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The Lady of the Lake
When Lady Viviane leaves the lakes of the far North for the splendour of Camelot, she knows the destiny her father has planned for her. To capture the heart and hand of the young prince, Arthur. To bring her family richness and glory.
But it is Arthur’s sister Morgan who captures Viviane’s eye. Fierce and headstrong, Morgan sees another path – one she and Viviane can carve for themselves in this world built for knights and kings.
Now everything has shifted and changed. Under the guidance of the court sorcerer Merlin, she discovers magical powers within herself. And before long, she finds her friendship with Morgan deepening to the first flush of love.
But in Camelot eyes are everywhere and no one is as they seem. The quest for power breeds darkness and danger, and when Arthur pulls the legendary sword from the stone and rises to King, his closest allies will ask terrible things of Viviane and Morgan – striving to tear them apart for their own ends.
And if they cannot find their way back to each other, Camelot itself could fall . . .
But it is Arthur’s sister Morgan who captures Viviane’s eye. Fierce and headstrong, Morgan sees another path – one she and Viviane can carve for themselves in this world built for knights and kings.
Now everything has shifted and changed. Under the guidance of the court sorcerer Merlin, she discovers magical powers within herself. And before long, she finds her friendship with Morgan deepening to the first flush of love.
But in Camelot eyes are everywhere and no one is as they seem. The quest for power breeds darkness and danger, and when Arthur pulls the legendary sword from the stone and rises to King, his closest allies will ask terrible things of Viviane and Morgan – striving to tear them apart for their own ends.
And if they cannot find their way back to each other, Camelot itself could fall . . .
335 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2025
47 people are currently reading
6619 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
February 9, 2025
I grew up watching bbc's merlin so a part of me was very excited for this book, especially as it is a sapphic retelling.
I really enjoyed the writing in this and you could tell that it was well researched - particularly from the authors note at the end which was an interesting insight!
I must admit that although familiar with the legend of king arthur, I had never heard of the lady of the lake, so I loved being able to explore this well known story from a different perspective.
the relationship between morgan and viviane was lovely to read, but I do agree with other reviewers in that it would have been nice if it had been developed a bit more. in a way, it felt that we didn't really get much time with them and I also agree that it could have benefited from a dual pov so we had more of a chance to delve deeper into morgan's character, who was very interesting!
however, I did enjoy the choice to take merlin's character in a different direction. I appreciated that it was so unlike the way we are used to seeing him portrayed in adaptations and retellings, which is explained further in the authors note and I feel offers a more realistic touch.
all in all, this was a really enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction. I'm looking forward to more books in the future from menzies!
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc
I really enjoyed the writing in this and you could tell that it was well researched - particularly from the authors note at the end which was an interesting insight!
I must admit that although familiar with the legend of king arthur, I had never heard of the lady of the lake, so I loved being able to explore this well known story from a different perspective.
the relationship between morgan and viviane was lovely to read, but I do agree with other reviewers in that it would have been nice if it had been developed a bit more. in a way, it felt that we didn't really get much time with them and I also agree that it could have benefited from a dual pov so we had more of a chance to delve deeper into morgan's character, who was very interesting!
however, I did enjoy the choice to take merlin's character in a different direction. I appreciated that it was so unlike the way we are used to seeing him portrayed in adaptations and retellings, which is explained further in the authors note and I feel offers a more realistic touch.
all in all, this was a really enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction. I'm looking forward to more books in the future from menzies!
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc
May 13, 2025
4.5*
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the eBook.
This is the first Arthurian retelling I’ve read and I loved it. My retellings up until now are only from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and BBC’s Merlin. So, the Lady of the Lake was quite a new character for me.
I loved Jean’s telling of the story and Viviane was a brilliant character to follow around Camelot. Viviane and Morgan are meant to be and I will not accept any other version now. This book was beautifully described and has made me want to delve more into the legend (although maybe I want it to stay this way).
I do wish we got to know some of the other characters a bit better as I bet Jean would put an even better spin on them too. That’s me just being greedy though!
I read Jean’s debut fiction novel a while ago and I love how diverse her writing can be. I do have her queering of the Greek myths book out of the library so can’t wait to give it a read. An author who can do incredible fiction and amazing non-fiction is hard to come by but Jean is one of them!
p.s. The authors note made me laugh
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the eBook.
This is the first Arthurian retelling I’ve read and I loved it. My retellings up until now are only from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and BBC’s Merlin. So, the Lady of the Lake was quite a new character for me.
I loved Jean’s telling of the story and Viviane was a brilliant character to follow around Camelot. Viviane and Morgan are meant to be and I will not accept any other version now. This book was beautifully described and has made me want to delve more into the legend (although maybe I want it to stay this way).
I do wish we got to know some of the other characters a bit better as I bet Jean would put an even better spin on them too. That’s me just being greedy though!
I read Jean’s debut fiction novel a while ago and I love how diverse her writing can be. I do have her queering of the Greek myths book out of the library so can’t wait to give it a read. An author who can do incredible fiction and amazing non-fiction is hard to come by but Jean is one of them!
p.s. The authors note made me laugh
August 5, 2025
A nice debut reimanging the story of the Lady of the Lake from the Arthurian legend. We follow Lady Viviane who is sent to the court of King Arthur in the hopes of winning his hand but instead Viviane finds herself drawn to Arthur's sister Morgan - and the two of them begin tutelage under Merlin to hone their magic skills, of which Viviane is a natural.
