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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this decades ago, and I can no longer recommend it.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/328066
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/328066
It was slow going, and, if I hadn't had a deadline, I think I would've gotten too bogged down to finish. I'm glad I made the effort. Several themes were repetitive and few of the characters were likable, but the story was well told. And maybe that was what made the story so good-- I didn't like the characters, but I understood why they did what they did and felt empathy for them.
Apparently the author did something bad. I only found out about it after I finished reading the book, while I was looking at other reviews and did not do any further research. My review is only for the novel itself. But I guess I won't be reading any of her other works.
Apparently the author did something bad. I only found out about it after I finished reading the book, while I was looking at other reviews and did not do any further research. My review is only for the novel itself. But I guess I won't be reading any of her other works.
It's long and it's getting boring by halfway through.
I loved this book a long, long time before I'd ever even heard of the Society for Creative Ananchronism. Still, it was fun to find out there were so many kindred spirits in the world.
A dramatic rendering of the Arthurian legend as told from the perspective of the women in Arthur's life from before he was born to after his death.
To me this reads as a case against Christianity and a call to return to 'The Old Ways' of heathen religions past, because throughout the book whenever Christianity is imposed on a character who was previously not Christian something horrible ensues.
Check out any list of the "books you must read" variety (especially within the 'fantasy' section) and you'll find this fearsome brick on there, which is why I wanted to have read it. Now I know that it's not to my liking and I'm glad I need never read it again.
To me this reads as a case against Christianity and a call to return to 'The Old Ways' of heathen religions past, because throughout the book whenever Christianity is imposed on a character who was previously not Christian something horrible ensues.
Check out any list of the "books you must read" variety (especially within the 'fantasy' section) and you'll find this fearsome brick on there, which is why I wanted to have read it. Now I know that it's not to my liking and I'm glad I need never read it again.
I definitely struggled with this book more than I expected. When I was a little girl, I watched the movie over and over and over again. I was obsessed with her. Maybe it was growing up in a Wiccan coven, but I found much of the story telling simple and the themes dated.
Initial placeholder review upon finishing: First half a far too languorous and reflective, second half dramatic and very fast paced.
Full review:
Everyone believes that Arthur is the center of the story of Camelot, but Morgaine and the women behind the men would beg to differ. Morgaine has been prepared since childhood to wear the mantle of the Lady of the Lake after Viviane, to wield the Sight and be the Goddess’ vessel on earth in a land being slowly taken over by Christianity. Morgaine, their mother Igraine, their aunts Lady Viviane and Queen Morgause, Arthur’s wife Gwenhwyfer … each is a powerful woman in her own right, and they will shape the destinies of the men – and the country – around them, for better or for ill. Camelot will rise and fall from the machinations of these strong women.
In brief: the first five hundred pages were a slog – “languorous to the point of tedium” as I described it in an update. The last five hundred pages everything just snowballed and kept going faster and faster to its inevitable end (lots of death, and Avalon lost to the mists, as expected). Other than the King Stag bit in the first five hundred pages, everything else could have been greatly compressed. It often treaded and retreaded nearly the same ground, laying the sturdiest foundation ever – too sturdy for a story of myth and legend, honestly. With how much repetition of who’s who and ever-brief reminders of past events, I think you could easily read the King Stag portion then skip right to book 3 at page 523. The second half is where all the real action happens, with sorcery and love affairs, politicking and warfare, lusting and death. After all, while this is a story of Morgaine and the women behind Camelot (Morgaine, Viviane, Gwenhwyfar, Morgause), most of their activeness comes in this second half. The women do lead the story from beginning to end, but it is as often by wiles as by sex, and there is no lack of either.
When I picked this book up probably at least 15 years ago, most likely from the Friends of the Library used book sale for a quarter or two, I knew nothing about the author. Since I also wanted to go to RenFaire, I suggested reading an Arthurian tale to my book club group (they were all in! and bonus at RenFaire, there were a fair number of Arthurian costumes). Mind you, none of us finished this book before the Faire, but at least one of us had read it all years before. I was only 400 pages in, and after that it got pushed back on the priority list. Hence only finishing it in mid-November!
