Review by Anonymous, Edmonton County School, London
The characters in Gwen & Art Are Not In Love are intriguing, especially Gwen and Art themselves. Their dynamic is captivating because it defies the typical romance narrative, showcasing a different aspect of relationships. While the book primarily focuses on the personal lives of Gwen and Art, it subtly incorporates historical laments, shedding light on the social norms and expectations of the past. This period of history wasn't entirely new to me, but the book provided a fresh perspective on it through the lens of Gwen and Art's unconventional relationship. Gwen & Art Are Not In Love” sparked my curiosity about the historical context in which the characters lived. I'm eager to delve deeper into that era to gain a better understanding. I would definitely recommend this book to other students, especially those interested in historical fiction with a twist. It's thought-provoking and offers a unique perspective on love and society. Plus, it's a refreshing departure from the typical romance genre.

Review by Tim, Lancaster Royal Grammar School
I enjoyed reading this book, as it was quite interesting to see how the relationships between the characters in the book changed and developed as the book went on. However, I did think that this book was less of a historical fiction novel, but rather a romance novel set in medieval times and with some references to King Arthur and the legend surrounding him. I was a bit disappointed with the level of history involved as it felt that I did not learn much from this book apart from a few minor details about life back then. All in all, I would say that this is quite a good book, and I did find it interesting, however there was a lack of more precise historical detail and real historical figures/events in the book.

I found Gabriel to be the most interesting character as on the outside he seems smart, composed, and confident as the king’s son and the heir to the throne, however if you took a closer look, you would find that everything isn’t as perfect as it seems to be with him. He is actually quite unsure about whether he wants to be king and would rather become a scholar and teach others across the kingdom. It is quite interesting to see this play out in the story and how he deals with his problems while still keeping a confident outward appearance.

I would say that the plot was a combination of being serious and light-hearted because although throughout the book there are several serious and quite grave situations for the characters, there are quite a few light-hearted jokes which I find raise the mood. Lex Croucher quite expertly manages to combine both of these themes without detracting from the quality of either of them within the book.

The book, although lacking in precise historical details, has for the same reason made me want to learn more about the medieval period so I can have more of an insight into life during that time. After reading this book I also wish to read more about the legends of King Arthur and probably read more historical fiction books set in this time period/ that are about King Arthur.

I would recommend this book to other students as I did find it quite an interesting read and it did manage to have a both light-hearted and serious plot without detracting from the quality of the novel. However, I would only recommend this to those interested in reading more of a romance novel than a historical fiction novel as although it is set in a medieval period, it doesn’t directly involve any real figures from history and doesn’t give too much detail on the general life of those at the time.