[.ca] Winter Prince (ISBN 0142500143)

highly recommended:
"The Winter Prince" is a beautiful, haunting, vivid book. I could go on at length with complimentary adjectives, but instead, a few things that make it stand out: The relationships. I read the last few chapter with my heart actually pounding; the book has enough tension that it would need an army of masseuses (or a fascinating climactic scene) to smooth out the wrinkles. The main character. Every once in a while I come across a character who seems startlingly, refreshingly unique. Sulien of Jo Walton's THE KING'S PEACE and THE KING'S NAME was one, and Medraut is another. The voice. THE WINTER PRINCE is beautifully written, but more interesting, to me, is the thread of second person that runs through it, from Medraut to Morgause. I'm a sucker for interesting uses of second person, and this one fits the story perfectly. This book made me care about its characters, and then it made me glad I cared. I can't think of any higher recommendation.

Summary of The Winter Prince:
a touching novel by Elizabeth E. Wein. there was a boy named, Medraut, the eldest son of Artos, high king of britian. however for an accident of birth, the heir of throne would goes to his weakling brother, Lleu. Lleu is often ill, unskilled in weaponry and statemanship, childish, and afraid of dark. even his twin sister, Geowin, seemed to be more suited to rule the kingdom. during spring, Artos made Lleu the heir to his kingdom, naming him the prince of britian. in a year, Lleu had changed from a weakling child to a matchless swordsman. Medraut could not bear to be commanded by brother who he feels that he has usurped his birthright and his father's flavor.haunted by jealousy, self-doubt, and thwarted ambition, he joined the Morgause, the high king's treacherous sister, in a plot to force Artos to forfeit his power and kingdom for the exchange of Lleu's life. Medraut drugged Lleu into sleep during hunting with Geowin and Agravain, the son of the Morgause whom knew about the plot. Geowin passed the message to the high king while three of them continued the journey farther into the forset. along the way, Medraut ask Agravain to leave because he want to finish Lleu himself. however Lleu made him give up the idea of killing him. Medraut finally knew his true self, he acctually don't want to kill Lleu because he love him. so he decided to leave the Morgause and go back to the palace to surrender Lleu and himself. five miles away from the palace, Geowin toghter with the rest of the army came and assrest Medraut. before Medraut was being arrest, Lleu came to plead for the mercy of him. Artos forgive him and they finished the journey home across that broad, bright country. so the story ends here.

Stunning!:
This is an exquisitely written book. Medraut exhibits a complex mix of honor, generosity, intelligence, and extreme selfishness and cruelty. I wanted him to live up to his potential and always make the right choice. In many cases, my hopes were dashed, but in the end this made for a more powerful and realistic portrayal of this all too human character. The setting was also vividly and richly detailed. The descriptions were haunting and beautifully evocative of a post-Roman Britain. Elizabeth Wein is a talented writer. In her hands this story took on a power and depth that left me breathless by the end of the book. Magnificent.

Delicate "Prince":
Among the fantasy books brought back into print by Firebird Books is "Winter Prince," a startlingly vivid and intense little book. Few Arthurian novels handle a complicated relationship the way Elizabeth Wein's story does, about two very different young boys. Medraut is the son of King Artos and his sister Morgause -- a child of incest, who can never become High King. Instead, legitimate twins are born, Lleu and Goewin. When sickly Lleu is fourteen, Medraut arrives to find him terribly sick. He heals his half-brother, and stays with the High King's family. This gets him away from his malevolent mother, but it's hard for him: He envies Lleu's position, his authority, and the fact that he won't kill even an animal. He isn't suited to be High King, but Medraut is. But things get even worse. A disaster causes Artos to strip Medraut of his authority. And Morgause arrives for a visit -- and Medraut finds out that she is poisoning Lleu, hoping that if he dies, Medraut will become the king's heir. But a fight with Lleu, and an offer from Morgause, will drive Medraut to desperate lengths, in which the hunter will become the prey. "Winter Prince" has a delicacy and harshness to the story. It's a story about two brothers who envy and love one another, and how they struggle to deal with their feelings. What's more, they're not just competing for the sense of who is on top, but also for Arthur's affection and acceptance. Lleu has it, Medraut wants it. It's a weird, complicated relationship, made even more so by Medraut's bitterness and Lleu's moderate brattiness. Having the book written as a long story told from Medraut to Morgause (whose incestuous pursuits don't end with her brother) also makes it seem like he's finally exorcising his demons. The writing is detailed and almost like a dream at times, especially during the chapters with Lleu and Medraut alone in the woods. Medraut is wonderfully-written; he's tormented and bitter, but it's impossible not to sympathize with this guy. Lleu is more of an enigma, but is also sharply-written and very vivid, a different kind of person. Morgause is a walking poison pillar, exactly as she should be; Artos, Ginevra and most of the other supporting characters are rather nebulous. "Winter Prince" is a bittersweet little tale that has rightly been brought back onto bookshelves. It's a unique twist on the typical Arthurian story, full of darkness and light. Highly recommended.