Queen of None delivers on a fantasy historical fiction level. We have a strong fmc, a heroic mmc, and a great storyline. The writing is gorgeous and creates such a beautiful world that you could feel.

Arthurian legends, but based on his sister - yes, please. This book was such a thrill, the pacing was slower than I usually like, but I still enjoyed it!

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It was just too slow-placed for my preference and the writing style was the telling and not a lot of showing type. Which is also not my reading preference.

Thank you Solaris Publishing for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: Arthurian legends, forgotten historical characters
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The book follows Anna Pendragon, Arthurs sister. I love that the author has reimagined Camelot and the Arthurian legend is presented in a new way through the eyes of Anna. The pacing felt slow at times, but overall I loved the concept for this book and the magic/power Anna wielded.

"Queen of None" delves into the life of Anna Pendragon, King Arthur's overlooked sister, and provides a fresh perspective on the well-trodden Arthurian legends. The book highlights the struggles and sacrifices of women like Anna, who fought battles not on the battlefield but through politically motivated marriages and the bearing of heirs. This narrative sheds light on the often forgotten and powerless roles women played in history, making it not just Anna’s story but a reflection of many women's lives across centuries. The portrayal of Arthur as a man raised to be a king and Merlin's complex character adds depth, questioning their heroic status and the true cost of their power and influence.

While the plot is well-crafted, the book's second half felt somewhat drawn out. The story effectively conveyed the oppressive treatment of women during medieval times and within the Arthurian mythos but could have benefited from tighter editing. The characters, though flawed, were relatable and vividly brought to life, particularly Anna's smart, passionate, and determined nature. Despite some pacing issues and grammatical errors, "Queen of None" remains an intriguing read that offers a unique take on familiar tales, making readers eager for the next installment while leaving them with a profound sense of the characters' struggles and resilience. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have a hard time finishing this story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately, this is a DNF at 50% for me. It wasn't poor written, but I just got bored. The pacing felt very slow and I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters. Most, if not all, were completely unlikeable and I just couldn't connect with them.

DNF @Pg 52

Unfortunately this story really isn't for me. The writing wasn't engaging, I found myself grasping at straws at reasons to care about any of the characters, but nobody seemed to have distinct personalities. It might have been too early to determine, but I figure if I've gotten that far and there's nothing interesting between plot, characters, or even just an engaging style of writing, it isn't worth pushing through, when I think at most this would be a 3 star.

Because I haven't read it in it's entirely I'm opting out of giving it an official rating on goodreads. I think this might appeal to people already familiar with Merlin and King Arthur, who are looking for slightly dated YA style writing.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing me a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review. :)

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

Queen of None is a stunning feminist, historical fantasy. I had some subjective issues with the pacing and writing style, but overall it's a very solid book that I'm sure other readers will love!

This was an okay read. I actually wouldn't recommend it if you are a fan of arthurian legend as that is already a confusing enough subject with so many variations and this just adds even more. But if you are not a super fan of that subject this would probably be a much better read. The only other issue that kept pulling me out of the story was just tons of exposition. I don't feel like the author wanted to give me an opportunity to form opinions on my own.

This was an okay read. I actually wouldn't recommend it if you are a fan of arthurian legend as that is already a confusing enough subject with so many variations and this just adds even more. But if you are not a super fan of that subject this would probably be a much better read. The only other issue that kept pulling me out of the story was just tons of exposition. I don't feel like the author wanted to give me an opportunity to form opinions on my own.

i really wanted to like this book because the synopsis sounded so good! plus the cover really drew me in, but unfortunately i just found myself bored.
great book, but just not for me

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
4,5 stars
Queen of None is an Arthurian retelling, through the POV of Arthur's never-heard-of sister, Anna Pendragon. It feels almost like a behind the scenes of the famous legend with all the characters we have heard before, like Merlin, Morgan, Guinevere, Lancelot and so much more but told through a whole new perspective of a character always overlooked.
I devoured this book in one day. The writing was so absorbing and it really has everything; Intrigue, politics, Magic. It provides an incredible description of women in that era being used as poilitical pawns in dynastic marriages for the advancement of their family. On the surface their role in court seems to be almost ornamental with the exception of bearing children - and by that I mean sons - and then being inevitably forgotten once that role is fulfilled and the flower of their youth and beauty has passed.
Anna though, simply cannot accept that and therefore we see her taking control of her life and breaking free of the curse of being overlooked and forgotten by falling head first into it and embracing it to the fullest, hence becoming "the queen of none".
The lyrical prose of Natania Baron offers a mystical atmosphere of the Carleon court, taking us through Anna's magical journey with Merlin's Machiavellian shadown looming over the entire court.
The only reason I deducted half a star is because the plot felt a little slow at times, although Barron's writing completely made up for that. Looking forward to her next book!