I'm not well versed in Arthurian legend - I think one of the only books or retellings I've read about it was actually Meg Cabot's Avalon High (throwback!), and I enjoyed learning a bit more about the characters and the history. Even though this focused on Viviane, Morgan and Merlin, I would have liked a bit more about what was going on outside of this with Arthur in a little bit more detail.
I found the story was a little rushed in places and lacking the amount of detail I like in historical fiction (I also thought Viviane had A LOT of freedom for a young woman in a foreign court, supposedly looking for a husband) - I found it hard to figure out the ages of the characters as it wasn't always specified how much time had jumped forward so years/dates at the start of chapters would have been useful. I also would have preferred more focus in terms of the magic learning as it feels like both Morgan and Viviane started performing magic very quickly and easily, and there was no real rules or tricks to it, they could just do it without thinking about it too much.
The relationship between Viviane and Morgan switches gears halfway through the book and while I appreciated the inclusion of a sapphic love story, I did feel like it happened quickly in the grand scheme of things, and again I would have liked more build up and time put into their relationship and interactions with one another other than Morgan having a fit every time Viviane did something she didn't like.
This book wasn't a hit for me but I did like a lot of parts in it, and I will definitely read more fiction Jean brings out!
I'm not well versed in Arthurian legend - I think one of the only books or retellings I've read about it was actually Meg Cabot's Avalon High (throwback!), and I enjoyed learning a bit more about the characters and the history. Even though this focused on Viviane, Morgan and Merlin, I would have liked a bit more about what was going on outside of this with Arthur in a little bit more detail.
I found the story was a little rushed in places and lacking the amount of detail I like in historical fiction (I also thought Viviane had A LOT of freedom for a young woman in a foreign court, supposedly looking for a husband) - I found it hard to figure out the ages of the characters as it wasn't always specified how much time had jumped forward so years/dates at the start of chapters would have been useful. I also would have preferred more focus in terms of the magic learning as it feels like both Morgan and Viviane started performing magic very quickly and easily, and there was no real rules or tricks to it, they could just do it without thinking about it too much.
The relationship between Viviane and Morgan switches gears halfway through the book and while I appreciated the inclusion of a sapphic love story, I did feel like it happened quickly in the grand scheme of things, and again I would have liked more build up and time put into their relationship and interactions with one another other than Morgan having a fit every time Viviane did something she didn't like.
This book wasn't a hit for me but I did like a lot of parts in it, and I will definitely read more fiction Jean brings out!
July 27, 2025
(rounded up from 2.5)
Unfortunately, not quite what I expected in a sapphic retelling of Arthurian legend, focusing on the lady of the lake, a perspective we don't really get to see much in legends. I think my biggest problem with this book was that the language is far too modern in speech and that the book distinctly feels like YA/NA to me rather than adult, with some explicit sexual scenes, which you don't normally find in YA/NA.
The overall story feels like it's a bit shallower than I'd like, hence the very YA-feeling nature of it. Characterisation is quite shallow, which feels reasonable given that the characters are roughly 18-19 years old for most of the book, but it makes the whole thing feel a bit like quick fanfiction rather than any substantive effort to talk about the origin story of the Lady of the Lake of legend.
Overall, this was a quick and easy read but the speech being far too modern and the characters being late teens/new adults means we stay surface level with characters and conflicts, which doesn't appeal to me.
Unfortunately, not quite what I expected in a sapphic retelling of Arthurian legend, focusing on the lady of the lake, a perspective we don't really get to see much in legends. I think my biggest problem with this book was that the language is far too modern in speech and that the book distinctly feels like YA/NA to me rather than adult, with some explicit sexual scenes, which you don't normally find in YA/NA.
The overall story feels like it's a bit shallower than I'd like, hence the very YA-feeling nature of it. Characterisation is quite shallow, which feels reasonable given that the characters are roughly 18-19 years old for most of the book, but it makes the whole thing feel a bit like quick fanfiction rather than any substantive effort to talk about the origin story of the Lady of the Lake of legend.
Overall, this was a quick and easy read but the speech being far too modern and the characters being late teens/new adults means we stay surface level with characters and conflicts, which doesn't appeal to me.
June 4, 2025
2.5 ✨
I really wanted to love this book because I looove the author‘s youtube channel and everything. When I started the book, I was surprised to find the writing very simple and modern? All in all, the book was entertaining (a good hospital read) due to its story. But sadly, the writing wasn‘t very good. The love story was a little too flat for me and to book has way too much ‚tell‘ instead of ‚show‘. I think it was the wrong choice to write this book from the first point of view and it could have benefited a lot from a third point of view. Therefore, it could have way more ‚show‘.
Also, everything happend so quickly? And the time jumps? I barely could keep up.
But it deffinitely sparked my interest in the Arthurian Legend. :)
I really wanted to love this book because I looove the author‘s youtube channel and everything. When I started the book, I was surprised to find the writing very simple and modern? All in all, the book was entertaining (a good hospital read) due to its story. But sadly, the writing wasn‘t very good. The love story was a little too flat for me and to book has way too much ‚tell‘ instead of ‚show‘. I think it was the wrong choice to write this book from the first point of view and it could have benefited a lot from a third point of view. Therefore, it could have way more ‚show‘.
