A young girl sees a man rape and murder her mother. She grabs a stick and puts out his eye. Her father raises her as a boy so she will be safe from men's attacks. She practices and practices until she becomes a great fighter - Lancelot. She wants to protect women, and she does. Lancelot hears about King Arthur, a just king across the sea, and journeys to earn a place at Camelot. She vows to serve him, but fears that Arthur and his men will discover that she is a woman and send her away. Lancelot is shocked to realize that she is falling in love with the king's wife, Guinevere. Guinevere is a strong woman who would have preferred to be queen in her own right, not just through marriage. Saxons attack Arthur's kingdom, and Lancelot finds out that fighting a war is far different from saving women in single combat. The savagery of war devastates her. According to Curious Wine author Katherine V. Forrest, "Lancelot: Her Story takes a place alongside Nicola Griffith's brilliant Hild (2013, set in the Middle Ages), in its highly detailed depiction of life in medieval times, in its reimagining of the Arthurian legends, specifically that noblest, purest of heart Knight of the Round Table, that polestar of the Arthurian legends, Lancelot. The story is both ingenious and suspenseful in its reworking of the tapestry of medieval times and its endless wars through a feminist prism."
Author: Carol Anne Douglas Publisher: Hermione Books Published: 11/04/2015 Pages: 634 Binding Type: Paperback Weight: 2.02lbs Size: 9.02h x 5.98w x 1.40d ISBN: 9780996772204
Review Citation(s): Kirkus Reviews 01/01/0001
About the Author Carol Anne Douglas received a master's degree in political science from UCLA. She has always been torn between politics and literature. She has written more than 200 essays published in the feminist press and spent many years as an editor. She taught Women's Studies at George Washington University. Since she was a girl, she has loved the Arthurian legends, particularly the character Lancelot. This is the first of two volumes about the beauty and tragedy of Camelot from the perspective of a female Lancelot. Sherwood Smith, author of CROWN DUEL, said "Of all the Arthuriana I've read and loved, LANCELOT: HER STORY is right up top. It hearkens back to the galloping, castellated feel of Malory, and yet its twist speaks to today's audiences."
