This was just alright for me. I have yet to find a King Arthur book that lives up to the myth. But this was cute! I have recommended it to customers who are looking for a King Arthur retelling.

The Other Merlin was a surprisingly fun spin on Arthurian legend. There's a little bit of mystery, drama, and romance all rolled into one. I loved the protagonists! Arthur, Emry, and Lance's friendship was so pure. I also really enjoyed the set up and ultimate reveal for some other fan favorite characters. There are elements to the story that are well-recognizable if you're a fan of other King Arthur stories, but plenty of new twists and turns to make it a completely new story. This is a young adult novel, and it's a fun, quick read between heavier stories or when you're in a slump.

An absolute hidden gem -- this young adult story is a delightful blend of fantasy, romance, and coming of age.

Have you ever seen the BBC's Merlin? I have and I have missed it since it's end. It was funny and had heart.

The lore of Arthur is such that Merlin has been around enough to, yes, acquire daughters (a unnamed maiden of the Dolorous Mount & Inogen) and a sister too- in Ganieda.

So it's not so far fetched that Merlin is a family name of wizards belong too to twins Emry and Emmett.

When Arthur, who never expected to be king after his father, unexpectedly pulls the sword from the stone it's glow acts like a lightening rod.

Uther sends for Merlin's son to be trained as court wizard apprentice, he expects a boy the age of his son to show up. And that's what Emry intends them to believe for the week she and Emmett need for switching places after a spell sends him into a sleep he can't be roused from.

When Emmett refuses to switch back, Emry is stuck in an apprenticeship that perhaps ought to have been hers to begin with. Between lessons and her befriending Arthur and Lance comes a quest for Avalon and the sword Excalibur fit for the king Arthur may become.

I enjoyed the mystery of who Emry's grandmother was and how she might be tied to Avalon and the Lady of the Lake and wish more could have been dug into between Morgana and Emry and Guinevere there.

If Mary and Arthur are to make the most of a promising future they must first reckon with a past that ties them closer with a mystery of Uther's making and the Merlin's missing father which threatens their lives and budding love.

This took a lot longer for me to get into than I like to admit. The author takes a lot of liberties in this retelling, which is fine, but I felt somethings were just written so we'd be more sympathetic to Emry and/or Arthur. While I enjoy Arthurian retellings, this isn't one of my favorites, but I can understand how the romantasy aspect could appeal to my students.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"The Other Merlin" by Robyn Schneider is a captivating modern take on the Arthurian legend that seamlessly weaves fantasy into contemporary life. Schneider's reimagination of Merlin, the legendary wizard, in a modern setting offers a fresh and unique perspective.

The story follows the protagonist, a teenage boy named Arthur, as he discovers his magical abilities and unravels the mysteries of his past. Schneider masterfully blends elements of magic, friendship, and self-discovery, creating a narrative that is both enchanting and relatable.

One of the strengths of the novel lies in Schneider's ability to balance the fantastical with the everyday challenges of adolescence. The characters are well-drawn, with Arthur's journey serving as a metaphor for the universal struggles of identity and acceptance.

Schneider's prose is engaging and evocative, transporting readers into a world where magic and reality seamlessly coexist. The pacing is well-managed, keeping the plot dynamic and full of surprises.

"The Other Merlin" is a delightful read that offers a fresh perspective on a timeless legend. Schneider's modern twist on Arthurian lore, coupled with compelling characters and a well-crafted narrative, makes this novel a standout in the realm of contemporary fantasy literature.

This was a delight to read. The characters felt real and different even with the callbacks to the Arthurian mythos. Looking forward to reading the two sequels.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*

I'm a sucker for King Arthur stuff and YA with banter, which is why I really enjoyed this book. In a Shakespearean twist, Emry takes her twin brother's place at King Uther's court as wizard apprentice and pretends to be Emmett. Chaos ensues, as you might imagine. While the majority of the story is oh so predictable and full of well known tropes, it was just so much fun and it also was so queer! Nothing of this is historically accurate, there are gaping plot holes but whatever, it was just very entertaining and I was rooting for wizard apprentice Merlin & Lance & Gawain & Arthur :D

4 stars

I love this series so much! I'm trash for Arthurian retellings and The Other Merlin scratched that itch so well! I enjoyed every moment I spent in this world. This book was such a funny and delightful read, and I will always love the girl-dresses-as-a-boy trope. I've already read the sequel as well. I am DYING for third and final book to be released!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read! Found the book on NetGalley only to realize that it had already been published and that the sequel was already out. Now I've read them both (twice) and am eagerly awaiting book 3.