Also, everything happend so quickly? And the time jumps? I barely could keep up.
But it deffinitely sparked my interest in the Arthurian Legend. :)
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April 14, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I don't think I spent a moment of this book not stressed - the stakes felt so high all the time and I was forever on the edge of my seat. I was fascinated by how this novel took the Arthurian stories that I'm quite familiar with and wove something completely new and so unsettling. So many plot points in this seemed to be built around ethical conundrums and the push and pull effects of secrets vs shame. Definitely enjoyed following each thread and seeing how all the prophecy pieces (doomed narrative anyone?) came together. As a whole, I was reminded of Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keech which I read last year, only with more of a romantic relationship focus taking place in this one.
And right at the end of the book I have to admit the author's apology to BBC merlin fans really did make me laugh. But Menzies is so right, not every Arthurian retelling is going to be sunshine and roses!
I don't think I spent a moment of this book not stressed - the stakes felt so high all the time and I was forever on the edge of my seat. I was fascinated by how this novel took the Arthurian stories that I'm quite familiar with and wove something completely new and so unsettling. So many plot points in this seemed to be built around ethical conundrums and the push and pull effects of secrets vs shame. Definitely enjoyed following each thread and seeing how all the prophecy pieces (doomed narrative anyone?) came together. As a whole, I was reminded of Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keech which I read last year, only with more of a romantic relationship focus taking place in this one.
And right at the end of the book I have to admit the author's apology to BBC merlin fans really did make me laugh. But Menzies is so right, not every Arthurian retelling is going to be sunshine and roses!
April 3, 2025
Thank you to Penguin & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was really intrigued and excited by a sapphic retelling of Arthurian legend, and by a focus on the lady of the lake from the original stories where she is so often left out. The latter is achieved well.
However, this novel fell flat to me. Though it is classified as adult (presumably due to trigger warnings of sexual assault and death during childbirth, as well as two random sexual scenes which… random is certainly the word for them; they felt entirely dropped in for no real reason and with no buildup), the writing reads like poorly written YA. There is far more telling than showing, or both combined unnecessarily. It stopped me being drawn in.
I enjoyed the dynamics of the characters, but especially for a book promoted as a sapphic reimagining, the sapphic relationship was so swift it felt shallow to me. We saw very little of the pair falling in love, they just sort of… competed for a while and then each said they liked the other and that was that. I would’ve liked to see more of the love story. Similarly, the worldbuilding seemed to rely too much on labels, using a presumed knowledge of the Camelot setting to reduce the amount of worldbuilding actually happening.
I really wish I could’ve said I loved this book, because I was intrigued enough about the plot to read it to the end (hence the 2 stars), but it just felt too flat.
I was really intrigued and excited by a sapphic retelling of Arthurian legend, and by a focus on the lady of the lake from the original stories where she is so often left out. The latter is achieved well.
However, this novel fell flat to me. Though it is classified as adult (presumably due to trigger warnings of sexual assault and death during childbirth, as well as two random sexual scenes which… random is certainly the word for them; they felt entirely dropped in for no real reason and with no buildup), the writing reads like poorly written YA. There is far more telling than showing, or both combined unnecessarily. It stopped me being drawn in.
I enjoyed the dynamics of the characters, but especially for a book promoted as a sapphic reimagining, the sapphic relationship was so swift it felt shallow to me. We saw very little of the pair falling in love, they just sort of… competed for a while and then each said they liked the other and that was that. I would’ve liked to see more of the love story. Similarly, the worldbuilding seemed to rely too much on labels, using a presumed knowledge of the Camelot setting to reduce the amount of worldbuilding actually happening.
I really wish I could’ve said I loved this book, because I was intrigued enough about the plot to read it to the end (hence the 2 stars), but it just felt too flat.
June 21, 2025
I really wanted to love this book. My first Arthurian legend retelling, this one sapphic, focusing on the character of Lady Vivian, who comes to King Uther's court.
I found the writing to be pretty simplistic however, and the dialogue felt very modern. It seemed quite YA, but then there were two explicit spicy scenes that lead me to believe this is aimed at adults.
A book feels more effective to me when it is showing rather than telling, but this book was constantly telling, with a lot of expository dialogue and internal monologue.
I will add though that I did like the ideas and the way it ties in with Arthurian legend.
I found the writing to be pretty simplistic however, and the dialogue felt very modern. It seemed quite YA, but then there were two explicit spicy scenes that lead me to believe this is aimed at adults.
A book feels more effective to me when it is showing rather than telling, but this book was constantly telling, with a lot of expository dialogue and internal monologue.
I will add though that I did like the ideas and the way it ties in with Arthurian legend.
November 22, 2025
Sapphic Morgan le Fay, anyone?
She’s not even the main character of this book, nor is her romance with Viviane the main focus. I loved them together though.
Merlin being a pos as always, of course, nothing new.
And Lancelot (or Galahad) being Viviane and Morgan’s makeshift child? Yes, more of that.
And it’s a debut novel too?? This was a brilliant read. 4.5⭐️
She’s not even the main character of this book, nor is her romance with Viviane the main focus. I loved them together though.
Merlin being a pos as always, of course, nothing new.
And Lancelot (or Galahad) being Viviane and Morgan’s makeshift child? Yes, more of that.
