caitri | A Book a Day: Gwenhwyfar

Every day (ish) I'm sharing an image of a book I like. I'm feeling all edges and angles today, so here's a fun novel with a protagonist who is 1000% done with everyone and everything. Lackey's Gwenhwyfar can be read as a sort of reply to Bradley's The Mists of Avalon given the emphasis on the Welsh setting and particularly the spelling of Gwen's name. Gwen is also a warrior princess in this novel--a character interpretation/revision that was super popular back in the 1990s--and there's a whole plot about Arthur's attempts to feminize her. (Spoiler alert: It doesn't go well.) But what I really, REALLY liked is how Gwenhwyfar does not let herself bear the brunt of the men's issues. In fact, there's a spectacular scene I never even knew I needed in which she punches. King Arthur. in the fucking face. And it is glorious. She also tells off Lancelot for being the dithering sop he is. I've always loved Arthuriana but so much of it gets repetitive, and this book just puts all kinds of spins on things that really really work.