Member Reviews
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and reading along as it grew and transformed the legend that is Arthur and Camelot. You really do see Guinevere come into her own in this book, especially when she's trying to set right all of the wrong things Merlin had done. The new characters were really likeable and I enjoyed their interactions within the already established group. This was a nice ending but I was expecting more. The plot fell through and I think this is a big reason as to why I'd say this is the weakest of the three books. It's such shame because this has been a fantastic series.
I really wanted to enjoy this since the first book in the series was so good. I had finished that in a day and couldn't put it down. But with this one, I just wasn't interested the way I had been at the beginning of the series. While I dont enjoy doing it, I had to DNF the book.
It's not my favorite of the trilogy, and it's a shame that for me it ends on it's weakest book. But I love the story Kiersten created here with characters we all knew, only a bit different.
If there is one thing I hate it's a poor love triangle but more so a character that can not make a choice and live with the consequences.
I really enjoyed the second installment in this series. The book was lots of fun and kept me on my toes.
I don't know when or how it happened, but I don't think I can finish this book because I just find the main character so wishy washy and whiny that I don't care what ultimately happens to her in this trilogy. It's a shame but it is what it is. I do love Keirsten White as an author and don't think it's a reflection of all her work, simply how the main character has turned out in this series.
The Excalibur Curse is the third and final book in Kiersten White's Camelot Rising trilogy. It is a fast-paced and action-packed novel with a satisfying conclusion. However, it is not without its flaws, particularly in terms of pacing and character development.
The book picks up where the previous book left off, with Guinevere and Lancelot separated and Arthur under the control of the Dark Queen. Guinevere must journey north to find Merlin and find a way to break the curse that is binding Arthur.
White does a good job of building suspense and keeping the reader engaged. The action scenes are well-written and the stakes are always high. However, the pacing is a bit uneven in the first half of the book. There are some slow sections, and it takes a while for the plot to really get going.
Additionally, the character development is lacking in some areas. Guinevere is a strong and determined protagonist, but she can also be a bit stubborn and impulsive. Her relationship with Lancelot is also underdeveloped. The two characters are clearly in love, but their relationship is not always believable.
The supporting characters are also underdeveloped. They often feel like tropes rather than fully realized characters. For example, Merlin is the wise and all-knowing mentor, and Morgana is the evil and vindictive antagonist.
Overall, The Excalibur Curse is a satisfying conclusion to the Camelot Rising trilogy. It is a fast-paced and action-packed novel with a well-written ending. However, the pacing is a bit uneven in the first half of the book and the character development is lacking in some areas.
Recommendation: I recommend The Excalibur Curse to fans of the Camelot Rising trilogy and to fans of young adult fantasy novels with strong female protagonists. However, I would caution readers that the pacing is a bit uneven in the first half of the book and the character development is lacking in some areas.
Incredible start to a series. Recommended to adults and young adults alike. Purchased audiobooks and ebooks for my library and physical book because the cover is just so beautiful.
Had no idea this was the conclusion to a trilogy. I just saw that it was a Guinevere retelling of King Arthur, and I had to request it. Needless to say, I had to go back and read the first two books, so it took me a while to get to this one but it was a good conclusion to the Camelot rising series. For me this one fell a little bit flat compared to the first two in the series but overall I still recommend.
The book is really good. I hate that it took me so long to get to it. It starts off right after the end of book 2. Gwen leaves Camelot trying to save everyone. All goes to hell, turn after turn. There's a lot of growth in Gwen, she learns who she is and still tries to do what she believes is right. She learns a lot about herself and how she belongs in this world. White did a great job at retelling an Arthurian myth but not having Arthur be the main character. Gwen is strong and impetuous but she can be innocent, naive and caring, Merlin is morally gray and power hungry. Arthur is righteous but headstrong.
I recommend this for anyone who likes retellings, Arthur and the sword, and fantasy in general.
I was so sad to see this book, and thus the trilogy, come to an end. Kiersten White's Guinevere is one of my favorite iterations of the character and I think White stayed true to the character and legend while still telling an original and engaging story.
I will be looking forward to White's next book!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book.
I read this until twenty-five percent and then decided to DNF. While I was getting ready to leave this review, I reread the synopsis and saw that it's the last book in a trilogy. That makes so much sense! No wonder I just wasn't connecting to this story AT ALL since I hadn't read the first two.
I am giving it a three star rating here, but I did not complete the book nor do I have any intention of starting this series to come back to this one in the future. Thank you for the ARC and the opportunity and I sincerely hope readers enjoy the conclusion of this trilogy!
This conclusion is absolutely addicting! Kiersten White is a phenomenal writer with a talent for breaking the hearts of her readers and mending them back together again.
Finished this in one sitting which is rare for me. Obviously I enjoyed this one. What a way to wrap up the trilogy.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
I dropped off in this series in the middle of book 2. I think that it's a perfectly good series, just not for me at this time. I've recommended it to friends looking for this kind of story however.
Amazing book, I adore this series. I love the authors style, the romance, plot, and the immersive setting. Highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The Excalibur Curse is the conclusion to one of my all time favorite series. It is definitely not my favorite installment, but it did not let me down. Overall, it was a very strong conclusion featuring just the right amount of tying up loose ends, adherence to the source material, and new plot points as well as the necessary criticisms of the age old story.
My favorite part of this book was the criticisms of the original tales of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur himself is criticized in this book as a character who is always presented as noble and brave and someone who can do no wrong. Guinevere realizes the issues with seeing Arthur as infallible and this affects both of their stories and their relationship. This book, more than the others, centers more around Guinevere’s story and origins rather than her romances. Guinevere’s character development is incredible and so so necessary. We really see the character come into her own (and stop doing stupid shit).
As for the other characters, this book made me like Mordred??? I have disliked him from the beginning so I did not see that coming. He was just so funny in this book and so good to Guinevere that he really grew on me. Other than him, we really do not see much of our old favorites at all. We only see Lancelot on page for the last fifty or so pages and I hated that. I am a die hard Lancelot stan and her absence is my main problem with the book. As for new characters, my favorite was undoubtedly Fina, who we meet in the beginning of this book and follow all the way to the end. She is hilarious and a bi icon.
My other main criticism with this one was that the pacing seemed a bit off. Most of the book was a little slow but not unbearable. However, the last fifty or so pages definitely felt rushed. This isn’t even too long of a book so those scenes definitely could have been slowed down a bit. Also, the ending felt very point by point, as in each character’s ending was presented in a neat paragraph one after the other. It did not feel very organic.
As a whole, this was a very strong conclusion to a very strong series and I would highly recommend all three, especially now that they are all available. I loved every book and will definitely be rereading them in the future.
This was by far my favorite book of the series and I am simply obsessed! If I hadn't been sick, I would've finished this in one sitting.
Let's take a moment to appreciate the impeccable writing, storytelling, moral of the story, and each character's development. I truly could've highlighted this entire book it was just *chef's kiss*.
I won't lie, I'm super sad this this series is over because I absolutely adored everything about it. But I'm satisfied with the ending and can't wait to re-read these books again someday!
Great book and enjoyed the characters . loved the slight romance and the how well the group worked together. Overall a great book . I would read this author again.