And it’s a debut novel too?? This was a brilliant read. 4.5⭐️
February 23, 2025
Arthur and Merlin made me want to throw all men off the face of the earth- BUT I loved the story- I loved the folklore in it, I adored the sapphic romance and I LOVED Morgan
January 11, 2026
Lady Viviane came a lot indeed.
July 25, 2025
3.8 ⭐️ Absolutely adored how Menzies weaves Arthurian mythology and feminist themes together in this sapphic historical fantasy.
**Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy to review.**
The plot for this had me gripped the whole time. I adored how much mythology is worked into it, whilst keeping it fresh and intriguing. It’s fairly fast paced and so much happens within the 400 pages.
It is bleaker at times, with some darker themes, and the magic within the realm was wonderful to read about.
I did enjoy the sapphic romance but did feel that at time it lacked build up. It never really felt earned but more the moments cropped up out of the blue. There is a dash of spice and it’s well written, but I felt like the build up relied too heavily on tension rather than romantic feelings. Saying that, I adored how protective they were of one another.
Overall, I would highly recommend this. One of my favourite historical fantasy reads in a while, I flew through this in a day. The mythology aspect feels so wildly well researched and I love how Menzies used it as a base to create such a vivid world.
Rep// WLW MC, WLW MC. Central romance is WLW/Sapphic.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// death of a parent, cheating, mentions of rape (off page), sexual assault and attempted rape (interrupted before rape happens, on page, brief), themes of grooming, gaslighting, manipulation, period typical misogyny and homophobia, murder, injury, death during childbirth.)
**Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy to review.**
The plot for this had me gripped the whole time. I adored how much mythology is worked into it, whilst keeping it fresh and intriguing. It’s fairly fast paced and so much happens within the 400 pages.
It is bleaker at times, with some darker themes, and the magic within the realm was wonderful to read about.
I did enjoy the sapphic romance but did feel that at time it lacked build up. It never really felt earned but more the moments cropped up out of the blue. There is a dash of spice and it’s well written, but I felt like the build up relied too heavily on tension rather than romantic feelings. Saying that, I adored how protective they were of one another.
Overall, I would highly recommend this. One of my favourite historical fantasy reads in a while, I flew through this in a day. The mythology aspect feels so wildly well researched and I love how Menzies used it as a base to create such a vivid world.
Rep// WLW MC, WLW MC. Central romance is WLW/Sapphic.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// death of a parent, cheating, mentions of rape (off page), sexual assault and attempted rape (interrupted before rape happens, on page, brief), themes of grooming, gaslighting, manipulation, period typical misogyny and homophobia, murder, injury, death during childbirth.)
June 7, 2025
Content warnings: sexual assault, sexual harassment, death
This sapphic Arthurian retelling follows Viviane, a princess sent to court Prince Arthur who instead decides to learn magic with his sister, Morgan.
There's a lot to love about this book: feminist themes, an underwater palace, fey magic shenanigans. I particularly liked Morgan as a character, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Viviane and Morgan. Unfortunately, I did struggle with the pacing. It's pretty fast, and combined with considerable time skips, it left the plot and some characters feeling underdeveloped. There was a lot going on in this fairly short book, and I ended up feeling like a lot of the conclusions and climaxes throughout the story fell a little flat. That being said, I still thought this was a perfectly enjoyable read! If you watched BBC's Merlin and the main thing you got was a crush on Katie McGrath, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out!
Huge thank you to Jean and Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me an ARC!
This sapphic Arthurian retelling follows Viviane, a princess sent to court Prince Arthur who instead decides to learn magic with his sister, Morgan.
There's a lot to love about this book: feminist themes, an underwater palace, fey magic shenanigans. I particularly liked Morgan as a character, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Viviane and Morgan. Unfortunately, I did struggle with the pacing. It's pretty fast, and combined with considerable time skips, it left the plot and some characters feeling underdeveloped. There was a lot going on in this fairly short book, and I ended up feeling like a lot of the conclusions and climaxes throughout the story fell a little flat. That being said, I still thought this was a perfectly enjoyable read! If you watched BBC's Merlin and the main thing you got was a crush on Katie McGrath, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out!
Huge thank you to Jean and Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me an ARC!
September 21, 2025
4.5 stars! I loved this book, the romance was beautiful and felt very natural to the story. It's fired me up to read up on some more British mythology too!
Beautiful
Beautiful
January 24, 2026
“In a different time, a different place, we might have been queens together. But I would not be disappointed in what we had. What was happening here, now, was true magic.”
3,5/5!
Young Lady Viviane is sent to the court of King Uther to be raised alongside his son and daughter. Her father hopes she will capture the heart of the crown prince, but it is his sister, the fiery Morgan, who captures Viviane's heart. Together, they learn magic from the legendary sorcerer, Merlin. But Camelot is not safe for two young women in love and as Arthur pulls the sword from the stone and ascends to the throne, the demands of court, prophecy and power threaten to destroy everything, including the love between Morgan and Viviane.
Jean Menzies's The Lady of the Lake was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I am all for queer retellings of old stories, myths and legends, and I like it when authors focus, in their retellings, on lesser known aspects of mythical characters and their stories. This book's Merlin might not be the Merlin most of us imagine or grew up with (I spent my childhood and teen years, like Menzies herself seemed to, watching BBC's Merlin), but it's the Merlin of old myth who is a much darker figure. The inclusion of the May Day children storyline was yet another example of Menzies going against the grain and not shying away from some of the more gruesome stories of Arthuriana. I also like it when retellings center lesser known or developed characters of myth and imagine a full story for someone who, like the Lady of the Lake does in Arthurian legends, pops up only a handful of times. But while there was a lot that I appreciated about this book and the themes Menzies explored through her story, something about it just didn't fully click with me.