Now for the distasteful disclaimer: I know only vaguely of what Bradley and her husband are guilty of towards their children and the children in their care, and chose to not read more into that before reading this book. It meant that I had much left to my imagination, and you’ll see that in some of my status updates, wondering where the line between fact and fiction blurred for Bradley in how she excused and justified the things her and her husband did. There’s a debate about separating an author from their works (to do it or not), and my group ultimately decided that we still wanted to read it, but without monetarily supporting Bradley/estate: so second-hand books and library loans were the modus operandi for obtaining the book.
Status updates:
August 3, 2022 – page 96
9.51% "I can't tell how much of the male/female power dynamic and treatment of kids is trying to feel true to the historical time, and how much of it is drawn from Bradley's own (twisted) understanding of them and sex."
August 15, 2022 – page 211
20.91% "This should be a very interesting conversation between Morgaine and Viviane - after this ritual of the Virgin Huntress and Horned One, and who filled in *his* role to her Huntress..."
August 15, 2022 – page 270
26.76% "So ends book one - on to The High Queen!"
August 17, 2022 – page 366
36.27% "Sure, Morgaine, name him Gwydion. Just so it's clear who his father is, his own scarlet letter."
August 18, 2022 – page 388
38.45% "Well sheesh, if Arthur's giving Gwenhwyfar leave to conceive a child any way she might and he will consider and treat it as his own...
The play between Christian values and the ways of the Goddess is interesting, in who ascribes to what, how, and when-some are quite fluid.
Oh but Meleas - pregnant at fourteen and a half!! It was bad enough with Igraine only being 15, things keep seeming to dip ever closer to Bradley!"
October 19, 2022 – page 509
50.45% "Well written, but if it isn't languorous to the point of tedium... Seriously considering if I want to invest another 12 hours reading this (yes I've been keeping track)."
October 20, 2022 – page 522
51.73% "So ends book 2, with Arthur persuading Lancelet and Gwenhwyfar to the marriage bed on Beltane as Gwen wears Morgaine's fertility charm, Arthur's full blessing for her and Lancelet to lay together. Does this pick up at all after this? I'm going to put this aside for a bit and decide if I want to power through the 2nd half or DNF it after all. Thoughts? Opinions?"
October 27, 2022 – page 619
61.35% "Well, I guess I've decided to continue this! And can I say, these last 100 pages have been far more entertaining and active than the 500 before them combined! (Well, except maybe the King Stag bit.)"
November 8, 2022 – page 733
72.65% "Up to page 700 was solidly interesting, now to see how things go from here now Morgaine has taken young Nimue (daughter of Lancelet) to foster in Avalon, and Gwydion is spending time with the Saxons, and the upstart Lucius claims himself Emperor of Rome."
November 10, 2022 – page 754
74.73% "So ends book three, with Gwydion bemoaning the role he must play in the downfall of his father. For the slow build of everything in the first two books, this third book is pushing things forward at lightning speed, very little dawdling or meandering. The first two books should have been so, too."
November 16, 2022 – page 860
85.23% "The breakneck pacing continues!"
November 17, 2022 – page 938
92.96% "I can't help but feel this retreads the same dilemmas over and over, the understanding of the Goddess, the Gods, and the Christian God, with but small advances or modifications from one conversation/musing to the next."
Between how long it took me to finish this book, and how long I’ve put aside my draft of this review in the interest of spending a goodly amount of time and energy crafting a very analytical review, I now find I have no desire to devote that sort of time to a book which has already taken up so much of my time and which I ultimately did not enjoy. It is a classic, it has its merits, but with a solid half of it all but boring me and the second half full of repetitions and retreading of the same grounds even as the action speeds up and stuff hits the fan…I’ll leave what I’ve already written, my status updates, and the selected commentary on the quotes below to stand for my review. Would I read this again? Definitely not. Would I read any more of this series? No, and I fully intend of divesting myself of the copy of Priestess of Avalon that I have.
