book data
140 ratings, 3.69 average rating, 16 reviews
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published
May 1st 2006
(first published 1965)
by Chicago Review Press
binding
Paperback, 448 pages
characters
setting
The United Kingdom
isbn
1556526008
(isbn13: 9781556526008)
description
This saga of yearning and mystery travels across oceans and continents to Iceland, Greenland, and North America during the time in history when Anglo-...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 234)
I loved Avalon. It is not the best Anya Seton book (that honor goes to Katherine). However, for a book set in the Dark Ages, it is absolutely fantastic. Anya Seton did a fantastic job transplanting readers into a time about which we know little. I knew nothing going into the novel about the Saxon kings and the Vikings. Seton did a great job in helping readers understand how scary and uncertain this time period was. Seton also gives a fascinating look into Viking society, something I knew little ...more
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my mom requested me to find some books by this author because she's one of the best historical novelists out there. she also told me my grandma would read her books non-stop. so, this is the first one i found at the library. it's not about the traditional avalon but good nonetheless. it's about a strange time in history, during the reign of Edward and right when the Norse Vikings were invading Cornwall. i don't really know anything about the history of it, so i learned a lot from this book. well...more
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Read in November, 2008
I decided to read this book because I really enjoyed Anya Seton's book "Katherine". I didn't like this one nearly as well. Toward the end I just didn't care anymore what happened, I just wanted it to be over. I also had a hard time with the pronunciation of the names of some of the people and places. I wasn't sure how some names were pronounced and I would get bogged down in the story trying to figure out how they should sound. It wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but it was f...more
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Read in January, 2008
This is an older book, written in the 1960s I believe. I would probably have liked the book more if I hadn't been completely mistaken in what it would be about.
Avalon is a historical fiction, but NOT a historical romance. It takes two people, a man and a woman, and follows their lives from when they meet through the next 30 years or so. The man a real historical figure, but his existence and where he ends up is mostly all that is factual.
Avalon is a historical fiction, but NOT a historical romance. It takes two people, a man and a woman, and follows their lives from when they meet through the next 30 years or so. The man a real historical figure, but his existence and where he ends up is mostly all that is factual.
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Read in January, 2006
Very enjoyable. It was nice taking a travel through history in a period of time not so frequently written about. The up and down see saw of Merewyn's and Ruman's star crossed love was heartbreaking at times. I don't want to say more to give out the end.
It isn't Katherine by a long shot, but still a good read, and I would recommend to any lover of historical fiction.
It isn't Katherine by a long shot, but still a good read, and I would recommend to any lover of historical fiction.
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Read in August, 2008
Anya Seton is a great historical fiction writer. I loved the way this book brought to life 10th century England and the events leading up to William the Conqueror. The viking stuff was also very interesting. But it wasn't my favorite of hers. I didn't love the way it ended and I thought the main guy was a wuss. (Is that even how you spell wuss?)
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The copy I read was my mother's (even had a "dedication" to her above Anya Seton's author pic and info in the dust jacket). Also seems to be old enough not to have an ISBN but did have a LCCN listed (66-10215).
I read this way back while I was in high school. It was interesting but not what I'd been expecting from the description.
I read this way back while I was in high school. It was interesting but not what I'd been expecting from the description.
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Read in June, 2008
Another stellar book from Seton.I really can't say enough about this author.Set in the late 900's (yep,middle ages) this is the story of Merewyn ,decended from the vikings and the welsh, and Rumon, a Norman prince, the English Royalty,the Vikings, the settling of Greenland, and who REAlly discovered the Americas.
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Read in September, 2008
After reading Katherine by the same author and loving it I wanted to read another book by Anya Seton. It was not nearly as intriguing as Katherine. It took me quite awhile to read and I often got board as I read it. But I must persevere through a book even if I don't love it.
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Read in October, 2008
This was better than I thought it would be. At first I thought it would be dry, boring and not well written, but that wasn't the case. Even though this was written in the 1940s the writing was current for today.
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I liked this throughout reading it, but found that at the end it wasn't a book that I would go out of my way to read again. Nevertheless, Seton still has some of the best imagery I've found in her novels.
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Read in July, 2008
Ok so this was alot better than I thought. It looked good when I picked it up, but I didn'texpect it to be as good as it was. I definately recommend this book.
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Read in March, 2008
Not my favorite Anya Seton book, but it is great to experience history and other countries.
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I love historical novels and this one is set in the early middle ages. One of my favourites
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Read in March, 2008
Mayhaps my least favorite of Seton's writings. The story kinda dragged in several places.
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