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The Woman In the Tree: The True Story of Camelot

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Gwynevere never wanted to be queen of Camelot or any kingdom for that matter. Being King Terryn’s niece provided her enough privileges without the constant pressure of an heir. But then the king is betrayed, the castle covered in fire, and Gwynevere is forced to flee into the Cursed Woods and hide in a tree. Except, when daylight breaks, she finds the tree doesn’t want her to leave.

Ensnared by the bark of the blasted tree, Gwynevere is held hostage in the Cursed Woods until Alistair, a young man with purple eyes and a streak of silver hair, sets her free. But the world isn’t as it was. Her uncle is dethroned and all she knew are now ten years older.

Filled with revenge and obligated to defend her family name, Gwynevere sets off to discover what happened the night Camelot burned. Yet there are those who want the past to remain rewritten and Gwynevere silenced.

If the kingdom is ever to be as it was, she must gather the strength within herself to correct history, find Camelot’s greatest knight, Arthur, and slay the false king or risk having the truth remain hidden.

"Author Natasha D Lane has an exquisite writing style that had me engaged from start to finish. I found it surprisingly difficult to put the book down and even began daydreaming about the incredible world she has brought to life."
-Dax Munro from daxwrites.com

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2018

1 person is currently reading
41 people want to read

About the author

Natasha D. Lane

17 books74 followers
Natasha D. Lane is a friend of most things caffeinated, a lover of books, and a writing warrior to her core.

As a believer that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” she graduated from Juniata College in 2015 with hopes to become a journalist. Instead, life took her on a different path, and Natasha found herself digging up a manuscript from her childhood.

This dusty stack of papers would become the first book in her Pariah Child series-- a series that was her launch into self-publishing. Since completing her first series, Natasha has continued exploring the fantasy and science fiction genres to make sense of a chaotic yet interesting world.

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Princess.
246 reviews166 followers
February 23, 2020
This book...

What can I say? It was so good. I'm a sucker for retellings anyways but to see the tale of Camelot done from a different POV, so good. The only issue with this book was the pacing it was a little off sometimes where I was either waiting for something to happen or not wanting to put it down. The characters were so rich in details which is strange seeing as these are characters we already know. Natasha did it differently. I highly suggest this book to others who wants a good retelling.
Profile Image for Ellie Mitchell.
Author 3 books236 followers
December 14, 2018
The Woman in the Tree, by Natasha D Lane is set in the time of Camelot and the great Knight, Arthur, one of my favourite historical periods next to the Victorian age. Our fierce protagonist, Lady Gwynevere, who goes by her middle name, Robin is fleeing danger when she spies a tree.
Once nestled safely in the tree’s hollow, it closes around her, leaving her trapped for ten years- she later comes to learn. The story mainly takes place after Robin has spent a decade trapped inside the magical tree. Once freed, she must seek out Arthur and try to put a stop to the tyranny going on in her uncle’s kingdom.


*Pacing*

This steady-paced tale is a mixture of happy, tearful moments, suspense, and positively loaded with personal betrayal. Robin’s reunion with Arthur isn’t what she expected at all (no spoilers), leaving Robin somewhat deflated.


*Character Impressions*

Of all the characters, Robin got along grandest with Alistair, Arthur, and Maddy- three crucial characters to the plot.

One character that got on my nerves whenever she appeared was Morgana.
Isn’t that always the way? No matter who is portraying Morgana or where she pops up, she’s always such a conniving demon.

Morgana only descends further into the temptations of the darker realms as she stands to lose what she adores most (again, no spoilers.) Her character possesses a rather childlike view of what love actually is and leads her to become one of the most dangerous characters in the book.

While the other characters possessed a mixture of both positive and negative personality traits, Morgana is purely a negative being. She seeks to harm others, simply because she craves ownership of something that was never truly hers to begin with.

Phew, mini rant over.


*Robin*

As the leading female, Robin was fierce, intelligent without compare, and resourceful, as well as kind and compassionate toward others. If she can help out a friend in need, then she will, even if it means making some sacrifices of her own.

Her sense of humour when with Alistair had me cracking up at different points, all of which was a welcome surprise to me. For an author to blend good-natured humour into a book so dark and tense shows real talent, which Natasha D Lane has plenty of.


*Alistair*

Why discuss Alistair first before Arthur?
Simple, he’s in a lot more of the story than Arthur is, having come to Robin’s aid once freed from the magical tree.

Alistair plays a crucial part in helping Robin to readjust to life as it is a decade after she was last properly conscious. His witty banter and willingness to help Robin on her quest to find Arthur (without wanting anything in return) is the epitome of selflessness.
Alistair was probably my favourite character, after Robin of course. He provided a lighthearted aura when tensions reached an all high.