Quotes:
‘I have never thought modesty had much to do with bared legs for climbing-surely men know that women have legs like their own. It cannot be so much an offense of modesty to see what they must be able to imagine. I know some of the Christian priests speak so, but they seem to think the human body is the work of some devil, not of God, and that no one could possibly see a woman’s body without going all into a rage to possess it.’ – page 172
Igraine put her embroidery aside [with the teardrop on it]. After all, it was not spotted; all the tears women shed, they leave no mark on the world, she thought in bitterness. – page 298-299
‘I think too many people presume to read the divine Scriptures, and fall into just such terrors as this,’ said Patricius sternly. ‘Those who presume on their learning will learn, I trust, to listen to their priests for the true interpretations.’
The Merlin smiled gently. ‘I cannot join you in that wish, brother. I am dedicated to the belief that it is God’s will that men should strive for wisdom in themselves, not look to it from some other. Babes, perhaps, must have their food chewed for them by a nurse, but men may drink and eat of wisdom for themselves.’ – page 300
Ectorius chuckled and said [of Gareth and Lancelet], 'Young Achilles has found his Patroclus, so it would seem.' - page 345 – isn’t it recent scholarship which seems inclined to think that Achilles and Patroclus were romantically involved? Or was it an idea that had been floated around earlier, when Bradley was writing?
[...] Igraine bore Morgaine when she was full fifteen, and Meleas is fourteen and a half, no more! - page 357 - how much of this is the times, and where do the times bleed and blend with Bradley's own lifestyle/actions? - page 653: Viviane's mother was 13 when she had her, and Viviane had her first daughter before 14 as well
[The Merlin] smiled and said, ‘God is one and there is but one God-all else is but the way the ignorant seek to put Gods into a form they can understand, like the image of your Virgin there, lady. Nothing befalls on the world without the blessing of the One, who will give us victory or defeat as God shall ordain. Dragon and Virgin alike are the signs of man’s appeal to what is higher than we.’ – page 444
‘Still, my queen, none can be the master of another’s conscience. Even if you think it wicked and shameful, would you pretend to know what is right for another? Even the wise cannot know everything, and perhaps the Gods have more purposes than we, in our little knowledge, can see.’ – page 485 – Would that we had more of this sentiment in the world in some ways – like bodily autonomy (abortion pro-choice). On the other hand, I also wonder if this is some of Bradley’s views peeking out, how she justified the things her and her husband did to their kids/the kids under their care.
[Arthur] spread his hands helplessly. ‘I tried to do as [Morgaine] bade me-put [our night as King Stag and Goddess at Beltane] behind us, remember that what we had done was done in ignorance. Oh, I suppose it was sin, but I did not choose to sin…’ – page 637 – A little of this, too, I wonder if it helped justify to Bradley what her and her husband did, even though it’s doubtful they were ignorant as this.
‘[…] There seems to be a deep change in the way men now look at the world, as if one truth should drive out another-as if whatever is not their truth must be falsehood.’
‘But life is not as simple as that,’ Morgaine said.
‘I know that, you know that, and in the fullness of time, Morgaine, even the priests will find it out.’
‘But if they have driven all other truths from the world, it will be too late,’ Morgaine said.
Kevin sighed. ‘There is a fate that no man, and no woman, may stop, Morgaine, and I think we are facing that day.’– page 836
[…] that the magical art was there, awaiting her, needing nothing but her will; having nothing to do with the complex Druidical rules and limitations about its use, or lies about the Gods. It was simply a part of life, there and accessible, nothing to do with good or evil, but available to anyone who had the will and the ruthlessness to use it. – page 940
Typos:
Just over a thousand pages, it’s almost surprising there weren’t more typos!
'Those things are forbidden to a Christian,' Gorlois said austerely. The Apostle has said it, there is only [...] - page 69 - missing opening quote mark: 'The Apostle
The spring wore away into summer, and the Beltane fires were long past. [...] The days had begun to shorten, and there was sometimes frost in the nights again... - page 86 - Was the Earth that cool that there could be frost in summer in Britain? The leaves hadn't even started turning color yet for fall.
