Customer Reviews

The Child Queen: The Tale of Guinevere and King Arthur

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I would recommend "The Child Queen" to not only lovers of Arthurian legend, but to people who like strong characters as well. McKenzie's Guinevere is a real and vivid protagonist. Guinevere is not a Barbie doll, but a true ingenue... a woman that you could believe would capture the hearts of many men and especially one that would be worthy of King Arthur. This story has a lot of depth and you feel the emotions of the characters as if they were your own - I have read this book at least three times and I am not tired of it yet! Well Done!

I had to read this book years ago for an English class. I begged and begged the teacher to change his mind because this book was listed as a romance novel. I am extremely thankful he said no.
The Child Queen, and its sequel, The High Queen, tells Arthur's story through Guinivere. This book, though relatively short, managed to engulf me with its settings, characters, and stories. Listing it under romance is a serious injustice to this book.
After reading both novels, i quickly got my hands on as many Arthurian novels as possible. There is no way a terrible book can cause a lifelong love.

I love this book. When read with the sequel, The High Queen, a whole new view of Arthurian legend is provided. It is a wonderful book! If you like Arthurian legend, this is a beautifully woven tale full of the romance in other books. At the same time, the alternative view is a new way to look at the story.

I loved this book, I read it five times in one week. I am dieing to get my hands on the second one. This story is focused mostly on Guinever. I cant describe this book, you have to read it for yourself. But I promise you it will be one of the best books you have ever read.

I thought that Nancy McKenzie's view of Guinevere was refreshing. It was nice to look at a point of view where Guinevere wasn't a horrible, treacherous queen. It really captivated me and I read it again and again. The characters really came alive. It got me hooked on Arthurian legends.

I read this book about every 6 months. It's such a wonderful story about love, and learning to be who you really are. Gwen is such a loveable character who changes with her age and experience. I was extremely impressed with the transition from girlhood to being a married queen. It shows how different life can be and I will certianly remember this book on my wedding day!

I reccomend this book to anyone who really believes in the power of a woman, love, and friendship. This book will leave you beggin for more nancy makenzie...

This is an amazing book. It is the only Arthurian book other than "The Mists of Avalon" that I was able to stay awake through. Like Mists, The Child Queen has a female viewpoint -- but in this book the viewpoint is Guinevere's, and she's a _good_ character. McKenzie stays away from all the standard fantasy cliches and makes the characters come alive. A great read.

An extremely engaging book, full of adventure, passion, intrigue and emotion.
Engages the reader evey step of the way.
It traces the early life of Gunievere , who would be Arthur's bride, from her birth to the king and young queen of the Kingdom of Northgallis, where a witch predicts the night of her birth that she would live to be the greatest lady in Britain, but also that she would betray her king and herself be betrayed.
What is unique about this retelling of the Arthurian legend is the deep emotional and pyschological depth of her subjects.
It is the best Arthurian retelling I have read.

Growing up in north Wales, to be a great and engaging beauty , together with her cousin Elaine, her life is turned upside down when she is chosen as the bride of the High King of Britain, Arthur.
Guinevere's love for the King's most trusted knight, Lancelot causes her great pain. Her cousin and childhood friend Elaine, turns into a deadly rival, who out of jealousy because it was Guinevere who became Arthur's bride, will do anything to hurt Guinevere.

Included in this saga are others in Arthurian legend such as the King's adopted brother Kay, Arthur's half-sisters Morgause and Morgan , the battles with the invading Saxons , and the various kingdoms in Britain in the time.We read of Guinevere's abduction by the thuggish minor king Mwelas and her rescue by Lancelot. McKenzie did her research well, while introducing an exciting take on the world of Arthur and Camelot.

Over the years I have read many books dealing with Arthurian fiction. To this day, this book and 'The High Queen' are my favorites. It is an excellent read, extremely hard to put down. Nancy McKenzie illustrates Guinevere as an actual human being, with real emotions. Elaine also stands out in my mind as a particularly interesting antagonist; she is not overly shallow and has a motive, in her mind, for the things she does. I strongly recommend this book if you are looking for a good read, and not just the myth in it's raw form.

Not to mention one of the best books period, but this book rises above all the other Arthurian books out there. Forget "The Once and Future King" or "The Mists of Avalon" or any of the others. Don't get me wrong, these were all fantastic, but The Child Queen and its sequel are so absolutly wonderful and rich with the beautiful essence of the story, there's simply no comparison.