alicevdunn's review against another edition
2.0
Probably more like 2.5 stars. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book, but I felt that it lacked a structure to the plot, and the pacing of the action wasn't great. It felt like nothing happened in the beginning and then all the plot happened in the last few chapters. I liked the characters and the new take on the plot a lot, I just feel as if this is half of a book, rather than the first book in the trilogy.
reverendmix's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
makaylarose18's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bergerem0723's review against another edition
2.0
Meh... I wish I liked this more. I didn’t need the gender bent Lancelot. I get it’s part of a trilogy, but this felt very dull and didn’t really set up the next story.
thrillsbailey's review against another edition
4.0
This was good, and the twist at the end caught me off guard but a lot of the book was slow for me. I'm also just in a busy part of my life and new job right now so I didn't have as much time to read in bulk, so maybe that was why I didn't devour this like I thought I would. But it was a good read!! I think the biggest issue I had was it started with this badass witch sent undercover to protect the king (yay feminine hero) and then she ended up being the one protected.....but then she turned badass to an extent at the end again. I dont know i'm just kind of confused at my feelings towards this one. I want to like it realllly badly. definitely going to pick up the second one when its released.
danibee3's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this book up because 1- I love Kiersten White and 2- It it was included in an Owlcrate box.
The story didn’t originally intrigue me, Im not normally a fan of historical type books. But I loved the twist they put on it and the magical components to the book. Guinevere was an interesting character. The beginning was pretty slow but it definitely picked up closer to the end.
I will likely pick up the sequel and look forward to seeing what it brings.
The story didn’t originally intrigue me, Im not normally a fan of historical type books. But I loved the twist they put on it and the magical components to the book. Guinevere was an interesting character. The beginning was pretty slow but it definitely picked up closer to the end.
I will likely pick up the sequel and look forward to seeing what it brings.
leahsbooks's review against another edition
For my full review, check out:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/the-guinevere-deception
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley. I am providing my honest review voluntarily.
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White is the first book in the Camelot Rising series, and it’s a reimagining of the classic Arthurian legend. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I love a good reworking of a traditional story, and this one didn’t disappoint.
While I’m familiar with the traditional story, some parts were changed enough that I never really knew what exactly would happen. It became a story that I wanted to keep reading, in order to find out what would happen next. It wasn’t predictable, even with some parts the same. The pacing was a bit slow, especially in the first half of the book, but the story was interesting and kept my attention. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out, even though that’s going to be a while.
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/the-guinevere-deception
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley. I am providing my honest review voluntarily.
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White is the first book in the Camelot Rising series, and it’s a reimagining of the classic Arthurian legend. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I love a good reworking of a traditional story, and this one didn’t disappoint.
While I’m familiar with the traditional story, some parts were changed enough that I never really knew what exactly would happen. It became a story that I wanted to keep reading, in order to find out what would happen next. It wasn’t predictable, even with some parts the same. The pacing was a bit slow, especially in the first half of the book, but the story was interesting and kept my attention. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out, even though that’s going to be a while.
books_over_everything's review against another edition
4.0
**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**
Title The Guinevere Deception
Author Kiersten White
Release Date November 5, 2019
Description from Amazon
Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.
To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land.
Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?
Initial Thoughts
I love King Arthur retellings. And, I actually recently had a long discussion with author Jordan Ifueko (of the upcoming, Raybearer) about how so many of the best Arthurian retellings are fundamentally flawed. Some of them are extremely sexist or others stray too much from the original story. I have read some really good retellings that change the story quite a bit (and loved them), but I really wanted this book to be close to the myth.
Some Things I Liked
Mordred. I loved his role in this book. Mordred is usually somewhat of a background character so I liked that we got to see him play a bigger part (but not too big).
Lancelot. No spoilers, but I really liked the Lancelot character in this book. I got all kinds of vibes from a certain Game of Thrones character (who will remain nameless because of spoilers).
Tristan and Isolde retelling. I love that this was baked into the plot and I hope we get to see more of that.
Some Things I Didn’t Like
Slow burn. There was a maybe kinda love triangle and then a super slow burning romance thing going on that I just wasn’t a fan of. I know this is a trilogy, but let’s pick up the pace people!
Merlin – the anti-hero? You want to root for Merlin but pretty much every chance she got, Kiersten White made me want to dislike him.
Series Value
I would continue with this series. Several interesting storylines are started in this book and I would be interested in seeing where they go. There are some things that I don’t care for the direction they appear to be taking, but I just hope I’m wrong about those things.
Final Thoughts
This book was an excellent retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. It had the full cast of characters in their typical roles. I enjoyed the changes made from the original as well as the elements that were kept the same.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle – if you like King Arthur retellings – give this series a read. It’s the perfect blend of the characters you love and a fresh storyline.
Darkness Sleeping by Jen Pretty – again, if you’re looking for a fresh take on King Arthur, give this series by Jen Pretty a try.
Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta – if you like the Arthurian element but are looking for a more futuristic / sci-fi setting, give this book a try.
Title The Guinevere Deception
Author Kiersten White
Release Date November 5, 2019
Description from Amazon
Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.
To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land.
Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?
Initial Thoughts
I love King Arthur retellings. And, I actually recently had a long discussion with author Jordan Ifueko (of the upcoming, Raybearer) about how so many of the best Arthurian retellings are fundamentally flawed. Some of them are extremely sexist or others stray too much from the original story. I have read some really good retellings that change the story quite a bit (and loved them), but I really wanted this book to be close to the myth.
Some Things I Liked
Mordred. I loved his role in this book. Mordred is usually somewhat of a background character so I liked that we got to see him play a bigger part (but not too big).
Lancelot. No spoilers, but I really liked the Lancelot character in this book. I got all kinds of vibes from a certain Game of Thrones character (who will remain nameless because of spoilers).
Tristan and Isolde retelling. I love that this was baked into the plot and I hope we get to see more of that.
Some Things I Didn’t Like
Slow burn. There was a maybe kinda love triangle and then a super slow burning romance thing going on that I just wasn’t a fan of. I know this is a trilogy, but let’s pick up the pace people!
Merlin – the anti-hero? You want to root for Merlin but pretty much every chance she got, Kiersten White made me want to dislike him.
Series Value
I would continue with this series. Several interesting storylines are started in this book and I would be interested in seeing where they go. There are some things that I don’t care for the direction they appear to be taking, but I just hope I’m wrong about those things.
Final Thoughts
This book was an excellent retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. It had the full cast of characters in their typical roles. I enjoyed the changes made from the original as well as the elements that were kept the same.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle – if you like King Arthur retellings – give this series a read. It’s the perfect blend of the characters you love and a fresh storyline.
Darkness Sleeping by Jen Pretty – again, if you’re looking for a fresh take on King Arthur, give this series by Jen Pretty a try.
Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta – if you like the Arthurian element but are looking for a more futuristic / sci-fi setting, give this book a try.