by Philip Reeve
Gwynna is just a girl who is forced to run when her village is attacked and burns to the ground. To her horror, she is discovered in the wood. But it is Myrddin the bard who has found her, a traveler and spinner of tales. He agrees to protect Gwynna if she will agree to be bound in service to him. Gwynna is frightened but intrigued - and says yes - for this Myrddin serves the young, rough, and powerful Arthur.
In the course of their travels, Myrddin transforms Gwynna into the mysterious Lady of the Lake, a boy warrior, and a spy. It is part of a plot to transform Arthur from the leader of a ragtag war band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time.
If Gwynna and Myrrdin's trickery is discovered, what will become of Gwynna? Worse, what will become of Arthur? Only the endless battling, the mighty belief of men, and the sheer cunning of one remarkable girl will tell.
"Starred Review. Nodding to canon and history while not particularly following either, Reeve, like Myrddin, turns hallowed myth and supple prose to political purposes, neatly skewering the modern-day cult of spin and the age-old trickery behind it. Smart teens will love this." - Publishers Weekly.
"Absorbing, thought-provoking and unexpectedly timely." - Kirkus Reviews.
"Starred Review. Arthurian lore has inspired many novels for young people, but few as arresting or compelling as this one." - Booklist.
"Reeve's retelling of an ancient tale imparts myriad modern-day lessons .... facts exist to be bent to the will of the best storyteller, and to be ever mindful of what larger purpose the story may serve." - Shelf Awareness.
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