From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9–Adventure, magic, love, and knights of the realm collide in this delightfully witty tale from the legend of King Arthur. Lady Luneta lives cooped up with her parents in a remote region of the kingdom and, like many teens, longs to get out and have some fun. When her parents agree to let her see a bit of the world, and to give them a break from mother-daughter turmoil, Luneta is thrilled. Soon she is on her way, accompanied by her cousin, the knight Ywain, to the castle of a family friend near Camelot. They meet Rhience, a former knight now pursuing the career of fool, and the three travel together, with Ywain imagining himself fighting gloriously in battle and Rhience spouting barbs and witticisms along the way. Once at Lady Laudine's castle, Ywain kills their hostess's husband in battle and immediately falls in love with the lady herself, Luneta becomes an enchantress under the direction of her great-aunt Morgan Le Fay, and Rhience proves to be a loyal companion and not such a fool after all. The characters are well developed and compelling and the dialogue is intelligent and sharp. While the plot goes on a bit long and occasionally veers off into several different directions, it's just too much fun not to find out what's around the next corner. With characters reminiscent of a Monty Python sketch and a knight with a Don Quixote complex, this romp through the land of King Arthur is a gem.
–Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. Sixteen-year-old Luneta is thrilled when her parents send her to live with her mother's friend, the beautiful Laudine. Escorted by her cousin Ywain and Rhience, a handsome young man who has pledged to live as a fool for one year, she travels to Laudine's castle. The ensuing adventures involve everything from a broken vow and a magical stone to a traitorous steward and an unsuspected talent for enchantment. Despite the dangers and trials encountered along the way, readers will feel confident of a happy ending. The wryly sympathetic portrayal of Luneta and the traditional duality of the fool provide ample scope for Morris' dry wit, which gives this medieval adventure his unmistakable stamp. In the appended note, Morris cites as his inspiration "The Knight of the Lion," a poem by Chretien de Troyes, though he brings Luneta's story to the forefront and gives her a consort worthy of her mettle. Although the story has magical as well as heroic elements, this entry in the Squire's Tales series is memorable chiefly as a fine romance.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--Ce texte provient de la
Hardcover
édition.