'What was it then?' asked Morgause, bright and inquisitive, and Igraine sighed, knowing the young girl would not understand. But the hunger to share at least a little of what she felt, and could never say to anyone, drove her to say, 'Why-I hardly know.['] - page 92 - this should be two paragraphs, in that two different people are speaking. Ideally, start the new paragraph with "Igraine sighed, knowing..."
Does Uther keep state like the Caesars, then? – page 134 – missing opening quotation/dialog mark
…but Uther has given orders that he’d only to ride with a groom. – page 138 – could be intentional, but “he’d” would better be “he’s”
'It is the first moment I have really had to speak to you, my wife.' She held out her small hand to him. 'I understand. This is more like a council than a wedding feast, my husband and my lord.' - page 336 - From 'She held' to the end should be a new paragraph.
[...] eyes drifted unfocussed around the room[...] - page 391 - British English sneaking in, eh? Even though she was born in New York.
[...] see that she is dying, my lady, mv mother. - page 392 - could be just an ink printing error, but "mv" should be "my"
'Say farewell to your sons, Priscilla, and bless them,' she said, and Priscilla's eyes brightened a little. 'I would it should truly be farewell, before it grows worse-I would not have them see me as I was this morning,' she murmured, and Viviane saw the terror in her eyes. She bent over Priscilla and said gently, 'I think I can promise you no more pain, my dear, if that is how you wish it to end.' - page 392 - what is up with these strange undivided chunks of switching dialog?
'My business is with my sister,' said Meleagrant, but Gwenhwyfar said, high and shrill, 'I am no sister of his! [...] - page 428 - the two different people speaking should normally be in two different paragraphs
And now we are to live at peace with them, it seems,' Morgaine said. - page 612 - missing opening single quote
...for every word I said!I beg you to forgive me... - page 632 - missing spaces around the exclamation mark
...as he heard Morgiane go. - page 636 - should be Morgaine
...to having yound men look... - page 662 - should be young
Morgaine did not quite know what was... - page 674 - this line/paragraph should be indented
…Queen of Avalon!No, I am not Viviane… - page 684 – missing space after the exclamation mark
...on the King's conscience: And I cast it aside... - page 712 - should be 'and'
...but she was priestesses, and born... - page 734 - should be 'priestess'
...the proper time for such things,' Nimue said, 'but you have been riding... - page 736 - Nimue should be Niniane
...leave her side;she was content... - page 738 - missing space after the semicolon
...where she stood before her, so many ago, suddenly... - page 739 - should be 'so many years ago '
...borne Arthur's shadow son ... Dark Lady of power.' - page 743 - missing opening quotation mark
'True,' Gwydion said, 'and high, I fear, ... - page 747 - the quotation marks here are in the straight line slash, not the more vertical rounded ones
The rcads were ankle-deep… - page 755 – could be the way the ink printed, but it definitely looks more like “rcads” than the “roads” it should be
Niniane said with a soft laugh,’ All these bearded men seem… - page 971 – the opening quotation mark should be placed: ‘All these…
Full review:
Everyone believes that Arthur is the center of the story of Camelot, but Morgaine and the women behind the men would beg to differ. Morgaine has been prepared since childhood to wear the mantle of the Lady of the Lake after Viviane, to wield the Sight and be the Goddess’ vessel on earth in a land being slowly taken over by Christianity. Morgaine, their mother Igraine, their aunts Lady Viviane and Queen Morgause, Arthur’s wife Gwenhwyfer … each is a powerful woman in her own right, and they will shape the destinies of the men – and the country – around them, for better or for ill. Camelot will rise and fall from the machinations of these strong women.
