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cursiveknight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
allbythebook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
The Camelot Betrayal is a stunning sequel that on a second reading I think is possibly even better than the first. This gets 5⭐️ from me.
So the plot develops big time. I won’t spoil the dramatic ending of the first book, but the world is a different place now, both in terms of the threats facing Arthur and Camelot but also to Guinevere, based on her choices and developing relationships. She’s made some mistakes, and she makes plenty more in this book, which at times is hard to read because she really suffers with it - but also, we really see Guinevere develop and eventually learn from them, so it’s totally worth it.
Guinevere really starts to fear herself in this book. She questions her choices, her mistakes, her powers - and becomes afraid of the consequences of her actions. It also plays into her changing relationships, which become more complex and even less black and white than they were before. Her emotional turmoil isn’t self-indulgent or over-egged, it’s handled pretty perfectly alongside plot development to let us see Guinevere’s growing pains without being too much.
Arthur represents something different to Guinevere in this book - she doesn’t see him as perfect any more after the conclusion of book 1, and whilst, as a regular romantasy reader, I was initially thinking he was being set up as a Tamlin, it’s definitely more complex than that and I love that White takes the time to show us the flaws in even her most ideal characters. It makes what happens later mean more.
Mordred we also saw a terrible side of at the end of book 1, and the development of that relationship changes direction but continues to provoke and develop Guinevere which I love.
Lancelot also becomes a more important character, and the relationship between Lancelot and Guinevere becomes another area where Guinevere needs to learn and make mistakes. It’s tough to read in parts but again just a lovely development of that relationship, and this interpretation of the myth is one I really appreciate.
Brangian and Dindrane both get larger subplots of their own in this book, and we see more of their strengthening friendships with Guinevere and their own characters coming out and becoming stronger. I love the representation of female friendships in this book.
Guinevach is an interesting new character and her arc really surprised me - I know I’m just gushing by this point but I did just love how it was handled and how this as well as so many other subplots play into this series-long theme that nothing is as it seems, and new paths can be taken.
The conclusion to this is quite sudden - like the last book, a lot of action happens quite suddenly and at fast pace, but again I was jaw dropping. Be glad you didn’t have to wait for the final installment like I did!
This series is for you if you like sweeping romantic fantasy like Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones, House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A Craig or Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge.
So the plot develops big time. I won’t spoil the dramatic ending of the first book, but the world is a different place now, both in terms of the threats facing Arthur and Camelot but also to Guinevere, based on her choices and developing relationships. She’s made some mistakes, and she makes plenty more in this book, which at times is hard to read because she really suffers with it - but also, we really see Guinevere develop and eventually learn from them, so it’s totally worth it.
Guinevere really starts to fear herself in this book. She questions her choices, her mistakes, her powers - and becomes afraid of the consequences of her actions. It also plays into her changing relationships, which become more complex and even less black and white than they were before. Her emotional turmoil isn’t self-indulgent or over-egged, it’s handled pretty perfectly alongside plot development to let us see Guinevere’s growing pains without being too much.
Arthur represents something different to Guinevere in this book - she doesn’t see him as perfect any more after the conclusion of book 1, and whilst, as a regular romantasy reader, I was initially thinking he was being set up as a Tamlin, it’s definitely more complex than that and I love that White takes the time to show us the flaws in even her most ideal characters. It makes what happens later mean more.
Mordred we also saw a terrible side of at the end of book 1, and the development of that relationship changes direction but continues to provoke and develop Guinevere which I love.
Lancelot also becomes a more important character, and the relationship between Lancelot and Guinevere becomes another area where Guinevere needs to learn and make mistakes. It’s tough to read in parts but again just a lovely development of that relationship, and this interpretation of the myth is one I really appreciate.
Brangian and Dindrane both get larger subplots of their own in this book, and we see more of their strengthening friendships with Guinevere and their own characters coming out and becoming stronger. I love the representation of female friendships in this book.
Guinevach is an interesting new character and her arc really surprised me - I know I’m just gushing by this point but I did just love how it was handled and how this as well as so many other subplots play into this series-long theme that nothing is as it seems, and new paths can be taken.
The conclusion to this is quite sudden - like the last book, a lot of action happens quite suddenly and at fast pace, but again I was jaw dropping. Be glad you didn’t have to wait for the final installment like I did!
This series is for you if you like sweeping romantic fantasy like Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones, House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A Craig or Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge.
groovysneezes's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
I don't have much to say about this sequel, other than that it's the sort of middle volume that largely treads water for its trilogy en route to a hopefully stronger conclusion. The plot and character arcs don't really progress any further in this book, and although the premise of an egalitarian Camelot where Guinevere is a wizard bodyguard impersonating the dead queen and Lancelot her trusted female knight remains neat, it feels like most of this novel could have been skipped without incident. Some episodic adventures and intrigue about the heroine's fake sister seem more like the lightweight filler to an open-ended story than the central pivot to the structured series that they probably should be.
--Subscribe at https://patreon.com/lesserjoke to support these reviews and weigh in on what I read next!--
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
--Subscribe at https://patreon.com/lesserjoke to support these reviews and weigh in on what I read next!--
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
story_singer_101's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
skepticbook's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
brittanybwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vostoak's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book! "it's a lot of filler" my ass. All of that serves an important purpose and it was great to see Guinevere developed in this book. It was great to get a better look at a lot of characters such as Lancelot and Arthur, and so on and so on. Ugh. Such an interesting dive into Guinevere's character this book!! The price of her actions being paid by people other than her, the identity issues, etc. I adore her! Overall, good book and a decent sequel, leaving me very excited for the third book!!
coco_lolo's review against another edition
3.0
Not as enjoyable as The Guinevere Deception in certain ways, but I did like the growth Guinevere herself underwent and how she struggled with her magic and the fallout her choices often caused. Other characters received some much-needed development, and the ending has me invested enough to finish the trilogy.
However. This wasn't so much a problem when I read the first book, but the pacing here gave me whiplash. The central threat of The Guinevere Deception took a backseat so White could introduce Guinevach, who may or may not be bad; allow time for Guinevere to save a damsel in distress; shift the focus to attending a wedding; allow for even more Guinevech trouble; introduce yet another threat; all before finally wrapping up with the big baddie. Too many new characters were introduced—some who would have benefitted from more page time, others who literally contributed nothing to the story—and there were so many plot threads going on here that didn't completely mesh together.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
However. This wasn't so much a problem when I read the first book, but the pacing here gave me whiplash. The central threat of The Guinevere Deception took a backseat so White could introduce Guinevach, who may or may not be bad; allow time for Guinevere to save a damsel in distress; shift the focus to attending a wedding; allow for even more Guinevech trouble; introduce yet another threat; all before finally wrapping up with the big baddie. Too many new characters were introduced—some who would have benefitted from more page time, others who literally contributed nothing to the story—and there were so many plot threads going on here that didn't completely mesh together.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.