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A review by leahsbooks
The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider
5.0
OMG y'all this book!
I had originally read an excerpt of it, and was heartbroken not to get early access to it. But fortunately, my library had the audiobook available, and I listened to this and enjoyed it so freaking much. I'm honestly shocked that more people aren't talking about the amazingness that is tucked in this story.
I'm a sucker for all things Arthurian, and this was probably one of the best retellings I've ever read - it's got the perfect mix of the original elements, a diverse and queer cast, and a new spin on the old story that keeps it fresh enough to stand out in an already oversaturated subgenre.
Emry is a twin, and clearly the more talented Merlin sibling. But she's held back from practicing her formidable magic talents simply because she's a girl. But when her brother Emmett has an accident just after being summoned to Uther's court as an apprentice wizard, Emry has no choice but to disguise herself as a boy and take her brother's place. There, she meets the full cast of characters - Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain, and Guinevere.
Each of the characters is so well created, and incredibly lovable - I loved getting to know the whole bunch, and it was even more enjoyable because not only are they young, but they break out of the usual mold. Arthur is not the royal I was expecting to see, rather he pulled the sword from the stone by accident, and prefers to spend his time reading and messing around with plants. Lancelot isn't quite the brave knight of the stories, but is rather a guard due to an unfortunate and rather scandalous misunderstanding. Gawain comes off like a total pompous douche, but he's not that bad once you get to know him. And Guinevere definitely isn't who she appears to be either.
I loved seeing all the diversity in the story - there's a character of color, and no shortage of queer characters, which was especially fun since Emry is disguised as a boy for much of the book. There's witty banter, plenty of snark, and so much humorous awkwardness sprinkled throughout the entire story, and the narrator did this story justice! I found myself chuckling while listening, and I probably looked pretty funny to anyone who was driving next to me while I was listening to this.
The plot kept me hooked, and I found myself looking forward to listening to this, and finding any excuse to find a few minutes to put it on. Fortunately, I had the house to myself for much of the time, which allowed me to finish it rather quickly. It's a fairly clean story, although there are some sexual innuendos and themes. But the story was fabulous, and while it had an ending that left me feeling completely satisfied, I'm definitely going to be lining up early to get book 2!
I had originally read an excerpt of it, and was heartbroken not to get early access to it. But fortunately, my library had the audiobook available, and I listened to this and enjoyed it so freaking much. I'm honestly shocked that more people aren't talking about the amazingness that is tucked in this story.
I'm a sucker for all things Arthurian, and this was probably one of the best retellings I've ever read - it's got the perfect mix of the original elements, a diverse and queer cast, and a new spin on the old story that keeps it fresh enough to stand out in an already oversaturated subgenre.
Emry is a twin, and clearly the more talented Merlin sibling. But she's held back from practicing her formidable magic talents simply because she's a girl. But when her brother Emmett has an accident just after being summoned to Uther's court as an apprentice wizard, Emry has no choice but to disguise herself as a boy and take her brother's place. There, she meets the full cast of characters - Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain, and Guinevere.
Each of the characters is so well created, and incredibly lovable - I loved getting to know the whole bunch, and it was even more enjoyable because not only are they young, but they break out of the usual mold. Arthur is not the royal I was expecting to see, rather he pulled the sword from the stone by accident, and prefers to spend his time reading and messing around with plants. Lancelot isn't quite the brave knight of the stories, but is rather a guard due to an unfortunate and rather scandalous misunderstanding. Gawain comes off like a total pompous douche, but he's not that bad once you get to know him. And Guinevere definitely isn't who she appears to be either.
I loved seeing all the diversity in the story - there's a character of color, and no shortage of queer characters, which was especially fun since Emry is disguised as a boy for much of the book. There's witty banter, plenty of snark, and so much humorous awkwardness sprinkled throughout the entire story, and the narrator did this story justice! I found myself chuckling while listening, and I probably looked pretty funny to anyone who was driving next to me while I was listening to this.
The plot kept me hooked, and I found myself looking forward to listening to this, and finding any excuse to find a few minutes to put it on. Fortunately, I had the house to myself for much of the time, which allowed me to finish it rather quickly. It's a fairly clean story, although there are some sexual innuendos and themes. But the story was fabulous, and while it had an ending that left me feeling completely satisfied, I'm definitely going to be lining up early to get book 2!