Half Sick of Shadows
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4.4 • 16 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"Laura Sebastian is the next Madeline Miller. . . . a fierce, fresh, lyrical tale that will enthrall until the last page."--Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Huntress
A Popsugar Best Summer Read of 2021
A Bibliolifestyle Most Anticipated Summer 2021 Sci-fi and Fantasy Book
"Magical, haunting, unique--I haven't been so excited about an Arthur book since I read The Once and Future King ."--Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The Lady of Shalott reclaims her story in this bold feminist reimagining of the Arthurian myth from the New York Times bestselling author of Ash Princess.
Everyone knows the legend. Of Arthur, destined to be a king. Of the beautiful Guinevere, who will betray him with his most loyal knight, Lancelot. Of the bitter sorceress, Morgana, who will turn against them all. But Elaine alone carries the burden of knowing what is to come--for Elaine of Shalott is cursed to see the future.
On the mystical isle of Avalon, Elaine runs free and learns of the ancient prophecies surrounding her and her friends--countless possibilities, almost all of them tragic.
When their future comes to claim them, Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana accompany Arthur to take his throne in stifling Camelot, where magic is outlawed, the rules of society chain them, and enemies are everywhere. Yet the most dangerous threats may come from within their own circle.
As visions are fulfilled and an inevitable fate closes in, Elaine must decide how far she will go to change destiny--and what she is willing to sacrifice along the way.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sebastian's slow-burning adult debut (after the Ash Princess series) reimagines Arthurian legend from the perspective of the young Lady Elaine Astolat. Sebastian imbues this classic character with great agency and power, delving into Elaine's growing talents as a seer and increasingly complicated relationships with her brother, Arthur, and friends, Morgana, Lancelot, and Guinevere. Together, this band of young adults leaves their home in Avalon to help Arthur take his throne in Camelot—but to become king, Arthur will first have to pass a series of challenges set by the wizard Merlin and refute another's claim to the crown. Elaine, whose visions have foretold both her own death and Morgana's betrayal of Arthur, guides the would-be king through these trials while her friendships with Morgana and Guinevere grow strained under the pressure of their quest. Sebastian's banter-filled take on beloved characters offers plenty of enjoyment, but the plodding pacing and Elaine's repetitive visions—the majority of which project too far into the future to affect the events of the novel itself—prevents this adventure from reaching its potential. This is best suited for die-hard devotees of Arthurian legend.