Viviane and Morgan were interesting characters, and I appreciated how their characters developed both individually and together as a pairing. I liked Morgan's anger, her tendency to lash out and how, despite her explosive rage, guarded she is when it comes to her more tender, more vulnerable emotions. I found her dynamic with her home interesting as well: she is quite isolated and many people are wary of her, but she is still devoted to her home and the people of the palace flock to her for help in their ailments and so on. Morgan wasn't always an easy person to like – she can be really mean and cruel – but I appreciate female characters who are allowed to be emotional messes. What I loved most about Viviane was the way Menzies described her relationship with water, her water-based powers and the way Viviane makes herself the lady of the lake (sidenote, I loved that while Viviane has her own set of powers, Morgan focuses on herbs, plants and healing – they have their own skillsets). It's not a power or role given to her by birth, it's a role and power she cultivates and builds for herself. I liked the backstory given to her – that her mother was – and I loved how her story ended, with her Morgan's ending was also satisfying, with her
I didn't adore the romance of Morgan and Viviane, but I did like them. It made sense why they would fall for each other, and I liked how, despite being, at first, friends and, later, lovers, they continued to challenge each other. Their romance is not smooth sailing because of outside forces but also because they both make mistakes with each other. I liked how fiercely they protect each other and how they make each other braver: Viviane learns to take up space by watching Morgan demand to be heard, and Morgan learns to open up to another person as she grows closer to Viviane. They did a lot of cool stuff in this book, from learning magic together to rescuing to helping Guinevere and I also really appreciated how Menzies wrote their ending. I appreciated her letting Morgan and Viviane have their own dreams and motivations without it impacting the strength of their love for another, and I loved that when it was revealed that Viviane
The side characters is where this book, in my eyes, struggled a little bit. I had no issue with the ways Menzies interpreted these figures, even if they were quite far from how I tend to imagine them (Arthur especially was quite far from the Arthur I see in my head when I think of the King Arthur of legend). My problems are mostly to do with the side characters feeling a bit too underdeveloped. I hoped more from Arthur, even though I know this is not his story, and I would've loved to see more of Morgan and his complex dynamic and how Arthur struggles to fulfil his duties as king, remain good when it is so easy to give into his worse impulses and go from confident, charming prince to a much sterner, colder ruler. Though I liked what Menzies did with Merlin, I still would've loved to spend perhaps a bit more time with him – through him, the book could've shown the reader a little bit more of the magic system and how magic is actually wielded and learned. But most of all, I thought Guinevere deserved a bit more space. She is there from the beginning, but she is, for the most part, this rather distant figure who is seemingly a perfect young woman of her time. Viviane grows to think of her as a sister, but we don't really get to see that many scenes between the two of them. But what we did get, I did like. I have always found Guinevere to be a fascinating character, and I liked how, in this book, Menzies gave her this quiet strength so unlike that of Morgan or Viviane. Lancelot's character was intriguing and surprising. I wondered when . The idea of his "curse" was cool and upsetting (when I really thought about how his life has been, I felt quite alarmed). I was happy for him when In a book full of rather shitty men, he was a breath of fresh air.
Menzies is not afraid to make these old stories her own and switch things up. Mostly, I liked what she got up to and the changes she made. I think my only problem with her version of events was that they felt bit too rushed. The ending especially felt like a speed run through the famous beats of Arthurian storytelling, with All these things happening so fast made it hard for me to be emotionally engaged through all of it. If the famous Lancelot and Guinevere relationship had been given more time, and if Lancelot truly had been Arthur's close friend and ally, all of it would've been more emotional. The problem is not so much Menzies' plot but the pacing. All of this also happens in the first few years of Arthur's rule, which felt a bit strange. The way Menzies acknowledged the malleability of myths made it easier for me to come to terms with some of her changes – Viviane thinks, for example, at one point: “The story of how Uther’s son had drawn the sword from the stone had already travelled far beyond Camelot’s walls, taking the shape of a legend that would likely grow and warp beyond all out lives. Only those who had been in the chapel that day truly knew what had happened.” I like it when stories about myth and mythical figures are in a way aware of their mythical nature.
Through Viviane and Morgan's story, Menzies delivers a feminist exploration of female rage and autonomy and the chains of patriarchy. Viviane and Morgan are both young women caged by the expectations put on them and the demands of the men around them. It was a delight seeing them break free, become powerful sorcerers and demand more from the world. Most of the men in this book are a bit shit, but I don't think Menzies made them feel too black and white, too simply bad. Her Arthur is complex and often frustrating, but you can see he is way in over his head a lot of the time and that he isn't beyond empathy or kindness. Lancelot was, as I already mentioned, one of the good ones, a stark contrast to men like Pelleas who flirt and fawn until you refuse them and they become bitter, misogynistic asshats. Through Merlin's character, Menzies dives into the darker It was lovely reading about women stick up for each other and believe in each other, and to be there for each other in times of sorrow or fear.
