A review by noirish
The History of the Kings of Britain, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, Geoffrey of Monmouth
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
4.5
As a historical document, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s opus is of dubious usefulness; however, as an influential work of literature, it’s importance cannot be overstated. Perhaps the earliest writer to distill the Arthurian myth to a form recognizable to a modern audience, the 50 or so pages that concern the mythical king are worth the price of admission alone.
But there is a lot of other great content in this book as well. From Trojan refugees seeking a new home to a treacherous king being burned alive in his own tower, there are many compelling stories detailed in this book. The political machinations and occasional doses of magical interference and prophesying make this a clear forerunner to modern fantasy works, especially A Song of Ice and Fire.
But this text is short, and therefore dense. Often, Geoffrey breezes through multiple generations of kings and wars, stopping only to focus on the more interesting characters and events. Because of this structure, the book is light on detail and characterization; but it makes up for this by forming the prototypical structure for nearly every medieval fantasy to follow.
The book is also worthwhile as a historical and cultural artifact. There is a through line in this text, and that is Geoffrey’s nationalistic concern over the displacement of the Britons due to infighting and the treachery of outsiders. Through the stories and the occasional interjections from Geoffrey himself, he makes clear that his motivation is to warn against the potential implosion of the British empire. Though his perspective often veers into xenophobia, it reflects an authentic selfish concern that resonates with many people even today, and is an interesting view into the cultural and social concerns of Geoffrey’s time.
Worth reading for any fan of fantasy, cultural history, or Arthurian mythology.
But there is a lot of other great content in this book as well. From Trojan refugees seeking a new home to a treacherous king being burned alive in his own tower, there are many compelling stories detailed in this book. The political machinations and occasional doses of magical interference and prophesying make this a clear forerunner to modern fantasy works, especially A Song of Ice and Fire.
But this text is short, and therefore dense. Often, Geoffrey breezes through multiple generations of kings and wars, stopping only to focus on the more interesting characters and events. Because of this structure, the book is light on detail and characterization; but it makes up for this by forming the prototypical structure for nearly every medieval fantasy to follow.
The book is also worthwhile as a historical and cultural artifact. There is a through line in this text, and that is Geoffrey’s nationalistic concern over the displacement of the Britons due to infighting and the treachery of outsiders. Through the stories and the occasional interjections from Geoffrey himself, he makes clear that his motivation is to warn against the potential implosion of the British empire. Though his perspective often veers into xenophobia, it reflects an authentic selfish concern that resonates with many people even today, and is an interesting view into the cultural and social concerns of Geoffrey’s time.
Worth reading for any fan of fantasy, cultural history, or Arthurian mythology.