The Mists of Avalon (Avalon, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Aug 26, 2014 Kelley J rated it it was ok

I really had a difficult time deciding how I felt about this book so I decided an explanation for my rating of two stars was necessary.

I was really excited about the idea of reading the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the women. I especially like taking a classic villain and telling the story from their perspective and making them more sympathetic. I thought Morgaine was a wonderfully fleshed out and complex character and her transition from loving sister to priestess of Avalon to I really had a difficult time deciding how I felt about this book so I decided an explanation for my rating of two stars was necessary.

I was really excited about the idea of reading the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the women. I especially like taking a classic villain and telling the story from their perspective and making them more sympathetic. I thought Morgaine was a wonderfully fleshed out and complex character and her transition from loving sister to priestess of Avalon to conflicted wanderer to defender of the faith was well done and believable.

I also really liked how this book incorporated the gradual overthrow of Paganism by Christianity. The book takes place over the course of 50-60 years so Bradley really does paint an interesting picture of how two conflicting beliefs (one old and one new) would ultimately end in the destruction of one. And all of this plays out piece by piece over the course of the story. Those little details really added to the effect and by the time the story concludes you fully understand just how it all came to be. The magic of Avalon is its own character in the book and really comes to life on the page so I found I was rooting for it more than I was the actual people.

My main complaint with this book is that it is so freaking repetitive. Like I said above, it takes the place over the course of 50-60 years. And since it’s told from the perspective of the women, all of the battle action we get from the story of King Arthur takes place in the background. The lives of women during this time period were extremely boring and we spend a majority of the book rehashing the same things over and over and over again. Morgaine is attracted to Lancelet but he doesn’t reciprocate. She strongly believes in the magic of Avalon but hates being its pawn. She loves her brother and wants him to succeed but not at the expense of their beliefs. Now take these three sentences and repeat at every single setting of this book. This is how it is for every single character.

Gwenywyfar is in love with Lancelet but Arthur is such a good and kind man she can’t bear to betray him. She thinks her feelings are sinful and God is punishing her by making her barren. She is annoyingly pious. She hates Morgaine but she loves Morgaine.

Lancelet is beautiful and every woman wants him. He only wants Gwenywyfar and maybe Arthur. Arthur is his best friend though so he can’t betray him either. He’s totally in love with Arthur.

Arthur is so good, so kind, so just, so dull. He wants his wife to be happy. He wants his sister to be happy. He wants his best buddy to be happy. He wants the Saxons to be happy. He wants everyone in all the land to just be happy.

Mordred is evil. He has no internal conflict. He is just mad and bad and is perfectly fine with that.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

In just a few paragraphs I have summed up the main points of every single internal conflict and monologue that takes place over the course of this book. The locations change, the characters age, but it’s still these same issues on constant loop. As a result, I felt like this book never really went anywhere. There is build up for a climax that never shows up. Gwenywyfar can think about not being pregnant for about 50 pages while an actual fight between Arthur and Accolon (one that takes place in the fairy kingdom, no less) isn’t even witnessed by the reader and is explained away in two sentences.

I wanted to like this book more than I did and there are things about this book that have stayed with me that I truly do love. I would even recommend this book to someone provided I knew them and their tastes well. Or if I didn’t like them and wanted to tell them so in a subtle way. In the end I’m really glad I read it but I will never pick it up again.
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Mar 05, 2009 Ketutar Jensen rated it it was amazing

This book was a "Bible" to me. I love Arthur legends and at this time I read everything that had anything to do with Arthur, and I love the witchy feminism theme in the book. ...more

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Jan 22, 2011 Jen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011, sistership, mine

This book had a lot of everything in it... it was so very refreshing to see the king arthur story in a lady's point of view. this was not a book to put aside without lots of afterthought. ...more

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