【 THE MISTS OF AVALON 】

Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley
Published: December 1982
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 1009 (paperback)

I’m in two minds about how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I’m impressed by the scale of the story and by some of the best character development I’ve ever read. On the other hand, knowing the history and serious allegations against the author has seriously tainted my reading experience. That, and the fact that by the fourth book (as this is a bind up of books 1-4), I found things edged toward tedious.

I won’t discuss the grim side of things relating to the author in this review. I had already begun reading when I found out about it, and in all honesty, if I’d known beforehand, I most likely would have never read this. So, moving on.

This behemoth (1000 pages!) of a book had been on my radar for a while and when it came up as available through the Audible library – narrated by none other than the love of my life, Davina Porter (who also narrates all the Outlander books) – I was very excited to dive in. Being an Arthurian legend retelling, I was eager to know more about this myth.

Not to say that this is a source to refer back to about the myth, but I haven’t really read many Arthurian retellings. And who doesn’t love those? They’re so romantic. And goddamn, was this complex. This is hands-down a character-driven story, so my review will focus mostly on my thoughts on the characters.

The book essentially spans multiple generations over the course of the 4 books, but I would say about 80% of the story follows Morgaine. Morgaine was a wonderful character; she went through many highs and many, many lows. The frustration she feels at various times of being trapped on the path of fate destined for her was palpable. And I loved the way we grew as a reader alongside her in maturity as the chapters/years passed. In particular, how torn she is about her place in Avalon and her longing for a real sense of home/belonging, was both strong and never overtly touted. She’s elegantly written, IMO.

Gwen (don’t make me spell it for realsies) was an absolute b*tch. Holy wow. I hated her so much. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to like or dislike any characters in particular throughout this story – it very much so feels like a social experiment where the author intended to analyse the many roles women play within society, and it felt like that was done so spectacularly by examining each facet through a different character. And Gwen was a jealous over-thinker who was insufferably sweet and absolutely a single-minded cow. And yet, I really enjoyed that about the character because I think it’s quite brave to centre so much of a story (Gwen plays a significant role/POV) on a character who is extremely difficult to like. Ballsy.

Arthur was almost hilariously a side note to the story. Seeing as this book tells the tales from female-only perspectives, he comes across as a puppet – or maybe just as a people pleaser would be kinder – and certainly not the powerhouse behind the kingdom he secures. Gwen probably should take props for that, along with Morgaine.

Lancelot was ever-increasingly difficult to like, for me. He’s the romantic sweetheart, sure. But the constant warring of his heart and intentions, which annoyed the sh*t out of Morgaine (and therefore me) when it came to Gwen, was tiresome. The pretty boy needed to be sent on a quest to get out of everyone’s hair; on that, I was 100% in agreance with Morgaine.

And there are many other characters to discuss, too. But I’ll leave them for you to discover and enjoy. Each one brings something totally unique to the story. I find myself exhausted at the end, having invested so much in them all, and having ridden the waves of success and failure alongside them. The book is nothing if not immersive.

Without turning this into an essay, I think my main takeaway is that while this is a long story, and one tainted by the real-life implications of the author’s life, it’s something special. This was *epic* in proportion for exploring the Arthurian legend in a way that made it feel like the OG thing. This was *epic* in the way the characters were built up and fully formed. And this was *epic* in the complex way each character represents a slither of the human soul and way we treat each other.

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Title: The Mists of Avalon
Author: Marion Zimmer Bradley
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The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur’s throne.

“A monumental reimagining of the Arthurian legends . . . reading it is a deeply moving and at times uncanny experience. . . . An impressive achievement.”—The New York Times Book Review

In Marion Zimmer Bradley’s masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot’s court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king’s rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us.

As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur’s kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds’ and old and new religions’ claims its most famous victim.