Morgan Le Fay: Small Things and Great
If you have any fondness of Arthurian style fantasy, I think you will find great enjoyment in this book. Blanco takes us into the mind of five-year-old Morgan as she goes from a sheltered child to the one who is set to battle for the souls of lost children. It seems like a large and dangerous feat for such a young girl, but sweet Morgan is nothing like most young girls.
In general, Morgan Le Fay is a solid book with good writing, excellent world-building, and wonderful characterization. I really did enjoy the story here and the message behind fighting for lost souls. The story takes place in the Dark Ages and although there is obviously a lot of elements of fiction and fantasy introduced in the book, there are historic themes as well—such as the tension between Paganism and Catholic/Christian beliefs during that era. While that aspect of the book wasn’t exactly at the forefront, it was something any Christian reader would definitely notice in a positive way.
I personally love Arthurian fantasy, give me something from the Middle Ages—knights, dragons, dark magic—and I’m all yours! So, when I saw that Morgan would be mixed up in a world of faeries, magic, and lost children, I was definitely excited. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed! My one and only complaint about the book is that Morgan is incredibly young. That is not a problem in and of itself, I just think the length of the book and the target audience don’t exactly align. I have a fondness for YA fiction, but I have a hard time seeing a book about a magical five-year-old being written for teenage and YA audiences. I think this book fits more into Middle Grade fiction but then it feels like the length is far too long for that audience. I’d say that just means Morgan Le Fay is exceptional in more ways than one!
I would recommend this book to readers of all ages. Anyone who enjoys fantasy will most certainly enjoy it and if you have interest in any religious-based fantasy then you might especially appreciate this novel.