For some reason I had it my mind that i don’t love Arthurian legend reimaginings but wow was I wrong!! I loved every aspect of this story.

Bree is full of heartbreak, trauma and a desperate need for answers and I was immediately swept along into her story as she stumbles her way into a secret society of magic, fighting and legend.

Bree’s grief is felt throughout the book and is a powerful driving force in the story. I thought the author handled this really well and wove it into the fabric of the story beautifully. At the beginning Bree is struggling deeply but she has amazing character growth and with help she learns a lot about herself, her mother and her history. The way Deonn wove together Bree’s ancestral history, her magic and the racism that is built into the foundation of the South was powerful and expertly done. Bree faces racism in present day as well as in the past and we feel her pain and rage throughout.

I loved the characters, Bree was an amazing MC and I loved every minute of her story. Sel was the next favourite, seeing him slowly soften was perfect and the more we know the more understandable it is that he’s so volatile and troubled. I can’t wait for their interactions to develop further. I’m not a fan of Nick because he’s too Prince Charming vibes for me but he played an important role. Even better this isn’t a story where the boy and the romance save anything or even make it better. The stakes are high and we feel that in the consequences of Bree’s actions right from the start. I also loved all the side characters, it’s an excellent cast and each one was intriguing and standout in their own way. Deonn captured a diverse and compelling cast. I’m looking forward to more development between Bree and these characters in the next instalment.

I adored the way the Arthurian legend was brought in. The secret society aspect was very fun but the lore behind it all was so compelling. The Lines, the society’s history and their rules were all very interesting and interwoven with the setting perfectly. The concept of Pages, Squires, Merlin’s etc made the legends feel more tangible and well integrated into the modern world. We even get a decent amount of welsh spoken which I loved. I thought it was all very well thought out and executed, it’s a little slower to read as you really have to absorb all the lore and the way the society works but it was well described and easy to understand once you got into it.

I also loved that we get more than just Arthurian legend in this and Bree takes us through both pathways as she tried to find out the truth. I would have thought it would have been too much to digest but actually it was brought together very well and made the ending very explosive.

The plot itself was gripping and a good mix of action, romance, secret society business and emotional growth. The ending was a little predictable but no less exciting. The characters and the way Deonn integrated the lore was really the standout for me and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel!