A review by lordenglishssbm
The Candle in the Wind by T.H. White
4.0
A grim and ambiguous ending, but a fitting one. The action is there, in the background, but the emphasis is on Arthur's internal struggle, on the failure of his quest to make something better, and of his struggles to come to term not just with that failure, but also with his efforts themselves. White's political analysis falls flat at times, but he never commits so totally to one view that it kills the work, and his willingness to interrogate and question every aspect of Arthur's character is what makes the work so compelling.
At its heart, the story of King Arthur has always been a tragedy, but it wasn't until reading this series, as humorous as it could be, that I really felt it that way. The Once and Future King isn't just about the death of a dream, it's about coming to terms with the realization that what you want might never have been possible. That even under ideal circumstances, with the best people behind you, some things just aren't in the cards, and what might make your idea good might also end up being the thing that sinks it. White even wrote a fifth, posthumously published book that leans more into that final idea, but it wasn't included when the series was collected and, frankly, isn't very good. I'm frankly glad that it isn't included in most collections, because I think this is the ending the series deserves: A dark reminder that maybe, just maybe, if you're right, even if you fail, someone else will remember what you tried to do, and they'll take it with them into the future.
Hell, maybe they'll succeed.
Overall, this is an exceptional series. One that runs the gamut from funny to heartbreaking with memorable, complex characters and strong prose throughout. I highly recommend it.
At its heart, the story of King Arthur has always been a tragedy, but it wasn't until reading this series, as humorous as it could be, that I really felt it that way. The Once and Future King isn't just about the death of a dream, it's about coming to terms with the realization that what you want might never have been possible. That even under ideal circumstances, with the best people behind you, some things just aren't in the cards, and what might make your idea good might also end up being the thing that sinks it. White even wrote a fifth, posthumously published book that leans more into that final idea, but it wasn't included when the series was collected and, frankly, isn't very good. I'm frankly glad that it isn't included in most collections, because I think this is the ending the series deserves: A dark reminder that maybe, just maybe, if you're right, even if you fail, someone else will remember what you tried to do, and they'll take it with them into the future.
Hell, maybe they'll succeed.
Overall, this is an exceptional series. One that runs the gamut from funny to heartbreaking with memorable, complex characters and strong prose throughout. I highly recommend it.