Comments on: The Mists of Avalon Reviewed

By: Raksha The Demon

Raksha The Demon — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:50:10 +0000

MISTS OF AVALON has never been one of my favorite books by the late great Marion Zimmer Bradley. I have never defined myself as a feminist; and look more for a good story than an advancement of political views. The idea of the Arthurian saga that focussed on the women in Arthur’s life had potential, but MZB lost me with her characterisation of Guenivere (spelling’s probably wrong), who seemed to be a silly little twit, notable only for her beauty. I remember that my favorite part of the book was the pagan rite that produced Mordred, a scene of great power and then tragedy when Morgaine realizes she’s been set up with Arthur.

It’s a good novel, but not, in my view, outstanding. I much preferred some of MZB’s Darkover novels, or her fantasy novel based on the opera ‘The Magic Flute’ – I think it’s called NIGHT’S DAUGHTER, and I like it very much (never critiqued or dissected it, though)…

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:21:29 +0000

French Pony and Oshun: I agree with both of you that the book had it’s rough spots, and also that I couldn’t put it down. There was one particular section that dragged a lot (can’t remember it offhand) where I complained to Bobby that she needed an editor to move it along faster because the story was stagnating.

Oshun, I liked the miniseries too, but I liked the book better.

Rhapsy: Yes, I’d love to know more about your LJ comm! This was my first MZB book; I’m sure I’ll read more of hers.

I didn’t know that she spent the year with the coven. One of the perks of being a pro writer, I suppose, is being able to afford to do that.

Regarding Igraine: I loved her role as a character, but some of her thoughts seemed, to me, to be lifted from a modern feminist text. She was the only character, though, where this struck me as excessive and, admittedly, it is a fine line to walk.

By: Rhapsody

Rhapsody — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:30:25 +0000

Mists of Avalon is the book that got me reading fantasy at a very young age and the past years I made it a tradition to read it around Christmas. I yet have to find a fantasty book that isn’t flawed, even though this book is considered her magnus Opus, I think I read the Firebrand prior. I think regarding the feminism, I think we should not look at the book with our modern day feministic views, but well then again what is known of the Dark ages. What struck me the most regarding Igraine that she rebelled against the tradition of her line and ended up in the arms of a roman lord. Anyways, did you know that MZB spent a year (or perhaps more, I can’t remember exactly how long) with a Glastonbury coven that had their tradition tapping from an older source than the neo-pagan. Neo paganism sometimes feels so fluffy puffy to me, whereas mother nature has her cruel sides, just as this book shows. If you’d like, or perhaps want to keep track off, Trek and I have a MZB reading group/LJ comm where our purpose was to read all Avalon-books in the correct order and to discuss them. And I liked the miniseries, especially Accolon! Darn, when I have time I need to have him in a fic again (yes I write MoA fanfic ).

By: Oshun

Oshun — Sat, 09 May 2009 06:49:14 +0000

I thought The Mists of Avalon was one of the most overrated book I ever read. It is too lead-footedly didactic and confusionist to me. Marion Zimmer Bradely is, as French Pony noted above, a rough writer, needs a strong editor and from what I have read of hers (at least a dozen books) has never had one. Why have I read a dozen of her books? Because she does spin a good tale.

The TV miniseries–not as bad as everyone says it was. I loved Uther and the dogs and the Beltane scene.

By: French Pony

French Pony — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:00:42 +0000

One of my good friends likes to say of MZB that “she’s not a good writer, but boy can she spin a yarn!” That is, she finds plenty of flaws in MZB’s books, but the central feature of any commercial author’s work is sound; you just keep on reading that book until it’s done.

I’ve found that statement to be absolutely true both of Mists of Avalon and of The Catch Trap, the two books of hers I’ve read. Both of them had plenty of flaws — I thought that Mists, in particular, really needed better editing — but I just couldn’t put them down till I was done with them!