Gwyna is just a small girl, a mouse, when she is bound in service to Myrddin the bard, a traveller and spinner of tales. But Myrddin transforms her, and without Gwyna, Myrddin will not be able to work the most glorious transformation of all - and turn the leader of a raggle war-band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time. Play Audio

Merch fach ddi-nod yw Gwyna, yn gaeth yn ei gwasanaeth i Myrddin - y bardd sy'n drafaeliwr ac yn enwog am ymestyn storïau. Ond mae Myrddin yn ei thrawsnewid, a heb Gwyna, ni all Myrddin lwyddo yn ei dasg bwysicaf un, sef newid arweinydd rhyw griw o ryfelwyr carpiog i fod yn Frenin Arthur - un o arwyr mawr y byd. Clip Sain

What a brilliant book; it richly deserves its 2008 Carnegie Medal. This is Arthur’s story as you have never heard it before, from the viewpoint of a minor character. Gwyna stumbles into Arthur’s adventures, and is cared for by Myrddin, drawn by Reeve as a spin doctor to rival any we have in this day and age!

Reeve tells most of the legends we associate with Arthur, but none of them plays out as we have come to expect. You will know the main characters, although each is different from our traditional understanding of them. Arthur is a brutish, unimaginative tribal leader. Myrddin dreams of uniting the British Isles under one man and chooses Arthur because it is expedient to do so. Gwenhwyfar is a plain, older woman, married to form an alliance, rather than the beauty who brings about Arthur’s despair. And there is no Lancelot.

The young female narrator, Gwyna, is a fascinating invention. She is perceptive and gets caught up in several of the legends.. Through her, we see how the power of great storytelling can overthrow the truth, because people want to believe in the more magical, noble characters that Myrddin sells them.

Reeve creates a convincingly violent, dirty time, with people who fight for everything they have. Death is a regular visitor, and several of our protagonists do not survive. A novel for older children, this is best appreciated if you know the legend of King Arthur.

Sally Owen

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.