Empire of Shadows #1
Mabon Publishing
ISBN: 978098135009
September 2013
Young Adult
Against a backdrop of the Dark Ages and the end of the
Arthurian era, author Glynis Cooney introduces fourteen year old Deirdre, who
longs for adventure, despite her gender.
All Deirdre wants to do is to live a life of glory, comparable to the
lives of the knights who serve King Arthur, and when she is sent to a
neighboring kingdom to learn how to be a lady, Deirdre is extremely
disappointed. When news of Lancelot’s
betrayal of King Arthur spreads throughout the kingdom, it becomes clear that
the kings are willing to take advantage of Arthur’s weakness. Determined to provide the king with vital
information, Deirdre sets off on a quest that will change her life.
DAUGHTER OF CAMELOT is a fantasy based on Arthurian legends,
and the tale is written in a manner that expects the reader to have some
understanding of the Arthurian legends themselves, as well as the unrest of the
time period. The rise of the Christian
church and the persecution of the Druids, the treatment of women and vassals,
in addition to political intrigue are embedded through this complex young adult
novel. As the first in the series, the
book establishes characters, setting, and a few different mysteries, some of
which are deliberately left unanswered at the end of the tale. I really liked the authentic “feel” of this
book, the banter of the characters, and Deirdre’s naïve nature that slowly
matures over the course of events. If
you enjoy Julia Golding’s DRAGONFLY or Kristin Cashore’s GRACELING, then
DAUGHTER OF CAMELOT is going to be right up your alley – this entertaining
fantasy has all the right elements of its genre: a strong heroine, epic travels, unusual
companions, and hints of magic. Highly
enjoyable!
Rating: 3
No comments:
Post a Comment