A review by corporalmaladict
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
4.0
When I picked up H is for Hawk again, I felt like exploring one of the works of T.H. White that I had intended to read ages ago and haven't yet.
I got a lot of really boyish joy out of reading this one, even as I found I could appreciate it differently because of the more historical and social context analysis that I got from H is for Hawk. I'm trying not to look down on myself for having imprinted so early on the conservative British fantasies of knights and hunts and quests and bows and arrows and falconry and chosen-one-ness of surprise royalty.
I didn't realize just how central the stories about being turned into animals were and I have a real soft spot for them. The whole hearted and endlessly curious love and exploration of animals and their relationships to humans and the stories we tell about them and the way we anthropomorphize them in this book is really moving and inspiring.
I definitely recommend this audio book version even if the actor reading it has a little bit of a wet mouth sometimes (which is a personal sensory pet peeve) and some of the voices are too quiet to hear while playing the book over my phone on the highway but I think that's my set up's problem
edit: forgot to mention that the Robin Wood/Hood bits are the BEST and that is the SEXIEST maid marian I have ever encountered in a book 10/10 loved that, totally a sucker for the Merry Men
I got a lot of really boyish joy out of reading this one, even as I found I could appreciate it differently because of the more historical and social context analysis that I got from H is for Hawk. I'm trying not to look down on myself for having imprinted so early on the conservative British fantasies of knights and hunts and quests and bows and arrows and falconry and chosen-one-ness of surprise royalty.
I didn't realize just how central the stories about being turned into animals were and I have a real soft spot for them. The whole hearted and endlessly curious love and exploration of animals and their relationships to humans and the stories we tell about them and the way we anthropomorphize them in this book is really moving and inspiring.
I definitely recommend this audio book version even if the actor reading it has a little bit of a wet mouth sometimes (which is a personal sensory pet peeve) and some of the voices are too quiet to hear while playing the book over my phone on the highway but I think that's my set up's problem
edit: forgot to mention that the Robin Wood/Hood bits are the BEST and that is the SEXIEST maid marian I have ever encountered in a book 10/10 loved that, totally a sucker for the Merry Men