The story of everyone's life starts somewhere. This novel follows Morgan Le Fay's life as a child to early adulthood. It offers a unique and purely femaile viewpoint of the Arthurian legend, outlining the obstacles encountered by and the motivations of a woman who did not "fit" the world she was living in. Morgan is able to surmount the challenges she faces and these forces ultimately shape Morgan into the legendary sorceress she becomes.

I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about a strong female lead.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with copy of this novel to review.

Morgan is my Name was phenomenal! It reignited my love for Arthurian fiction and fantasy. It was a beautifully written tale about the inequality of women and men in earlier times.

Sophie Keetch wrote a gripping tale and it kept me hooked. This will go down as one of my favorite retellings! I can’t wait for more from Sophie.

The writing was so well done. The characters were so well fleshed out. I felt like I was in the story and that is something truly magical. This is a book I think I will reread many times. It was the epitome of feminist rage, I felt it growing on every new page. Morgan wasn’t a villain, but she was made out to be one because she was powerful, smart, and brave.

I also really enjoy when fantasy books are politically charged. Morgan pushed the bounds of all political decisions and norms in this time because she knew they were wrong and antiquated, that women could be and should be heard.

I am a Sophie Keetch fan and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! Thank you PRH Canada and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this retelling of Morgan le Fay. I just found out that this will be a trilogy. Thank goodness, because when it ended, I wanted more. After Morgan's father is killed, her mother is forced to marry Uther Pendragon, in order to protect her three daughters. Uther is a tyrant and Morgan despises him. Morgan is different from her two sisters. She has a quick temper and is defiant. Uther sends her first to the church to rid her of this defiance. But the priest is aligned with Morgan's mother and he teaches her many things-- given the educa
tion she always wanted in secret. Many things happen to Morgan, as she falls in love with someone she shouldn't have, Uther finds out and she is sent away to a convent. There is so much more to this story, and I promise you won't be disappointed. Morgan is not what you think, as she has appeared in many legends. Enjoy! There is more to come! Thankyou to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this. I give this book a 4 out of 5. Look forward to the next installment.

I really enjoyed this book.

I like how this took part of a myth and imagined how it could have actually played out in history. I also loved that it gave Morgan a voice and looked at what her side of the story could have been.

It was beautifully-written and full of emotion. I couldn't put it down once I got about halfway in.

I also really appreciated how no matter how dark things got, there was always a flicker of hope and courage.

I recommend this book for people who love myth retellings and are interested in seeing what the women's stories may have been.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, even though it's a few years old now, I am still loving mythological retellings that are centred around female figures. (We have had millennia of myths about men, we deserve more than a few years!) And I was doubly as excited to see a British myth featured.

I was lucky enough to take an English course at university on King Arthur and early Britain, and I was very intrigued by Morgan/a. Keetch has brought her to life in Morgan is My Name and has done it brilliantly. She fleshes out a figure who is fairly one-note in the mythology and makes us immediately stand in her corner. Morgan is a capable and determined character, and her story here is largely grounded in reality. There are some instances of magic, but it in no way dominates Morgan is My Name.

In addition to creating a compelling protagonist, I love that Keetch brings new life to the other figures of the Arthurian legends, including Arthur, Uther, and Merlin. While it does not take away from Morgan's own story, it gives the reader the chance to reconsider the characters who do have more space in the myths from another perspective.

This novel is obviously written by someone who knows their mythology, and who is passionate about it. Morgan Is My Name is a must-read for anyone interested in mythology, or in finding a female-centred past.

This was such an interesting concept to play with that I was very excited to be given an ARC to read. I had vaguely heard of Morgan le Fay and I looked forward to reading what Keetch sets up is her origin story. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I liked Morgan's ability to bend the rules just enough to do what she wants. I loved seeing Morgan go head to head against the likes of Uther Pendragon (her stepfather) and Merlin (yes that Merlin!). She pushes back when the men in her life try to pen her in. The author compares Morgan to the sea - which Morgan conveniently lives next to, whilst a little on the nose, the connection is that like the sea, Morgan refuses to be tamed.

I really enjoyed the friendship she develops with Alys, a novice nun who she meets whilst banished from her stepfather's court. Looking back, that particular relationship seems to be healthiest of the relationships in this story.

SPOILERS - The one element that I didn't enjoy as much was the love story with the Gaule squire. It was intriguing at first but I found that the dialogue between the two characters became overly sweet - yes it's set in the age of chivalry but it was a bit much for me.

I think Sophie Keetch did a great job in her debut novel. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. Thank you Netgalley!

