The Horn Book Guide

OLDER FICTION

Hoffman, Mary

Women of Camelot: Queens and Enchantresses at the Court of King Arthur

69 pp. | Abbeville | September, 2000 | Trade ISBN 0-7892-0646-3 $$19.95

(3) YA Illustrated by Christina Balit. Nine stories narrated by seven women--Igrayne, Morgan le Fay, Nimue, Guinevere, Lyonet, Ragnell, and Elaine of Corbenic--describe the influence that they had on the fate of Arthur and his knights. Although teens may initially be put off by the picture-book look of the thin, tall volume, the sophisticated prose and stylized artwork will soon win them over. The strong voices of these female characters bring a believable human dimension to the old tales.

Reviewer: Anne St. John