Tuesday 6 May 2014

The Warrior Queen by Lavinia Collins



A sumptuous romance based around the life of Guinevere and Arthur's Court. 

Never before has the magical world of Queen Guinevere, King Arthur and Lancelot and the knights of the Round Table been so deeply explored than in this warming saga of passion, duty and infidelity. Drawing on a rich seam of historical sources Lavinia Collins has created a fictional masterpiece, and epic romance that will stand the test of time.


Review

When Lavinia asked me to review this book I was delighted, I love re-tellings but this one of a type that I have never read before and found it interesting as it is the retelling of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table. What I love about this book is that it hasn't been modernized like most re-tellings, it is just the same but from a different point of view.

The story is written from Queen Guinevere's point of view and brings old characters to life. It is interesting to see a story from this time from a woman's point of view as they were not equal's and their opinion didn't really matter, so it is nice to be able to see the events that unfold and the emotion that comes with them through Guinevere's eyes. It is a beautifully written novel which any fan of King Arthur and his court will love. I found the story so much more enjoyable than the original as it is told from a whole new and unique perspective.

I don't want to ruin the story for anybody that is unfamiliar with King Arthur, but he demands Guinevere as his wife after defeating her people, in a war which resulted in the deaths of her mother, brothers and the man she was supposed to marry. She unwillingly leaves her kingdom and elderly father behind and goes to Camelot to marry Arthur, who although she has never met him, she hates. At first being a Queen is a whole new experience for her and although she was a Princess in her kingdom she never had to act like one, but she eventually learns to enjoy her new role and even fall in love with Arthur.

I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for an old story made even better, or even if you are just looking for a quick fascinating read. This is the first in a 3 part series and I cannot wait to read the next two.


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