Thank you NetGalley for my approval on getting the chance to review. Queen of None by Natania Barron.
This book is listed as a historical fantasy and retelling.
Not only is the cover beautiful but I almost lost my mind when I saw it is an Arthurian retelling. The legend of King Arthur is probably my most favorite story. The sword and the stone was my first tattoo.
This retelling is quite a different take on any I’ve ever read before. I haven’t even heard a version where Arthur has a sister named Anna.
Anna is the main character in this retelling. She is used as a pawn and for her womb so that Arthur can gain more land when her husband passes. When he does pass, Anna was hoping that she’d be able to marry for love but because of Merlin’s machinations, Arthur marries her off to Sir Lancelot.
Anna is tried of being a pawn and wants to fight back against Merlin so she decides ti dabble in the magic shes had but buried deep down. Her aunt gives her a spell book where she tries to break her curse from Merlin of being a forgotten queen.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of the book reading the description but it was done so well! Anna is head strong and strong willed and did everything she could do break free of the restraints that women had during those times.
Four star read for me.

We follow Anna Pendragon, King Arthur’s sister. At the beginning, when Anna is born, Merlin remarks she was born to be forgotten, and the same rings true for most women in history. Just a pawn in men’s lives? We shall see. The plot was so intriguing and I loved this shift in perspective into Arthurian tales. Well written and with many layers, I can highly recommend it! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy I can’t wait for other books like this.

I'm always ready for an Arthurian retelling. In this case, the women behind the crown. It's mainly about Arthur's sister Anna Pendragon.
Anna was twelve when Arthur married her off. Merlin told him to. Merlin read a Prophecy about Anna and wanted her gone.
The only good thing about her marriage was her children. Every other aspect of her life was suffering.
Many years later, she returned home to Arthur. She thought she would finally find happiness. Again, Merlin whispered in Arthur's ear and turned her life upside down.
With the help of a few other women, she plans to destroy Merlin as payment for all the lives he's ruined.

I liked this, but didn't love it. It was interesting enough to try the next book in the series. I really like King Arthur, Lancelot and the rest of his Knights, but this book told from the women's perspective did not make them likeable at all. Now I need to read something to make me like them again!

DNF - I didn't jive with this author's style and voice in this story. It was verbose and didn't hook me, which made picking it up difficult.

3.75

Amazing storytelling, writing and characterisation but unfortunately for me, the plot drags on a little too long and the last quarter of the book was a little disappointing. I think it would've been better if the last quarter was longer OR the first half was shorter.

Queen of None- Queens of Fate Book 1 of 3

By Natania Barron-new to me author

Publication 5/21/24, Read 5/22/24

Format: e-book 352 pgs.

Source: Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for this ARC 💙! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

Genre: Historical Fic, Romance, Sci Fi, Fantasy

Tropes: fairytale retelling-Arthurian legend, royal romance, court politics, religion, misogyny, magic, revenge

🎭Characters:

Anna Pendragon (32)-Arthur's sister. Marries King Orkney to unite kingdoms. She has a loveless 20 year marriage. Anna has 3 famous sons-Gawain, Gaheris, and Gareth. Cursed w/ being born to be forgotten, given a book of spells to unlock her own magic.

King Arthur- King of Carelon/Camelot

Morgen, Elaine, Morgause- Anna's evil sisters

Merlin- Arthur's greatest counselor, all controlling with scheming priests

Bedevere-Anna's true love and one of Arthur's advisors

Lanceloch/Lancelot- new visitor at court, betrothed to Anna at Merlin's suggestion to Arthur

🤔My Thoughts: This was a story about female empowerment. Anna sacrificed for the greater good-her brother marrying her off to someone she didn't love and having heirs. There are no titles or powers she has because she is a woman. She's treated differently by sisters until she comes into her power. Her quest is one of revenge for all those that have held her down for years.

Rating 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

After how quickly I read the book before this one, the pace for this one slowed me down immensely. I’m not saying that as a negative, but the overall pacing was considerably slower. Anna is an observer, being mostly on the outskirts of things for a good chunk of the book, and we get to see her thoughts and opinions and feelings towards not just the people around her but also the events of the court.

Honestly a lot of this book is thought and memory and planning. If you’re looking for an action-packed Arthurian adventure…this is not that book. But if you’re looking for a thoughtful, calculating, drawn-out introspection on a different viewpoint towards what you know about Arthurian legends and tales, then this is a nice book to enjoy for a few hours.

There is so much going on with all of the various characters and how the stories all intertwine and blend and either collide or drift apart.

Oh, and it should absolutely be pointed out that there is queer rep in this story as well. No definitive labels are given for the characters, but several could be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or possibly pansexual.

There are a LOT of characters in this story too, and many stories from the expansive Arthurian lore get mentioned or hinted at, so if you’re already a fan of these stories and characters, there’s plenty of little Easter eggs to keep you entertained.

Even with this being a slower paced story, I still did enjoy the reading experience, and I am very curious to see how the sequels play out. I like seeing this female-focused twist on Arthurian lore, where the women try to play the game in a world where men are seen to have the power. I like seeing how they manipulate the system to eke out whatever power and benefits they can.

This wasn’t the usual fantasy story I tend to read. Normally I read faster-paced stories, and ones that have a whole lot more action and adventure going on. So there was something wonderfully different about this one, about slowing down and being a little more introspective.

Not my favorite book ever, or even of this year, but still a very solid reading experience over all.