Scan barcode
fairytalearista's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like this story completely squandered the premise of "20th century girl finds out that she's the time-displaced daughter of King Arthur."
As a romance between Perceval and King Arthur's daughter, set against the backdrop of the quest for the grail and the fall of Camelot, it was good, if a bit disjointed. It definitely felt like reading King Arthur lore, but I just wanted more culture shock!
As a romance between Perceval and King Arthur's daughter, set against the backdrop of the quest for the grail and the fall of Camelot, it was good, if a bit disjointed. It definitely felt like reading King Arthur lore, but I just wanted more culture shock!
duriangray's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lavendermarch's review
4.0
I read the first 80 percent of this book in September, and then put it down until February. I remember finally hitting a slower patch, and being frustrated by the language. Ay any rate, I finally finished it.
This book was a mostly quick read, with the last quarter being a bit slower in places. The story was pretty good, but I do prefer other King Arthur retellings. I recommend it if you enjoy retellings of King Arthur tales set in that time, and with more antiquated language, rather than today's.
This book was a mostly quick read, with the last quarter being a bit slower in places. The story was pretty good, but I do prefer other King Arthur retellings. I recommend it if you enjoy retellings of King Arthur tales set in that time, and with more antiquated language, rather than today's.
catmorg128's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of the most amazing books I have ever read (I am not exaggerating!). I need to read it again to refresh my mind and make a good, long review. Suffice it to say I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Read the second time. Loved it again. I have so many thoughts. I loved this book so much.
Read the second time. Loved it again. I have so many thoughts. I loved this book so much.
allison_r's review against another edition
4.0
Welcome to a world where the twentieth century dawns on knights in mortal combat, where a traitor and a princess fight for the same title, and where strange, wonderful realms are behind the next door. This is the world of Arthur's Camelot, a world that Blanchefleur Pendragon, lady of the 20th century and princess of the 5th, must try to save, and a world elegantly crafted by authoress Suzannah Rowntree in her novel, Pendragon's Heir.
Stories of King Arthur have been told and retold for over a thousand years, hashed and rehashed until they have barely any originality left. Modern authors may twist the setting and the characters (generally speaking, they daren't touch the plot), but it's still, at the core, the same story.
Suzannah Rowntree understands this, and she uses it to her advantage. Pendragon's Heir does not reinterpret the legends; rather, it goes back to their heart and reminds us why we loved them in the first place.
In order to do this, Rowntree crafts the story around a new rendition of an old character: Blanchefleur. You haven't heard of her. She's a minor character from Chrétien de Troyes' TheStory of the Grail, where her name is mentioned (I believe) once. In addition to this relative newcomer, Pendragon's Heir heavily features the beloved canon of Arthurian characters: Arthur and Guinevere, Gawain and Ragnell, Morgain and Mordred. All familiar characters, all interacting in new ways. Take Guinevere, for example. No one likes Guinevere-- Mallory didn't; modern culture doesn't; Tennyson really, really didn't. Rowntree acknowledges everything that makes Guinevere unlikable and-- well, I can't say more for fear of spoilers. But Rowntree was so, so good to this poor character.
Although she writes intriguing characters, Rowntree's talent really shines in her prose. Although sparse, it is deliciously full, skilled, and elegant. My highlighter almost ran out of ink trying to keep track of my favorite passages. Miss Rowntree can throw the most delightful punches with dialogue-- places where a perfectly crafted, poignant phrase literally catches my breath.
To rephrase everything that's good about this novel: it is a delightful tribute to everything I love about the Arthurian legends.
That being said... I need to talk about the plot. I wish I was open-minded enough to like Rowntree's somewhat irregular pacing and plotting, but I'm not. Like the Arthurian legends, the plot consists of many isolated incidents, and they gradually thicken and draw together to a cohesive finish. Although I appreciate this artistic choice, I couldn't help but feel that this discontinuity led to a lack of character motivations. Blanchefleur must guard the Grail. I understand it's important, but why her? Perceval comes to a dinner party, and suddenly everyone can speak Welsh. Pendragon's Heir lacked something to draw a series of occurrences together, and that something very easily could have been the villain, who had a relatively low word count in the novel.
Despite my issues with the plot and pacing, I really enjoyed Pendragon's Heir. Rowntree says that she sought to examine what the medievals believed, and I think she succeeded.
Above all, Pendragon's Heir reflects the higher struggle of morality. I have read some reviewers complain that the villain's decidedly less romantic, less idealistic plan seems much more practical than that of the heroes. These reviewers often mention that the villain poses several hard questions of how the heroes' ideals would last in reality; they argue that the characters, and thereby Rowntree, fail to answer this.
