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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
It's so easy to love the tone and style of Meg Cabot's writing. Her stand alone books, like Avalon High, are every bit as accessible and fun to read as her longer-running series. In this case, the main character Ellie really carries the story and helps you access what's going on. In fact, you grow to like her pretty early on in the story and want to find out what will happen to her and the other classmates.
One thing that I think is kind of interesting with this story is the intermingling of King Arthur and Camelot into this tale. Although there are moments where this back story is explained, I wondered if the real tie in mattered much to those who are unfamiliar? For me, it was really fun to tie it back to the original tale. Also, Cabot uses a reference to "The Lady of Shallot" throughout the entire book. Whether you love the poem by itself or remember it being quoted by Anne of Anne of Green Gables, it is an amazing poem that is filled with that heroic love of days gone by. All of these references make it a bit more fun to consider if you're a knowledgeable reader. Do you have to get all of that? Well, you can still enjoy this fun story, but it makes it a lot better when you get all the references.
One thing that I did notice though, that beyond the literary and historical references this story felt like it was meant for a younger audience than some of her teen novels. I enjoyed the story, but mainly kept moving along because of my own background with the references. This wasn't my own personal favorite out of her books, but I think it has a nice main character, a fun twist on the normal teen drama, and a little romance to round it out. This was definitely a fun story that is different from some of what you might have read before, with plenty of Cabot's delightful style.
One thing that I think is kind of interesting with this story is the intermingling of King Arthur and Camelot into this tale. Although there are moments where this back story is explained, I wondered if the real tie in mattered much to those who are unfamiliar? For me, it was really fun to tie it back to the original tale. Also, Cabot uses a reference to "The Lady of Shallot" throughout the entire book. Whether you love the poem by itself or remember it being quoted by Anne of Anne of Green Gables, it is an amazing poem that is filled with that heroic love of days gone by. All of these references make it a bit more fun to consider if you're a knowledgeable reader. Do you have to get all of that? Well, you can still enjoy this fun story, but it makes it a lot better when you get all the references.
One thing that I did notice though, that beyond the literary and historical references this story felt like it was meant for a younger audience than some of her teen novels. I enjoyed the story, but mainly kept moving along because of my own background with the references. This wasn't my own personal favorite out of her books, but I think it has a nice main character, a fun twist on the normal teen drama, and a little romance to round it out. This was definitely a fun story that is different from some of what you might have read before, with plenty of Cabot's delightful style.
What a waste of my time. I picked this up because I'm interested in the Medieval Times and King Arthur's court and all that jazz. I was interested in seeing a modern day portrayal of some of those events and themes. I was disappointed with how so flippin' PREDICTABLE this book was. I knew what was going to happen, pretty much throughout the whole book, by the second or third chapter. Cabot is usually a pretty good writer for pre-teen and younger teenage girls, but this one was just worthless.
First time I read it (way back when I was 12) I would have given it 5 stars.
Now I am 20 and I re-rating it as 3 stars.
Also: I am really curious who the reincarnation of Elaine, Lancelot's Elaine would be. Everyone else was there, so shouldn't she have been? And what about the rest of the knights? Are they not important?
Now I am 20 and I re-rating it as 3 stars.
Also: I am really curious who the reincarnation of Elaine, Lancelot's Elaine would be. Everyone else was there, so shouldn't she have been? And what about the rest of the knights? Are they not important?
The main female character was pretty similar to ones from other novels by this author, but the theme of King Arthur made the story enjoyable, and quite interesting. All in all, a quick and easy teen read.
One of my all time favourite books.
It was my favourite book as a teenager and I was so happy to reread it! The story is captivating and interesting. I love the characters (Elle and Will especially) and the way the story develops.
Ahhh just such a fun read.
It was my favourite book as a teenager and I was so happy to reread it! The story is captivating and interesting. I love the characters (Elle and Will especially) and the way the story develops.
Ahhh just such a fun read.