*Arthur*

The fabled knight, Arthur. Most often, we’d all probably refer to him as King Arthur of Camelot, but not in this story.

Arthur is portrayed as a heroic young man that is sometimes perceived as arrogant by those who don’t know him well. He’s willing to stand up for everyone, whether they be rich or poor.
His intentions throughout the novel are unclear at first but he makes them known once he and Robin finally meet again. His tale is a unique one in itself but I won’t spoil it for you. You’ll have to read to find out.


*Writing Style*

Author Natasha D Lane has an exquisite writing style that had me engaged from start to finish. I found it surprisingly difficult to put the book down and even began daydreaming about the incredible world she has brought to life. The book changed moods on several occasions, shifting from lighthearted and warm, to tense and mysterious, to violent, to peaceful, and back to tension again. Lane’s beautiful writing style, ability to make me connect with the main characters, and style of humour blended well throughout the story.


I’m eager to begin another of her books, The Pariah Child and the Ever-Giving Stone.


*My Takeaway From This*

If you love stories involving magical lands, legends, sorcery, and friendship, then I’d recommend The Woman in the Tree, by Natasha D Lane.
Profile Image for Valerie Roberson.
427 reviews9 followers
February 24, 2020
Holly cow this was good! I could never get into the movies of Camelot and that area, but this was so different from how the movies were told, that it actually was exciting. Oh and the cliffhanger, there better be book 2 coming out soon, cause there is to much unanswered questions left to be answered.
I would of never thought of telling this story this way. Gwenivier is going by Robin and she flees the night her uncle the king is killed, only to be betrayed by her best friend and chambermaid. Escaping her attackers and fleeing into the forbidden woods, she finds out why they are called that.
She is rescued by a young man and they end up becoming friends, like brother and sister. His friend joins them in an adventure that never seems to end, all good and bad in every direction they turn.
Full of surprises and suspense, you also get action, betrayal, romance of the heart and evil, new lasting friendship and so much more. I highly recommend this book!
4 reviews
August 2, 2019
My review of The Woman in the Tree: The True Story of Camelot

Natasha Lane’s new novel The Woman in the Tree: The True Story of Camelot is a blend of fantasy, supernatural, adventure and history. The protagonist Gwynevere is a victim of patriarchy, greed, corruption and power. The novel, in the manner of a coming of age narrative, focuses on her transition in character from innocent naiveté to draconic retribution. Camelot becomes a symbol as well as a character in the novel. Historically, Camelot is the castle and court associated with the legend of King Arthur. It is known for its atmosphere of idyllic happiness. Gwynevere is on a quest to restore that very atmosphere and to seek revenge on those instrumental in the betrayal and dethroning of King Terryn, her uncle. It is also a quest to find Camelot’s chivalric hero, King Arthur and to slay the usurper who has taken her uncle’s position. The narrative is reminiscent of the trope of “loss of innocence.”

Alternative history is a problematic term in contemporary cultural critique. Postmodernism has deconstructed the conventional notion of history as objective. History has always been narrated from the perspective of the dominant groups who control society. This type of history called mainstream or empirical history has always filtered historical tropes through the consciousness of the dominant groups. The marginalized groups like women, the proletariat, the aboriginals and so on remain on the margins of history and culture. Postmodernism views history as plural, multi-perspective and discontinuous. The possibility of having several historical narratives on a combination of certain historical tropes has been established by postmodern historiography. Thus, alternative histories narrated from the perspective of the marginalized groups become part of the contemporary debate on historical analysis. This kind of histories “narrated from below” is called genealogy. Genealogy may be in oral or written form and may not be documented. But genealogy constitutes memories, oral narratives, myths and legends which form part of the cultural artefacts and practices of a marginalized group.

Ms. Lane’s novel is basically a revisionist historical narrative with a female protagonist. The Arthurian legends take the role of a subtext in the narrative. Ms. Lane uses history as a text and a subtext. The conventional narrative tropes of an adventure and historical narrative are scrapped and the readers find an alternative version of history that gives focus to H(er)story rather than H(is)story. History, myths, legends and folklores are given a feminist treatment. In this sense, the narrative can be labelled as genealogical. The story of the Arthurian legend is being reinterpreted with fictional elements making it multi-perspective and open ended. Camelot itself is being redefined and the readers are left with a new voice or a new point of view. Gwynevere sheds her frailty traits and dons the role of a fearsome, brave and nefarious protagonist on a quest of bloody revenge. The clichéd image of the male chivalric hero is replaced with a female warrior in the making who is strong in will and skill.

