The Chessboard Queen [Paperback]

Sharan Newman (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: New York, St Martins Press, 1983 (1983)
• ASIN: B000OTLIMG
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A mixed bag, even for Arthurian romance lovers., June 20, 1998

By 

Edith Parker - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chessboard Queen: A Story of Guinevere (Paperback)

I was disappointed with this novel, which I expected to be "a beautiful rendering of the world's most timeless romance," as the cover advertises. Aside from Arthur and Gawain, few characters are likeable or well-drawn. The characters themselves seem to spend most of the novel being exasperated with one another. Merlin is not wise or admirable, just hypocritical in his hostility to Guinevere for her selfishness. As for her, why would any reader be captivated by a spoiled, conventionally gorgeous airhead with a phobia of blood? Or a bunch of shallow relationships, few of which make much emotional sense? Readers find two things compelling: mystery and struggle. We would love to see truly deep female character wrestle with jealousy or, say, conflicted love for two men. This element is what keeps many readers absorbed in, and called back several times to, Bradley's The Mists of Avalon. Unfortunately in The Chessboard Queen what we get is a couple of whiners (Elaine was one too) complaining about their lives and inexplicably drawn to a ridiculous caricature of knighthood, the rather stupid Lancelot character. The only struggle here was the reader's, to try not to skip too many chapters. Not astoundingly well-written, or vivid, and with few if any memorable scenes (to be fair, transport and viewing of the Round Table were pretty effective). As a period piece, pretty superficial. But it passes the time, I guess. END

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit better than the first installment, June 4, 2003

By 

S. E. Kennedy "ocinnedeagh" (Minnesota, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chessboard Queen: A Story of Guinevere (Paperback)

Newman did a little better with this second part of her trilogy than she did with the first book. While the writing is still very simplistic and many characters remain undeveloped, I found a bit of interest in the subcharacters. Guinevere continues to be a self-absorbed dimwit but at least the unicorn is finally gone. How in the world the unicorn gave it's love of Guinevere to Lancelot is still a mystery to me. It seemed to be nothing more than Newman's weak effort to get rid of the unicorn character - for which I was grateful. Let's see - there are so many silly points...Lancelot goes insane because Guinevere has suffered a flashback of post tramatic stress disorder involving her long dead nurse Flora. However, we had no idea that the Flora episode ever bothered Guinevere in the first place. Luckily Lancelot is saved by the Lady of the Lake and then suddenly gives up his efforts to find his birth mother. Guinevere's brother who returned from "the dead" vanishes from the story opting to live in the wilderness where he has no contact with the rest of Britian...or with the author apparently because she completely forgets about those poor people living in the wilderness. Sound scattered? Sound childish? IT IS! However, Arthur's character was somewhat interesting. It kept me ready....I'm not quite sure why.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars terrible, May 7, 2003

By 

Disgruntled in Atlanta (GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chessboard Queen: A Story of Guinevere (Paperback)

When I bought this book I thought it would be a story about Guinevere being torn between two men. As far as I can see she didn't love Arthur at all. As another reviewer said, she's spoiled, selfish and an airhead. Lancelot also gets on my nerves. Ugh. I am disappointed in this book because most of the other novels that I've read that involve the Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot love triangle are at least interesting. This one wasn't, sadly.