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    Avalon High
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    Avalon High
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    Avalon High
    Audiobook6 hours

    Avalon High

    Written by Meg Cabot

    Narrated by Debra Wiseman

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this audiobook

    I recognized him at once-not just because he was so tall, and there aren't a lot of guys who are taller than me, but also because he had such a distinctive face. Not handsome, really. But attractive. And nice. And strong-looking.

    The weirdest part was, he seemed to recognize me, too, even though he could only have seen me for, like, five seconds that day in the park.

    "Hey," he said, smiling, not just with his lips, but with his blue eyes, too.

    Just Hey. That's all. Hey.

    But it was a Hey that made my heart flop over inside my chest.

    Who is Will Wagner, and how is it that Ellie, the new girl at Avalon High, feels as if she's known him all her life, when she's only just met him?

    A long-ago legend comes to new life in this tale of a love triangle, a medieval sword, and a totally awesome pool raft.

    Avalon High seems like a typical high school, attended by typical students: There's Lance, the jock. Jennifer, the cheerleader. And Will, senior class president, quarterback, and all-around good guy.

    But not everybody at Avalon High is who they appear to be . . . not even, as new student Ellie is about to discover, herself. What part does she play in the drama that is unfolding? What if the bizarre chain of events and coincidences she has pieced together means-as with the court of King Arthur-tragedy is fast approaching Avalon High?

    Worst of all, what if there's nothing she can do about it?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateDec 13, 2005
    ISBN9780307206671
    Author

    Meg Cabot

    MEG CABOT’s many books for both adults and teens have included numerous #1 New York Times bestsellers, with more than twenty-five million copies sold worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series was made into two hit films by Disney, with a third movie coming soon. Meg currently lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband and various cats.

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    Reviews for Avalon High

    4/5

    662 ratings51 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a great book. I like how they were descendants in a way of an older prophecy and once I started this book I couldn't stop till the end.
    • 4/5
      Shocking ending. The King Arthur theme really got my attention, as I knew nothing about it. Very well written. Lacked a lot of humor, though. And it kind of got strange after the protagonist's discovery. And the disney movie sucked.
    • 5/5
      Avalon High is a typical high scool. You have the jock, the cheerleader, and all-around good guy. But not everyone at Avalon High is who they appear to be. Not even Ellie as she will find out. Do the coincidences she's putting together really mean that harm is approaching her new friends? Ellie doesn't know if she'll be able to stop it, but she knows she has to try.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book!
    • 4/5
      Slight spoilers ahead:A modern retelling of the Arthur legend, set in a Maryland high school. I enjoyed this one, but I think I would have liked it more if it had been simply a modern retelling. Instead, it seems to do a quick turn into fantasy, as the characters are revealed as actual reincarnations of Arthur and his Camelot crew.
    • 3/5
      Avalon High has the subtlety of a barrel of bricks dropped from seven stories, and just in case the reader doesn't pick up on the five inches of gooey sloppy allusions slathered on this narrative, the protagonist explains things explicitly at least twice. While the premise of the novel is fun in theory, Cabot's execution leaves much to be desired, as she demonstrates just how little faith she has in her reader to even understand the basic premise of her story.
    • 2/5
      This book: "Most people have a lot of misconceptions about the medieval period..."

      Me: "Yes!"

      This book: "...everyone thinks it was all ladies and chivalrous knights but actually everyone had B.O. and died at like 20."

      Me: "NOOOOO!"

      ....

      Even if I put my personal feelings about historical accuracy aside this book isn't great. I liked it a lot when I read it in High school but now I'm pretty meh on it.
    • 4/5
      As most of my readers know, I am a HUGE Arthurian Legend buff. I read it all, or well as much as I can. I actually thought that Arthurian Legend set to a high school would be an excellent idea, looks like Ms. Cabot beat me to it. This book was pretty good. The plot kept an excellent pace and the explanation of the characters coming back was believable enough. The only thing that made me give this book 4/5 was because the Elaine went off on a lot of tangents randomly. I guess I did the same thing when I was a teen, but in a book it was distracting. Everything else was awesome, and I figured out who Elaine was early, I felt pretty smart for figuring it out.
    • 4/5
      Fun. Imaginative. Just wish the follow-ups were novels, instead of manga. Would have loved to read more.

