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Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: I found this book three years ago when I was a little too young for it. The book was found totally by accident and the only true reason I took it from the shelf was because of Guinevere. I did not know what to expect from this book besides a woman who seeks her past life.Phelan wove an interesting story. The love, infedelity, war and seduction. I found our protagonist very selfish and munipulative. At times, I almost loathed her yet she was an intriguing character none the less. The delivers a dark and unique tale about Guinevere. The character developpement was weak at times except for Guinevere and her best friend. I would only recommend this book for anyone willing to try a darker image and story of Guinevere.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: I have read so many books on the Arthurian times, which places Arthur in the 15th century, which of course is ridiclous. Miss Phelan, accuratly places him in the 5th century. This book excluding the reincarnation part is very real indeed. I just dont believe in reincarnation myself, however the story is fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: An inspiring tale from the heart
Review: In this book, Laurel Phelan paints a passionate, vivid picture of a Guinevere we never heard about in English class -- a fierce warrior and strategist who fought to save her land from the invading Picts and Saxons. Phelan's Guinevere is constantly at war with herself as well; her father raises her to deny her inner femininity so she can be a more effective leader, and only after many lessons does she finally overcome this obstacle by realizing that she does not have to be masculine or unemotional to be strong. Included in the story are some classical elements of the legendary Guinevere's story, such as her marriage to King Arthur and her affair with Lancelot. Those interested in Celtic culture and old Britain will likely find the observations in this book compelling. Taken all together, the tale is well-told and has a magical air about it, like you have a real window into the past. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, "Guinevere" is fascinating; it is a story that will enchant you and maybe even get you thinking more about who you might have been in a past life.
Rating:
Summary: Phelan's Guinevere *feels* real
Review: Let me state my bias from the start: Laurel Phelan has done exactly what I want to do -- publish a book of past life recall of a famous incarnation. So I'm positively predisposed, of course. The author is a former secretary/bookkeeper whose past life experiences led her to become a regression therapist. She is not a writer by trade, and so her prose has that raw, "as-told-to" quality you will often find when non-writers set words on paper. At the same time, that raw style lends to the realism of her account. I know when I make notes on my own past life memories I am always inclined to write in present tense rather than past, as if I am currently there, and this book is written that way entirely; it is, in effect, one long set of regression notes shaped into a novel. It has the feel of past life memory, that distinctive combination of vivid realism, intense and coherent emotion, and missing detail you get when content is determined by what the memory has selected as important rather than the standard conventions of narrative. The Gwynnefwar she remembers being is very different from that of the standard Arthurian legend; not the delicate, beautiful paragon of womanhood we know, but an adventurous, headstrong girl whose father raises her as a son, teaching her to fight and developing her natural ability for strategy. Her Arthurian Britain is a much grimier-and thus more historically accurate-place than the magical world of the legend. As a pagan marrying a Christian, her idea of what her marriage to Arthur will be-a partnership of warriors and equals, in which affairs are permitted-is very different from his. And yet their love endures through bitter conflicts to the end. It is a story about changing societal mores as much as personalities; Gwynnefwar is baffled as to why a religion that worships a woman (the Virgin Mary) can so confine women, and Arthur is embarrassed to have to admit in front of his men that his teenaged wife has been supplying his brilliant war-plans. Interesting also is the aspect of magic, healing and herbal lore, which is presented entirely realistically, as far as I'm concerned; Gwynnefwar's psychically-gifted friend Merewyn is both accurate (if cryptic) in predictions and able to supply her with reliable herbal birth control-and yet does not have a solution for every problem. The account does not have the neatness of a story, in which all the loose ends are tied up and everything makes sense, but the messiness, the changes of heart, the endurances and forgivenesses, the mistakes and quirkinesses, of real life. Psychologically it is even more interesting. Laurel Phelan presents the life as her lesson in allowing herself to be what she really is-female, and free to express emotion, rather than male and controlled-and thus unleashing her true power. But under the surface you can trace the connection between Gwynnefwar's being raped as a young teenager, and her later difficulties expressing love and sexual passion along with a desperate need to feel strong and in control. These are standard sequelae of sexual assault in childhood. Nothing could be more convincing than that: a previous incarnation demonstrating what are now known as aftereffects of a trauma, without the current one pointing out the connection. For anyone interested in reincarnation, and for those curious about the very human story behind the tragic legend, this book is well worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A sadly disappointing book
Review: Perhaps I should start by saying that I did not finish reading this book as I could no longer stand reading what was supposedly non-fiction, but cannot be anything else but fiction. How I base this is quite simple, I am what you might call a bit of Historian, I am interested in Medieval Literature and have researched various retellings of the Arthurian Legend. Admittedly no one can profess to 'know' the authenticity of a 'Legend' however, this work relies solely on dreams, and bears very little resemblance to the historical depiction of Guinevere. I was left disappointed by what I consider to be feminist fiction disguised as non-fiction.
Rating:
Summary: An Implausible, Poorly Researched Work of Fiction
Review: This fictional work would have been more credible had the author taken the lead of her peers such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, and simply portrayed the work for what it was....'fiction'. I am a follower of the avalonian mysteries and as such do not question her previous incarnations. I do however question her disregard for history. It seems rather incredible that she alone has portrayed Gwynnefar as she has. (I am still to find documentation that would authenticate her claim that Ambrosius and not Uther Pendragon sired Arthur, among other erroneous claims.) For me, from the first pages of this work, the author lost all credibility due to her lack of research. Perhaps had she depicted this work as fiction rather than the retelling of a previous incarnation, it may well have been an enjoyable read. In the event, I found myself at times angered, at other times amused, but mostly I felt that she insulted the intelligence of her readers.
