by Anna Elliott
ages: adult
First sentence: “So I say to call the visions into the scrying bowl.”
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When the lovely Kailana and I discovered we were both reading this book, we thought it would be fun to do a buddy review. Below are some questions she asked me about the book (as well as a couple I asked her, that I wanted to answer myself!)… Enjoy!

Twilight of Avalon takes two ancient myths — Arthur and Tristan and Isolde — and fuses them together into one story. The story picks up after Arthur was betrayed by his bastard son, Mordred, who also happens to be Isolde’s father. Isolde was made high queen, married to King Constantine, but seven short years after their crowning, Constantine is dead and Isolde fears for her own life. Especially since she knows that Constantine was murdered by Lord Marche, who is scheming for the high kingship himself. It’s only through her own wits, abilities, and the help of a half-Saxon prisoner named Trystan, that she’s able to escape and find a way to prove to the court the truth about Lord Marche.

What lead you to pick up this book? Will you be reading the rest of the trilogy?
I was sent it by the author (or a publicist; I can’t remember), but it was Trish’s review gave me the push I needed to pick it up. And yes, I will be reading the rest of the trilogy.

Do you have a favorite character?
I think I like Isolde best: she’s strong without being overly modern, and yet she had doubts and fears and insecurities. Though, it may just be that she was one of the few female characters in the book, and I needed someone to relate to.

What was your favorite scene?
Hmmm… it’s been a while since I’ve read it (bad memory…), but I think the scenes that stand out in my mind are the ones where Isolde is being a healer. I especially liked the one near the end when she’s helping Heneric recover from some serious wounds. Very touching.

What do you think of the mixing of fantasy and historical fiction? Was it believable?
I read in the material that was sent with the book that the author was going for a Mary Stewart feel — not exactly magic, but more than realistic. And I think, while it’s not as fluid as Stewart’s books, it works well. When you’re dealing with something as far removed from us as mid-6th century Britain, it’s easy to view it as fantasy. Which is perfectly okay with me!

What are your thoughts on the cover and the title?
Hmmm… first reaction: too Marion Zimmer Bradley. Which means I went in with a bit more feminist-mysticism expectations, which really isn’t what I thought the book is about.

What did you think of the “romance”?
Um… I expected something more. Truthfully, from the jacket flap, and the cover and the title, I really thought that there’d be some sort of hot and heavy romance… and there wasn’t. It was a more political book than I was expecting, and while I think Trystan and Isolde work well together, there really wasn’t much chemistry there. Maybe in the next book…