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135 reviews for:
The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to the Once and Future King
T.H. White
3.56 AVERAGE
135 reviews for:
The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to the Once and Future King
T.H. White
3.56 AVERAGE
I remain unimpressed with the entire Once and Future King series. I love Arthurian legends, but I just can't stomach all the stupid philosophy and the ramblings about nothing. If only White would just tell a story! But no, he has to go off on these rabbit trails of stupidity.
I wouldn't mind so much, if only his philosophy made any kind of sense! There's no logic or common sense to it at all! It's like White just strung a bunch of words together and called it a belief system. Don't try to tell me that children are wiser than adults. Have you ever actually met a child? Don't write on and on about fascism and communism and socialism and capitalism, as if any of those things had any bearing on Arthur and his story, and then try to tell me that if ants were the perfect communists there wouldn't be any wars.
The only part of this entire book that I like is the part with the geese. I think that is the only part that Arthur liked too. Poor old Arthur, they make him sit through those interminable speeches of Merlyn's, and none of it makes any kind of sense to anyone.
I'm so glad to be done with this stupid series. I only forced myself to read through it all, because it's such an iconic retelling of the Arthurian legend.
I wouldn't mind so much, if only his philosophy made any kind of sense! There's no logic or common sense to it at all! It's like White just strung a bunch of words together and called it a belief system. Don't try to tell me that children are wiser than adults. Have you ever actually met a child? Don't write on and on about fascism and communism and socialism and capitalism, as if any of those things had any bearing on Arthur and his story, and then try to tell me that if ants were the perfect communists there wouldn't be any wars.
The only part of this entire book that I like is the part with the geese. I think that is the only part that Arthur liked too. Poor old Arthur, they make him sit through those interminable speeches of Merlyn's, and none of it makes any kind of sense to anyone.
I'm so glad to be done with this stupid series. I only forced myself to read through it all, because it's such an iconic retelling of the Arthurian legend.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have four chapters left of this book and it is terrible. I don't understand a darn thing about it! No plot at all, Arthur is a communist ant and then a peaceful goose! I'm only a kid though and havent read once and future king. Thats why its so confusing probably. Advice to British Literature students dont choose this book for a project, BIG mistake!Finished It and it was terrible just like I found out four chapters before the end!~
This is just wonderful - sad and touching and hopeful all at once. The part where Arthur spends time with the geese, and also his quiet wait through the night staring down at his kingdom are both excellently done, but credit here also has to go to the illustrator. Trevor Stubley's drawings are fantastic, and are frequently as effective as the text - the double page of an ancient Arthur trying to hold back a rain of spears is just painfully good.
It's an odd mixture, this little book - a fitting end to the series I think, though it's been a long while since I read the first four books. It's quirky and funny and horrifying, it's tragic and sad and extremely referential both for historical and current events ("current" being at the time of writing, i.e. during WW2). And it manages to be all these things without coming over-strained, though I admit that Merlyn walks a very fine line here and I'm on the cusp of thinking that White has tried a little too hard with him. Still, overall it's well worth reading, and is certainly compulsively readable.
It's an odd mixture, this little book - a fitting end to the series I think, though it's been a long while since I read the first four books. It's quirky and funny and horrifying, it's tragic and sad and extremely referential both for historical and current events ("current" being at the time of writing, i.e. during WW2). And it manages to be all these things without coming over-strained, though I admit that Merlyn walks a very fine line here and I'm on the cusp of thinking that White has tried a little too hard with him. Still, overall it's well worth reading, and is certainly compulsively readable.
adventurous
reflective
sad
slow-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
This was...not great. The Arthur/Merlyn bit was a barely constructed frame for White’s philosophical and political conversations. I do like the hedgehog though.
I felt like it definitely showed where White died before disentangling all the threads. After reflecting for nearly 100 pages on the complex nature of humanity, and the inability to solve War via any form of politics, suddenly a political answer presented itself in the late act and all was buttoned up neatly. In the future I'll happily stick to the tetralogy.
Comienza donde termina Camelot (The Once and Future King).
Mayormente este libro es una última reunión de Arturo con Merlin junto con otros animales, algunos ya conocidos, en donde discuten básicamente en si fue correcta la forma en que Merlin enseñó sobre la vida a Arturo cuando éste era Verruga.
El comentario del editor creo que ayuda bastante cuando leemos los diálogos de Merlin, (ya que yo, por lo menos, quería juzgarlo constantemente) quien tiene una postura en contra de la raza humana, porque nos cuenta de cómo era White (su miedo a la raza humana, que eso condujo a que tenga ira contra la humanidad) y como éste se ve reflejado en Merlin.
El último capitulo fue una maravilla y creo que fue esto lo que me hizo querer ponerle cuatro estrellas.
Mayormente este libro es una última reunión de Arturo con Merlin junto con otros animales, algunos ya conocidos, en donde discuten básicamente en si fue correcta la forma en que Merlin enseñó sobre la vida a Arturo cuando éste era Verruga.
El comentario del editor creo que ayuda bastante cuando leemos los diálogos de Merlin, (ya que yo, por lo menos, quería juzgarlo constantemente) quien tiene una postura en contra de la raza humana, porque nos cuenta de cómo era White (su miedo a la raza humana, que eso condujo a que tenga ira contra la humanidad) y como éste se ve reflejado en Merlin.
El último capitulo fue una maravilla y creo que fue esto lo que me hizo querer ponerle cuatro estrellas.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
reading this made me feel like terence hanbury white dropped a comically large anvil on my head like in a cartoon. badger is an anticapitalist king.