The Arthurian legend is well-known by many, but in The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley approaches it in an entirely new way: from the perspective of the women involved in the story. We hear of Arthur's conception and birth from his mother, the courageous Igraine, and there are several scenes told from Guinevere's point of view, but the most intriguing and dominant character in the book is Morgaine, Igraine's first child, whose destiny lies not with the Christian future of England but on the enchanted isle of Avalon.
This hauntingly beautiful book spins a legend of the closing days of Avalon's rule, as paganism and worship of the Goddess give way to Christianity and its male God. Morgaine's tales of a life lived between the worlds of faerie and humanity, as she watches all the things she loves fade away into the mists, is tragic and moving, and will stay with the reader long after the tale closes.
The Mists of Avalon was almost 900 pages long! It took me a week and a half to read. It tells about the legendary Camelot - how it came to be and how it came to fall. It tells of Arthur's rise, Avalon's fall, and the many stories of Arthur's knights or "Companions" of the round table.
It was an interesting read. There was so much going on in this book. There were literally dozens of characters that played a vital part in this book, and sometimes it was hard to keep track of who was who. Basically it tells of the growing contention of Avalon and the Goddess and the new and upcoming power of Christianity and God. It all centers around Arthur, born of Avalon but raised Christian. What will he do as High King of Britain - will he honor his bloodline of Avalon or will he crush them with his new faith in God? Most of the story is told from the view of Morgaine, Arthur's half sister. They have a very unique relationship and the story revolves around them.
I am always interested in reading about Arthur and his Knights, so I was really excited to read this. It went into a lot of detail and showed me a different view of Arthur and Camelot. The ending was a little rough to get through, but for the most part, a good book.
Rating: 3.75/5
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