This is utterly ridiculous and anachronistic, but endearingly so. Think Terry Pratchett.

Unfortunately it really suffers from amateurish writing and not knowing what it wants to be. The writing feels suited for lower YA audiences, maybe even Middle Grade. But the book includes cursing and references to sex, which I have no problem with in principle but have no place in a Middle Grade book. I suspect that the issue is the author wanted to write and adult book, but only has the skill to craft middle grade complexity in his stories.

Plus, I sense that Quense meant for the book to be gender positive, but it really wasn't. There are several problematic gender norms that go largely un-critiqued. Pedro and his insistence that he can control Kate simply by virtue of being a man. (None of which contributed to the plot in any way.) And the fact that I don't think Moxie makes a single decision in the whole book that she doesn't ask a man about first.

The whole thing was just too clumbsy for me to enjoy. Honestly, I skimmed the last 50 or so pages trying to force myself to finish it. And I wouldn't even have done that if it didn't fulfill the Q for my yearly alphabet soup challenge (where I read an author for each letter of the alphabet). ( )

This a delightful book based on the days of King Arthur with a modern twist. We have a unique, strong woman as the heroine with a daughter who wants nothing of the life of nobility. It is a spoof on gender issues and how compromise can change the course of a country under seige. It's not hilariously funny, but it will make you smile in a lot of situations. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I got it free from a member giveaway in exchange for a review. ( )