Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Queen of Camelot
Book Review: Don't pass this one by!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read MANY Arthurian tales, and was excited to find that Nancy McKenzie has taken an ancient tale and given it new life. Her rendition of Guinevere as an almost modern woman breathed new life into a character who is usually secondary to the men of this tale. I was impressed that this Guinevere possessed a quiet strength in the face of so many adversities. Written as a memoir, the book gives you a complete understanding of not only Guinevere as a person, but also of the circumstances behind the person.Book Review: Enjoyable rendition of Guinevere
Summary: 4 Stars
Here is another tale of King Arthur's reign; however, this time it is centered on and told through the viewpoint of his wife Guinevere. It starts with her life from her birth when a wise woman calls her gwenhwyfar--the white shadow--who is prophesized to betray not only the king but be betrayed herself. It follows her life as an orphan under the tutelage of King Pellinore in Wales and her selection to be the second wife of King Arthur (as his first wife had died in childbirth). It then follows her years with Arthur and her struggles of not being able to give the king the child he so desperately needs and wants; her being the strength behind Arthur - she is not your typical 5th century woman who is just concerned with babies and weaving - as she helps him with the running of the Kingdom; and her love for Lancelot.McKenzie does an excellent job in creating Guinevere as the strong and loving woman behind the man, and yet makes her seem just as fallible with many weaknesses as well. It is a very convincing and realistic character. What makes this story different from the others I have read is that she encourages Arthur to take in his bastard son, Mordred, and treats him like her own child (in the other stories I've read, Mordred was raised solely by his mother for purposes in destroying Arthur). Here, Mordred becomes a very sympathetic character whom you cannot believe would betray Arthur. It was a nice touch.
Overall, this was a very good book that I recommend. It is definitely more of a love story than an action novel.
Book Review: Enjoyable, but...
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is a great retelling of the classic Arthurian legend, and it kept me turning the pages. I especially liked that almost every character that I have ever encountered from reading other tales of King Arthur made some kind of appearance in this book. McKenzie is a great author and I intend to read "Grail Prince" as soon as I can get my hands on it.
My only problem with this book is the rather annoying "awe factor" that sometimes plagues the protagonists of novels such as these. I hear a lot of people saying Guinevere is a "three-dimensional" and "relatable" woman, but to be honest, I got to the point where I could relate better to Elaine... and that's not good! It seemed the only people who were not absolutely crazy about Gwen were the bad guys, and too many men were in love with her. In this book, she has brains, beauty, wisdom, wit, courage, kindness... this list goes on. It was almost painful for me to read the parts where she is alone with Arthur. It seemed half their conversations consisted of "Gwen, what would I do without you?" or "Gwen, I am the luckiest man alive to have found such a woman," etc. etc. Her love affair with Lancelot was handled delicately, but I didn't think it was believable. Arthur was just too understanding, and Lancelot and Guinevere were too noble.
In all, the pace of this story was very good and the storytelling aspect was excellent. I can tell McKenzie put a lot into her characterizations, but to me, these people were too good to be true. From what I have read, however, Galahad has a lot of potential as a more compelling hero.
Still, I would reccomend this book to anyone.
Book Review: Enthralling story, horrible dialogue
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is well worth the read. I've been a lifelong fan of Arthur and Camelot, and I've always wanted a more inciteful look into the character of Guinevere (who's often portrayed as something of a bimbo). That's not the case here. The character is well-developed and admirable. Also beautifully portrayed is the passsionate and compassionate relationship between Arthur and his queen. That being said, the language of this book will make you cringe. McKenzie's denizens of Camelot too occasionally spout modern slang. (Examples: "I could square things with Gawaine...", "his chieftains must be hollering for more land...", and my personal favorite, "What's up, Kay?") Then the author drops in a "shall" here and there in an attempt to make the language sound quaint. But once you get past this flaw, it's a nicely constructed novel and will make a nice addition to your Arthurian collection. I'll probably read it again.Book Review: For lovers of the Arthur Legend
Summary: 4 Stars
If you crave Arthurian stories, then you got to read this one!! It's an excellent book and fleshes out the queen's side of this old, old story. Nancy makes her characters come to life. While you know the ending, you don't want to put the book down. This is the 1st of a series and deals with Guinevere's side. The other two books (Gawain & Tristin) are also very good and each book can be read by itself