The Mists of Avalon

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: I read this book many years ago but it was one of the best books I have ever read. It is very large & it takes a while but it is worth it. Forget watching tv until you have finished it. It is very hard to put down. Of all the books she has writen this is the greatest.

Rating:
Summary: Jason's Thoughts
Review: I think that this book is one of the best I have ever read. The way that Bradley describes to the reader what is going on is probably the best I have seen.

Rating:
Summary: In the top ten
Review: Every couple of years I ask everyone I know to list the ten books that they have most loved or been influenced by, and every time I see Mists of Avalon on more than half the lists: from both women AND men. Okay, so occasionally the continuity is off or the writing is a little heavy-handed. The story more than makes up for it, hence the five star rating. Finally an Arthurian tome that does not make out midwives as witches and herbalists as heathens. The creeping violent dominance of Christianity will have you fuming, swearing never to drink green beer again on St. Patrick's day, as you see how he drove the Druids (represented by serpents) and nature-lovers from Britain. Mainly, though, this is a story about women finding themselves and creating their destinies, and a good one at that. And hey, where else will you find an agoraphobic Guinevere?

Rating:
Summary: An amazing book
Review: This was an amazing book. I read it when I was only 12, but I loved it anyway. The words would flow, it was like music, and before I knew it I was at page 400, more than any book I had read before. I read the rest, and the end was so sad, I cried because of that and just because I was sad that it was finished. I've never read another book like that in my life, but now I'm obsessed with anything concerning the Arthurian legends, and I'm still looking for a book that can live up to the stadards this one set for me.

Rating:
Summary: The Mists Of Avalon
Review: This book was disappointing to me. Perhaps my expectations were too high going in, but I was expecting transcendent literature and I got only a fairly entertaining fantasy tale. I think the author tried to cover too large a scope; as soon as you got interested in someone's story it was over and on to the next person. I found the characters somewhat fake too; some of them were one-dimensional and others were too abruptly transitioned between attitudes/behavior to be believable. There was a ton of telling in this book and not enough showing. The plot was moving, though confusing at times, and there were moments when I seemed to glimpse the idea of the larger destiny unfolding against the character's wills. But the writing was repetitive (how many times do we have to hear over and over again, "There were so few left who had been together when we were young?"), the excessive foreshadowing ruined much of the suspense for me (though perhaps most readers would already be familiar with the Arthurian legends and suspense would not be an issue), and the ending seemed to be a forced show of hopefulness when the events as told were just plain tragic, in my mind, or would be tragic if I had been made to care for the characters more.

Rating:
Summary: Rich and delicious
Review: This book kept me glued to its pages. It reads beautifully, it flows and you just want to inhale it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, riveting!
Review: The Mists of Avalon is Marion Zimmer Bradley's tome of the Arthurian time as told through the women of the time. It is also about the struggle of a people during a time of religious upheaval and change. The author is able to so entwine you into the happenings and entrance you with the characters, it is hard to remember reality while reading. This is fiction, but done so well, you almost wish it were true. Though the women are strong, they also have weaknesses, making them all the more human and believable. A wonderful book for Pagans and a great read for anyone wanting a unique point of view on the Arthurian legends. I found it hard to put down and long after I was finished, it lingered in my mind like some long forgotten memory....touching the edges of my mind and making me see my own life differently. A very powerful book!

Rating:
Summary: what a great book!
Review: I loved the book. The mix of romance and action was absolutely wonderful. my favorite book so far. beautifully written.

Rating:
Summary: A Woman's Touch To Classic Legend
Review: Anyone interested in the Arthurian legends *must* read "Mists of Avalon". It is a rare perspective that draws away somewhat from the classic male-oriented legends presented in Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur", instead interweaving the tale with the life of Morgaine. The book offers a look at Britain from the vantage point of Avalon as opposed to that of Camelot, likewise pitting the more equalist paganism of the times against a view of early Christianity perhaps none of us would expect - or want to. Those points in the classic legends that cause confusion are clarified beautifully in this book, and the characters themselves are vividly real. Bradley has written about what I often wondered - whether the women in the classic legends could really be as futile as they were portrayed. A warning, though: be sure to put away all sharp objects and have a box of tissues handy. The book is a poignant one.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: This beautifully crafted re-telling of the ancient Arthurian legend is the best yet. Zimmer Bradley has an extraordinary talent which is given full flight here. Much of this tale is written from the perspective of the priestess Morgaine, half-sister to King Arthur, and it shows the power and beauty of the Old Religion. At times so stunningly sorrowful that I could not help but weep, and at others, so peaceful and lovely that my tears were of joy, this book is truly amazing.Recommended for all fantasy and Arthurian lovers, as well as for the pagan public, "Mists of Avalon" is a classic and a must-have for every personal library. Quite possibly the most astounding book I have ever read, it changed my life and brought me closer to the Goddess.