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jade's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
lyssa_books's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
zoes_human's review against another edition
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
This was all a bit Disney for me to begin with, but the decision to DNF came when I hit the THIRD casually racist comment about Native Americans. This is an Arthurian legend set in motherfucking England. What kind of effort of will does one need to slam Native Americans repeatedly in it?
Anyway, there are loads of Arthur retellings out there. I'm moving on.
(NOTE: According to another reviewer, there's an n-word in a rant by a *checks notes* deranged bird later in the book. Why??!!)
Anyway, there are loads of Arthur retellings out there. I'm moving on.
(NOTE: According to another reviewer, there's an n-word in a rant by a *checks notes* deranged bird later in the book. Why??!!)
rachelcdm's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This is a hard one for me to review.
I both really enjoyed it and found it rather dull in equal measure you see. (I actually paused reading it to read an Emily Henry book halfway through.)
I think part of the issue is, that as much as I am a big fan of Arthurian mythology, this is clearly a book aimed very specifically at outdoors-y boys and I am neither a boy nor particularly outdoors-y. Then coupled with the fact that this is now a rather old book filled with some dubious terminology and over-descriptive prose, it made some of the reading experience quite tedious. (Much turning into of animals and a few long parables thrown in.)
That being said, this book is cracking with creativity and humour. It has a really interesting narrative voice and some really fun concepts and mini-adventures. Merlyn is a hoot and the castle feels like a real place. I know TH White was one of the forefathers of modern fantasy - and it shows! He sprinkles information throughout the book so it’s almost teaching history as well at points, and there’s a real warmth to Wart and the experiences he goes through.
Then there’s the fact that my love and knowledge Disney adaptation gives the book a very nostalgic feel…
So it’s hard to rate, and I can’t decide if I’m going to read the rest - I may have to come back to it! This is a classic that has shaped Arthur’s legend so much so that I imagine many only know this version. And when a book is that impactful, really who cares what I think?
I both really enjoyed it and found it rather dull in equal measure you see. (I actually paused reading it to read an Emily Henry book halfway through.)
I think part of the issue is, that as much as I am a big fan of Arthurian mythology, this is clearly a book aimed very specifically at outdoors-y boys and I am neither a boy nor particularly outdoors-y. Then coupled with the fact that this is now a rather old book filled with some dubious terminology and over-descriptive prose, it made some of the reading experience quite tedious. (Much turning into of animals and a few long parables thrown in.)
That being said, this book is cracking with creativity and humour. It has a really interesting narrative voice and some really fun concepts and mini-adventures. Merlyn is a hoot and the castle feels like a real place. I know TH White was one of the forefathers of modern fantasy - and it shows! He sprinkles information throughout the book so it’s almost teaching history as well at points, and there’s a real warmth to Wart and the experiences he goes through.
Then there’s the fact that my love and knowledge Disney adaptation gives the book a very nostalgic feel…
So it’s hard to rate, and I can’t decide if I’m going to read the rest - I may have to come back to it! This is a classic that has shaped Arthur’s legend so much so that I imagine many only know this version. And when a book is that impactful, really who cares what I think?
kalisaur's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
mary_juleyre's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-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? Yes
2.0
alireuter's review against another edition
2.75
I’ve always loved the arthurian legends (stemming from the uk show merlin) & this was a good book to show the origin stories of arthur & merlin. i was surprised by the structure; it being more of a collection of short stories rather than a linear plot & it some ways i think this worked however i would i’ve preferred the traditional choice. this is especially clear in the random six year jump at the end of the book so the character i had been learning to understand may have completely changed without my knowledge, limiting my perception of arthur as a whole. what also annoyed me is that the actual plot that i had been waiting for did not happen until the last fifteen pages & was also not explored further at all. i get that this is the first of a series & also a children’s book but it just irritated me. i think the best part of the book was when robin hood & maid marian showed up for a few chapters. does anyone know where camelot is supposed to reside? i want to learn more of arthurian legends but perhaps not through this series…
nolemdaer's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I had to read this for class and, seeing as it was seemingly written for little British boys living in the 1930s (and I am none of these things), there was little to interest or delight me. We meandered through random interactions that were either a classic 1930s-British racist or concerned things like jousting and knighthood that I'd rather not read about, with Hitchhiker's Guide-brand humor that didn't hit for me. The bits with animals were sometimes beautiful or tender, and the ending (despite myself!) lowkey made me emotional, but this was so not my thing.