A review by bunnieslikediamonds
Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
5.0
How come I'd never heard of Robert Holdstock before accidentally coming across "Mythago wood"? It's a lovely book, quite unlike anything I've read. It takes place in England in the years after WW2, where our hero Steven returns after the war only to find his brother Christian slightly unhinged. Christian, like his late father, has become obsessed with the ancient woodlands surrounding the family home. Steven studies his father's diaries which seem to indicate that the Ryhope wood is no ordinary place, and soon enough experiences the wildness and violence of the woods himself.
Holdstock skilfully uses Jungian archetypes and Celtic myths to tell his tale, never going overboard. The results are fascinating, sometimes funny, often moving. I loved the depiction of Ryhope wood. Holdstock's knowledge of and love for the woods is obvious. As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the deep forests surrounding my hometown, often making up stories or fantasizing about imaginary creatures (yes, I was a nerdy kid), and this book brought to life the feeling of being immersed in a living, breathing forest with a life of it's own.
Holdstock skilfully uses Jungian archetypes and Celtic myths to tell his tale, never going overboard. The results are fascinating, sometimes funny, often moving. I loved the depiction of Ryhope wood. Holdstock's knowledge of and love for the woods is obvious. As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the deep forests surrounding my hometown, often making up stories or fantasizing about imaginary creatures (yes, I was a nerdy kid), and this book brought to life the feeling of being immersed in a living, breathing forest with a life of it's own.