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wazbar's review against another edition
The branches of the Mabinogi are short heroic legends about ancient wales. They whip ass and you can read a translation of them (I recommend the oxford classics one by Sioned Davies) in one sitting.
The 140 pages of this book I read adapted about four pages of one of the branches of the Mabinogi. She adds three things to account for this:
- filler description.
- self-conscious speculation ("we are not told..." "they do not say...").
- unselfconscious speculation about matrilineal, sexually progressive Picts (whom she identifies with Gwynedd) gradually adopting the patrilineal, sexually repressed culture of the Celts (Dyved).
The first two of these are tiresome and weaken the economy of language and action in the original. The third I find adds nothing to the story and is neither fitting with the actual history nor with the themes and preoccupations of the Mabinogi which are in themselves quite interesting.
Read the original (again, in the Oxford Classics version) and skip the Walton novelizations.
The 140 pages of this book I read adapted about four pages of one of the branches of the Mabinogi. She adds three things to account for this:
- filler description.
- self-conscious speculation ("we are not told..." "they do not say...").
- unselfconscious speculation about matrilineal, sexually progressive Picts (whom she identifies with Gwynedd) gradually adopting the patrilineal, sexually repressed culture of the Celts (Dyved).
The first two of these are tiresome and weaken the economy of language and action in the original. The third I find adds nothing to the story and is neither fitting with the actual history nor with the themes and preoccupations of the Mabinogi which are in themselves quite interesting.
Read the original (again, in the Oxford Classics version) and skip the Walton novelizations.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest
arthurbdd's review
2.0
Solid attempt at expanding the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi into a full-fledged novel, but Walton's personal additions to the story are a little infected with proto-New Ageisms which don't necessarily feel like they fit all that well. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2022/07/09/repairing-the-tapestry-of-the-mabinogion/
murmuration19's review against another edition
2.0
I'm not sure why, but I couldn't get into this one at all. Main characters were all pretty hateful and selfish, and I didn't like them or care about them. I much prefer Lloyd Alexander's Gwydion!
poirotketchup's review
4.0
An exciting adaptation of the fourth branch of the Mabinogi. Walton made it a blast to read, and contextualized it for a slightly less misogynistic audience without bowdlerizing or making it feel inauthentic. I'm ordering the other three parts to read soon!
swarmofbees's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
kaisermatthias's review
4.0
A satisfying reworking of Welsh legend. There are more than a few winks made at 20th century society in the narrative, but the spirit of ancient tales is strong with it. As with any adaptation of an oral narrative there are hook phrases which recur nearly constantly that kight make this a thoroughly enjoyable audio book if someone had the time and grasp of Welsh pronunciations.
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