Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

Available July 6, 2021

Unless you’re a Book of the Month member, it was available as a June pick!

I have never been the biggest King Arthur fan. I love mythology, royalty, and palace intrigue, for sure, but there was always so much focus on the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur himself that the stories always fell a little short with me. Half Sick of Shadows has completely changed the way I look at the lore surrounding the Lady of the Lake and Arthur´s journey to the throne. In Half Sick of Shadows, Laura Sebastian tells the legend of Arthur´s rise to power, but through the lens of the women who made his ascension possible.

Haunted for most of her life by dreams of her own death, Lady Elaine was seen by many at court as a mad woman. Her overbearing and agoraphobic mother only amplified those feelings and made Elaine feel even more alone. When Morgana makes an appearance at court, Elaine finds herself drawn to her boldness fearlessness. After Morgana questions Elaine about her mysterious dreams, Elaine discovers that she is not mad, she is a powerful oracle in need of training and guidance.

With this new information in hand, Elaine finds herself on a magical adventure in Avalon with her new best friends Arthur, Morgana, Guinevere, and Lance. Idyllic days spent learning magic, romping through the woods, and taking part in wild bonfire parties. But the dreamlike days can´t last forever. Told through multiple timelines and Elaine´s mystical visions, the real story behind Arthur´s ascension and the powerful women who stood by his side for years, is told.

I absolutely loved Laura Sebastian´s writing. Sebastian makes you feel like you´re Elaine, writing in your journal or trusting your secrets to a best friend. Sebastian also gives us more than just a feminist retelling, she gives us an intimate look at the relationships between some of the most well known characters in literature. We know that Arthur will go on to greatness, but Half Sick of Shadows shows us the insecurities, the doubts, and the struggles that went in to that journey. Elaine faces even more pressure than Arthur. Every vision is a burden. She has seen how her friends die, how they betray one another, how they hurt, help, and love each other. Every vision leads Elaine needing to make an impossible decision between her friends and one of the greatest prophecies.

As Elaine, Morgana, and Gwen sacrifice their happiness over and over again to ensure Arthur´s rise to power, we see the toll those sacrifices take on them and their friendship. Over and over again, the women refer to their mission of ensuring Arthur´s success, that everything they are doing is for Arthur and Arthur must always come first. You can feel their love and dedication for him, but you can also feel their frustration of having to limit their power and desires in service to their mission. Seeing the way they weigh every decision, every calculation, every effect on their friendships and their lives really showed how vital they were to the success of Arthur and his Kingdom. It´s a really interesting take on the tale and made for a lovely reading experience.

Half Sick of Shadows is a beautiful, haunting tale of friendship, family, and the lengths we are willing to go to protect the ones we love. If you have any interest in King Arthur, definitely add this to your list. You will not be disappointed.

This was offered as an early release from Book of the Month in June. I personally love BOTM and the selection of the books that are offered every month. If youŕe wanting to try it yourself, you can use my link: https://www.mybotm.com/5f24d9c326b8?show_box=true and we´ll both win.

If you would like to add this amazing tale to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

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