My final gripe is about the historical setting of the book. This book is set in a fantastical medieval Britain, so it is not meant to be historically accurate, which is perfectly fine. But there were a handful of times when characters used language that felt so modern it took me out of the story (like Morgan using the term "daddy issues"). And sometimes, if there hadn't been mentions of knights or Arthurian figures, the world didn't really feel like a medieval one. I cannot fully articulate why, it was just the vibe. But this was not a huge issue for me, just a little something I thought I'd mention.
I am happy I read this book, even if it didn't fully click with me. There were lots about it that I enjoyed and appreciated, and I will definitely keep an eye out for whatever fiction Jean Menzies puts out in the future, whether it is more Arthurian stuff or something completely different. I think she has, as an author, tons of potential.
3,5/5!
Young Lady Viviane is sent to the court of King Uther to be raised alongside his son and daughter. Her father hopes she will capture the heart of the crown prince, but it is his sister, the fiery Morgan, who captures Viviane's heart. Together, they learn magic from the legendary sorcerer, Merlin. But Camelot is not safe for two young women in love and as Arthur pulls the sword from the stone and ascends to the throne, the demands of court, prophecy and power threaten to destroy everything, including the love between Morgan and Viviane.
Jean Menzies's The Lady of the Lake was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I am all for queer retellings of old stories, myths and legends, and I like it when authors focus, in their retellings, on lesser known aspects of mythical characters and their stories. This book's Merlin might not be the Merlin most of us imagine or grew up with (I spent my childhood and teen years, like Menzies herself seemed to, watching BBC's Merlin), but it's the Merlin of old myth who is a much darker figure. The inclusion of the May Day children storyline was yet another example of Menzies going against the grain and not shying away from some of the more gruesome stories of Arthuriana. I also like it when retellings center lesser known or developed characters of myth and imagine a full story for someone who, like the Lady of the Lake does in Arthurian legends, pops up only a handful of times. But while there was a lot that I appreciated about this book and the themes Menzies explored through her story, something about it just didn't fully click with me.
Viviane and Morgan were interesting characters, and I appreciated how their characters developed both individually and together as a pairing. I liked Morgan's anger, her tendency to lash out and how, despite her explosive rage, guarded she is when it comes to her more tender, more vulnerable emotions. I found her dynamic with her home interesting as well: she is quite isolated and many people are wary of her, but she is still devoted to her home and the people of the palace flock to her for help in their ailments and so on. Morgan wasn't always an easy person to like – she can be really mean and cruel – but I appreciate female characters who are allowed to be emotional messes. What I loved most about Viviane was the way Menzies described her relationship with water, her water-based powers and the way Viviane makes herself the lady of the lake (sidenote, I loved that while Viviane has her own set of powers, Morgan focuses on herbs, plants and healing – they have their own skillsets). It's not a power or role given to her by birth, it's a role and power she cultivates and builds for herself. I liked the backstory given to her – that her mother was – and I loved how her story ended, with her Morgan's ending was also satisfying, with her
I didn't adore the romance of Morgan and Viviane, but I did like them. It made sense why they would fall for each other, and I liked how, despite being, at first, friends and, later, lovers, they continued to challenge each other. Their romance is not smooth sailing because of outside forces but also because they both make mistakes with each other. I liked how fiercely they protect each other and how they make each other braver: Viviane learns to take up space by watching Morgan demand to be heard, and Morgan learns to open up to another person as she grows closer to Viviane. They did a lot of cool stuff in this book, from learning magic together to rescuing to helping Guinevere and I also really appreciated how Menzies wrote their ending. I appreciated her letting Morgan and Viviane have their own dreams and motivations without it impacting the strength of their love for another, and I loved that when it was revealed that Viviane
The side characters is where this book, in my eyes, struggled a little bit. I had no issue with the ways Menzies interpreted these figures, even if they were quite far from how I tend to imagine them (Arthur especially was quite far from the Arthur I see in my head when I think of the King Arthur of legend). My problems are mostly to do with the side characters feeling a bit too underdeveloped. I hoped more from Arthur, even though I know this is not his story, and I would've loved to see more of Morgan and his complex dynamic and how Arthur struggles to fulfil his duties as king, remain good when it is so easy to give into his worse impulses and go from confident, charming prince to a much sterner, colder ruler. Though I liked what Menzies did with Merlin, I still would've loved to spend perhaps a bit more time with him – through him, the book could've shown the reader a little bit more of the magic system and how magic is actually wielded and learned. But most of all, I thought Guinevere deserved a bit more space. She is there from the beginning, but she is, for the most part, this rather distant figure who is seemingly a perfect young woman of her time. Viviane grows to think of her as a sister, but we don't really get to see that many scenes between the two of them. But what we did get, I did like. I have always found Guinevere to be a fascinating character, and I liked how, in this book, Menzies gave her this quiet strength so unlike that of Morgan or Viviane. Lancelot's character was intriguing and surprising. I wondered when . The idea of his "curse" was cool and upsetting (when I really thought about how his life has been, I felt quite alarmed). I was happy for him when In a book full of rather shitty men, he was a breath of fresh air.
