Cursed

I watched he Netflix show first and felt it was ok, so I bought the book with a grain of salt. But I really enjoyed the book! I think the book captured Nimue in a much more interesting way (think a cross of Arya Stark and Aelin). I really liked the authors writing style and I was very wrapped up in the stories and characters. I liked Merlin in that he was a drunk but he was also very clever and capable. The one complaint I have was the illustrations, Frank Miller's drawing style is not for me at all. I felt they did not match the feel of the book and they took me out of the story every time I was subjected to one. Currently there is no word on a sequel but I really look forward to reading more about these characters (especially the Weeping Monk and Squirrel storyline) and I can only hope we get a different illustrator.

I'll be honest: I gave up. I couldn't bring myself to finish this. The prose is simplistic, the story derivative. Knowing it was optioned to be a Netflix show before it was even published (evidenced by the already-cast Katharine Langford reading the audiobook), this feels like a tie-in novelization rather than its own independent work worthy of adaptation. From what I've read, I question the intent of the authors. Were they trying to write a book, or were they trying to sell a TV show with a tie-in graphic novel so they could say it was based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller? I think it's the latter, and as such I already question the quality of the TV show, with such poor fruit for adaptation. Okay, I'll just say it: this feels like a cop-out. A TV writer without a hit show sells a show to Netfilx, but in order to get its bona fides (because at least The Witcher was based on an earlier work), they need some material thing they can say their show is based upon, because original fantasy that goes straight to TV without ever being a novel or series of novels has the reputation of being Xena-lite, and not in a complimentary way. So, he writes a pithy young adult novel with the TWIST where the Aurthurian protagonist IS A GIRL (as if no one ever read The Mists of Avalon). It's not very good. There are young adult fiction writers who can reach profundity without feeling like they're dumbing down their work to suit the audience. Thomas Wheeler isn't one of these. This doesn't feel original. It feels like a hodgepodge of stuff that's been done before. It feels like a male author is making his protagonist female not because the story is enhanced with a female protagonist, but because he feels like that female-led Aurthurian retelling hasn't been done before (or at least hasn't been done before on Netflix). I may not be able to articulate why I disliked this book so much, but it feels like a disingenuous take on female-led fantasy tales. The Once and Future Queen has been done by countless female writers before, and done much better (I highly recommend Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series), so this honestly feels like a waste of time--and, I'm assuming, a waste of Katharine Langford in the TV series.

I was pleasantly surprised at the author's retelling of the Arthurian epic tales focusing on a strong-willed girl, Nimue, and her quest to fulfill her mother's dying request against all odds. Set in post-Roman times in the fledgling British Isles before there was a single English King, this story builds on Celtic oral histories and legendary tales of Druids with several amazing illustrations adding context and imagery to the characters and story. Merlin, the centuries-old wizard plays a major role in the storyline as his frustrations with endless struggles of minor kingdoms led by bloodthirsty and corrupt kings vying for supreme control at the expense of common people and other human-like creatures. This vividly descriptive narrative is appropriate for 14+ teens and adults still filled with imagination and desires for impossible quests. It was fun to feel again the excitement and wonder of youth by experiencing this well-told mythical tale of courage and bravery against evil. This appears to be the first of several books, but it was also an okay standalone read. The story details gave life and believability to the plotline and the characters. Only a few minor anachronisms detracted from the activities, language, and historical setting. The Audible narration was enjoyable and energetic, bringing the storytelling to life. I plan reading other works by Thomas Wheeler.

I enjoyed this interpretation of the King Arthur stories. None of this is what I expected. The addition of the fae folk really pulled me in. But it was the way the characters from this classic tale was interpreted that sealed the deal. Basically the story added depth to the characters in a way that really sealed the day. I’m glad I took the plunge and read this.