claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
King Arthur may be lost to history, but his spirit, and those of his knights, are (literally) alive in their descendants. The secret society of the Round Table exists quietly on college campuses around the United States, where students are trained to fight demons. After her mother’s sudden death in a car crash, 16-year-old Bree Matthews goes to UNC Chapel Hill for early college. On her very first night, she sees a demon at a college party, then watches as two students kill it. Suddenly, Bree begins to suspect that her mother’s death wasn’t as random as she had believed, and she forces her way into a world where knights and pages and mythical kings still exist.
I was initially put off by the fact that this story is set in college so most of the characters are college students, but Bree is actually there early and is even younger (I know this is a young adult book but….damn). However, she is very mature and intelligent, as well as funny, stubborn, and fierce in her protectiveness for those she loves, so I quickly warmed to her and looked past her age… she’s an old soul (literally).
I am totally obsessed with the concept of magic looking different in different cultures and traditions, and I felt the contrast between root magic and aether/”colonizer magic” was really well done.
Spoiler
I also <i>loved</i> the twist at the end that Bree is the Scion of King Arthur, while Nick is Lancelot’s heir. Nick (and others) calling her “King” is just… yes!!!Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending):
Spoiler
Happy enough, but mostly leaves you wanting more…I can’t wait for the sequel!Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Injury/injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, and Kidnapping
roseamillerg's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
a bit too much (very confusing and complex) lore for me.
almost DNF’d multiple times, but I am happy that I finished the book.
P.s. William is *chef’s kiss* 😌
P.p.s the cover is so pretty 🥺🥵
Also can I just say SEL🦋🦋🦋💀
almost DNF’d multiple times, but I am happy that I finished the book.
P.s. William is *chef’s kiss* 😌
P.p.s the cover is so pretty 🥺🥵
Also can I just say SEL🦋🦋🦋💀
Spoiler
I didn’t like how the deaths of Evan, Whitty and Russ were written because they happened so fast and so close to each other that I feel like they lost their impact, which is really such a shame (especially bc they were TEENAGERS!! :(Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, and Stalking
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