The Other Merlin is a fabulous retelling of the King Arthur story with women's rights and LGBTQ themes. Merlin is a girl, Guinevere and Arthur never fall in love, Sir Lancelot isn't the bad guy, and they are a group of teenagers trying to figure out their worlds. Emry Merlin has just the right amount of moxie and irreverence. The group is navigating a world of political takeovers and changing opinions. Excellent!

I thought this was going to be a genderbend story, but it was just run-of-the-mill girl-dresses-as-boy-to-get-equal-opportunities. I think the trope is tired at this point.

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC.

DNF 11% in. I just couldn’t get into this and i also tried the audiobook to see if that helped but it didn’t. I think a lot would like this but I just didn’t.

I love this verision of the Matter of Britain. The characters are very young, unusual and Merlin is a bit different but it's one of the possible incarnation of the most famous British wizard.
I had fun and rooter for the characters.
A cute and entertaining story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I am currently taking a medieval literature class and my professor offers extra credit for those who read, attend, or watch things to do with the Arthurian era. I convinced my professor that this book should count so that is an automatic 2-star rating for me. However, this book was also highly enjoyable and I loved every second of it.

If this book wasn't based on Arhurian legend, I would love it. It makes it difficult to root for a romance between Arthur and Emry.

I’ve always enjoyed stories involving Camelot and with The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue as a comp title, this was an easy request from NetGalley.

When Emry’s twin brother Emmett receives a summons from King Uther to train as the court’s wizard, she’s naturally jealous. Emry is easily the better wizard and far more responsible than her brother, but girls can’t practice magic. After a situation prevents Emmett from his duties, Emry masquerades as her brother and assumes his position at the castle. Surely she can handle it for a week, and then they can switch again. Easy peasy, right? Not so much.

Between Emry, Arthur, and Lancelot, I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite character. I loved Emry’s ambition and determination, Arthur’s preference of books over most people, and Lancelot’s charm and humor. The friendship and banter between Arthur and Lancelot are so well done – they support each other unconditionally, and they both need someone in their corner considering their circumstances. I dreaded Guinevere showing up, but she turns out to be a bright spot in the story and fits in well with the cast of characters.

Clearly the author takes a lot of liberties with the classic tale, but that’s what a retelling is all about. Friendships, romance, a bromance, Excaliber, wizards, plenty of humor, court politics – I enjoyed this novel from the first page. It doesn’t really end on a cliffhanger but sets the stage nicely for the next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is a rare gem. It is a humorous YA fantasy novel with a unique retelling of the Arthurian legend. Readers will easily get caught up with the story. The Merlin from earlier novels has disappeared. Twin Emmet is sent to take his place in King Uther's court, but it is the female twin, Emry, is the magical one. Highly enjoyable, if this is the first in the series, we will looking for future titles to come out.

Thank you to Penguin and Net Galley for allowing me to read this in return for a fair review.

The Other Merlin is a rewrite of the classic Arthurian legend, with a few twists. First, the original Merlin is missing, having left behind twins when he vanished, now being raised by their grandmother. Second, many of the younger members of the court are very open in their interpretations and acceptance of LGBTQ+ issues - an attitude not shared by their elders. Third, when the first Merlin's son, Emmett, is called to court to apprentice to the court wizard, Ambrosius, he is unable to attend because a spell he cast backfired and left him unconscious, so his twin sister, Emry, goes in his place, planning to cover for him until he awakens and can take his proper place; after all, King Uthyr of Camelot would never accept a female wizard in his court. This is where things begin to truly diverge from the more common retellings of the Arthur legend, although many of the incidents remain the same: Arthur comes into his own after he pulls the sword from the stone; he receives Excalibur and an enchanted sheath from the Lady of the Lake; he is betrothed to Guinevere, and so on. But even within those commonalities, the details change.

This is an enjoyable update to the legend, one that stays reasonably true to the the original, maintaining the setting while updating details of social interactions to be closer to the attitudes among today's youth. And then, the conversion of the original Merlinus Emrys into this volume's Emry Merlin creates opportunities for a range of different interactions between Arthur and Merlin. A complete novel in itself, as befits the first volume of a projected series, it nonetheless leaves an open plot point for the sequel indicated at the end; I can only hope the sequel will be as good as this volume proved to be. Recommended for older middle school students to adults.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was FANTASTIC!! It was a different take on Arthurian legend and it felt current. The characters were written very well and Emry and Arthur's relationship was super sweet to read as it unfolded. Lancelot funny and the book dived into modern topics that relate to its readers. I will be continuing on reading the series and I can't wait to read book 2!