I normally love Meg Cabot books, but this just wasn’t it for me. I liked the beginning of the book. Then once the plot started going it just wasn’t believable or relatable for me. I wanted to put it down but figured I might as well finish since I was more than halfway done before I really started disliking it.
I haven't read the original mythology the story's based on, other than only the part about 'The Lady of Shallot'. I believe I might have liked it better had I read it in my early teens.
I read this book because one of my students told me I should. I thought it was really cute! I like Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series, so I knew what to expect from her writing. It was simple, but an interesting storyline. I feel like it all came together in the end rather nicely. Overall it was a good book and a very quick read. It only took a couple of hours to read the whole thing. I'm looking forward to telling my student that I enjoyed it. ;)
I always appreciate a book I can start and finish on the same day.
Avalon High is, as you can probably imagine, a modern adaptation of the Arthurian legend. The protagonist and several of the characters she meets in her new East Coast high school are reincarnations of the legend--not that any of them, except perhaps Mr. Morton, believes it. As history begins to repeat itself, Mr. Morton is trying to prevent the world from slipping back into the Dark Ages and Ellie is trying to stubbornly cling to normalcy even as she herself starts to identify the many parallels between her new friends and the legends her parents have based their careers around.
There. A basic, spoiler-free summary of the book's plot. If you don't want to know anymore before reading for yourself, close your browser window.
That being said, I very much liked some things this book did and very much did not like others.
THE PROS:
-Avalon High is a Young Adult novel, so you can't expect a thesis-dense analysis of the many facets of the Arthurian legends. But Cabot does do a pretty good job at introducing the reader to a few of them, while focusing most of her energy on the most popular version of the story: the one with Lancelot as Arthur's favorite night and Mordred as his half-brother. Cabot introduces bits and details of the myth as she goes, rather than overloading the reader at the beginning with a lot of information that they're likely to have forgotten by the time it becomes important to the present-day story.
-I found the characters very realistic. Teenagers who aren't intending to hurt anyone with their gossip, girls who--contrary to popular belief--do not care for deep conversations and growing up before they need to, and boys who sometimes take things too far in their jest. The adults were active characters (a rare find in young adult and children's literature) and intelligent, observant individuals (an even rarer find). I didn't find it at all unusual that her parents nagged her about getting out and meeting people but didn't know entirely what was going on at school. I know a lot of people always say "But how could they not know?!" They're loving, involved, and intelligent (if clumsy), but even the best parents can't be omnipresent, and even the most open kids don't share every detail--especially in high school, a time when teenagers are trying to develop their own independent identity.
-I really loved the physical descriptions in books. It's not something I always pay attention to, but it was so vivid that I could picture even the most minute settings as I was reading. This, more than anything else, is probably what kept me reading. The voice is very natural, which is what made this book such a quick read for me. It's conversational, like listening to a friend tell you about the really bizarre week they had over coffee.
THE CONS:
-As much as the conversational narration contributed to the story, it also at times detracted from it. I'm a huge fan of exposition with only the occasional dialogue, but what counts as exposition in first person is debatable. For example, I do not count numerous passages about how gorgeous Jennifer is or how awkward Ellie is to be exposition, but merely internal dialogue--that we were assailed with constantly throughout the book, as though we might have accidentally overlooked this apparently very important fact the first four times it was brought up. I guess it makes sense though, as what seventeen year old doesn't dedicated too much time to pining over cute boys and unrealistically comparing themselves to the girls around them--especially when thrown into a new environment that makes them feel even more insecure than they already might have been? It was frustrating to read through and made me want to put the book aside a few times, but it was realistic. And reminded me how much being a seventeen year old girl sucked.
-I could have done without the "but I'm a too-tall nerdy little nobody who no one ever looks at, I can't believe the popular boy is looking at ME (but he is, right?)" bit. This was the only part about Ellie's character foundation that I had a serious problem with. Call it a pet peeve. If she hadn't talked herself up as such a nothing at her old school and only outcasted for being a new kid, it might have been less obnoxious to me. It felt like an overused cliche, one that always frustrates me when I encounter it because it shouldn't be a surprise that a smart girl who happens to be funny and athletic can also have friends. Why is this always such a surprise in literature? (But on that note, I'm glad the popular girls weren't all snooty and hateful. That, at least, was done away with, and appreciate the refreshing change.)