Ms. Lane consistently makes use of ecological symbols in the novel. Ecology and the environment become dominant themes in the narrative. Ecological concerns have been the content of literature since the beginning of man’s creativity. Ecology deals with the relations and interactions between nature and the natural. In literature ecology illustrates the relation between nature and human nature. It is a record of interaction between man and nature, man and man, and man and the supernatural. Literature and nature are interlinked; nature is the outer world often portrayed in literature. Many postmodern texts are implicit lessons on ecological awareness and activism. The earth and its myriad forms of life remains a puzzle, still mystifying writers and philosophers. The most notable aspect of nature writing is the concern for non-humans in literature. Nature is gifted with adaptive strategies far more complex than any human being can imagine. The greatest challenge of ecological writing is to examine the complexity of human life in the context of the complexity of nature. The ecological and the supernatural elements are perennially visible throughout Ms. Lane’s narrative.

The term ecofeminism was first coined by Francoise D’Eaubonne in her work Feminism or Death (1974). It is an interdisciplinary discourse evolved from the intersection of ecology and feminism. Women have been identified with nature throughout history. In creative expressions like art and literature, nature or the external world is identified as the female. Ecofeminism is based on the parallel predicament of women and nature. Both women and nature are colonized, exploited and degraded by men. Both women and nature have been the sites of male greed and cruelty. Nature’s closeness or resemblance to women has created the impression that nature also is to be possessed, consumed and degraded. Thus, both women and nature are oppressed and degraded by men.

The Cursed Woods and the tree represent “the Other” or the marginalized or the ostracized in society. Like women, they are ostracized not just in society but also in culture, language and history. The tree and the Cursed Woods act as a place of shelter and safe haven for Gwynevere during the burning of Camelot. Nature is playing the role of a mother to Gwynevere even though she is being entrapped in the bark of the tree. The scenario of being held hostage by the Cursed Woods shows the protective, maternal instincts of a mother towards her child. Nature identifies with Gwynevere as both are victims of the evil and greed of men. In a way, Gwynevere becomes a paradigmatic symbol of an ecofeminist trying to restore balance to nature as well as to her own society and culture. The deeds of the evil have disrupted the peaceful and euphoric state of her being as well as the being of nature and the supernatural. Both Gwynevere and nature are pushed to the spaces of liminality and are trying to break away from it. Her very quest is an act of resistance and retribution against the very forces that are trying to destroy her as well as the balance of nature.

Ms. Lane’s novel can be interpreted as a critique of conventional historical or adventure novels where women only represent marginal characters. In mainstream fiction as well as mainstream history, women are always written out or occupy spaces of marginality. Ms. Lane deconstructs traditional notions of narrative elements and reinterprets the tropes of fictional/historical narratives. The narrative of the novel is that of a female protagonist interpreting or reinterpreting history. Nature and the supernatural are also foregrounded rather than being given marginalized positions. The very narrative of the novel itself is a critique of the conventional mode and tropes of a conventional narrative. Ms. Lane expresses feminist as well as ecological concerns throughout her novel and avoids being didactic by maintaining nuance and subtlety through her plot devices and characterizations.
Profile Image for Sam.
52 reviews2 followers
December 4, 2018
*Disclaimer* I was financially compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the author and/or its affiliates in any way.

There are many stories and books about the story of Camelot and King Arthur, however, being a reader who is not that familiar with the stories did not prove to dwindle my liking for this book. The story includes many twists that may surprise the reader every time because it may not be an event or occurrence that happens often. Because of these twists and betrayals, it is easy to sympathize and pity Gwynevere.

The author touches upon several themes. Gwynevere is a character who has suffered many hardships and still continues to do so throughout the book. Alistair is trying to make a living to the best of his abilities despite lacking financial status.  Both characters show perseverance and kindness regardless of their difficulties they are going through. Both have shown their skills in prioritizing what needs to be done. With a mission to slay the false king, they showed their prioritizing skills and dealt with the problems they had professionally even if there were slip-ups sometimes.

For full review: sammiereadsbook.wordpress.com/2018/12...
16.7k reviews155 followers
May 13, 2020
She never wanted to be queen but she was happy as she is but things change when she needs to flee a fire. She hides in a tree but the tree wants her to stay. It is the years before she finally gets free. What has happened in those years? Can she leave the past in the past?.Will she fight to find the truth? Seeing she fights

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,011 reviews2 followers
January 6, 2019
This is the first Natasha D Lane's book I've read and it was awesome!! The characters are intriguing and the storyline flows well as it takes place in the era of King Arthur's Camelot. This read was well paced, there's a cursed forest, suspense and betrayal in this book. This was a good read

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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