In High School, I loved Mary Stewart's Arthurian Legend series. My favourite character was Morgan, sister to Arthur, apprentice to Merlin, sorcerous in her own right, but a minor character with the likes of Arthur and Merlin being the story's focus. On the other hand, Sophie Keetch has written an entire book telling Morgan's story. Yay!
The novel starts when Morgan is a young girl and her father, the king, is killed. King Uther comes to court and forces the Queen (her mother) to marry him and then pretty much dictates the lives of everyone in the land as most kings were wont to do in the middle ages. Ever the rebel, Morgan is sent to a convent where she is delighted to have the opportunity to study (her passion, anatomy and healing). But her stepfather king eventually interrupts her happiness and orders her back to court, where she has to stifle the powerful woman she is if she is to survive the politics of the land. But just how long will she be able to live a life dictated?
I loved and loved LOVED this book. I loved the characterization of Morgan. I loved the strong female characters presented. I loved the love story, the political intricacies and the elements of "Arthurian legend" woven throughout. What a great addition to my summer reading.
Keetch writes in prose that is accessible to every reader.

I was swept up in medieval court life with its intrigues and politics–all with a hint of magic.

Morgan Is My Name is a new look at the legend of Morgan Le Fay, one character in Arthurian legend. Morgan Le Fay took different personas in medieval literature, perhaps originating from Welsh mythology. Early tales wrote her as a more benevolent figure, but Morgan Is My Name seems to be most closely following the 15th century Le Morte D’Arthur legend in which she ultimately becomes a morally ambiguous figure.

I enjoyed this book! It is a simple tale, following Morgan from late childhood into early womanhood. I won’t say much more, as the book is fairly plot-driven. It is a coming of age story, and her self-discovery is interesting, given that what she is drawn to–the healing arts and magic–is not the sort of stuff a woman of her station is allowed. It’s a battle between the life she wants and the life she is forced to lead.

The feminist perspective was ever-present: the politics of gender, and the physicality of women's lives takes up a lot of the page. Childbirth and midwifery are featured, and I like books with that element. Morgan is a sympathetic heroine, as are her close friends. Though some of the antagonists are truly bad, most are painted in shades of grey, which lends some sophistication.

My only issue with the book is that Morgan is portrayed as generally entirely good; she doesn’t grapple with much with moral ambiguity or darker impulses. There is no shadow here…yet. This is the first of a trilogy, so perhaps Keetch will develop this conflict to be more in line with the legend.

Overall, though not an overly complex or deep novel, I think this will appeal to readers who are drawn to Arthurian legend or to feminist retellings of historical and mythical women.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC.

While this was beautifully written, I felt the plot line dragged quite a bit which is why it took me so long to read. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen. Each time I expected plot development, it turned out to be depressing and full of medieval anti-feminist events inflicted on the main character.
If you aren’t aware of Arthurian legend/history then this story just won’t hit that hard for you.

I grew up loving Arthurian legends and I always felt that Morgan was wronged in so many ways. This book was everything I could ever want for a book on her. She was so far progressive beyond her time, so powerful and so strong. Sophie Keetch did an incredible job of showing the woman behind the legend. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book.

Good book, interesting story. It is an intriguing change to have Merlin acting as a jerk. The storyline with Arthur had a nice beginning before it was cut short with the end of the book.

I’m not sure about the feminist bent the book claims to have. Morgan is educated and had opportunities to become so. However, she is forbidden to practice her healing arts, her husband doesn’t want to hear her counsel. Many things have to be done in secret or under the disguise of something else.

This was a page one No for me which is solely my problem not that of the book. I had a visceral dislike of the names and just didn't have the desire to try to get used to them.

I've read great reviews on this book, and really like the concept, so I have not posted an online review.

4.25 stars
I absolutely loved this book and hope we get a sequel to see how Morgan's life unfolds. The author gave us a wonderful (if occasionally slow-paced) story of a young girl whose life is shattered by lies and magic and who grows into a confident woman.

I've always been fascinated with the story of Morgan Le Fay because just about every rendition starts with a death and a lie. Her father is killed and Uther uses magic to claim her mother unknowingly before claiming her publicly and selling off her daughters. I mean if given the chance and means who wouldn't take revenge for a life drenched in pain? Yet the stories all portray Morgan as the villainess instead of the victim, survivor, and ultimately a fury seeking her pound of flesh.

I think we all know a self-possessed woman was almost always described as "evil and trouble" in medieval writings so this Morgan is such a breath of fresh air. She knows who she loves, what she wants, and is willing to get it without kowtowing to the man who's directly responsible for how her life has unfolded. I love how Morgan calls out and stands up to Merlin who cares for nothing but his own visions of the future, I'm sure their future collisions will be fiery. I can't wait to read more about Morgan's evolution into her true self and how she protects her loved ones.

So glad I received an ARN from the Publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

I flew through this feminist Arthurian retelling featuring Morgan Le Fay. The prose is beautiful and evocative, and the characters are so compelling. Her friendships and relationships in particular are very well written.

Because it follows Morgan's life from childhood on through her education and marriage, it is by nature on the slower side and a bit plot light. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in Arthurian legends or enjoys mythological retellings!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! I got this on it's release day, so apologies for the somewhat belated review!

Tempestuous. Conniving. Evil. These are descriptors for the Morgan Le Fay I read about when I was much younger. Unsurprisingly, these were stories written by men, and no doubt in an effort to make Arthur seem even more heroic, others in his life needed to seem more mundane, or cruel.

