A review by babyleo
The Candle in the Wind by T.H. White
4.0
From a dull and weak beginning The Candle in the Wind ended beautifully. I know the book of Merlyn is the final book of the series but if we ignore that for a minute I can pretend this was the last. It was such a sorrowful tale of Arthur that I barely knew and I am glad that I know a bit more. As I say the beginning was very history filled with names and places I didn't really care for, and then, as if a switch had been flicked, it became the same tone and flow of the other books. White has done a wonderful job with the Legend of Arthur; the characters are wonderful and even though these books and stories are not all as exciting and action filled as each other, you must give credit where credit is due, it was not a tale that required just drama and suspense.
After following Arthur's life from the early age in The Sword and the Stone to this aged king of seventy three I believe, it is a sad, happy feeling when you think of all he did and where it ended up for him. White's descriptions and language works wonderful and even on the duller aspects there is no doubt it was researched and expressed well.
The Candle in the Wind begins pretty much with the rapid downfall of Arthur's Table and the ideal that created it. Past characters, while always being in the background of previous stories, re-emerge and bring with them the actions and consequences of the past. I must say as suspenseful and exciting the middle is, the ending had such truths and honesty within those pages it was amazing. By the time the story ended I was saddened and quite depressed by what had become of Arthur's dream, mostly through White's retelling and the way the ending tugs at your emotions that is touching and depressing and wonderful all at the same time. I would say more but for fear of spoiling it I will restrain myself.
White makes you so invested in these characters, people that were real once through their legends, that after seeing all they did, all they went through for their country and their king, to see it start to crumble from the very first pages is tough. I am glad I persevered through the harder parts of this series because the ending of this book, as sad as it made me was worth it.
After following Arthur's life from the early age in The Sword and the Stone to this aged king of seventy three I believe, it is a sad, happy feeling when you think of all he did and where it ended up for him. White's descriptions and language works wonderful and even on the duller aspects there is no doubt it was researched and expressed well.
The Candle in the Wind begins pretty much with the rapid downfall of Arthur's Table and the ideal that created it. Past characters, while always being in the background of previous stories, re-emerge and bring with them the actions and consequences of the past. I must say as suspenseful and exciting the middle is, the ending had such truths and honesty within those pages it was amazing. By the time the story ended I was saddened and quite depressed by what had become of Arthur's dream, mostly through White's retelling and the way the ending tugs at your emotions that is touching and depressing and wonderful all at the same time. I would say more but for fear of spoiling it I will restrain myself.
White makes you so invested in these characters, people that were real once through their legends, that after seeing all they did, all they went through for their country and their king, to see it start to crumble from the very first pages is tough. I am glad I persevered through the harder parts of this series because the ending of this book, as sad as it made me was worth it.