Arthur Lives
From the outside, Arthur and Gwen have it all. Arthur's international tech company has made him wealthy and influential, and together the couple enjoy a luxurious life in a mansion near the small Wiltshire town where they grew up. They have money, power and connections, and are surrounded by people they've known all their lives, people who owe everything to Arthur. But, as Arthur's fortieth birthday approaches, cracks are beginning to show. Arthur is struggling to trace a hacker who has penetrated the house CCTV and released footage of Gwen online. Gwen is the victim of internet trolls and wrestling with her illicit lust for damaged war veteran, Lance. Mystery surrounds what happened to him and his comrades, Wayne and Gareth, in Afghanistan, though the effects are plain for all to see. Gwen's heartbroken former friend, Morgan, has made a surprise return, while the couple's apparently feckless son Mo is charming his way through life. Why is Morgan back after all this time? Who is attacking Gwen and why? And what has this to do with the unsolved murder of Carly so many years ago?
Once and Future King
'Bliss and Blunder' is a brilliantly constructed book, drawing on previous myths and Arthurian reworkings to create something that is both new and innovative but firmly rooted in the stories that came before. Perhaps recreating Arthur as a genius tech entrepreneur is a bit of a 21st century cliché, but this thought rapidly fades as the intricate plot unfurls. It's hard to think of any other context that would fit so perfectly. I also enjoyed reading a story that featured gay and gender-neutral characters without it being specifically about their sexuality. I'm sad to admit I'm worried their presence, along with the creative use of key signifiers of Britishness, would put off some readers, but I very much hope that I'm wrong.
A Network of Knights
The book skips back and forth through time, which was a bit difficult to navigate at first. There are also a lot of characters to keep track of, although this is either made easier or harder depending upon how many Round Table Knights you can name! I have enjoyed looking up various characters afterwards and seeing how their existing legends and story arcs have been reinterpreted for 'Bliss and Blunder'. Gosling manages all the different threads brilliantly, weaving a book that reaches an edge-of-your-seat climax that keeps you reading to the very end.
Overall
'Bliss and Blunder' is an intelligent, creative and modern retelling of a story we think we all know. Did King Arthur really exist? Who knows and who cares. But one thing's for sure; so long as there are imaginative authors like Victoria Gosling, his story will live forever.
'Bliss and Blunder' by Victoria Gosling was first published by Serpent's Tail and imprint of Profile Books in 2024. The post is based on the paperback edition of 2023. 'Bliss and Blunder' contains depictions of sex and sexual references, death, murder, warfare and mental health crises. Image copyright the blogger.