    • 4/5
      Very interesting way to put Camelot into a modern day setting.
    • 4/5
      Such a fun play on Arthurian Legend. And from the female perspective. Wish she would write a true sequel and not those silly graphic novels.
    • 4/5
      If you haven’t figured out by now, I own pretty much every Meg Cabot book (with a few exceptions; generally it’s almost every YA or adult novel of hers). I love Avalon High as much as I do the Princess Diaries series. It’s a great stand-alone novel with varied characters and a plot that really comes into its own.

      Ellie is a fantastic heroine. She can stand up for herself without relying on Will, she tries to see the best in everyone, and once she’s informed about the cycle of reincarnation, instead of just letting things take place, she’s the one who decides to take matter into her own hands. I like Will, he’s just an all-around nice guy. There’s a sense of melancholy and frustration around him, especially when he finds out the truth about his family and Jenifer and Lance’s relationship, but he’s also got an inner strength.

      Jenifer’s an interesting character in that she should be the bitchy popular cheerleader, but she’s actually nice to Ellie and the other side characters. Which is a great break from a lot of Meg Cabot’s other books, I really like the fact that she and Ellie can be friends. Unfortunately, she’s also not really given much to do, aside from being a supportive girlfriend. Which is one of my big problems with the book as a whole; the minor characters aren’t as well-developed as Ellie or Will.

      The King Arthur reincarnation plot is actually well done, despite the massive liberties taken with the mythology. (She does point out the various differences between the texts, so I tend to give this a pass.) Aside from the OBVIOUS NAMES ARE OBVIOUS, I rather liked the use of Arthurian legend fitting into modern-day America. It manages to fit in fairly well, and again, despite a few handwaves, it doesn’t feel overtly forced. If I had to nitpick anything on the plot, I do think the pacing is a little rushed. The last half of the book takes place over the course of one afternoon. I would have liked to have seen the plot stretch out over a few days, instead of “Must do the big climax right now!” There’s not much tension toward the end, and more drawn out climax would have been fantastic.