I disagree with this opinion because I believe that there silence is the answer. These are not easy questions. There are not always answers. But even when they can't put their necessity into words, the characters follow these ideals simply because they are worth fighting for.
Stories of King Arthur have been told and retold for over a thousand years, hashed and rehashed until they have barely any originality left. Modern authors may twist the setting and the characters (generally speaking, they daren't touch the plot), but it's still, at the core, the same story.
Suzannah Rowntree understands this, and she uses it to her advantage. Pendragon's Heir does not reinterpret the legends; rather, it goes back to their heart and reminds us why we loved them in the first place.
In order to do this, Rowntree crafts the story around a new rendition of an old character: Blanchefleur. You haven't heard of her. She's a minor character from Chrétien de Troyes' TheStory of the Grail, where her name is mentioned (I believe) once. In addition to this relative newcomer, Pendragon's Heir heavily features the beloved canon of Arthurian characters: Arthur and Guinevere, Gawain and Ragnell, Morgain and Mordred. All familiar characters, all interacting in new ways. Take Guinevere, for example. No one likes Guinevere-- Mallory didn't; modern culture doesn't; Tennyson really, really didn't. Rowntree acknowledges everything that makes Guinevere unlikable and-- well, I can't say more for fear of spoilers. But Rowntree was so, so good to this poor character.
Although she writes intriguing characters, Rowntree's talent really shines in her prose. Although sparse, it is deliciously full, skilled, and elegant. My highlighter almost ran out of ink trying to keep track of my favorite passages. Miss Rowntree can throw the most delightful punches with dialogue-- places where a perfectly crafted, poignant phrase literally catches my breath.
To rephrase everything that's good about this novel: it is a delightful tribute to everything I love about the Arthurian legends.
That being said... I need to talk about the plot. I wish I was open-minded enough to like Rowntree's somewhat irregular pacing and plotting, but I'm not. Like the Arthurian legends, the plot consists of many isolated incidents, and they gradually thicken and draw together to a cohesive finish. Although I appreciate this artistic choice, I couldn't help but feel that this discontinuity led to a lack of character motivations. Blanchefleur must guard the Grail. I understand it's important, but why her? Perceval comes to a dinner party, and suddenly everyone can speak Welsh. Pendragon's Heir lacked something to draw a series of occurrences together, and that something very easily could have been the villain, who had a relatively low word count in the novel.
Despite my issues with the plot and pacing, I really enjoyed Pendragon's Heir. Rowntree says that she sought to examine what the medievals believed, and I think she succeeded.
Above all, Pendragon's Heir reflects the higher struggle of morality. I have read some reviewers complain that the villain's decidedly less romantic, less idealistic plan seems much more practical than that of the heroes. These reviewers often mention that the villain poses several hard questions of how the heroes' ideals would last in reality; they argue that the characters, and thereby Rowntree, fail to answer this.
I disagree with this opinion because I believe that there silence is the answer. These are not easy questions. There are not always answers. But even when they can't put their necessity into words, the characters follow these ideals simply because they are worth fighting for.
emlinthegremlin's review
5.0
I am currently rereading this book, and enjoying it even better the second time. There are so many delicious moments in here... squirm worthy moments, laugh out loud moments, I can't put the book down to go to sleep moments. The characters are all wonderfully developed, and surely Percival is one of the most entertaining characters to read about. I greatly enjoy this book, and all its moments that come with it.
emilyhayse's review
5.0
A couple weeks ago I finished Pendragon’s Heir by Suzannah Rowntree, and wow—if you haven’t read this book, you should seriously think about it. It is legend and adventure with a splash of honest, unsentimental romance.
Synopsis: Blanche Pendragon enjoys her undemanding life as the ward of an eccentric nobleman in 1900’s England. It’s been years since she wondered what happened to her long lost parents, but then a gift on the night of her eighteenth birthday reveals a heritage more dangerous and awe-inspiring than she ever dreamed of—or wanted. Soon Blanche is flung into a world of wayfaring immortals, daring knights, and deadly combats, with a murderous witch-queen on her trail and the future of a kingdom at stake. As the legendary King Arthur Pendragon and his warriors face enemies without and treachery within, Blanche discovers a secret that could destroy the whole realm of Logres. Even if the kingdom could be saved, is she the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s Heir?
In the first place, I loved this book because I love a good adventure story, and that is what Suzannah Rowntree delivered. It’s one of those stories where you feel like you are on the cusp of a great adventure and you’ll never be the same after. This book took the old Arthurian legends I knew and stayed true to them, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.
The setting was fantastic. From 1900s England to Logres to the wilds of Arthurian England, I felt like I was there, and not once was I pulled out of the story by an out-of-place detail.
I loved the vividness of the characters. Perceval was my favorite by far. At first I was not sure whom I liked the best, but by the last third or so, it was without a doubt him. He was impetuous, yes, but he had a good heart, and was a realistic fellow that you loved despite his faults.