In brief: the first five hundred pages were a slog – “languorous to the point of tedium” as I described it in an update. The last five hundred pages everything just snowballed and kept going faster and faster to its inevitable end (lots of death, and Avalon lost to the mists, as expected). Other than the King Stag bit in the first five hundred pages, everything else could have been greatly compressed. It often treaded and retreaded nearly the same ground, laying the sturdiest foundation ever – too sturdy for a story of myth and legend, honestly. With how much repetition of who’s who and ever-brief reminders of past events, I think you could easily read the King Stag portion then skip right to book 3 at page 523. The second half is where all the real action happens, with sorcery and love affairs, politicking and warfare, lusting and death. After all, while this is a story of Morgaine and the women behind Camelot (Morgaine, Viviane, Gwenhwyfar, Morgause), most of their activeness comes in this second half. The women do lead the story from beginning to end, but it is as often by wiles as by sex, and there is no lack of either.
When I picked this book up probably at least 15 years ago, most likely from the Friends of the Library used book sale for a quarter or two, I knew nothing about the author. Since I also wanted to go to RenFaire, I suggested reading an Arthurian tale to my book club group (they were all in! and bonus at RenFaire, there were a fair number of Arthurian costumes). Mind you, none of us finished this book before the Faire, but at least one of us had read it all years before. I was only 400 pages in, and after that it got pushed back on the priority list. Hence only finishing it in mid-November!
Now for the distasteful disclaimer: I know only vaguely of what Bradley and her husband are guilty of towards their children and the children in their care, and chose to not read more into that before reading this book. It meant that I had much left to my imagination, and you’ll see that in some of my status updates, wondering where the line between fact and fiction blurred for Bradley in how she excused and justified the things her and her husband did. There’s a debate about separating an author from their works (to do it or not), and my group ultimately decided that we still wanted to read it, but without monetarily supporting Bradley/estate: so second-hand books and library loans were the modus operandi for obtaining the book.
Status updates:
August 3, 2022 – page 96
9.51% "I can't tell how much of the male/female power dynamic and treatment of kids is trying to feel true to the historical time, and how much of it is drawn from Bradley's own (twisted) understanding of them and sex."
August 15, 2022 – page 211
20.91% "This should be a very interesting conversation between Morgaine and Viviane - after this ritual of the Virgin Huntress and Horned One, and who filled in *his* role to her Huntress..."
August 15, 2022 – page 270
26.76% "So ends book one - on to The High Queen!"
August 17, 2022 – page 366
36.27% "Sure, Morgaine, name him Gwydion. Just so it's clear who his father is, his own scarlet letter."
August 18, 2022 – page 388
38.45% "Well sheesh, if Arthur's giving Gwenhwyfar leave to conceive a child any way she might and he will consider and treat it as his own...
The play between Christian values and the ways of the Goddess is interesting, in who ascribes to what, how, and when-some are quite fluid.
Oh but Meleas - pregnant at fourteen and a half!! It was bad enough with Igraine only being 15, things keep seeming to dip ever closer to Bradley!"
October 19, 2022 – page 509
50.45% "Well written, but if it isn't languorous to the point of tedium... Seriously considering if I want to invest another 12 hours reading this (yes I've been keeping track)."
October 20, 2022 – page 522
51.73% "So ends book 2, with Arthur persuading Lancelet and Gwenhwyfar to the marriage bed on Beltane as Gwen wears Morgaine's fertility charm, Arthur's full blessing for her and Lancelet to lay together. Does this pick up at all after this? I'm going to put this aside for a bit and decide if I want to power through the 2nd half or DNF it after all. Thoughts? Opinions?"
October 27, 2022 – page 619
61.35% "Well, I guess I've decided to continue this! And can I say, these last 100 pages have been far more entertaining and active than the 500 before them combined! (Well, except maybe the King Stag bit.)"
November 8, 2022 – page 733
72.65% "Up to page 700 was solidly interesting, now to see how things go from here now Morgaine has taken young Nimue (daughter of Lancelet) to foster in Avalon, and Gwydion is spending time with the Saxons, and the upstart Lucius claims himself Emperor of Rome."
November 10, 2022 – page 754
74.73% "So ends book three, with Gwydion bemoaning the role he must play in the downfall of his father. For the slow build of everything in the first two books, this third book is pushing things forward at lightning speed, very little dawdling or meandering. The first two books should have been so, too."
November 16, 2022 – page 860
85.23% "The breakneck pacing continues!"
