A review by jane_carney
The Once and Future King by T.H. White

adventurous funny reflective medium-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

5.0

This book, and I mean this genuinely, might be among my favorite works of political theology. It's so funny and charming and full of the classic British understatement that it's easy to miss the social and political commentary (or that commentary is too jokingly on-the-nose or oversimplified to seem serious), but it is a truly incisive and brilliant bit of critical theory. The theological tones are similar--often joking (and joking well, I might add--White is hilarious) but with an underlying deep understanding of human nature. That human understanding shows itself in his emotionally rich and deeply lovable characters.  Arthur's willful ignorance, Lancelot's guilty virtue, and Guinevere's serene, twofold devotion form the core of the book, but Elaine, Gawain, Agravaine, and Pellinore (just to name a few) as as unforgettably charming as the love triangle. Overall, an excellent read on every level.