Sophie Keetch takes what we know from earlier legends and creates a more nuanced, complex portrait of this woman. Here Morgan, as she insists she be called, is a fiery, brilliant person who cares deeply, but doesn't suffer fools. Keetch takes us from Morgan as an eight-year-old, to a married woman with a young son. As this is meant to be the first of a trilogy, there is much left for Morgan to do to distinguish herself during Arthur's reign, and Keetch lays the groundwork for this woman's later achievements in this compelling portrait.

Keetch hits some of the usual beats: Uther rapes her mother after Morgan's father dies, her half-brother is born and spirited away by Merlin, then Morgan falls for one of Uther's Knights, Accolon, before she leaves home to spend years at an abbey in study, learning much, including discovering her ability to heal and her unusual connection to the sea. Later, she's married off by Uther to cement an alliance, and spends years making a life far from her home, living with a vain man, having his child and experiencing the failure of her relationship and finally meeting her seemingly long lost half-brother.

What Keetch does with these story milestones is make us care for a young woman who is forthright to a fault, daring, deeply caring of her best friend Alys and her family. She's also bold, passionate, clever, and impulsive.

I particularly loved how creepy she found Merlin, who comes off as manipulative and whose motives are murky. Her aversion is instinctive, and hints at future conflict, even while she and Arthur immediately connect and like one another.

The settings and character interactions are well-drawn, the atmosphere is wonderful, and showed that though most people were illiterate and superstitious, there were also centres of deep learning, including the abbey where Morgan felt happiest during many of the years covered in this book.

I anticipate more treachery, scheming, and clashes in the next installment, as Keetch will probably introduce us to various interests and individuals found at Arthur's Court. I can't wait.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I have always loved finding new Arthurian retellings, and this one really drew me in right from the start.
Not a tale of knights and quests but rather the strength of women as the undercurrent of all stories.
It definitely read like a modern lens (the unexpected LGBTQ rep was heartwarming) rather than stuck in the stodgy old "A man is destined for greatness!" track, which may ruffle some more traditional feathers but I was in love through the whole thing.

The characters are vibrant, the storyline is a touch slow at times but with enough plot twists to entertain even those familiar with every detail of the legends.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for access to the eBook ARC!

Morgan enjoys her life. Her parents are loving and support her need for learning. Even though it's not fitting for a lady, they make sure she has all the books and knowledge she could ever want.

That all changes when Uther Pendragon kills her father and forces her mother to marry him. Uther is a horrible. Morgan hates him and can't get along with him. He has taken everything from her.

While secretly continuing her quest for knowledge, she realizes that she has powers. She is thriving and loving life again when Uther reveals his plans for her. He is going to ruin her life all over again.

I loved this! I loved Morgan and her thirst for knowledge in a time when women were just supposed to marry and provide heirs. How dare she want more than that! I love a female character that bucks the system!

I'm really excited to see where this series goes. There was quite a bit unanswered in this one.

Morgan Is My Name takes one of the most popular stories in English literature - that of King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table and Camelot - and offers us a fresh perspective on that historical (?), fantastical (?) event.

Sophie Keetch tells this well-known tale through the eyes of Morgan Le Fay, a female character who was initially seen as a wise woman with incredible, perhaps even supernatural, healing gifts but whose reputation and exploits have been villainized over the centuries.

The Morgan of this book is intelligent, loyal, persistent, strong and has an unquenchable curiosity and desire to learn and to help, in her case through understanding the body and how to treat its many injuries and ills.

But Morgan lives in a time when the education of girls and women was dependent solely on the whims of the men in their lives. As a girl, Morgan's father is in favour of her education. But her husband, not so much.

Of course, even the idea of female autonomy and agency is anathema to most of the men in Morgan's time. For instance, marriage is not a love match. It is a way for two "kingdoms" to consolidate power. The wife's role is merely to provide an heir, regardless of what wise counsel or solid advice or special skills she may be able to offer.

Abuse, oppression, and subjugation all drive the plot forward. But love, of many different sorts, is also a powerful player. There is the love between a parent and child, first romance,. queer love and even sacrificial love.

Telling the origin story of Camelot from the perspective of Morgan offers fresh insights into the actions and motivations of all the characters and that is always thought-provoking.

Though this book is set in the era of knights and wizards, having Morgan narrate the story somehow makes it feel strangely current. Women are still struggling to be accepted for their intelligence, their skills, their wisdom. It is still very difficult for most powerful men to take any kind of advice from a woman. And we still fear that which we do not understand, whether it is sorcery or "women's intuition".

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, I fell down the Wikipedia page on King Arthur trying to figure out what happens to all the main characters, and how they converge or diverge in Keetch's novel. I really hope she writes a sequel because I want to see, through Morgan's eyes and those of her female companions, how the rest of the Camelot saga unfolds.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch

This book was not for me, but I am sure others will enjoy it. I always love Arthurian tales, so I am sure that I will return to this book later.

Another great retelling of a legend I know less about that I think I do. Morgan le Fay is such an interesting character and after some Wikipedia research about the Arthurian myths I realized just how faithful this retelling is. I loved the focus of her magic on healing and helping people and how she isn’t framed as a villain by most