Rating:
Summary: history through the eyes of one beholder
Review: This is a remarkable story. It paints a vivid portrait of a young woman who became a contributor to the history of the declining Roman Empire in Britain. The Guinevere of history is virtually non-existent, yet her memory has been passed down through the largely fictional romances penned during and after medieval times. The culture clash between Gwynnefar and Arthur is explained well here, as are the natural results of the choices they made. The events she describes reside precisely in the correct time frame, and most of the battles are appropriately located. Naming Ambrosius as the father of Arthur is as close as anyone will come in this day and age. It was his Latin baptismal name... I was particularly pleased that she omitted any mention of that chivalrous tripe that litters the medieval romances. It just wasn't so. These were bloody times during the collapse of the Roman Empire. There are others besides the author who remember these things ... How is anyone other than Guinevere going to tell this particular story? Unless we are nihilistic enough to believe that all memories are completely fraudulent, then we have to treat these for what they are, simply memories. This set of memories helps us peer into a time that was ancient even to those of medieval times, which is why they could romanticize it. As such, I would place greater credence in this "story" than in the "histories" that so many cling to... I gave this book 4 stars because I thought it lacked the introspection and quality of prose that would have made it soar.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating and observing
Review: This is indeed a very interesting book which is captivating in many ways. The Northumbrian young Gwynnefar spend most of her childhood with her father, denying her femininity, teacher her to be a warrior. Her marriage to Arthur puts her at Salisbury Fort where celtic traditions meet christian traditions, hence, conflicts occures over and over again. However, Gwynnefar and Arthur obviously love each other, but have little time to grow old together as Arthur spend much time elsewhere. The book is written in a poetic, old English style. As an author it shows Laurel Phelan is not yet experienced, nevertheless the story is throughout very interesting. The author Laurel Phelan base her story upon herself being the true Guinevere discovered by night mares and, later on, regressions to that particular life-time.
Now, I too have memories from past lives and experience of regressions etc. so I know misunderstandings happen easily. I do believe Laurel Phelan have lived in that particular life-time and I believe she knew Guinevere, but I don't think she was the true Guinevere. Laurel Phelan has an observer position in the story. She has probably tuned into different carachters, otherwise it would have been hard for her to gain facts in situations when Gwynnefar was not present. It would be most interesting to meet the author and hear her updated version, now when years have past since the release of the book. The earliest proof of Arthur's existence comes from Wales history, stating repeatedly Uther, and not his brother Ambrosius, to be the rightful father. Even in the Book of Taliesin - partly dated back to the 6th century - mentions Arthur being named after Uther. Many referer to 500 A.D. claims Caerleon in Wales as the rightful Camelot. It is most rightful of Laurel Phelan not to mention anything about The Round Table, as it is probably a misunderstanding. If Arthur and his court lived in Caerleon, Wales, they would have met at the round amphi theatre, "the round place" and not "the round table"... Also it is most likely St Columba at Iona and at least Arthur knew of each other. For one, St Columba predicted the death of one of Arthur's sons. Many bibliographies tells of Guinevere being his "second" wife, therefore probably quite a bit younger than him, or perhaps Arthur had two wifes simultaneously. The remaining bones of Guinvere were found in Glastonbury around the 12th century by monks, but it is not certain they have been there from the beginning. There is still a burial site of Guinevere in Meigle, Scotland, but one must remember several children were named Arthur and Guinevere some time after their respective birth, to honour them, so it could be another Guinevere than the most famous one. I'm surprised Laurel Phelan do not to mention the Grail or the "Nanteous Cup" which is proven to have links back to the Christ, and his uncle taken the cup to England. The Grail were searched for by Arthur's knights and had great importance. Today the Grail Nanteous Cup firstly was moved to Herefordshire, now being in a poor state in a bank vault somewhere. Marie in Sweden
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: When I first read this book I was only 14 years old, it as summer break and I HATED READING, my eye sight is bad and I have always had problems with keeping attention. My friend and me were interested in reincarnation and wikken/pegan belifes so we went to the library to read more on the subject and came across Laurle's book. It took me all summer to read it but it was hard to put down even though I had to re-read areas many times to keep up. I'm 21 now and have read many books but this is the only book Ive read more than twice. I Own it in paper back and hard back. You do not have to belive in past life regresion to enjoy this book. this is a story about a very strong women named Guinevere living in a mans world raise by a man like a son. She one day has no choice but to become a women and the only way she can keep her inner strength is to marry one of the most powerful men in brittin "Lord Arthur of Briton".
In many ways I feel like Guinevere is alot like my self and many women, the strength we posses deep-in-side. It is the part inside us screaming for control and power in a mans world. All the same though with all her strength is still filled with the emotions and love from a women. This book has helped me through many changes in my life with the strength to stay true to myself.
I have read it a dozen times and wish it was a movie, every women I've lent it to, to read it has bought it. My other favirot authors are Anne Rice and C.s. Freedman if that gives you a good idea of my taste. I hope you buy this book or at least check it out so you can be inspierd like me.
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