Great alternative retelling of the Arthurian legend. Told in a woman’s POV. All the characters you know from the original telling reworked into an engaging story. I I’m looking forward to how the events progress in the next installment. Historical fantasy. No spice.

A brilliant reimagining of Arthurian legend, Anna by Barron breathes new life into the familiar tales surrounding King Arthur. Barron introduces Anna, the long-lost sister of Arthur Pendragon, a figure briefly mentioned in early legends but long since vanished from the story. Her presence at the heart of this novel adds a fresh layer to the myth, weaving together familiar elements to create something entirely new. The themes of relationships, power struggles, and intrigue—so often told in various forms—are given a unique twist, presenting a hidden history that runs parallel to the traditional Arthurian narrative.

Barron doesn’t just breathe life into Anna’s character; she also reclaims the forgotten stories of the women in Arthur’s court, offering a richer, more nuanced tale of love, magic, triumph, and heartbreak. Set against a vivid, beautifully described backdrop, this novel not only reimagines old legends but expands them, making the reader feel as though they’ve uncovered an entirely new layer of the Arthurian mythos.

Overall, "Queen of None" is a fascinating tale that serves as a cautionary reminder about the dangers of letting others write our destinies. A must-read for any fans of Arthurian legends.

Thank you to NetGalley, Solaris and author Natania Barron for this eARC

A unique take story based on the arthurian legend.
The story was very interesting, unfortunately it was too slow paced for me and I never really connected to the characters because there was a lot of telling instead of showing which imo always feels very passive.

3.25 stars

I love Arthurian legend (translation: I’m a huge long-term fan of the BBC show Merlin) and I was particularly looking forward to reading this interpretation. Anna Pendragon is one of the least-known Arthurian figures, and I was excited to find out more about her!

What stands out about this book is that it is about an older woman, a mother of warriors, someone who is usually a background character in fantasy books. Anna has her own network and her own motivations, and she uses her near-invisibility as the sister of the king and the mother of knights to accomplish what she needs to.

I also really liked the depiction of Merlin. He was much more manipulative and slippery than most versions of the character, and I thought it was a really interesting angle on such an iconic figure. It was also a really smart move to remind us, the reader, to question what we know about the legends and be ready for new twists and turns.

This also opened up more possibilities to explore queerness through these characters. There is a very complicated web of relationships of all kinds, and by embracing a more open-minded approach, the author was able to add more layers and nuances to these relationships.

It was a very immersive read that drew me in and kept me wanting to know more. It was a really strong start to the trilogy, and I’m very excited to get to the next instalment as soon as possible!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

This book was a wonderful take on the Arthurian legend. I loved the magic, the characters and the way the entire story was written. Absolutely amazing!

This was a lovely reading experience. I have read my fair share of retellings, but this was an exceptional one. First of all I really like the arthurian legend that this story is (kind of) a part of: We as the reader are following Arthur's sister Anna - so a completely new POV. There is so much lore, political intrigue and twists and turns throughout the story. It was such an engaging read. I enjoyed the writing style very much and also the cast of characters were well chosen and entertaining, I highly recommend! I was hooked from page 1!

3.5* rounded up

I love Arthurian Legend, so when I saw this would be a refreshing take on that well-known story, but through the eyes of Anna Pendragon, Arthur's sister, who has often been overlooked in traditional narratives, I was all in.

This feminist retelling dives into themes of power, magic, and familial bonds, presenting a rich tapestry of character development and intrigue.

Though Anna herself was well-rounded, some of the secondary characters fell flat and the pacing was a little sluggish, with Barron leaning into "showing" rather than "telling" what's happening.

Anna the unknown sister of king Arthur tells her story. A prophecy at birth says that she will be forgotten by history and this is the story of her fight to be seen.

If you like historical fiction and strong female main characters this book is for you.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

There were bits of this i really liked but i just struggled with this book. The characters were fine but i just felt like some of them needed more fleshing out. The world building was good but i just didn't care 100% for it. The writing was decent but i feel like it wasn't anything that different or special to other current fantasy stories.

This book was slow-paced and felt like it dragged on. The ending was rushed, and I felt the story lacked in depth. I'd recommend it to folks who like mythological retellings, but this one wasn't for me.

Good fun, the writing was good and i liked the world building! The cover is also gorgeous! I do wish it gave a little bit more character insight, development, it was a fun read but nothing remarkable which,, i did have high hopes but oh well maybe i wasn’t the target audience 😞

The novel "Queen of None" by Natania Barron, which centres on King Arthur's sister Anna Pendragon, presents a novel interpretation of the Arthurian mythology. The book explores issues of power, retaliation, and the fight for individuality in a patriarchal culture. The story's compelling elements are the intricate political intrigue and Anna's quest to regain her own power.

But the tempo is a little erratic, and readers who like a faster storyline could find the novel difficult to get into at first. Even while the mystical aspects and Anna's character development are fascinating, they occasionally fall short of drawing the reader in completely. In spite of these problems, the book offers a captivating retelling with intriguing components, laying a solid framework for the remainder of the trilogy.

Oh how I love an Arthurian legend novel! This checked all the boxes for me. I feel that so few Arthurian novels are gripping - this novel managed to nail that. The story of Arthur’s sister, who was new to me. I loved the female characters and easy to read prose.

I enjoyed this Arthurian retelling that focuses on Anna Pendragon and her life. Somewhere between an autobiography and a Druid tale Anna Pendragon tells us her story. This is a slower paced retelling and really lets you ponder the details.

# Queen of None
# 7/3/2024 ~ 8/13/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

Queen of none has beautiful prose. It is written with an intensity that is a bit captivating, but it is also incredibly brutal. This is set at odds with it's slow pace (yet oddly rushed ending). I am one that does not mind a slow pace in a book if the prose is good and the payoff is satisfying. But in this, I had so much trouble withstanding the pain of Anna and all the trauma the women in this book experience. I struggled to read of her being treated cruelly by men over and over again and wished only to see her rise up and succeed. I know that the brutal nature is likely the reality of these old medieval tales for women, but I did not come in prepared and given my preference for HEA, I was taken aback. While she did get her revenge it took a long time to get there and did not feel like it matches the pacing of the rest of the books, the intensity was lacking. I was left feeling forlorn and still weighed down by the pain, rather than feeling like revenge had been had. I am not someone who likes to read books where the horrors of the patriarchy are reflected in the fantasy world. To many who like a complex story, this may be the bot for you, but it wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book and apologies in the delay in the review, my PhD got in the way of books.

I really have not been a King Arthur/Camelot legends girlie since my sophomore year of undergrad when I took british literature for my english degree.

This was a really creative and magical Arthurian tale! I love how the magic and lore was woven into this as such a big part of the main characters identity.

The tale of the forgotten sister of King Arthur, her life as a pawn in Carleon, & the prophecies she intends to thwart.

I will pick up almost any Arthurian retelling that gets put in front of me, and I was thoroughly delighted with this discovery. And I'm excited to add Barron to my list of authors to keep track of.

This was a fantastic twist on a well established story. While introducing & focusing on a minor character from the earliest stories, we also get the point of view of a woman tired of being a pawn, and the steps she takes to master control of her own story. Watching Anna's progression from acceptance of what Merlin prophesied for her, to taking the reins of her own story. And the absolutely fascinating fusion of two established characters kept me racing to the end.

The naming took some getting used to, and the pacing was particularly slow in the beginning, but I am anxious for book two!

Thank you to both NetGalley and Solaris for this arc.

Enjoyed this one but the pacing felt a little slow at times.

I felt there was a lot of showing rather than telling but I did still enjoy the writing style so interested to see how the rest of the series goes