Blanche had a fantastic character arc, in my opinion. She started the book as a sympathetic character with some flaws, of course, but they were not glaring ones. Over the course of the book, you see her drop selfishness that you didn’t even know was there until you see the new Blanchefleur emerging from the old, and you watch her become a brave and considerate young woman.
Simon Corbin was really cool. I’ll leave it at that. If you don’t know why, then please, read the book.
As far as I can remember, there were only a couple sensitive things in the book; the first was the use of magic by the antagonists. This, frankly, did not bother me, since it was basically just following the legends, and it was definitely not portrayed as a good thing. The second was the storyline of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Guinevere’s faithfulness was questioned throughout a portion of the book. I feel that the author handled this very well, however, and brought it to a good conclusion.
I felt that the middle dragged some. Blanchefleur is in one place and Perceval is traveling old-legend-style about the countryside, jousting and coming to adventures. It was not a boring sort of dragging, but I did feel perhaps like the plot was not driving forward the way it did at the beginning and the end.
The end was incredible. It sucked me in and I was caught until I had finished the book. I have to say, Suzannah concluded the book in the best way I’ve ever seen these tales concluded, hands down, and for once I did not walk away from them downhearted. There is hope and rightness in the end, and that is as much as I dare say about it.
Altogether the book was very clean and tight and easy to read. I would recommend caution for younger readers due to the discussion of infidelity in the book.
Synopsis: Blanche Pendragon enjoys her undemanding life as the ward of an eccentric nobleman in 1900’s England. It’s been years since she wondered what happened to her long lost parents, but then a gift on the night of her eighteenth birthday reveals a heritage more dangerous and awe-inspiring than she ever dreamed of—or wanted. Soon Blanche is flung into a world of wayfaring immortals, daring knights, and deadly combats, with a murderous witch-queen on her trail and the future of a kingdom at stake. As the legendary King Arthur Pendragon and his warriors face enemies without and treachery within, Blanche discovers a secret that could destroy the whole realm of Logres. Even if the kingdom could be saved, is she the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragon’s Heir?
In the first place, I loved this book because I love a good adventure story, and that is what Suzannah Rowntree delivered. It’s one of those stories where you feel like you are on the cusp of a great adventure and you’ll never be the same after. This book took the old Arthurian legends I knew and stayed true to them, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.
The setting was fantastic. From 1900s England to Logres to the wilds of Arthurian England, I felt like I was there, and not once was I pulled out of the story by an out-of-place detail.
I loved the vividness of the characters. Perceval was my favorite by far. At first I was not sure whom I liked the best, but by the last third or so, it was without a doubt him. He was impetuous, yes, but he had a good heart, and was a realistic fellow that you loved despite his faults.
Blanche had a fantastic character arc, in my opinion. She started the book as a sympathetic character with some flaws, of course, but they were not glaring ones. Over the course of the book, you see her drop selfishness that you didn’t even know was there until you see the new Blanchefleur emerging from the old, and you watch her become a brave and considerate young woman.
Simon Corbin was really cool. I’ll leave it at that. If you don’t know why, then please, read the book.
As far as I can remember, there were only a couple sensitive things in the book; the first was the use of magic by the antagonists. This, frankly, did not bother me, since it was basically just following the legends, and it was definitely not portrayed as a good thing. The second was the storyline of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Guinevere’s faithfulness was questioned throughout a portion of the book. I feel that the author handled this very well, however, and brought it to a good conclusion.
I felt that the middle dragged some. Blanchefleur is in one place and Perceval is traveling old-legend-style about the countryside, jousting and coming to adventures. It was not a boring sort of dragging, but I did feel perhaps like the plot was not driving forward the way it did at the beginning and the end.
The end was incredible. It sucked me in and I was caught until I had finished the book. I have to say, Suzannah concluded the book in the best way I’ve ever seen these tales concluded, hands down, and for once I did not walk away from them downhearted. There is hope and rightness in the end, and that is as much as I dare say about it.
Altogether the book was very clean and tight and easy to read. I would recommend caution for younger readers due to the discussion of infidelity in the book.
silver_valkyrie_reads's review
5.0
Four stars, plus a half star just for being my favorite version of King Arthur's story. I'm glad someone finally did something to highlight all the honor and chivalry in the original, and told a story where flawed people can create something beautiful.
I was going to complain toward the beginning of the story about how characters always complain about adventures I'd love to go on, but that silliness faded away fairly quickly, and I actually quite liked both the main characters after that.
I was going to complain toward the beginning of the story about how characters always complain about adventures I'd love to go on, but that silliness faded away fairly quickly, and I actually quite liked both the main characters after that.
More...