GUINEVERE

by Sharan Newman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 30, 1980

An airy, bosky little fable, tied by a gossamer thread or two to the Arthurian legends and that ancient myth about the rapport simmering between unicorns and maidens. Guinevere, age 13 here, is secure in the civilized oasis of her parents--who uphold Roman ways long after the legions have departed Britain. Pleasant, too, are her three loving warrior brothers, old nurse Flora (who does, however, have a way of glittering around in exotic robes at night), and delightful visitors like ""Saint"" Geraldus, whose travels are attended by an invisible, unheard (except by Geraldus) choir of singers. Best of all in Guinevere's world, however, is the beautiful, heartachingly loving unicorn which appears to her alone, speaking of such mysteries as the earth, spring, and ""the tunes the stars play deep on a winter's night."" This unicorn soothes Guinevere even when terrible tragedies strike: her brothers are reported killed in the on-going war with the Saxons; Guinevere, beginning to learn about chaos, war, and greed (she fears the worldly cynicism of Merlin, the savagery of the Saxons), is almost killed by secret pagan Flora; she's kidnapped by Saxons. But all this leads to Guinevere's meeting with Arthur, and when the marriage is consummated, the unicorn (the ""other self"" who kept her from being ""truly human"") leaves a world it was not meant to stay in. Perhaps a bit too honey-ed for most adult readers--an uncloying fable with a strain of tangy humor and a lilt of lyrical fancy.

Pub Date: Jan. 30, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1980

Categories: FICTION