Menzies is not afraid to make these old stories her own and switch things up. Mostly, I liked what she got up to and the changes she made. I think my only problem with her version of events was that they felt bit too rushed. The ending especially felt like a speed run through the famous beats of Arthurian storytelling, with All these things happening so fast made it hard for me to be emotionally engaged through all of it. If the famous Lancelot and Guinevere relationship had been given more time, and if Lancelot truly had been Arthur's close friend and ally, all of it would've been more emotional. The problem is not so much Menzies' plot but the pacing. All of this also happens in the first few years of Arthur's rule, which felt a bit strange. The way Menzies acknowledged the malleability of myths made it easier for me to come to terms with some of her changes – Viviane thinks, for example, at one point: “The story of how Uther’s son had drawn the sword from the stone had already travelled far beyond Camelot’s walls, taking the shape of a legend that would likely grow and warp beyond all out lives. Only those who had been in the chapel that day truly knew what had happened.” I like it when stories about myth and mythical figures are in a way aware of their mythical nature.
Through Viviane and Morgan's story, Menzies delivers a feminist exploration of female rage and autonomy and the chains of patriarchy. Viviane and Morgan are both young women caged by the expectations put on them and the demands of the men around them. It was a delight seeing them break free, become powerful sorcerers and demand more from the world. Most of the men in this book are a bit shit, but I don't think Menzies made them feel too black and white, too simply bad. Her Arthur is complex and often frustrating, but you can see he is way in over his head a lot of the time and that he isn't beyond empathy or kindness. Lancelot was, as I already mentioned, one of the good ones, a stark contrast to men like Pelleas who flirt and fawn until you refuse them and they become bitter, misogynistic asshats. Through Merlin's character, Menzies dives into the darker It was lovely reading about women stick up for each other and believe in each other, and to be there for each other in times of sorrow or fear.
My final gripe is about the historical setting of the book. This book is set in a fantastical medieval Britain, so it is not meant to be historically accurate, which is perfectly fine. But there were a handful of times when characters used language that felt so modern it took me out of the story (like Morgan using the term "daddy issues"). And sometimes, if there hadn't been mentions of knights or Arthurian figures, the world didn't really feel like a medieval one. I cannot fully articulate why, it was just the vibe. But this was not a huge issue for me, just a little something I thought I'd mention.
I am happy I read this book, even if it didn't fully click with me. There were lots about it that I enjoyed and appreciated, and I will definitely keep an eye out for whatever fiction Jean Menzies puts out in the future, whether it is more Arthurian stuff or something completely different. I think she has, as an author, tons of potential.
May 29, 2025
Me, a history girly at heart, LOVED THIS
As someone whose only true knowledge of Arthurian tales stems from that one season of Once Upon a Time & drabbles of others, I loved reading this retelling/ different perspective of the story. Centring Viviane & telling her story was such a good idea since, as Jean says in the Authors Notes, she is an observer. I loved that this observer was given such an interesting story within this tale & I loved her romance with Morgan.
If you get the chance to listen to the audiobook, definitely do it!! It really added to the experience <3
As someone whose only true knowledge of Arthurian tales stems from that one season of Once Upon a Time & drabbles of others, I loved reading this retelling/ different perspective of the story. Centring Viviane & telling her story was such a good idea since, as Jean says in the Authors Notes, she is an observer. I loved that this observer was given such an interesting story within this tale & I loved her romance with Morgan.
If you get the chance to listen to the audiobook, definitely do it!! It really added to the experience <3
February 9, 2025
4 stars
Fantasy is my favourite genre especially if it has sapphic representation so as soon as I found out about this book I applied straight away, and I wasn't disappointed. While the first 20% or so was a bit too slow paced for me, it did still help introduce the characters and introduce you to this world. After that point I couldn't stop reading it, I loved learning more about Viviane's magic as well as the sapphic relationship and you could really tell that they loved and really respected each other.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
Fantasy is my favourite genre especially if it has sapphic representation so as soon as I found out about this book I applied straight away, and I wasn't disappointed. While the first 20% or so was a bit too slow paced for me, it did still help introduce the characters and introduce you to this world. After that point I couldn't stop reading it, I loved learning more about Viviane's magic as well as the sapphic relationship and you could really tell that they loved and really respected each other.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
December 28, 2025
Complicated feelings about this one. Why does it say it's her debut novel when it's not. Mind you, self published but still. I had to check a few times in the beginning if this was meant to be YA bc it was such simple language and that felt so out of place. Overall not a fan.
March 30, 2025
sapphic Morgan, you will always be special to me
February 6, 2026
4.5
I really enjoyed this book and was looking forward to the end of each work day so I could listen to it on the drive home. The book is told through the perspective of Vivian, but also tells the story of Lady Morgan and Lady Guinevere from their meeting as teenagers to their lives as women of the court. Each character so clearly has their own motivations and makes good and bad decisions and has to face consequences of both. I really liked that the main pairing had different ideas about their ideal futures- yes they want to be together, but they also recognise that they have slightly different visions of what they want that future to look like. Its such a minute detail but really grounds the characters in their own story.
I think Menzies did a really good job of highlighting how much each of the women were controlled differently by their positions as young noble ladies and the different positions they eventually took up at court. Even at the end, the realisation that was so sad. I think that detail could have been easily overlooked but it makes her story so much more real to point that out.
My only experience with Arthurian legend is BBC Merlin, but it didn't stop me from also absolutely loving this retelling. It deals with more adult themes and doesn't shy away from realities that many women likely faced in that era, but does this in what I feel is a respectful way. And yes, Merlin in this book is certainly NOT the Merlin Colin Morgan portrayed and there are some trigger warnings for his actions.
