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A review by thebechdelbitch
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
adventurous
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
It's kind of impossible to divorce this book from the author's crimes but I decided to read it anyway as I was very intrigued - it was *almost* worth the cognitive dissonance. It's a great story, and very interesting to hear it from the women's perspectives, especially as someone who studied Mallory at uni/is a general mythology nerd/is a massive BBC Merlin stan.
But this book is also so goddamn long and it doesn't need to be! Especially when the world building is kind of non-existent and the whole thing reads a bit like a Medieval gossip column. Which, to be clear, is not a bad thing inherently. I loved all the bitching about Gwenyfhar, lusting after after Lancelet, the witchcraft was awesome and it's chock full of second wave feminism zingers.
Not a five star read but I did have a lot of fun.
But this book is also so goddamn long and it doesn't need to be! Especially when the world building is kind of non-existent and the whole thing reads a bit like a Medieval gossip column. Which, to be clear, is not a bad thing inherently. I loved all the bitching about Gwenyfhar, lusting after after Lancelet, the witchcraft was awesome and it's chock full of second wave feminism zingers.
Not a five star read but I did have a lot of fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest