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amywoolsey_93's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
macclown's review
4.0
So admittedly I only read this because I watched The Green Knight (2021) and became obsessed, so obviously I had to go out and read the original story!
Overall a great little story, it's got magic and adventure and twists. If you're a fan of old mythology, especially the legends of King Arthur, this would be a great read for you.
This was a lot more bright and happy than the film, which to me was a bit of a downgrade. To be expected though! The old English was also a bit of a chore to get through sometimes.
This specific version has several introductions and notes from David Lowery, the writer and director of the film, and I found them actually quite interesting. He covers where the poem came from, notes on the translation, and what drew him to make this poem into a film.
Overall a solid little classic!
Overall a great little story, it's got magic and adventure and twists. If you're a fan of old mythology, especially the legends of King Arthur, this would be a great read for you.
This was a lot more bright and happy than the film, which to me was a bit of a downgrade. To be expected though! The old English was also a bit of a chore to get through sometimes.
This specific version has several introductions and notes from David Lowery, the writer and director of the film, and I found them actually quite interesting. He covers where the poem came from, notes on the translation, and what drew him to make this poem into a film.
Overall a solid little classic!
vampyrrhic's review
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kayalilyhayes's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trueaxio's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jubbygestalt's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a great and easily accessible translation of the poem. It gave me many ideas for what to read next.
cstefko's review
4.0
4 stars
I did not love the pacing of this classic poem (which feels wrong, since that would seem to go against the oral poem tradition...), but the story is enjoyable, and tbh, it's worth reading for one specific line near the beginning of the segment at the lord's house (I won't give it away so you can experience it yourself). I quite literally gasped in delight. To elaborate on my pacing quibble, I didn't like that the aforementioned segment drags on for so long (and gets repetitive) compared to the other settings in the poem, but part of that could be that I watched the recent film adaptation first and it adds in a few scenes that aren't in the original poem. On that note, it made me appreciate the film more, because it feels more expansive and rich with detail. I also preferred how the film handled the ending.
I did not love the pacing of this classic poem (which feels wrong, since that would seem to go against the oral poem tradition...), but the story is enjoyable, and tbh, it's worth reading for one specific line near the beginning of the segment at the lord's house (I won't give it away so you can experience it yourself). I quite literally gasped in delight. To elaborate on my pacing quibble, I didn't like that the aforementioned segment drags on for so long (and gets repetitive) compared to the other settings in the poem, but part of that could be that I watched the recent film adaptation first and it adds in a few scenes that aren't in the original poem. On that note, it made me appreciate the film more, because it feels more expansive and rich with detail. I also preferred how the film handled the ending.
yennsciri's review
adventurous
challenging
read in conjunction with Tolkien’s translation. it’s very cool to read a story so old that inspired my all time favorite movie. this version of the text is much more accessible and almost acted as my translation to Tolkien’s translation. it was much more straightforward (lacking the lyricism and poetic nature of the other) and read closer to fiction. i enjoyed it. but if you’re looking for something truer to original form i would recommend Tolkien’s.