*based on an ARC edition*
Let me start off by saying that the legend and stories of King Arthur are my favorite literary thing...ever. The story is nearly holy to me. In fact, my bloodline goes back to the Tudors in England who believed they were Arthur's descendants. Now of course that part was probably not true, but this gives one an idea of how deep my love goes for King Arthur, his Queen, his sister, and his knights. I have read every book, every adaptation, every allusion. So perhaps I am overly brutal when I say that I, Morgana does not measure up. There are many different takes you go about making when it comes to the character of Morgan (or Morgana, Morgaine, etc). In some she's a dark witch bent on destruction. In some she's a sympathetic and powerful woman in a time when power in women was seen as evil. In still others she barely exists, having been sent early to a nunnery. But this legend, this tale that is nearly 800 years old, deserves a beauty and a gravitas that is lacking in this adaptation. I, Morgana follows the tale closely enough, with a few side tracks I found interesting; for instance Morgana can use her magic to pass into parallel worlds, explaining perhaps how King Arthur could exist at the same time our own history did. I liked the mention of the Mother Goddess, I was ok with Morgana having three children. However, there was no depth to this story. The tale of Arthur and Camelot is ultimately one of the greatest love stories ever written, as well as one of the greatest tragedies. But there was not one character that had even one redeeming value. It is told from Morgana's perspective but as a reader I hated her. Arthur is written as weak and stupidly blind to the connection between his wife and his greatest knight, not as the once and future king who will one day again save a divided Britain. Gueniviere is portrayed as a jealous harpy, cruel to her husband as much as her lover, and totally loathsome to Morgana (perhaps rightfully so in that regard). Lancelot is nothing but a cad who is magicked into loving his queen, but even before that he treats Morgana carelessly. Merlin is written much the way he usually is, but his presence ends quickly, because he is just one of the many people our main character murders in her quest for her inheritance. I found it impossible to care for any of these people, which pains me since I love the characters so.
There are a couple of time issues but they are relatively minor; Morgana speaks of the Tower and the River Thames in London that she walked along with Gorlois, her father, but neither the Tower nor London (at least in name) was there at the time the legend of King Arthur takes place. Perhaps in this telling the parallel worlds explains this, and instead of it being the 5th century it's much later in the world. But it wasn't properly explained, either way.
It's possible others would not be as critical as I; however, the one-dimensional portrayal of some of the most famous literary characters in history begs my criticism. Ultimately, while I liked some of the new artistic takes on the story, I desperately missed the life these characters deserved to have.
Let me start off by saying that the legend and stories of King Arthur are my favorite literary thing...ever. The story is nearly holy to me. In fact, my bloodline goes back to the Tudors in England who believed they were Arthur's descendants. Now of course that part was probably not true, but this gives one an idea of how deep my love goes for King Arthur, his Queen, his sister, and his knights. I have read every book, every adaptation, every allusion. So perhaps I am overly brutal when I say that I, Morgana does not measure up. There are many different takes you go about making when it comes to the character of Morgan (or Morgana, Morgaine, etc). In some she's a dark witch bent on destruction. In some she's a sympathetic and powerful woman in a time when power in women was seen as evil. In still others she barely exists, having been sent early to a nunnery. But this legend, this tale that is nearly 800 years old, deserves a beauty and a gravitas that is lacking in this adaptation. I, Morgana follows the tale closely enough, with a few side tracks I found interesting; for instance Morgana can use her magic to pass into parallel worlds, explaining perhaps how King Arthur could exist at the same time our own history did. I liked the mention of the Mother Goddess, I was ok with Morgana having three children. However, there was no depth to this story. The tale of Arthur and Camelot is ultimately one of the greatest love stories ever written, as well as one of the greatest tragedies. But there was not one character that had even one redeeming value. It is told from Morgana's perspective but as a reader I hated her. Arthur is written as weak and stupidly blind to the connection between his wife and his greatest knight, not as the once and future king who will one day again save a divided Britain. Gueniviere is portrayed as a jealous harpy, cruel to her husband as much as her lover, and totally loathsome to Morgana (perhaps rightfully so in that regard). Lancelot is nothing but a cad who is magicked into loving his queen, but even before that he treats Morgana carelessly. Merlin is written much the way he usually is, but his presence ends quickly, because he is just one of the many people our main character murders in her quest for her inheritance. I found it impossible to care for any of these people, which pains me since I love the characters so.
There are a couple of time issues but they are relatively minor; Morgana speaks of the Tower and the River Thames in London that she walked along with Gorlois, her father, but neither the Tower nor London (at least in name) was there at the time the legend of King Arthur takes place. Perhaps in this telling the parallel worlds explains this, and instead of it being the 5th century it's much later in the world. But it wasn't properly explained, either way.
It's possible others would not be as critical as I; however, the one-dimensional portrayal of some of the most famous literary characters in history begs my criticism. Ultimately, while I liked some of the new artistic takes on the story, I desperately missed the life these characters deserved to have.
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