Between a ridiculous law decreeing that only male children can inherit and a greedy father who can't stand to see his precarious claim to Cornwall disappear, Silence is raised as a boy despite being born female. For the most part, he grows up far from prying eyes, but still longing to become a knight and uphold the chivalrous ideals of knighthood. However, despite his father's attempt to block his knighthood, Silence takes a roundabout path that includes time as a traveling minstrel, participation in tournaments (as both a singer and a swordsman), and a quest to find Merlin.
While this reads very much like a traditional Arthurian tale, the Nature vs. Nurture element plays a large role in Silence's story as they sort out who they are. It's a particularly intriguing take, in that the dual nature of Silence is forced by their parents — and given that the story itself is rooted in an 800-year-old poem called Silence, I was particularly intrigued by this. I enjoyed what Myers did with the story, though I have a few questions about the ending. If anyone else reads this, please let me know so we can chat!
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