I Am Morgan Le Fay

The resurgence in the popularity of Arthurian tales will only increase with this powerful story. The novel serves as a history of the development of its intriguing and notorious title character. Morgan evolves from a strange, unlikable girl into a powerful sorceress destroyed by love. Jenny Sterlin's narration suits the character of Morgan, demonstrating the whining petulance of the girl and the hardheaded and single-minded purpose of the woman. Sterlin's light British accent also captures the sorrow of Igraine the Beautiful, ever trying to find her stolen son, Arthur, and the wisdom of Ongwynn and the feys in a story that will appeal to teens and adults alike. E.J.F. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

December 1, 2001
Gr 7-12-Nancy Springer's version of the legend of Morgan (Philomel, 2001), the darkly magical half-sister of King Arthur, unfolds in cadences befitting this medieval tale while allowing modern listeners access to both its imagery and freight. British actress Jenny Sterlin's slow delivery well suits Morgan's grim story that begins here with the death of the Duke of Cornwall, beloved husband of Ingraine and father of Morgan. Morgan recounts her years of childhood, mourning her father, realizing the powers of the nurse, Ongwynne, whom she shares with her sister Morgause, and her own first quest to Avalon, where she falls in love with Thomas, who is fated to die. In this version, Morgan's powers as an immortal spirit and as a woman grow and ripen sensually at the forefront of the tale, while Arthur grows from embryo to adolescence mostly offstage. The deliberate pacing of both narrative and delivery is best suited to serious readers who come to the book with some knowledge of the legend cycle to which this story belongs. Those who fall under its spell, however, will be easy targets for more Arthurian tales and for examining other modern retellings.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.