November 17, 2022 – page 938
92.96% "I can't help but feel this retreads the same dilemmas over and over, the understanding of the Goddess, the Gods, and the Christian God, with but small advances or modifications from one conversation/musing to the next."
Between how long it took me to finish this book, and how long I’ve put aside my draft of this review in the interest of spending a goodly amount of time and energy crafting a very analytical review, I now find I have no desire to devote that sort of time to a book which has already taken up so much of my time and which I ultimately did not enjoy. It is a classic, it has its merits, but with a solid half of it all but boring me and the second half full of repetitions and retreading of the same grounds even as the action speeds up and stuff hits the fan…I’ll leave what I’ve already written, my status updates, and the selected commentary on the quotes below to stand for my review. Would I read this again? Definitely not. Would I read any more of this series? No, and I fully intend of divesting myself of the copy of Priestess of Avalon that I have.
Quotes:
‘I have never thought modesty had much to do with bared legs for climbing-surely men know that women have legs like their own. It cannot be so much an offense of modesty to see what they must be able to imagine. I know some of the Christian priests speak so, but they seem to think the human body is the work of some devil, not of God, and that no one could possibly see a woman’s body without going all into a rage to possess it.’ – page 172
Igraine put her embroidery aside [with the teardrop on it]. After all, it was not spotted; all the tears women shed, they leave no mark on the world, she thought in bitterness. – page 298-299
‘I think too many people presume to read the divine Scriptures, and fall into just such terrors as this,’ said Patricius sternly. ‘Those who presume on their learning will learn, I trust, to listen to their priests for the true interpretations.’
The Merlin smiled gently. ‘I cannot join you in that wish, brother. I am dedicated to the belief that it is God’s will that men should strive for wisdom in themselves, not look to it from some other. Babes, perhaps, must have their food chewed for them by a nurse, but men may drink and eat of wisdom for themselves.’ – page 300
Ectorius chuckled and said [of Gareth and Lancelet], 'Young Achilles has found his Patroclus, so it would seem.' - page 345 – isn’t it recent scholarship which seems inclined to think that Achilles and Patroclus were romantically involved? Or was it an idea that had been floated around earlier, when Bradley was writing?
[...] Igraine bore Morgaine when she was full fifteen, and Meleas is fourteen and a half, no more! - page 357 - how much of this is the times, and where do the times bleed and blend with Bradley's own lifestyle/actions? - page 653: Viviane's mother was 13 when she had her, and Viviane had her first daughter before 14 as well
[The Merlin] smiled and said, ‘God is one and there is but one God-all else is but the way the ignorant seek to put Gods into a form they can understand, like the image of your Virgin there, lady. Nothing befalls on the world without the blessing of the One, who will give us victory or defeat as God shall ordain. Dragon and Virgin alike are the signs of man’s appeal to what is higher than we.’ – page 444
‘Still, my queen, none can be the master of another’s conscience. Even if you think it wicked and shameful, would you pretend to know what is right for another? Even the wise cannot know everything, and perhaps the Gods have more purposes than we, in our little knowledge, can see.’ – page 485 – Would that we had more of this sentiment in the world in some ways – like bodily autonomy (abortion pro-choice). On the other hand, I also wonder if this is some of Bradley’s views peeking out, how she justified the things her and her husband did to their kids/the kids under their care.
[Arthur] spread his hands helplessly. ‘I tried to do as [Morgaine] bade me-put [our night as King Stag and Goddess at Beltane] behind us, remember that what we had done was done in ignorance. Oh, I suppose it was sin, but I did not choose to sin…’ – page 637 – A little of this, too, I wonder if it helped justify to Bradley what her and her husband did, even though it’s doubtful they were ignorant as this.
‘[…] There seems to be a deep change in the way men now look at the world, as if one truth should drive out another-as if whatever is not their truth must be falsehood.’
‘But life is not as simple as that,’ Morgaine said.
‘I know that, you know that, and in the fullness of time, Morgaine, even the priests will find it out.’
‘But if they have driven all other truths from the world, it will be too late,’ Morgaine said.
