Gwen, the quick-witted Princess of England, and Arthur, future lord and general gadabout, have been betrothed since birth. Unfortunately, the only thing they can agree on is that they hate each other.
When Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art discovers where Gwen hides her diary (complete with racy entries about Bridget Leclair, the kingdom’s only female knight), they become reluctant allies. By pretending to fall for each other, their mutual protection will be assured.
But how long can they keep up the ruse? With Gwen growing closer to Bridget, and Art becoming unaccountably fond of Gabriel, Gwen’s infuriatingly serious, bookish brother, the path to true love is looking far from straight…
You know you’re in for a good ride when an author starts their book with a dedication to themself. Lex Croucher is a well-loved vlogger and podcast host, known for championing feminism and speaking out against sexism. They have published two ‘historical-ish’ romcom novels for adults, along with a non-fiction guide to ‘survival for young people’. Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is their brilliant YA debut.
With such a brilliant premise, I so wanted to love this novel… and thankfully, it did not disappoint. Croucher brings their trademark humour, fun, and astute queer centring to this pitch-perfect romp through history and into the highly relatable lives of Gwen and Art. This truly is Camelot as you’ve never seen it before!
Croucher has explained the appeal of writing into the world of Camelot: as a world so storied and fan-fictionalised, authors are now free to cherry-pick the very best elements without the constraints of historical accuracy. This irreverent approach makes for a brilliantly entertaining read. Croucher playfully mixes in all the magic of Camelot – the jousting, dancing, royalty and decadence – and discards any distance that can so easily weigh down historical fiction.
Nicknaming the novel’s two highly recognizable protagonists, Gwen and Art, is emblematic of Croucher’s brilliant reframing of their trials and tribulations through a contemporary lens. From the very first chapters, we are introduced to these iconic figures as relatable, flawed, everyday young people. The action is fast-paced and seamlessly described, and the banter is on point. Despite their glaring flaws – or perhaps even because of them – you can’t help rooting for the pair the whole way through.
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is a novel I would wholeheartedly recommend to any teen reader, aged 12+. It’s genuinely funny, smart, uplifting, and not at all patronising. As an exploration of queer coming-of-age, with all its associated joy and angst, this will undoubtedly win the hearts of older YA readers, too.
Leave a Reply