I Am Morgan Le Fay

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.

Starred review from March 1, 2001
HThe equally suspenseful follow-up to Springer's I Am Mordred again reinterprets Arthurian legend through the eyes of an archetypal villain, this time sorceress Morgan le Fay. In stylish prose, Morgan narrates her transformation from a willful, neglected child to a complex young woman--who ends up embracing the ugly destiny she has always resisted: "I was the one who would bring down King Arthur.... Damn my fate and damn my future." As a six-year-old child she witnesses an act that she would only later come to understand: King Uther Pendragon, driven by lust for Morgan's mother, murders the Duke of Cornwall (Morgan's father) and, aided by Merlin's magic, disguises himself as the Duke in order to enter his widow's bedchambers--the future King Arthur would be their yield. Thus, Morgan's filial jealousy--and her fate as one of the "fey" or fairy realm (her mismatched eyes are a tip-off)--lead to her dark deeds. Though she is not always likable, Morgan's power is seductive, and readers will at times summon sympathy for her and her plight. Springer parcels out plenty of magic and adventure to keep fantasy readers hooked. Some parts of the story may be challenging to those unfamiliar with Camelot, but for fans of The Sword in the Stone and other Round Table retellings, Morgan's side of the story will prove engrossing and thought-provoking. Ages 12-up.