![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Wein, Elizabeth E. - The Winter Prince
Er. So. Why did no one mention that this is the slashiest book ever?
Anyway. I rejoice at finding a version of the Arthur story that I like! Of course, it's probably because it focuses on Medraut/Mordred and his extremely conflicted relationship with his half-brother Lleu (Artos' son) and his mother Morgause. And the fact that it takes advantage of the incest in the legend.
The book is written from Medraut's POV as a letter or speech or something directed at Morgause -- I'm not quite sure why the author decided to have the book addressed to Morgause, and it sort of confused me when she actually entered into the scene. I kept forgetting who the "you" was for some reason. It's on Medraut's unsure position within Artos' court at Camlann, on his love-hate relationship with Lleu. Lleu is the golden child, sickly at birth, who has been protected his entire life. Medraut, on the other hand, was forced to grow up too quickly as Artos' illegitimate son born of a shameful union, and he resents Lleu's position as heir and as the apple of everyone's eye even as he protects and helps raise Lleu.
The book actually reminded me a great deal of A Separate Peace, which I really need to reread someday.
While the book is very good, it really goes into high gear when an act on Medraut's part brings all the simmering tension beneath his relationship with Lleu to a breaking point (alas, mixed metaphors), which is also the point at which I started really clueing in to the slashiness. And right at the moment when my brain went, "Wow, this is slashy, isn't it?" Medraut leaned down and kissed Lleu and my brain may have imploded.
I really liked how Wein allowed Medraut and Lleu and Goewin (Lleu's sister, whom I also liked, but wanted to see more of) to be complicated. Lleu is spoiled, and Medraut's resentment is very believable, but Lleu is also very powerful in his own way. And Wein doesn't whitewash Medraut so that his horrible childhood with Morgause is to blame, although it too plays a role in the relationship. And I have no critical thoughts at all on the conclusion because my brain just sort of melted.
Anyway. I rejoice at finding a version of the Arthur story that I like! Of course, it's probably because it focuses on Medraut/Mordred and his extremely conflicted relationship with his half-brother Lleu (Artos' son) and his mother Morgause. And the fact that it takes advantage of the incest in the legend.
The book is written from Medraut's POV as a letter or speech or something directed at Morgause -- I'm not quite sure why the author decided to have the book addressed to Morgause, and it sort of confused me when she actually entered into the scene. I kept forgetting who the "you" was for some reason. It's on Medraut's unsure position within Artos' court at Camlann, on his love-hate relationship with Lleu. Lleu is the golden child, sickly at birth, who has been protected his entire life. Medraut, on the other hand, was forced to grow up too quickly as Artos' illegitimate son born of a shameful union, and he resents Lleu's position as heir and as the apple of everyone's eye even as he protects and helps raise Lleu.
The book actually reminded me a great deal of A Separate Peace, which I really need to reread someday.
While the book is very good, it really goes into high gear when an act on Medraut's part brings all the simmering tension beneath his relationship with Lleu to a breaking point (alas, mixed metaphors), which is also the point at which I started really clueing in to the slashiness. And right at the moment when my brain went, "Wow, this is slashy, isn't it?" Medraut leaned down and kissed Lleu and my brain may have imploded.
I really liked how Wein allowed Medraut and Lleu and Goewin (Lleu's sister, whom I also liked, but wanted to see more of) to be complicated. Lleu is spoiled, and Medraut's resentment is very believable, but Lleu is also very powerful in his own way. And Wein doesn't whitewash Medraut so that his horrible childhood with Morgause is to blame, although it too plays a role in the relationship. And I have no critical thoughts at all on the conclusion because my brain just sort of melted.
oh, my.
must.get.book.
Re: oh, my.
Go get!
I need to read this again, when my brain isn't just going, "Whoa! Slash! Wow! Everywhere! YA novel! But slashy!"
Re: oh, my.
Re: oh, my.
no subject
A Coalition of Lions is from Goewin's POV, but unfortunately isn't as good. Neither is The Sunbird, but it's better, so I have hopes for whatever comes next.
There's a Medraut/Morgawse story in Sirens, and a Lleu story in one of the Writers of the Future volumes, and unrelated stories in Firebirds and The Horns of Elfland. She hasn't written much, but the last two novels came out recently, so I'm hoping she's going to do more.
I think the book is a letter to Morgawse because she is THE shaping figure of Medraut's life, and he has to define himself in relation to her even more than in relation to Lleu or Arthur. The book is about him breaking free of her, and he has to explain how and why, even if he only has to explain it to the Morgawse in his head.
I don't know how many times I'd read it before I realized what play Medraut was reading in one scene, and why it was that one, and then I almost broke down and cried.
Love this book beyond words. Oh, the ending.
no subject
I wish the Guenevere in this one weren't so faded, but that's a very minor complaint; so many twisted beautiful complex characterizations.
I didn't realize there was a Lleu story; I read the one in Sirens some years before my sister found this novel and passed it on to it. Is the Lleu story worth hunting down?
no subject
The Lleu story is very good.
If you guys want to email me your addresses, I can make copies to send to you.
no subject
Have sent snail address via email.
no subject
Of course it would be that play, *sniff*.
no subject
And I knew there was a reason I kept Sirens! Yay, Medraut/Morgawse.
I think I'm going to have to reread soon now that I peeked below in comments and saw what play it was. I love the ending and just how broken Medraut it.
no subject
no subject