Anne Eliot Crompton
Merlin’s Harp (1997)
Author: Anne Eliot Crompton
Genre: Fantasy
Plot Summary:
Merlin’s Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton is said to be the Arthurian legend from the perspective of a woman. To expand on this description, Merlin’s Harp is more than just the Arthurian legend from the perspective of a woman, Merlin’s Harp is the Arthurian legend from the perspective of an Avalonian that is learning the ways of the humans and the ways of the fey. Niviene is the daughter of the lady of the lake and the future lady-to-be. An easy comparison could be made to The Mists of Avalon but the perspective in Merlin’s Harp is different. The reader is expected to have a basic understanding of the Arthurian legend and each of the main players in the story. Merlin’s Harp conveys an interesting perspective of the differences and similarities between the humans in the story and the fey. SPOILER: The child that Niviene conceives with Arthur does not die, but is stolen by Arthur’s sister the witch Morgan and raised as Mordred. Mordred slays Arthur in the final battle.
Geographical Setting: medieval England
Time Period: during the reign of King Arthur
Appeal Characteristics:
Strong female characters are the basis of this story. The writing style is poetic and includes poems and songs of the fey people. The overall tone is a bit dark and the pacing of the story is slow. There is also the description of the human protagonists from the perspective of the Avolonians that is sometimes humorous as well as interesting. Guinevere is not cast in the same light as in other depictions of this story. The main appeal of this book is they perspective and insight that is added to the Arthurian legend.
Read-alikes: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a great read-alike for more of the Arthurian legend from the perspective of the fey. Enchantment by Orson Scott Card provides a reader with the same tone and a different interpretation of a well known story, Sleeping Beauty. Buttercup Baby by Karen Fox has the romance and relationship between the humans and the fey, but from a modern perspective. The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf is another version of the Arthurian legend written from the perspective of a strong female character. Percival’s Angel by Anne Eliot Crompton follows the Arthurian legend with the quest for the Holy Grail and the love between Percival and the fey woman that loves him.
Red Flags: inexplicit descriptions of sexual encounters, but no foul language. Some violence.
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