The Camelot Betrayal
Kiersten White
Delacorte Press, 2020
Paperback, 384 pages, €9.70
ISBN 9780593305485
The Camelot Betrayal is, in my opinion, a very good book. It successfully tugs at the reader’s heartstrings at practically every second page, and brings thrill, adventure, and a pinch of romance to the table.
I cannot compare this book to the first in the series, as I have admittedly never read it, but from my research into the
beginning of this magical universe, I believe it holds up well as a sequel. The plot is captivating. Guinevere, the protagonist, is the queen of Camelot — with the added spice that she took on the role after the real Guinevere died in a convent. She is settled in Camelot by the time this novel begins, and the greatest danger soon reveals itself to be Guinevere’s own sister. Or at least, the real Guinevere’s sister.
The characters are all well-rounded, with believable motivations and good personalities to boot. The plot is exciting, and the consequences for failure dire. The pacing is the only issue for me, as it often reads strangely. It’s not book-ruining, just vaguely distracting. The strange timing of certain chapters and scenes allows the plot to do its thing, so allowances can be made for the pace. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the first in the series (obviously), and also to those who enjoy fairy tales with a twist.
Rachel O’Gara, teen reviewer
This is an emotional page-turning tale about the passions of youth and friendship and the bitter disappointments of betrayal. Roberts is a powerful storyteller with incredible imagination bringing to life a period of history steeped in myth and fable. The reader will get lost in this fascinating tale which the author has created weaving the scraps of surviving poetry with her own powerful vision. Perfect for fans of Celine Kiernan, Finbar Hawkins and V. E. Schwab.
The way Garrett writes about family, race and sexuality is so real and heartfelt. Each character has a unique set of circumstances which are handled delicately. There is so much diversity in this book, be it through race or sexuality. Representation of minorities is really important, especially at a YA level. Having someone to relate to in the content that we consume helps us realise that we are not alone. If anything else, it’s educational too. There is a character in this book who is asexual and has a girlfriend, and though the situation isn’t always pretty, it’s handled so honestly and openly that it teaches people what it’s like to struggle with this. The main character’s illness also does a lot to teach about HIV and what the stereotypes are around it and how that perception can be harmful. But instead, people should be looking to educate themselves. The book has some resources at the end about HIV which I found to be incredibly useful.
We hope everyone is celebrating with a good book! We thought we would share with you what everyone on the Paper Lanterns team is reading this week. There are some fantastic YA reads here that we would recommend checking out. Let us know what you’re reading at the moment!
