Hardcover, 876 pages
English language
Published January 1983 by Alfred A. Knopf.
IN THIS HUGE, enthralling novel, the legend of King Arthur is for the first time told through the lives, the visions, the perceptions of the women central to it. For the first time, the Arthurian world of Avalon and Camelot with all its passions and adventures — the world that, through the centuries, each generation has re-created in countless works of fiction, poetry, and drama — is revealed as it might have been experienced by its heroines: by Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife (here called Gwenhwyfar); by Igraine, his mother; by Viviane, the majestic Lady of the Lake, High Priestess of Avalon; and, most important, by Arthur's sister, Morgan, who has come down to us as Morgan of the Faeries, as Morgan le Fay — as sorceress, as witch — and who in this epic retelling of the story plays a crucial role both in Arthur's crowning and destruction. Above all …
IN THIS HUGE, enthralling novel, the legend of King Arthur is for the first time told through the lives, the visions, the perceptions of the women central to it. For the first time, the Arthurian world of Avalon and Camelot with all its passions and adventures — the world that, through the centuries, each generation has re-created in countless works of fiction, poetry, and drama — is revealed as it might have been experienced by its heroines: by Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife (here called Gwenhwyfar); by Igraine, his mother; by Viviane, the majestic Lady of the Lake, High Priestess of Avalon; and, most important, by Arthur's sister, Morgan, who has come down to us as Morgan of the Faeries, as Morgan le Fay — as sorceress, as witch — and who in this epic retelling of the story plays a crucial role both in Arthur's crowning and destruction. Above all it is a story of profound conflict between Christianity and the old religion of Avalon.
Guinevere is the Christian — first seen as an exquisite white and gold child, weeping, lost in the mists of Avalon. Dutifully married to Arthur, she is deeply in love with Lancelot, and fails with the direst of consequences to bear her husband a son. It is her uncompromising piety that draws Arthur, and all of Britain, under the powerful sway of the Christian priests, despite Arthur's sacred oath to uphold the old religion of Avalon.
Morgan is Guinevere's foil; ardent, intense in her loves and loyalties. A priestess of Avalon and possessed of the Sight, she is a tormented woman, torn by unrequited love for Lancelot and by failures as mother, sister, and wife. Consecrated Maiden of the Great Marriage, which binds the King to his Kingdom, it is her tragic and heroic fate to bring about the downfall of her brother, lover, foe — Arthur, who betrays Avalon and their past for a Christian future.
It is Morgan's vision that most powerfully colors this retelling. It is her voice, speaking for the ancient ways and for the Earth itself, that we hear at climactic moments as the great Arthurian drama in all its richness unfolds — from Igraine's marriage; to Uther and the birth of Arthur to the mysterious intervention of Viviane, to the glories and treacheries of Arthur's kingship, the heroic deeds of Gawaine and his fellow Companions of the Round Table, the wisdom of the Merlin, the fatal ambition of Mordred, the slow but irreversible decline of Avalon.
As we follow her progress and Guinevere's — and that of the immense cast of characters who surround them — from their childhoods to the fulfillments of their destinies, we follow as well the destiny of Britain. With all the magic conviction and resonance of ballad and ancient lore, The Mists of Avalon evokes a Britain both real and legendary - from its desperate wars for survival against the Saxon invader to the glory of Camelot and a world at peace, to the tragedies that accompany the death of Arthur and the destruction of the mythic radiance he embodied.
Igraine, Viviane, Guinevere, Morgan. It is the strength and appeal of this book that their lives and feelings reveal the legend of Arthur as if it were new, and, at the same time, allow us to read it with spontaneous recognition and sympathy. In The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley gives us at once a superb rendering of pure story, a re-creation of legend, and a brilliant addition to the literature of Arthur.
Ausführliche Rezension unter downatharrys.de/marion-zimmer-bradley-die-nebel-von-avalon
This was my father's book. He said his mother read King Arthur stories to him as a child, I wish I knew which ones. For me the most interesting connection to my world is the idea that our collective and even individual beliefs shape our shared reality. The religious and political dimension of the story is a battle for mindshare where power flows toward the most influential zealots and extremists, remaking the world. There were a lot of other dimensions too, making it a more thought provoking read than I expected.
Really exceptional. I’m not sure that a novel has ever surpassed my expectations as much as this one did.
A very detailed retelling of the legend of King Arthur, viewed entirely through the eyes of the women in the legends. Puts an interesting spin on the story reading it from the opposite than normal perspective; reminded me a bit of Atwood's Penelopiad in that way.
Bradley has clearly done a staggering amount of research, because whether or not you like her new story version, you can't create a detailed revision like that without first knowing the source material inside and out.
Notes for the reader: The first hundred pages has a plot. The other 500 hundred are sex scenes smeared with talk of sex and no remaining plot. By page 250, every paragraph is about sex. The plot is lost.
It destroys any beauty in ancient myths and legends. If you enjoyed King Author's myths and histories, don't read this! At least she changed the names a bit, so maybe people can re-read the King Author stories without the taste of bile in their mouths.
Just because it's popular to write mixed gender porn, doesn't mean it's necessary.
It would have been nice to read a novel from the females of the time's point of view. They thought about far more than sex!
What ages would I recommend it too? Only those who are comfortable reading about sex, rape, and incest.
Length? Many days.
Characters? Memorable, several characters.
Setting? Fantasy.
Written …
Notes for the reader: The first hundred pages has a plot. The other 500 hundred are sex scenes smeared with talk of sex and no remaining plot. By page 250, every paragraph is about sex. The plot is lost.
It destroys any beauty in ancient myths and legends. If you enjoyed King Author's myths and histories, don't read this! At least she changed the names a bit, so maybe people can re-read the King Author stories without the taste of bile in their mouths.
Just because it's popular to write mixed gender porn, doesn't mean it's necessary.
It would have been nice to read a novel from the females of the time's point of view. They thought about far more than sex!
What ages would I recommend it too? Only those who are comfortable reading about sex, rape, and incest.
Length? Many days.
Characters? Memorable, several characters.
Setting? Fantasy.
Written approximately? 1982.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? This book return to the used books store.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Find the plot. Reduce the sex scenes to the minimum necessary. Allow the characters to be believable.
Short storyline: Females in King Author's life and their porn tales.
I'd forgotten a lot of this story, so this time through was like reading it for the first time. This book remains one of my favorites. Not because of the writing, or the plot/pace (it flounders a bit towards the end) but because it tells a story that endures at the heart of my inner life and truth.
I enjoyed this telling of the "Arthurian Legend" more than the others that I have read (Once and Future King, White; and Story of King Arthur and His Knights, Pyle). Boring tales of knights fighting for their king, winning over beautiful maidens, and questing have left me tired of the genre....
This telling is dark, real, and touching. I felt the despair of the characters, especially Morgaine. Refreshing, actually.
Not being a huge fan of the Arthurian mythology, I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I was actually ready to give it 5 stars after the first 3/4 -- it's well-written, complex and compelling. I had a hard time putting it down for the first 700 pages or so, but I found Book Four kind of disjointed and disappointing.
I think this translation was a bit over my head. I couldn't get caught up in the story due to constantly having to lookup french words that I didn't know. So, I've decided to table it, and try a book that was written in French originally instead.
Thanks to Erica in college, whose last name I forgot, who gave me this splendid book...
