This is the second review for an Arthurian story I've written today, and unlike the first, all my hopes were met and more. 

I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I did. It came up slowly on me. It starts much like YA urban fantasy starts and takes that beginning to a place I didn't realize it could go. It took me a while to get into the book completely--I felt like I didn't have the information that I wanted to keep things going for a bit, and the main character was dealing with a lot of emotions that, while obviously valid, were kind of rough to read through. Losing someone important to you hurts, and when well-written, it hurts the reader. 

Once the plot takes off, it managed to surprise me. Not just in how it incorporated Arthuriana, but in how it met headlong the problems of such a story and a legacy carried down through the South. It's a brutal story where it needs to be, and that's part of what makes it so wonderful. 

The story isn't over, and I'm excited to see where it goes next and to see what else comes out. I feel like it's a story about not just heroes, but about the people who got left behind, and I feel like, as in a proper Arthurian story, justice will be served eventually. 

 This was interesting and clever in its twists and I love Arthurian mythos and I thought I was going to going to end up giving this a four or even a five.

And then (no spoilers), the ending. I am willing to allow maybe it is just a...set back? And things will change? And I will read the next book to see? But I was not pleased with where it went on several levels and I'm bemused at some decisions made by the characters. There were incoherent noises made at my dog with hand gestures to attempt to display my distress.

I feel like a more coherent review would require spoilers and involve a level of ranting I'm not going to get into. I just had very high hopes as I read and feel like I was let down.