Kevin sighed. ‘There is a fate that no man, and no woman, may stop, Morgaine, and I think we are facing that day.’– page 836
[…] that the magical art was there, awaiting her, needing nothing but her will; having nothing to do with the complex Druidical rules and limitations about its use, or lies about the Gods. It was simply a part of life, there and accessible, nothing to do with good or evil, but available to anyone who had the will and the ruthlessness to use it. – page 940
Typos:
Just over a thousand pages, it’s almost surprising there weren’t more typos!
Spoiler
Gorlois bowed is head for the benediction. - page 36 – “is” should be “his”'Those things are forbidden to a Christian,' Gorlois said austerely. The Apostle has said it, there is only [...] - page 69 - missing opening quote mark: 'The Apostle
The spring wore away into summer, and the Beltane fires were long past. [...] The days had begun to shorten, and there was sometimes frost in the nights again... - page 86 - Was the Earth that cool that there could be frost in summer in Britain? The leaves hadn't even started turning color yet for fall.
'What was it then?' asked Morgause, bright and inquisitive, and Igraine sighed, knowing the young girl would not understand. But the hunger to share at least a little of what she felt, and could never say to anyone, drove her to say, 'Why-I hardly know.['] - page 92 - this should be two paragraphs, in that two different people are speaking. Ideally, start the new paragraph with "Igraine sighed, knowing..."
Does Uther keep state like the Caesars, then? – page 134 – missing opening quotation/dialog mark
…but Uther has given orders that he’d only to ride with a groom. – page 138 – could be intentional, but “he’d” would better be “he’s”
'It is the first moment I have really had to speak to you, my wife.' She held out her small hand to him. 'I understand. This is more like a council than a wedding feast, my husband and my lord.' - page 336 - From 'She held' to the end should be a new paragraph.
[...] eyes drifted unfocussed around the room[...] - page 391 - British English sneaking in, eh? Even though she was born in New York.
[...] see that she is dying, my lady, mv mother. - page 392 - could be just an ink printing error, but "mv" should be "my"
'Say farewell to your sons, Priscilla, and bless them,' she said, and Priscilla's eyes brightened a little. 'I would it should truly be farewell, before it grows worse-I would not have them see me as I was this morning,' she murmured, and Viviane saw the terror in her eyes. She bent over Priscilla and said gently, 'I think I can promise you no more pain, my dear, if that is how you wish it to end.' - page 392 - what is up with these strange undivided chunks of switching dialog?
'My business is with my sister,' said Meleagrant, but Gwenhwyfar said, high and shrill, 'I am no sister of his! [...] - page 428 - the two different people speaking should normally be in two different paragraphs
And now we are to live at peace with them, it seems,' Morgaine said. - page 612 - missing opening single quote
...for every word I said!I beg you to forgive me... - page 632 - missing spaces around the exclamation mark
...as he heard Morgiane go. - page 636 - should be Morgaine
...to having yound men look... - page 662 - should be young
Morgaine did not quite know what was... - page 674 - this line/paragraph should be indented
…Queen of Avalon!No, I am not Viviane… - page 684 – missing space after the exclamation mark
...on the King's conscience: And I cast it aside... - page 712 - should be 'and'
...but she was priestesses, and born... - page 734 - should be 'priestess'
...the proper time for such things,' Nimue said, 'but you have been riding... - page 736 - Nimue should be Niniane
...leave her side;she was content... - page 738 - missing space after the semicolon
...where she stood before her, so many ago, suddenly... - page 739 - should be 'so many years ago '
...borne Arthur's shadow son ... Dark Lady of power.' - page 743 - missing opening quotation mark
'True,' Gwydion said, 'and high, I fear, ... - page 747 - the quotation marks here are in the straight line slash, not the more vertical rounded ones
The rcads were ankle-deep… - page 755 – could be the way the ink printed, but it definitely looks more like “rcads” than the “roads” it should be
Niniane said with a soft laugh,’ All these bearded men seem… - page 971 – the opening quotation mark should be placed: ‘All these…
Was a 5 star read but removed rating due to author issues.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes