustains the suspense and mystery surrounding the Dark Queen, Guinevere’s history, the Patchwork Knight with high tension until the moment is right for the shocking reveal. White also let the unraveling get messy with good and evil inextricably tied together by the bloody history of Camelot, setting even the most morally upright characters on a background of moral grayness. I also found myself quickly getting attached to all of the characters in Camelot, each presented as defined individuals with strong personalities drawn from the legends.

The Guinevere Deception is a strong retelling that also winds away from its source material to become its own lovable story. Although the loose ends left me still asking some major questions, they made me even more excited to uncover those mysteries in the future Camelot Rising books.

My Review: I absolutely loved White's And I Darken series, so when I found out she was releasing the first book in a new trilogy revolving around Arthurian legends, it quickly jumped to the top of my most anticipated books of the year. For some reason I found it a little difficult to stay focused on this book, I think that had a lot to do with the time of year I read it (in the midst of holiday prep). We did kick off the book with a couple of surprising twists right off the bat, something you can always count on from White. Having been at least pretty familiar with several different takes on the legends of King Arthur, I was surprised with how easily White was able to make me fall in love with a character that I knew would become a betrayer. I kept waiting for that other shoe to drop, but once I finally decided she would take things in a different direction, bam she hit me with it (and it hurt way more than expected). I loved all the crazy twists that were thrown at us, such unique takes on the legends we are familiar with. It was a bit slow with not as much action as you would expect but it was definitely worth it in the end and I cannot wait for the next book!

My Rating: I wish I had been able to focus on this story more because it was really interesting and the twists that just kept coming were amazing. I definitely think I will try to re-read this again, maybe with an audio book. Either way I am highly anticipating the next book and give this one a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag!

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC of@The Guinevere Deception. What a beautiful world Kiersten White built! I never knew about Camelot or it’s famous heroes and foes but I really enjoyed this retelling of King Arthur’s wife, Queen Guinevere, and her entry into Camelot. This book was beautiful, adventurous and gave life to many characters who were overshadowed in Arthurian legends. I definitely will be picking up the sequel to this series when it comes out!

I absolutely loved this book. I loved it so much I went out and bought a physical copy as well as the e-ARC. The story line sucked me in and held my attention the entire time. I loved all the characters and the inclusion of all the King Arthur characters. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I've always loved King Arthur, it's mythologies, and all of the various takes on the lore, but Kiersten White's The Guinevere Deception blew me away. It had been so long since I've read anything King Arthur, and I was really excited when I got approved for this ARC from Netgalley.

The story opens with Guinevere arriving to Camelot before her marriage, unsure of herself and her future position in King Arthur's court, and it's soon revealed that Guinevere is not who she seems, not even to herself. She has been sent to protect King Arthur rather than merely be a bride sent from a royal family. Throughout the course of the story, Guinevere balances learning about her past and her realities while also getting to know the court in which she lives and the people with whom she is surrounded.

I absolutely love the duality of Guinevere's character and thought that the struggles she faced while in the midst of all sorts of discovery were true to herself. The supporting case of characters were well-developed, had incredible range and depth, and delighted and surprised me at every turn. The first part of the book did feel a little slow, but since this is the set-up to what I hope is at least a trilogy, I did find it necessary. There's a lot of ground to cover when reinventing a familiar story, and by the last half of the book, I was completely hooked and didn't want this to end. I don't want to spoil anything, but of all the supporting characters, I think Lancelot is my favorite and I'm so excited to see what White does with this character in the context of the familiar stories.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year, and not just YA reads, just because it was so much fun and so inventive on so many levels. I've never read White before, but I've had the physical ARC for her Frankenstein retelling and the first of another series on my kindle for a while, so I'm definitely bumping those up on my TBR because I enjoyed this so much.

Read this if you enjoy fantasy and/or King Arthur revisits, because this checked off so many boxes for me and I've not been able to stop thinking about it since I read it.

Huge fan of Kiersten White, but I loved this even more than I thought I would. Brilliantly reimagined, delicious plot twists, and I am overjoyed to know its not a stand alone book. Nearly read it in one sitting because I didn't want to say goodbye to such enjoyable characters.

This was so intriguing! Definitely my favorite of Kiersten's books so far. I like the twist on the tale of King Arthur, giving women the big roles and having them be strong and kick ass. The pacing was pretty well done and I stayed interested the entire time. As the story developed, the plot got more interesting and the ending killed me! I loved the relationships between Guinevere and her friends, especially Brangien. Guinevere isn't stuck up or threatened by other women. She befriends them and champions them and I love seeing women supporting women!
Great story; fun, engaging. and full of surprises. Excited for the second book!

I first read a Kiersten White novel earlier this year with “Slayer.” Really liked that book. Was looking forward to read this new series by her. I’m definitely a fan of the entire Merlin, Arthur and Camelot tale. Thought it would be interesting to read this interpretation from Guinevere’s perspective.

I enjoyed the story but had a few issues with some of plot points. I grew frustrated by the constant teasing of the protagonist’s real name. I have my suspicion who she is but I think it would have worked better if we initially started out not knowing she wasn’t who she said she was. That revelation would have been surprising.

Having said that the ending was good and I’ll be reading the next installment.

I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest review.

f you love Camelot, get ready for this female-empowering remake! 

I liked how this one focused more on a female lead instead of directly taking us to King Arthur. It definitely takes a twist on the classic story. 

We follow the main character who is a princess sent to marry Arthur, but secretly, she's there to protect him from his enemies. So she embarks on her secret identity which was so fun to read! 

My favorite part was the setting. It had total Renaissance-like vibes, and I couldn't help but picture such a vivid place!

I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend for those who want a spice in their retelling game!