A review by rai_ishardtoplease
The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

“Somehow, by pulling the sword from the stone, he’d managed to fail his father all over again, because no matter what he did, he was still himself.”

There’s really no telling with YA, is there? Will you be subjected to profound emotional distress or offended on behalf of teenagers everywhere? Take your bets.

Trick question—the answer is both.

Pro’s:

• The wit
• Somewhat racially diverse cast
• The laid-back attitudes of the MCs towards the subject of sexuality

Con’s:

• Lots of explosive adolescent melodrama, combined with comparatively anticlimactic conflict resolution
• Arthur and Emery as a couple (Chemistry? What chemistry?)
• Demonization of hyper-feminine characters, including Guinevere, who is portrayed as bratty and delicate for most of the book
• The lack of substance to the magic system. It’s alluded to, but not elaborated upon much in this book.
• Uther Pendragon. Surprised? Of course not.

I’m not opposed to reading the sequel someday.