The Other Merlin

Robyn Schneider

Sept 2021 · Emry Merlin Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this eBook

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR! - Publishers Weekly

"Simultaneously heart-pounding and hilarious, Robyn Schneider gives us a veritable romp through Camelot fueled by adventure and romance."
—Kerri Maniscalco, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Kingdom of the Wicked and Stalking Jack the Ripper

Channeling the modern humor of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, bestselling author Robyn Schneider creates a Camelot that becomes the ultimate teen rom-com hotspot in this ultra-fresh take on the Arthurian legend.

Welcome to the great kingdom of Camelot! Prince Arthur’s a depressed botanist who would rather marry a library than a princess, Lancelot’s been demoted to castle guard after a terrible lie, and Emry Merlin has arrived at the castle disguised as her twin brother since girls can’t practice magic.

Life at court is full of scandals, lies, and backstabbing courtiers, so what’s a casually bisexual teen wizard masquerading as a boy to do? Other than fall for the handsome prince, stir up trouble with the foppish Lord Gawain, and offend the prissy Princess Guinevere.

When the truth comes out with disastrous consequences, Emry has to decide whether she'll risk everything for the boy she loves, or give up her potential to become the greatest wizard Camelot has ever known.

Ratings and reviews

Imaginative Retelling I absolutely enjoyed every second of reading time with this fun and fresh Arthurian reimagination. I lost track of how many times I laughed out loud while reading. I loved, loved the banter and sarcastic, irreverent discussions between friends. And yes to the immediate danger of a girl pretending to be a boy and risking her life if the truth were exposed. It's so fun being a reader and knowing the secrets that other characters are unaware of. The characters are going down in history as some of my all-time favorites. I adored Emry, Gran, Arthur, and Lancelot and their fierce loyalty to loved ones. The diversity represented amongst them made my heart full with respect for this author and I will be seeking out more of her books. My favorite part of the characterization was the belief that girls are worthy and can do great things. The pacing and world building are spot on perfect and from the very beginning I was living in a world in which magic was a part of every day life. I envisioned the foods, the architecture, and the gardens. I never found myself disbelieving in the people and events. This book is now one of my favorites of the year and I'll be recommending it to everyone and have already.

Thank you to Viking Books and Bookishfirst for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider is the first book in a series and an exciting new feminist take on Arthurian legend. The story revolves around Emry Merlin, the famous wizard Merlin's daughter. One day, she's playing a boy in a theater when a soldier arrives summoning Merlin's son, her twin brother Emmett, to court. She decides to take his place and arrives at the castle disguised as her brother. Soon, she's catching feelings for the handsome prince Arthur and entangling with other famous characters like Lancelot and Guinevere. Will Emry be able to keep up the ruse? And how will she be able to find true love when everyone thinks she's a boy? Here is an interesting excerpt from an opening chapter, which is from Emry's point of view: "It was all so enormously unfair. This was why their father hadn’t wanted to teach her. Why he’d brought her dolls and ribbons and had frowned when she’d mastered spells faster than her brother. He’d known this would happen. ... Emmett drained his second glass of wine and rambled on about his day, but Emry had stopped listening. All she could think was, Emmett’s going to London, to live in a castle and learn magic. And not because he’s smarter than me, or older, or more talented. Because he’s Merlin’s son, and I’m just his daughter." Overall, The Other Merlin will appeal to fans of Tamora Pierce's classic Song of the Lioness quartet and this year's Half Sick of Shadows. This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. I was so looking forward to a book that combined "teen rom-com" and high fantasy, according to the synopsis I read. I enjoy both of those genres, so I was expecting to really enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I took off one star, because the characters barely leave the castle. I was so interested to learn more about the world, but I didn't get to see much of it. I took off another star, because the jokes felt a bit "young" / immature to me. A lot of YA fantasy books appeal to adults, but this one did not appeal to me. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, you can check out this book when it comes out in September!

About the author

Robyn Schneider grew up in Southern California, where she spent her childhood reading fantasy novels and searching for secret passages. She’s a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied creative writing, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where she earned a Masters of Bioethics. Robyn is the bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Means, Invisible Ghosts, and You Don’t Live Here. Her work is available across the world in over a dozen languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV producer husband, their tiny puppy, and far too many books.