A review by dianapiskor
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.0
GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE is a really interesting book for a variety of reasons. I think what I was expecting was not what I got, but in a great way. With concepts of found family, finding your identity, and being faithful and true to yourself, you have a great story that, while there is action with sword fighting, also focuses on how a person can live authentically, even if they are not within the "norms" (because, really, what does normal truly mean anyway?) of what society values.
Part of what makes this book so special, as I've stated, is that this book considers the idea of living as your true self. We meet Gwen, who has been engaged to Arthur since childhood, as a princess in Medieval England where the legend of King Arthur has become just that: a myth . They despise each other. Yet they find common ground in the fact that they are both gay in a time where that is frowned upon or that needs to be hidden. While this seems heavy, and it is in some places, it is more about becoming who you were always meant to be, to be accepting of what makes you unique, and to go for what you truly want to live as you see fit, not as society tells you. Mix that in with some really fun banter and you've got yourself a novel that was an enjoyable read. And the interactions with side characters like Sidney and Arthur? They were just incredibly well written and so much fun.
While I loved those aspects of the story, it does get a little repetitive between Gwen and Arthur and their hatred of one another. And because this is more an introspective, character growth novel, I would say the plot moves a bit slow at times and then rushes towards the end. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think the length could be reduced a bit to have that be more balanced.
However, I think that this story is definitely worth reading, especially if you love the idea of living authentically, love some Medieval LGBTQIA+ love (with a lady knight and a prince!), and character driven novels.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Part of what makes this book so special, as I've stated, is that this book considers the idea of living as your true self. We meet Gwen, who has been engaged to Arthur since childhood, as a princess in Medieval England where the legend of King Arthur has become just that: a myth . They despise each other. Yet they find common ground in the fact that they are both gay in a time where that is frowned upon or that needs to be hidden. While this seems heavy, and it is in some places, it is more about becoming who you were always meant to be, to be accepting of what makes you unique, and to go for what you truly want to live as you see fit, not as society tells you. Mix that in with some really fun banter and you've got yourself a novel that was an enjoyable read. And the interactions with side characters like Sidney and Arthur? They were just incredibly well written and so much fun.
While I loved those aspects of the story, it does get a little repetitive between Gwen and Arthur and their hatred of one another. And because this is more an introspective, character growth novel, I would say the plot moves a bit slow at times and then rushes towards the end. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think the length could be reduced a bit to have that be more balanced.
However, I think that this story is definitely worth reading, especially if you love the idea of living authentically, love some Medieval LGBTQIA+ love (with a lady knight and a prince!), and character driven novels.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!