-Okay, I lied. There were two problems with the characters (even if I admit and even applaud that they each had unique, individual voices so that I could tell who was talking even without a qualifier.). One was Ellie's foundation as the socially-awkward-but-funny-and-athletic nerdy girl. The other was the fact that none of the characters seemed to have changed by the end of the story. Mr. Morton (whom Ellie convinced to stay in town to help Will despite the odds being against him) and Marco (who calls his parents for help after wanting to ruin their lives just a few hours before) are the only two characters who approached anything resembling development. I didn't anticipate Will to be a very dynamic character, as he's ignorant of the influences in his life for the vast majority of the book, but Ellie at the very least should have changed. From the beginning she was stubborn, braver than the average teenage girl when faced with a snake, and cynical. At the book's conclusion, she still refuses to believe any of what she experienced was mystical or supernatural. Situations might have changed, but attitudes and outlooks did not, and I consider that a crucial aspect of character development.
Avalon High was a fun read, and for that I give it three stars. I loved the sometimes-corny humor in the book, the dynamic between all of the characters, and the vivid imagery Cabot uses to set her scenes and support her plot. I especially love how little references tie in--like Ellie's rant about what makes a home, and her role as Lady of the Lake in bringing Arthur home in the legends. It's a good book to get your feet wet if you're interested in Arthurian lore and aren't sure where to start--especially for young teens who are still in that high school hallway mindset and can easily connect with Ellie's stream of conscience.
Avalon High is, as you can probably imagine, a modern adaptation of the Arthurian legend. The protagonist and several of the characters she meets in her new East Coast high school are reincarnations of the legend--not that any of them, except perhaps Mr. Morton, believes it. As history begins to repeat itself, Mr. Morton is trying to prevent the world from slipping back into the Dark Ages and Ellie is trying to stubbornly cling to normalcy even as she herself starts to identify the many parallels between her new friends and the legends her parents have based their careers around.
There. A basic, spoiler-free summary of the book's plot. If you don't want to know anymore before reading for yourself, close your browser window.
That being said, I very much liked some things this book did and very much did not like others.
THE PROS:
-Avalon High is a Young Adult novel, so you can't expect a thesis-dense analysis of the many facets of the Arthurian legends. But Cabot does do a pretty good job at introducing the reader to a few of them, while focusing most of her energy on the most popular version of the story: the one with Lancelot as Arthur's favorite night and Mordred as his half-brother. Cabot introduces bits and details of the myth as she goes, rather than overloading the reader at the beginning with a lot of information that they're likely to have forgotten by the time it becomes important to the present-day story.
-I found the characters very realistic. Teenagers who aren't intending to hurt anyone with their gossip, girls who--contrary to popular belief--do not care for deep conversations and growing up before they need to, and boys who sometimes take things too far in their jest. The adults were active characters (a rare find in young adult and children's literature) and intelligent, observant individuals (an even rarer find). I didn't find it at all unusual that her parents nagged her about getting out and meeting people but didn't know entirely what was going on at school. I know a lot of people always say "But how could they not know?!" They're loving, involved, and intelligent (if clumsy), but even the best parents can't be omnipresent, and even the most open kids don't share every detail--especially in high school, a time when teenagers are trying to develop their own independent identity.
-I really loved the physical descriptions in books. It's not something I always pay attention to, but it was so vivid that I could picture even the most minute settings as I was reading. This, more than anything else, is probably what kept me reading. The voice is very natural, which is what made this book such a quick read for me. It's conversational, like listening to a friend tell you about the really bizarre week they had over coffee.
