January 15, 2023
King Arthur, but make it feel like a classic CW teen pleaser. After the events of The Other Merlin (2021), canonical Camelot is largely restored, albeit ahistorically: Lancelot is a squire on his way to knighthood (but sadly separated from crush Percival); Emmett Merlin is at court as (apprentice) wizard (and twin Emry is at court as herself, not pretending to be her brother); and Arthur and Guinevere are engaged. But that's where the canon screams to a halt. Guin and Arthur don't want to get married--also, she's pregnant from a brief affair with Emmett; Emry and Arthur are still in love but kept apart by politics and the king, and Emry has some weird new magic that might be bad news. Meanwhile, in the B plot, Morgana is stumbling around Anwen, the magical realm where a delicate power balance keeps both the Merlin patriarch and evil sorceress Bellicent in a deep sleep. Less bawdy and much more earnest than the first, this second series entry has a plot that mostly revolves around relationships. In classic midseries fashion, much of the action sets up exciting threads to be resolved in a future volume. The myriad romances at play include two reasonably significant gay male couples and a peripheral Sapphic romance. While the point-of-view characters are presumed White, several secondary characters (including Gawain, Percival, and Pernelle) are described as brown-skinned. Satisfying. (Historical fantasy. 14-18)
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June 1, 2023
Gr 9 Up-An ahistorical King Arthur series in the vibe of CW's Reign, this second installment revolves almost entirely around the complex romantic relationships developed in The Other Merlin. Emry is finally at court under her own name, and not pretending to be her twin brother, but her magic is growing odd and out of control. Arthur and Guinevere are engaged to be married, but both want to escape the betrothal as Guin is pregnant with Emry's twin's baby. Schneider's second entry is less humorous than the first, focusing on character development, more queer romance, and setting up plot points for future novels. Main characters are assumed white, with racial diversity in the secondary cast. VERDICT A fun and effervescent historical fantasy, this one is recommended for purchase where the first installment circulates.
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