Avalon High -- Meg Cabot

Damnit, Meg Cabot.  I wish I knew how to quit you.

I swore up, down and sideways that I was going to stop reading her books.  The Mediator series is over (I think), The Princess Diaries books have failed to entertain me for quite some time, and I haven't been enjoying her adult books much.  Avalon High was going to be my last, and I really (really really) wasn't expecting very much. 

Come on.  A re-telling of the King Arthur story?  Again?  But this time, in a high school?  Of course I thought it was going to be lame.

Yes, yes.  You win, Meg.  I loved it.  It was way fun. I loved the heroine:

Oh yeah.  That's the other thing about having professors as parents:  They name you after totally random authors--like poor Geoff, after Geoffrey Chaucer--or characters from literature, such as the Lady of Shalott, aka Lady Elaine, who killed herself because Sir Lancelot liked Queen Guinevere--you know, the one Keira Knightley played in that King Arthur movie--better than he liked her.

I don't care how beautiful the poem is about her.  It's not exactly cool to be named after someone who killed herself over a guy.  I have mentioned this several times to my parents, but they still don't get it.

I liked Will, too.  (He's the Arthur figure -- that is really, really not a spoiler, considering his girlfriend is named Jenny, his best friend's name is Lance and they're having an affair.  Plus he's just... Arthur-y.)  Lance was kind of a doof, which I thought was appropriate -- never been much of a Lancelot fan -- and Jenny was shallow but nice.  Marco (Mordred) was suitably bonkers.

Each chapter was headed by a bit from the Tennyson, so of course I kept flashing back to Anne Shirley floating down the river in her sinking boat -- "Fishing for lake trout" -- which never fails to put me in a good mood.

There was a pretty awesome plot twist that I didn't see coming.  Then I felt super-dumb for not seeing it coming.  When I thought back, I realized that there had been lots of clues.  But it was a good one.

It was really, really fun.  So, yes.  I'm back on the Meg train.  Damnit.

Comments

[Chrissy]

Completely an aside, have I ever mentioned my middle name is Elaine? Named after same said Elaine? And yet I still plan to be evil and give my children literary names.

[Leila]

Me too. Either that or trucker/diner waitress names. Which could be a problem if we have boys.

[Courtney]

It's so unusual to find someone else who doesn't like Lancelot.

I hadn't been planning on reading this new book. For some reason unknown to me, I had stopped reading Cabot's books after All American Girl was published -- probably because I was afraid that I wouldn't enjoy everything else as much as I did that one and the first few Princess Diary ones. But I've heard a lot of really good reviews for this book, so maybe I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

[Leila]

Her best books are still (and might always be) the Mediator series. For real. But I was so pleasantly surprised by Avalon High that it was hard not to gush.

[c.c.]

Wait, are you kidding? I didn't even know that there WERE people who liked Lancelot.

How? Why?

More importantly, WHO?

[Leila]

I always thought he was supposed to be the dreamy one -- they usually cast a younger guy in the role... Happily, we've got Gerald Morris and Meg Cabot to set the younger generation straight. Lancelot is a dork.

[Din]

yeah, avalon high was great! in fact, the book is right in frnt of me rite now. spent the whole of ystd reading avalon high. i love ellie, n will, and was quite shocked that jen wasn't the nasty little bitch i thought she would be. but in the end, i will give avalon high two thumbs, way up. especialy 4 the kissing part. awww

[melinda]

hello what about her past and her childhood mention that !!!!!!!!!!!

[melinda]

I need help on her childhood and any dramas in her life need anything please heelp

[**Principessa**]

om i know i luv her books!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the latest i've read was Avalon high!!!!!
where does she get those ideas from!!!
i luv her and she better notstop writing!

[**Pricipessa**]

i absolutly loved AVALONE HIGH!!
even though the mediator series is the BEST !1
i heard she isn't going to write anymore of those~~
which is really sad.
i just finished reading the princess diaries (all)
then i went to barnes and nobles and saw this ah book i had to buy it
i still need to go buy teen idol and this other one...
i'm hooked one her books!!!!!!!!!!!

wow! avalon high was like the best book ever! i luv all of meg's books and i didn't think she could write aything better than the mediator- my favorite series- but this book was totally awesome! never stop writing meg, ur books rock!

Avalon High was the most awesome book ever!!!! It was so romantic and totally awesome how Meg Cabot incorporated the Dark Ages. I didn't want it to end. There definitly should be a sequal!!!!! It was so much more more indepth than the the princess diaries series.

[Naru]

wow. so much sqealing. but i cant hep but agree. the mediator series are AWESOME. And for avalon high i didnt see the plot twist either. when it came all i could think was *holy crap, it actually makes sense!* I doubt Cabot would be happy about the amount of faith i had in her actually making a king aurthur book that didn't make me want to laugh(in a what-the-hell? kind of way). But it was good. And not ridiculous. except for the mordred going to jail bit. i found that kind of laugh worthy.

[Victoria]

OMG! this book was definitly one of the best ive read, i really loved teen idol! i cant seem to stick princess diaries but this, was truly amzing. so well written with a totaly unexpected twist. i loooove my romantic stories but this was even more than that. so much rolled into one. Love you Meg keep it up please! X

[Cassie]

I completely agree. I've sworn off her books a million times. I was both excited and dreading Avalon High, and just finally got to reading it. And I loved it. Then I ared How to be Popular, which was no where as good.

To however said they hadn't read anything since All-Amercican Girl, I thought the sequel, Ready or Not was prety good (though its been a year or two since I read it, so maybe its not as good as I remember).

If you're interested, I just posted a long Avalon High review on my own book blog. (which is why I found your review, while searching google for a cover image) http://yafantasy.com/avalon-high/

~Cassie

[Lucy]

I absolutely LOVED this book!
I find it funny how no one seems to like the Princess Diaries, because neither do i. I haven't had a chance to read the mediator series but from these comments i definately try.
Is she writing a follow up to this? I really hope she does!
x

[yara]

it was the incredable as soon as i started reading the book i couldn't stp i didn't expect the change at the end but hill it was great

[pixie]

ohmygosh i LOVED avalon high!!!! i couldnt put it down!!!
after i finished. i looked up the lady of the lake, and i actually got interested in the Aruther tales...
i swore off meg cabot's books because they were addicitng, but this was amazing!!!
Meg, dont ever stop writing.. you are amazing!!!