      In spite of the flaws, I still love this book. It’s one of my favorite light fantasy YA novels to recommend to people and a shining example of how well Meg Cabot can write.
    • 5/5
      Camelot, Football and a reborn Arthur? Only Meg Cabot could make such a combination and have it work! Be prepared to get thrown into the world of high school called Avalon where a secret society called The Order of the Bear protect the reborn Arthur Pendragon from the darkness that seeks to destroy him. I loved this book! It was way better than the Disney movie and it stays with the legends of Arthur and his knights.
    • 4/5
      This was an incredible re-envisioning of the Legend of Arthur. I would be first in line if they made this into a movie.The catch at the end is rather brilliant, as well!
    • 4/5
      Ellie Harrison is not a fan of the medieval period. Blame it on her parents, both professors who specialize in medieval studies and who named her for Elaine of Astolat, the Lady of Shalott. However, after moving to Annapolis for a year while her parents are on sabbatical, her life begins to take on a distinctly medieval tinge when she starts attending Avalon High and meets Will, Jen, and Lance. Suddenly, the legend of King Arthur takes on a bit too much reality for Ellie's liking.Ellie is a great protagonist. She's funny, a bit sarcastic, and smart. Her budding relationship with Will is sweet. But most importantly,she brings a serious grounding in reality to this imaginative retelling of the King Arthur legends. Cabot crafts a fun novel, a realistic world of teen drama, and throws in just enough fantasy to make things interesting. And of course, any novel that heavily references The Lady of Shalott automatically makes me like it. A great read whether you're really into Arthurian legend or not.
    • 4/5
      Avalon High is a modern retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. Ellie is new in town and to Avalon High. Her parents are both college professors who specialize in medieval times and they've moved with Ellie to Annapolis because they are both on sabbatical for a year. While out running, Ellie meets Will, one of the most popular boys at school. He tells her that he feels like he's known her in another lifetime. Ellie doesn't think much of it until more strange things begin to happen. She slowly puts the pieces together and realizes that the Arthurian Legend is playing out in her school. If you aren't familiar with the Legend of King Arthur, don't worry. Cabot works in detailed explanations of the legend throughout the book.I enjoyed this book. It was a cute high school romance with elements of suspense. Ellie was a realistic, likeable character. So was Will - I would have loved to have had him as my boyfriend in high school!I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Debra Wiseman. I thought she did a great job with both the male and female voices. However, one of the characters has a British accent and I didn't think her British accent was very good so that was distracting.I didn't find out until after I'd finished this book that the rest of the books in this series are graphic novels. I'm disappointed because I love listening to Meg Cabot's books in the car and I'm assuming that there aren't audio versions of the graphic novels. On the other hand, I've never read a graphic novel before so reading them could be a new and exciting experience for me.
    • 3/5
      It's so easy to love the tone and style of Meg Cabot's writing. Her stand alone books, like Avalon High, are every bit as accessible and fun to read as her longer-running series. In this case, the main character Ellie really carries the story and helps you access what's going on. In fact, you grow to like her pretty early on in the story and want to find out what will happen to her and the other classmates.One thing that I think is kind of interesting with this story is the intermingling of King Arthur and Camelot into this tale. Although there are moments where this back story is explained, I wondered if the real tie in mattered much to those who are unfamiliar? For me, it was really fun to tie it back to the original tale. Also, Cabot uses a reference to "The Lady of Shallot" throughout the entire book. Whether you love the poem by itself or remember it being quoted by Anne of Anne of Green Gables, it is an amazing poem that is filled with that heroic love of days gone by. All of these references make it a bit more fun to consider if you're a knowledgeable reader. Do you have to get all of that? Well, you can still enjoy this fun story, but it makes it a lot better when you get all the references.One thing that I did notice though, that beyond the literary and historical references this story felt like it was meant for a younger audience than some of her teen novels. I enjoyed the story, but mainly kept moving along because of my own background with the references. This wasn't my own personal favorite out of her books, but I think it has a nice main character, a fun twist on the normal teen drama, and a little romance to round it out. This was definitely a fun story that is different from some of what you might have read before, with plenty of Cabot's delightful style.
    • 5/5
