Galahad and the Grail (Merlin's Isle #1) by Malcolm Guite
J.D.'s Rating: 4.75 out of 5 bookmarks
I first encountered Malcolm Guite some years ago through his short online commentaries on literature. As a lifelong reader and lover of deep, rich stories, the insights he shared on works that I've long appreciated, such as Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, or Lewis's Narnian chronicles, were so enlightening and interesting that I quickly developed an affinity for his content. When he started sharing about his upcoming books about the Arthurian legends, I knew I wanted to read them. I'm not even a big fan of King Arthur—I've never read The Pendragon Cycle by Lawhead or Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, both of which are favorites among my fellow fantasy readers—but I knew that Guite would give the story the proper care and consideration such an influential body of literature deserves.
Synopsis
Here at the height of his poetic power, Malcolm Guite delivers a tale of adventure in ballad form that plumbs the depths of the human soul, carries readers through the Wasteland, and sets them upon the numinous shores of Faerie in all its mystery and meaning.In this first volume of Merlin’s Isle, join the prophesied youth, