Andrea Hopkins has created an anthology showing Guinevere's complexity of character. With excerpts from the most authoritative medieval sources as well as Tennyson's Victorian epic, accompanied by a plethora of manuscript illuminations and Pre-Raphaelite paintings, a completely different picture of Guinevere emerges. Her legendary love affair is not downplayed; however, the other previously ignored aspects of her life brought to light in this volume reveal a richly textured woman who is a far cry from the one dimensional paper doll usually placed by King Arthur's side and in Sir Lancelot's bed.

The Book of Guinevere is divided into eight main parts, each focused on a different facet of her life. These are Guinevere the Young Queen and Bride, Guinevere the Victim of Abduction, Guinevere the Courtly and Gracious Queen, Guinevere the Lover, Guinevere Falsely Accused, Guinevere the Jealous Harpy, Guinevere Noble in Adversity, and, of course, the Fall of Guinevere. There is a very good introduction, and an index, a short glossary, and a bibliography for further reading are included. This book is lavishly illustrated with pictures from a variety of sources.