THE CONS:
-As much as the conversational narration contributed to the story, it also at times detracted from it. I'm a huge fan of exposition with only the occasional dialogue, but what counts as exposition in first person is debatable. For example, I do not count numerous passages about how gorgeous Jennifer is or how awkward Ellie is to be exposition, but merely internal dialogue--that we were assailed with constantly throughout the book, as though we might have accidentally overlooked this apparently very important fact the first four times it was brought up. I guess it makes sense though, as what seventeen year old doesn't dedicated too much time to pining over cute boys and unrealistically comparing themselves to the girls around them--especially when thrown into a new environment that makes them feel even more insecure than they already might have been? It was frustrating to read through and made me want to put the book aside a few times, but it was realistic. And reminded me how much being a seventeen year old girl sucked.
-I could have done without the "but I'm a too-tall nerdy little nobody who no one ever looks at, I can't believe the popular boy is looking at ME (but he is, right?)" bit. This was the only part about Ellie's character foundation that I had a serious problem with. Call it a pet peeve. If she hadn't talked herself up as such a nothing at her old school and only outcasted for being a new kid, it might have been less obnoxious to me. It felt like an overused cliche, one that always frustrates me when I encounter it because it shouldn't be a surprise that a smart girl who happens to be funny and athletic can also have friends. Why is this always such a surprise in literature? (But on that note, I'm glad the popular girls weren't all snooty and hateful. That, at least, was done away with, and appreciate the refreshing change.)
-Okay, I lied. There were two problems with the characters (even if I admit and even applaud that they each had unique, individual voices so that I could tell who was talking even without a qualifier.). One was Ellie's foundation as the socially-awkward-but-funny-and-athletic nerdy girl. The other was the fact that none of the characters seemed to have changed by the end of the story. Mr. Morton (whom Ellie convinced to stay in town to help Will despite the odds being against him) and Marco (who calls his parents for help after wanting to ruin their lives just a few hours before) are the only two characters who approached anything resembling development. I didn't anticipate Will to be a very dynamic character, as he's ignorant of the influences in his life for the vast majority of the book, but Ellie at the very least should have changed. From the beginning she was stubborn, braver than the average teenage girl when faced with a snake, and cynical. At the book's conclusion, she still refuses to believe any of what she experienced was mystical or supernatural. Situations might have changed, but attitudes and outlooks did not, and I consider that a crucial aspect of character development.
Avalon High was a fun read, and for that I give it three stars. I loved the sometimes-corny humor in the book, the dynamic between all of the characters, and the vivid imagery Cabot uses to set her scenes and support her plot. I especially love how little references tie in--like Ellie's rant about what makes a home, and her role as Lady of the Lake in bringing Arthur home in the legends. It's a good book to get your feet wet if you're interested in Arthurian lore and aren't sure where to start--especially for young teens who are still in that high school hallway mindset and can easily connect with Ellie's stream of conscience.
considering what this book is, 5 stars might seem dramatic, but trust me on this one.
i first read this book in, like, 6th grade and fell headfirst in love with it. re-reading it now, some parts have not aged well, but it’s such a cool story and surprisingly sweet and well-executed. this book is like a diamond in a pile of garbage 2000s-era-ya-romances. i truly love these characters and was SO DISAPPOINTED to remember how bad the movie sucked. if disney didnt buy up the rights to churn out that godawful screen adaptation, i wouldve directed a film version of this myself because it’s just that good.
other books in this vein i liked- “once and future,” “the mists of avalon.” cabot has a few other good stories, but tbh none that i’ve read come close to this one!
i first read this book in, like, 6th grade and fell headfirst in love with it. re-reading it now, some parts have not aged well, but it’s such a cool story and surprisingly sweet and well-executed. this book is like a diamond in a pile of garbage 2000s-era-ya-romances. i truly love these characters and was SO DISAPPOINTED to remember how bad the movie sucked. if disney didnt buy up the rights to churn out that godawful screen adaptation, i wouldve directed a film version of this myself because it’s just that good.
other books in this vein i liked- “once and future,” “the mists of avalon.” cabot has a few other good stories, but tbh none that i’ve read come close to this one!