Reviews

The Blessing of Pan by Lord Dunsany

medusasrockgarden's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Never would I have believed that my first read of 2025 would be not only a classic, but a 98 year old classic by Lord Dunsany. 😱

At times the writing was stilted and the dialogue was choppy at best. But for the most part the prose in this was beautiful. If you like Tolkien, you'll probably enjoy this. And indeed, a lot of the descriptions in here had me thinking Tolkien was probably influenced by Dunsany. (Google says yes)

This next paragraph could be considered a spoiler, if not a super specific one. 

My disappointment with the way The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen ended had me expecting that this would also end in a similarly disappointing way. It did not. The ending was actually everything my Pagan heart could desire.

I'm now very interested in reading more from Dunsany. Words I never expected to write in my life, and yet here we are.

dragonantlers's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bookscatsandjazz's review against another edition

5.0

An engrossing and beautifully written tale of a vicar's increasingly lonesome struggle against a mysterious force creeping over his village. 

dancarey_404's review against another edition

3.0

I found it most interesting that, in the end, the vicar can only appeal to a sense of community rather than to the idea that his religion conforms to a metaphysical truth.