Morgan Is My Name is far from the first Arthurian novel I've read and even far from the first novel with a heavy focus on Morgan. But somehow, Sophie Keetch managed to make the well-known details of this legendary figure feel fresh and new. The way she delved into the culture the character lived -- showing how she was formed and restrained -- gave added depth to the character that had me forgetting that she wasn't entirely the author's own creation.

I particularly loved how Morgan's development and struggle centered on the realities of life for women in her time period. While her social status gave her access to education and resources to further her interests, her ability to pursue her goals and ambitions was controlled by the men around her whether it was her stepfather or husband. This, of course, is a well-tread topic in fiction. What sets this novel's depiction of women's struggles above many others is the way the female characters were able to persevere and continue to find joy in ways that still felt realistic to the culture and universe they lived in. For example, when Morgan is sent away from home by her stepfather as a punishment, her mother -- who can't stop him -- arranges for her to be sent to a nunnery that she has a long history of providing charity to as well as a good relationship with the nuns. In this way, though she is powerless to stop her husband from doing many things, she is able to work around him in helping her daughter find a happy home that also provides her with a quality education in the subjects she's interested in. As an echo of this, Morgan must also find workarounds to pursue her interests that are within her power when she is limited by her husband. These types of situations where women had to find ways to support each other and themselves while being forced to navigate within restrictions they had no control over were very common. In showing the character dealing with struggles in this way, Morgan's story felt very real even with the magical elements.

And it goes without saying that Vanessa Kirby's narration of this was flawless. She brought a very atmospheric tone to the novel that felt otherworldly. As the series continues, I hope Kirby remains the narrator throughout.