SPOILER BELOW
Finding out that Merlin
I really enjoyed this book and was looking forward to the end of each work day so I could listen to it on the drive home. The book is told through the perspective of Vivian, but also tells the story of Lady Morgan and Lady Guinevere from their meeting as teenagers to their lives as women of the court. Each character so clearly has their own motivations and makes good and bad decisions and has to face consequences of both. I really liked that the main pairing had different ideas about their ideal futures- yes they want to be together, but they also recognise that they have slightly different visions of what they want that future to look like. Its such a minute detail but really grounds the characters in their own story.
I think Menzies did a really good job of highlighting how much each of the women were controlled differently by their positions as young noble ladies and the different positions they eventually took up at court. Even at the end, the realisation that was so sad. I think that detail could have been easily overlooked but it makes her story so much more real to point that out.
My only experience with Arthurian legend is BBC Merlin, but it didn't stop me from also absolutely loving this retelling. It deals with more adult themes and doesn't shy away from realities that many women likely faced in that era, but does this in what I feel is a respectful way. And yes, Merlin in this book is certainly NOT the Merlin Colin Morgan portrayed and there are some trigger warnings for his actions.
SPOILER BELOW
Finding out that Merlin
June 29, 2025
i loved it !
Although I'd have appreciated a more whimsical writing, the story was well paced and quite immersive. I like to think I'm rather well-versed in arthurian legends, not only thanks to Merlin from the BBC but also my college studies ; yet, this book managed to surprise me a handful of times. I obviously loved Vivian, her story is always underused and it was nice to see her as the main character she deserved to be. I obviously loved Morgan, and not just because I pictured her as Katy McGrath.
I was excited to read another book by Jean Menzies, and it left me even more excited for whatever else she writes.
Although I'd have appreciated a more whimsical writing, the story was well paced and quite immersive. I like to think I'm rather well-versed in arthurian legends, not only thanks to Merlin from the BBC but also my college studies ; yet, this book managed to surprise me a handful of times. I obviously loved Vivian, her story is always underused and it was nice to see her as the main character she deserved to be. I obviously loved Morgan, and not just because I pictured her as Katy McGrath.
I was excited to read another book by Jean Menzies, and it left me even more excited for whatever else she writes.
April 21, 2025
I really loved this Arthurian retelling focusing on Viviane and her love of Morgan Le Fay and also seeing Merlin from a different perspective. This book is so well written and I did not want to put it down. Thanks to the author Jean Menzies, Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced reader copy.
June 7, 2025
I enjoyed this, lovely YA retelling(at least, I assume it is)! However, I would have liked more from it: more dialogue, less telling and more showing (so more detail, the pacing was at times way too fast) - though I didn't mind the modern slang, etc. It is a modern reclamation of the Arthurian legends and it doesn't pretend to be something else. The author clearly knows her stuff.
November 20, 2025
For a debut this was good. However, it was written very basically and the story was just a little dull. I did feel that this whole book fell a little flat.
Maybe I just love the bbc Merlin show too much for fully commit to this retelling or maybe it was just a little simplistic in its style (or most likely a bit of both).
Overall, this one just wasn’t anything incredible.
Maybe I just love the bbc Merlin show too much for fully commit to this retelling or maybe it was just a little simplistic in its style (or most likely a bit of both).
Overall, this one just wasn’t anything incredible.
September 13, 2025
3.5 stars. There was a lot happening and nothing seem to have a super lasting effect, everything for the most part went by without an issue. For an author debut it's a great start though, I will be sure to see what else is written in the future.
September 2, 2025
i think they should cut the sex scenes and make this a YA! it was not what i expected from the book plot wise… and the writing, whilst not bad, seems more in line with a younger audience
December 2, 2025
somewhat gayer than the disney version but still not as gay as the katie mcgrath merlin edits people used to post on tumblr
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January 21, 2026sapphic arthurian retellings have my entire heart
June 21, 2025
I absolutely loved this book from the first page to the last page of the epilogue. From the very beginning, the writing style and the scenery described were so captivating and engaging that I couldn't stop thinking about it when I had to stop reading.
Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, was a fascinating character, and discovering Camelot through her eyes and the other characters of Arthurian legend was absolutely thrilling.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat several times.
I think it also addresses some very important ethical issues. The dilemma of responsibility to do the right thing or to protect yourself and your family, secrets between friends, family and lovers, the shame and remorse, the oppression of women by the men in their lives and the desire for freedom to determine one's own life are just the beginning.
The book depicts the deep feelings of female friendship, belonging and more.
It is a profound retelling of this old legend. And I couldn't recommend it more. It has made it to one of my favourite books, but beware of the trigger warnings.
Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, was a fascinating character, and discovering Camelot through her eyes and the other characters of Arthurian legend was absolutely thrilling.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat several times.
I think it also addresses some very important ethical issues. The dilemma of responsibility to do the right thing or to protect yourself and your family, secrets between friends, family and lovers, the shame and remorse, the oppression of women by the men in their lives and the desire for freedom to determine one's own life are just the beginning.
The book depicts the deep feelings of female friendship, belonging and more.
It is a profound retelling of this old legend. And I couldn't recommend it more. It has made it to one of my favourite books, but beware of the trigger warnings.
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