      The book Avalon High is mainly about a guy named A. William (Will) Wagner and a girl names Ellie Harrison. One of their teachers, Mr.Morton believes that Will, Ellie, Lance, Jennifer, and Marco are apart of another time in life which was written into a book. Now Ellie's parents are professors and they write books about medivial times. Ellie knows a few things that Mr.Morton tells her. Mr.Morton has been keeping an eye on Wil who is actually the recarnation of King Author. At first when Ellie heard about it, she thought it was all a joke. Later she came to realize it might have been true. He also tells her that Will might die, and she doesnt want this for him because she has fallin in love with him.Avalon High was a very interesting book but also confusing, well to me at first. This book was really good though. It gave a lot of description on what was going on. I had a picture of what each character looked like. Anyways, the book has a few problems that a teenager goes through. It has a love story sort of and a few family conflicts. Overall it was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it.
    • 3/5
      A great "clean" teen romance to give to parents who are concerned.
    • 4/5
      A cutesy take on Arthurian legends. Not my favorite Meg Cabot foray into Young Adult literature by far but held my attention quite well and was admittedly very enjoyable- in a quirky, predictable sort of way. It was obvious early on that all would end up as it should BUT the road to getting there was worth the trip.
    • 5/5
      Elaine has professors for parents who are hard core Arthurians, even naming her after the Lady of Shallot. What could be more fitting in this story than have her going to Avalon High, meeting Lance, who really is Lancelot. Jennifer, who is the reincarnation of Guinevere, and Will, who is the reincarnation of one of the greatest leaders in the legends, Arthur. And falling for him. Hard.And then having to find out that there were evil forces that wanted to kill him.I am officially in love with Meg Cabot's writing.I knew it was worth it when I did a double take and went back to the bookstore and bought this book. Very much worth it.By the time I am about to finish the book, I was reduced into a giggling, excited girl. I am smitten. Okay, the book was cheesy, but in a good way. I love how strong Elaine's character was in this book, and that you can't really hate the other characters, especially Jennifer and Lance. At least I didn't.I am fangirling Will though. He's charming, good looking and popular. What more can you ask for? He wasn't just a jock, there was depth into his character.A fantastic, fantastic retelling of the legend of King Arthur! (full review in my book blog)
    • 4/5
      At first, Elaine "Ellie" Harrison, the daughter of two medievalists newly arrived from Minnesota, thinks that Avalon High is a typical American public high school, complete with jocks, cheerleaders, and English projects. Soon, however, strange parallels with Arthurian legend emerge and Ellie may be caught up with this generation's battle against the forces of darkness. This is a solid young adult novel, complete with high school romance, school drama, and reflections on the high school social ladder. Ellie is well-developed and speaks with an authentic personality, but other characters, namely Lance and Jennifer, could benefit from further development. The ending seems contrived at first, but was carefully, though perhaps insufficiently, foreshadowed throughout the book. Allusions to classic literature, including the chapter epigraphs from Tennyson's "The Lady of Shallot", add interest to the proceedings. This book will be sure to appeal to both fans of Meg Cabot's prior novels and those looking for a light-hearted, modern take on the Matter of Britain. Audio-book narrator Debra Wiseman excels at capturing the voice of a high-school junior in her rendition of the book.
    • 4/5
      This is adorable. Ellie is attending a new high school while her medievalist parents are on a sabbatical. Things are going well until she starts to notice the similarities between her new classmates (including dreamy popular boy) and the characters of Arthurian legend.I do love the fundamental truth of Meg Cabot books -- that every problem can be solved by a resourceful and plucky girl with a sense of humor.Generally I don't like ambiguous endings (I am about to talk about the ending) but in this case, given the subject matter, I was perfectly fine with the "it was all a coincidence ... OR WAS IT?" wrap up. Small complaint is that I never quite a got a sense of supporting characters Lance and Jennifer. Jenny, toward the end, the scene in the bathroom, which was satisfying but too short and too late ... but Lance not at all. Other than already knowing the Lancelot themes, it would have been nice to have more insight on why he and Will are such good friends, especially in light of the fact that Ellie has a fairly strong negative opinion of him from the get-go.Grade: B+Recommended: Very cute, would be good for actual YA readers.
    • 3/5
