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A review by winterscape
Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
4.0
About halfway through Mythago Wood, I became frustrated. I loved (what I thought was) the premise: two adult sons bonding over the journal of their now-deceased father and uncovering the mysteries that he had been trying to unlock in the primeval forest adjacent to their childhood home.
That is NOT what Mythago Wood is, and I had been planning on griping here about all the ways it deviated from this vision I had in my head. But as I read on, I eventually got some of what I wanted, my irritation wavered, and I began to enjoy the book for what it is.
And there is a lot to like here. Lovers of myth should definitely pick this one up. Mythago Wood touches on the ideas of Joseph Campbell and universal myth cycles in a very unique way, with myth creation becoming something that happens in real time, but still mixed with the collective beliefs of civilizations that may only exist in memory. In practice, this brings mythology, fantasy, horror, and historical fiction together to make a great case for reading more by this author.
Another big plus is the setting, of course. I think this may be the best instance I’ve come across in fantasy of the ancient, magic woods, barring Mirkwood. The sense of adventure, shadowed threat, and a deep, wild power is very present and I will most likely read the next books in the series just for this setting alone.
The epistolary/journal entry device also adds so much to the sense of mystery, as well as the time period of post-war Britain. I would probably also stay up by torchlight to sneak glances at my travelling companion’s journal...
Historical settings, too, this book has it all. After having visited Ireland, and the Neolithic tombs in particular, the inclusion of elements of that culture (though small) was a lot of fun. Roman roads and Viking villages—you never know what could come next.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, these things that make it great are lost in a slumping middle that deals with the development of a romance plot. While it does play an extremely important role in the narrative, I think it didn’t have to, and I wasn’t expecting it going in. There were (a million) more interesting ways to explore the setting with these characters, but even if I accept the love story, the way that it involves a female character whose role is solely, it seems, to be fallen in love with by every male member of the same family is off-putting to say the least. The description of her as both child-like and exuding sexuality was also disturbing. I think I can see the mythic cycle idea behind the inclusion of an irresistible maiden character, but it could have been handled better, both in terms of character development and tightening up the writing in the middle.
All that is to say, however, that the best parts do come after this slightly disappointing mid-life crisis, so I came out the other end feeling ready for more of Ryhope Wood.
That is NOT what Mythago Wood is, and I had been planning on griping here about all the ways it deviated from this vision I had in my head. But as I read on, I eventually got some of what I wanted, my irritation wavered, and I began to enjoy the book for what it is.
And there is a lot to like here. Lovers of myth should definitely pick this one up. Mythago Wood touches on the ideas of Joseph Campbell and universal myth cycles in a very unique way, with myth creation becoming something that happens in real time, but still mixed with the collective beliefs of civilizations that may only exist in memory. In practice, this brings mythology, fantasy, horror, and historical fiction together to make a great case for reading more by this author.
Another big plus is the setting, of course. I think this may be the best instance I’ve come across in fantasy of the ancient, magic woods, barring Mirkwood. The sense of adventure, shadowed threat, and a deep, wild power is very present and I will most likely read the next books in the series just for this setting alone.
The epistolary/journal entry device also adds so much to the sense of mystery, as well as the time period of post-war Britain. I would probably also stay up by torchlight to sneak glances at my travelling companion’s journal...
Historical settings, too, this book has it all. After having visited Ireland, and the Neolithic tombs in particular, the inclusion of elements of that culture (though small) was a lot of fun. Roman roads and Viking villages—you never know what could come next.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, these things that make it great are lost in a slumping middle that deals with the development of a romance plot. While it does play an extremely important role in the narrative, I think it didn’t have to, and I wasn’t expecting it going in. There were (a million) more interesting ways to explore the setting with these characters, but even if I accept the love story, the way that it involves a female character whose role is solely, it seems, to be fallen in love with by every male member of the same family is off-putting to say the least. The description of her as both child-like and exuding sexuality was also disturbing. I think I can see the mythic cycle idea behind the inclusion of an irresistible maiden character, but it could have been handled better, both in terms of character development and tightening up the writing in the middle.
All that is to say, however, that the best parts do come after this slightly disappointing mid-life crisis, so I came out the other end feeling ready for more of Ryhope Wood.