The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur’s throne.“A monumental reimagining of the Arthurian legends . . . reading it is a deeply moving and at times uncanny experience. . . . An impressive achievement.”—The New York Times Book ReviewIn Marion Zimmer Bradley’s masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot’s court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king’s rise and … who bolstered the king’s rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur’s kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds’ and old and new religions’ claims its most famous victim.
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This is one of my favorite book ever. I’ve reread it a few times and always pick up something new. It’s a retelling of King Arthur from the women’s point of views and it’s fascinating! Not only the politics, but the religious changes too. It’s magical and tragic and beautiful…. Very much worth reading!
Mists of Avalon is one of the reasons I became an author. Exquisite writing, imaginative world-building, great twist in an old story. 10 stars!
Loved this book as a young girl when I first read it and still love it today as an adult after the 20th+ reading. It is Arthurian legend in all its glory, but it is also Morgaine’s story, a strong female.
So I’m more than half-way through this book (it’s nearly 1,000 pages so the fact that I’m this far along is good!) and enjoying it immensely. I’m late to the MZB party, but it’s a good party. Her female characters are fully realized — you’re so thoroughly immersed in their lives that it’s hard not to root for them (even evangelical Gwenhwyfar has …
This book has always captivated me (3rd tour of duty reading it) – but then I am a Zimmer-Bradley fanatic. The other books in the series were also enchanting and flowed smoothly. There was something very “other wordly” about the entire series. Pure escapism!!!!!
Took me a while to get into it (I was in high school the first time I read it), but once I did, it was a great read. Great perspective on King Arthur from a woman’s point of view. Have read this book several times since and find something new each time.
I thought this book would be a medieval romance novel. Instead, for the first time, my former fascination with King Arthur tales became apparent. There were always segments of those stories that never made sense. Upon reading Mists of Avalon I rediscovered the gender myopia of our times. The masculine and feminine perspective that prevails can …
Read this first a long time ago and its still the best book about Avalon, its priests, Arthur and those around him; beautifully written with a real empathy for the land and its power.
Having read/consumed little media about the Arthurian legends, I am happy to have read this book. I’m happy it was my first exposure to Morgan Le Fay, aka Morgaine. While I don’t know much, I know that she is typically depicted as an evil sorceress; she is not to be liked. But, I really enjoyed reading about her in The Mists of Avalon. I liked her …
One of my favorite Arthurian visions.
One of my favorite re-interpretations of Arthurian myth, an excellent read.
One of my all time favorite books, this is one I have read many times and plant to read again. It’s the legend Camelot from the female perspective.
A sad story of a brother and sister’s love that was tarnished
This is one of those books that I’ve read more than once. I love the mystic aspect, the underlying magic, the characters, and the overall feeling of the book. It’s Arthurian legend told in a woman’s perspective rather than the usual fare of knights and battles.
Marion Zimmer Bradley has written a full-bodied novel of the Arthurian legend from the viewpoint of Merlin. It was magical, thoughtful and immensely interesting. I read it while in the hospital for 6 weeks and it helped me survive. I highly recommend it for those new to fantasy and legend.
This book changed my life. Glastonbury/Avalon are a soul calling for me. Wonderful characters, sacred place, Morgaine’s (woman’s) point of view.
If only we could give half stars, this would be 2.5.
I continued to read much further than I would normally do with a book that didn’t capture me. I won’t say the entire book was bad, and there were parts that were actually interesting, I’m just very disappointed. I’ve wanted to read this for years.
First off, the time line is rather difficult …
I moved around a lot in my high school and college years, and so had no knowledge of the Inquisition until I was in my 30s. This book not only helped enlighten me, but it helped me to step more into my power, the power of being a woman. It created what some consider the animal I am today – i.e. the STRONG woman I am today.
A wonderful story that …
This is one of my all time favorite books. It led me into a world where I instantly felt at home.
The Arthurian legend from the perspective of Morgaine was fascinating, aside from this being just an astonishingly good read. It certainly allows you to empathize with the villain and paints a dark world in the midst of the Dark Ages. Again, a departure from the mythical depictions of the Arthurian legend. Highly recommended!