      Okay, I will start off by saying this isn't my first Meg Cabot book. I knew what I was getting into. I knew I wasn't about to engage in literary gold when I opened this book. Anybody who would expect that needs a reality check because....well, look at the cover. It's pink and purple for crying out loud. This book was very quick and entertaining. It's fluffy, girly brain candy. I always have trouble rating books like these because my wanna-be intelligent self is like "you're too good for these books, go read Chaucer instead", while my teenage girl self enjoys them. Alas I am a conflicted soul. I went into this all haughty, believing it to be all too predictable, and it was for the most part. Meg Cabot leaves little hints before hand so you know what's going to happen before the narrator does and then repeats it often enough for the especially dense. But then came the twist....those things always make me feel like an a-hole. The narrator is likeable enough. I didn't want to drown her, which is something special considering most of the heroines in YA nowadays. But then she committed the Ultimate Offense in my mind- claiming some guy is your soulmate after two days. Ugh, I HATE characters like that, especially when they are in high school. Hey, the guy who sits next to me in math class is pretty hot, but that doesn't mean I want to spend eternity with him. I guess I let it slide this time because these characters are reincarnated and have know each other for centuries, which is plenty of time to get to know someone (but do we ever really know someone hmmm?). Some of the plot points were pretty ridiculous and had me holding back chuckles of disbelief. I know...you guys are probably like "Well, it is a fantasy set in highschool, what did you expect?". To that I say IT'S MY REVIEW AND I GET TO COMPLAIN IF I WANT TO. The characters weren't as fleshed out as they could have been. Particularly Lance. Poor Lance, he is practically brushed aside in this retelling. And did Jennifer HAVE to be a cheerleader? (guess what color her hair was). I also would have liked to see some other Arthurains characters and more (dare I say it) education. This book barely touches the surface of the tale it's based on. And for those who enjoyed the book and want to read more Arthurian fiction- whilst still be entertained- I recommend The Once and Future King The writing is nothing challenging and is meant to be read quickly. No moments of beauty here. Just straight-to-the-point-prose with the occasional dash of humor. I have to give it up to Meg Cabot. She sure knows how to get people to read her books. I knew I wasn't going to love this book before I went into it, and yet I read it anyway. God help her fans.
    • 4/5
      I was looking through my stacks of books yesterday for just a quick, fun read and I found it in my library stack. Avalon High is a young adult novel featuring Ellie, a high school junior who finds herself in a new school and in a new town while her parents are on sabbatical in Annapolis, Maryland. What she didn't expect was to be thrown into a story she was more than familiar with in the current time.Meg Cabot writes a really good young adult story in this one, it's clean and fun. Ellie is one of those ordinary girls who doesn't expect to stick out in a new school. She figures she will join the track team and just be an ordinary girl. But that isn't what happens. Within days of starting at Avalon High she is thrust in with the most popular boy in school, his best friend and his girlfriend. But things aren't always what they seem in this popular crowd.As Ellie tries to navigate her newfound somewhat popular status, the book develops and other questions begin to form. And all of this moves the book to it's conclusion.Characterization isn't deep - this is more plot driven, but you do learn about Ellie. The other characters are also enjoyable, Will, Lance, Jennifer, Marco and Mr. Morton all make great characters.All-in-all, it's a great fast-paced quick young adult read. I enjoyed it and will read more of Ms. Cabot's young adult titles (I believe I have read a lot of her adult titles). In fact I have The Princess Diaries in my library stack also. Read this one afternoon that you just want to read something quick and easy - no death, destruction or deep teenage thinking involved. And sometimes you need a book that is just that.
    • 4/5
      Fun, fast-paced and fluffy. I sort of enjoyed the Arthurian themes. It's one of those books that you happily read half-way through only to realise nothing has happened yet. Her chatty style makes the quick read a breeze.
    • 2/5
      Not one of the stronger Meg Cabots, but interesting take on the King Arthur love triangle.
    • 3/5
      Listened to the audiobook version. Reminded me a lot of Princess Diaries, it was rather vapid to start with, but the premise is awesome. King Arthur has been reincarnated and goes to Avalon High with his girlfriend Jennifer (modern form of Gweneviere) and Lance. His step-brother, Marco has always been a troublemaker. Ellie stumbles upon this convoluted plot where her lit teacher is trying to prevent the forces of darkness from interfering with Will (aka Arthur). Nearly everyone has a historic role to play, including Ellie, but still set in a modern day setting with ipods and cell phones. Cheeky and effervescent.
    • 5/5
      Avalon High by Meg Cabot has everything, drama, romance, reincarnations of kings and mythical creatures. I love how Meg Cabot worked the supernatural element into a real feeling high school setting.
    • 3/5
      I have three reasons why I bought this book:a) I love mythology in all shapes and forms.b) I have a fondness for YA.c) The cover is hot pink and sparkles.The story is: teenage girl moves to new town, meets hot boy, have some wacky adventures, discovers that something strange is going on.I found the first part very charming and delightful, the second part less so but still enjoyable. The main character and her love interest were both likeable and I really wanted them to get together.