A review by lgrunwald
The Book of Merlyn: The Unpublished Conclusion to the Once and Future King by T.H. White
4.0
4/5
Stunningly beautiful! Once again, TH White has me awestruck. The book of Merlyn is technically not a part of the original Once and Future King Story but it definitely has some of the stories finest elements in it. Such as the story of the ants and the geese originally being in this version of the ending rather than the reprinted book 1 version later on. While I still much prefer the pacing and the way the Once and Future King ended having the extra information about the lives and deaths of all our protagonist after the fact was nothing short of masterful. The one thing I did much prefer in The Book of Merlyn compared to The Once and Future King was the lesson of the Goose. An aged Arthur's perspective in this particular story rather than the one in his youth was just so much more impactful and emotional than the naivety of his youth. Another was Arthur's conversation with the hedgehog on the hill overlooking England and the conversation which leads to his understanding of his love for the land and his people over the love of himself and the things which were precious to him, (like Lancelot and Guen), and willingly choosing to go to his fate like the king and hero he is rather than Merlyn playing him like a chess piece. It just made me love Arthur as a character even more seeing him finally expressing his emotions about Merlyn pushing him forward in this path despite what he wanted, his feelings about being betrayed by his wife and best friend, his tiresome fight of wanting to good and getting slapped down at every turn, and the war against his own son. It makes him more human, even more of a hero than I saw him before.
While some of the elements of Whites opinions on the Naturalist perspectives on war did go on a bit I nevertheless did enjoy it and gained a new perspective that I thought about for many, many hours after finishing it. Having Merlyn and the animals there to explain it all definitely was a major help in grasping such complicated topics. While I don't necessarily agree with every assumption White makes the context of him writing these opinions during World War II does put things in a understandable perspective.
I can see why a lot of this book was cut and story elements switched around as the book of Merlyn definitely is long winded and ranting. Never less as someone who does enjoy discussing topics like this and reading a little philosophy every now and then I got pleasure from it but it definitely does take away from the over all story elements and pacing. I definitely wish the ending of Lancelot and Guen was left in though. All in all absolutely beautiful. A lovely alternate ending to one of my favourite stories I've read so far.
Stunningly beautiful! Once again, TH White has me awestruck. The book of Merlyn is technically not a part of the original Once and Future King Story but it definitely has some of the stories finest elements in it. Such as the story of the ants and the geese originally being in this version of the ending rather than the reprinted book 1 version later on. While I still much prefer the pacing and the way the Once and Future King ended having the extra information about the lives and deaths of all our protagonist after the fact was nothing short of masterful. The one thing I did much prefer in The Book of Merlyn compared to The Once and Future King was the lesson of the Goose. An aged Arthur's perspective in this particular story rather than the one in his youth was just so much more impactful and emotional than the naivety of his youth. Another was Arthur's conversation with the hedgehog on the hill overlooking England and the conversation which leads to his understanding of his love for the land and his people over the love of himself and the things which were precious to him, (like Lancelot and Guen), and willingly choosing to go to his fate like the king and hero he is rather than Merlyn playing him like a chess piece. It just made me love Arthur as a character even more seeing him finally expressing his emotions about Merlyn pushing him forward in this path despite what he wanted, his feelings about being betrayed by his wife and best friend, his tiresome fight of wanting to good and getting slapped down at every turn, and the war against his own son. It makes him more human, even more of a hero than I saw him before.
While some of the elements of Whites opinions on the Naturalist perspectives on war did go on a bit I nevertheless did enjoy it and gained a new perspective that I thought about for many, many hours after finishing it. Having Merlyn and the animals there to explain it all definitely was a major help in grasping such complicated topics. While I don't necessarily agree with every assumption White makes the context of him writing these opinions during World War II does put things in a understandable perspective.
I can see why a lot of this book was cut and story elements switched around as the book of Merlyn definitely is long winded and ranting. Never less as someone who does enjoy discussing topics like this and reading a little philosophy every now and then I got pleasure from it but it definitely does take away from the over all story elements and pacing. I definitely wish the ending of Lancelot and Guen was left in though. All in all absolutely beautiful. A lovely alternate ending to one of my favourite stories I've read so far.