The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton, Jess Nahikian

The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly

by Jamie Pacton and Jess Nahikian

Working as a wench-i.e. waitress-at a cheesy medieval-themed restaurant in the Chicago suburbs, Kit Sweetly dreams of being a knight like her brother. She has the moves, is capable on a horse, and desperately needs the raise that comes with knighthood, so she can help her mom pay the mortgage and hold a spot at her dream college.

Company policy allows only guys to be knights. So when Kit takes her brother's place and reveals her identity at the end of the show, she rockets into internet fame and a whole lot of trouble with the management. But the Girl Knight won't go down without a fight. As other wenches join her quest, a protest forms. In a joust before Castle executives, they'll prove that gender restrictions should stay medieval-if they don't get fired first.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

4 of 5 stars

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Rating: 3.5 Stars

Kit's family has always struggled to get by, and now, she hoped to go to college, which would require even more money. She loved working at the Castle, but wanted to move into a role, where she would be able to make more money. A role, such as that of a knight. Though she could competently be a knight, she would never be considered for the job, because of strict gender requirements at the Castle. This Girl Knight found the policy unfair, and was ready to fight for equality. Ready or not, Castle corporate, here she comes!

I will admit, the primary reason I wanted to read this book was the setting. A theme restaurant sounded like a place with so many fun possibilities, and I was not disappointed there. Pacton let us spend quite a bit of time in and around the Castle, even taking us behind the curtain, and I enjoyed it. She captured the energy and chaos, and really showed us the ups and downs of "the business".

I also loved all the characters. There was the star, Kit, who was an immediate hit with me. She was amusing, and her love of history put her on the right side of nerdy (as far as I'm concerned). I actually enjoyed, when she would drop some historical knowledge on me, and found it quite interesting. I admired her passion, perseverance, and the way she took up the fight for equality. She never gave up, even when the cards were stacked against her.

Kit also recruited some fantastic members of her Castle family to help fight the good fight with her. This group was interesting and diverse, and each person brought something to the table. Some of my favorite parts of this book were when they were all on page together. I not only enjoyed watching them practice their fighting skills, but I liked their interactions in general. They were definitely the found-family type of friends, who were willing to go that extra mile for each other, and that is always the best sort of friend.

I am ever down for an uprising to effect change, and don't we all want endless possibilities regardless of our gender identity? Though the book went a little darker than I anticipated, I really enjoyed the focus on family, friendship, and the fight for equality.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 April, 2020: Finished reading
  • 18 April, 2020: Reviewed