The Circle Cast follows Morgan, a young girl who a governor's daughter. Morgan is not a weak girl by any means, but what she witnesses at the beginning of the story is enough to make any person falter in their life. Morgan, however, spends her anger and disappointment on vowing vengeance. Although she may be sent away, she vows that she will return even stronger soon enough to take back what was taken from her in the first place. She's my kind of girl.

I've always been a fan of anything that falls in with Arthurian lore. Morgan Le Fay is a popular character in these stories, but up until now I had never been treated to one that revolved entirely around her. I was eager to see where Epstein would take me with this story, and I wasn't disappointed. Morgan's growth into the powerful wizard of tales is nothing short of utterly intriguing.

Morgan is an excellently written character. Extremely multi-faceted, the reader is allowed to see the vengeance and anger that drive her while still being allowed to see the scared, weaker girl that is on the surface. As she grows in her powers it is easy to believe the magical elements of the story that are woven in. There are times in the book when Morgan even exceeds her own expectations, and those are a treat to watch as a reader. Epstein does a lovely job of bringing the world around Morgan to life with lavish descriptions of Britain and Ireland, as well as the people within them.

If I had to hedge a guess, I'd say that other lovers of Arthurian lore will find as much to love here as I did. My one let down was that it was so short. I could have read about Morgan and her quest for many more pages, and done so happily. Gorgeous world building and rich attention to the lore that builds this character mixes together into a really amazing read. I'd say you should give it a shot! ( )

In the beginning she is Anna. Her father is Gorlois, lord of Trigos, and her mother is Ygraine, the beautiful Roman from Brittany. When Uter Pendragon kills Gorlois and takes Ygraine as his wife, eleven-year-old Anna must flee Britannia for her life. Her mother sends her to Ireland and gives her a new name: Morgan, born from the sea.
In Ireland Morgan becomes many people. First, she is the cousin of a minor chieftain, then she is a slave, then a Christian, then a queen. But in her center, she is always Anna/Morgan, daughter of the murdered Gorlois, hungry for vengeance. Morgan bides her time in Ireland, learning from each of her incarnations and gaining power. The land speaks to her, and she to it, and Morgan grows a magical relationship with the elements, a relationship she will need if she is ever to return to Britannia, slay Uter and reclaim her inheritance of Din Tagell.
In The Circle Cast, Epstein skillfully blends the coming-of-age, the fairy, the revenge, and the legend. Through the poetry of Epstein's writing, I could feel the power of the old magic that Morgan evokes when she goes “between the worlds,” and I could taste the salt sea air as she sails between her two lands.
Revenge is the sustaining force in Morgan's lost years, and success in battle and magic are what give her power. Epstein holds true to the legendary woman Morgan le Fay in creating this story of the Anna/Morgan child. Fans of Arthurian legend will love this book, and so will everyone else. Great characters, great writing, great story. ( )

The Circle Cast speculates about what the life of Morgan Le Fay may have been like and what events lead to her legend becoming what it is today. As a huge fan of historical fiction, especially historical fiction that encompasses folklore and it’s characters, The Circle Cast was a big hit with me. It was like getting a story within a story.

Morgan, originally known as Anna, flees her home after her father is killed by a man desperate for both power and Anna’s mother. The story takes place over many years of Morgan/Anna's life beginning when she is just 11 years old. When she leaves her home and sets out for Ireland she never expects to become a slave, a faux Christian, or the powerful figure she eventually evolves into. Her path is cluttered with numerous obstacles which just makes her tale even more engrossing. Her will to survive, even if it was driven by revenge, is powerful and guaranteed to pack an emotional punch.

I’ll admit this isn’t a time period I have read much from. It dates back much farther than my normal reading choices. Diving into The Circle Cast with it’s references to history, religion, and lore from so many different places and cultures was both enlightening and refreshing. I enjoyed every moment I spent familiarizing myself with Morgan and the world she lived in. This is a book that will make readers long for more knowledge about the characters. I don’t know about you, but any book that can make me Google will always hold a special place on my bookshelf.

While The Circle Cast is technically Young Adult I feel it can easily appeal to even exclusive readers of adult fiction who enjoy folklore and history. ( )

Perhaps because I know how the story ends, I found The Circle Cast to be a poignant read. Epstein fine characterization makes Morgan an almost tragic hero, rather than the two-dimensional villain she usually is.

My only complaint is that nobody bothered to make sure that the dates were consistent. Several times it states that Morgan was a slave for 8 years when she couldn’t have been one for more than 4 and there are several instances when her age is given inaccurately.

Despite the errors, The Circle Cast was an enjoyable book that I heartily recommend.

As the title indicates, this book is about the lost years of Morgan Le Fey, specifically her childhood and teenage years. During the approximately 10 or so years covered by the book, Morgan lives a number of lives, going from being the daughter of a governor, to being a slave, to living in an early Christian monastary to finally going home again.

There are a number of liberties taken with the Aurhurain legends surrounding Morgan, however one can see the evidence of the research done for the book. I found it easy to read, and enjoyed it to the point where I am looking to see if there will be a sequel covering Morgan's early adulthood. ( )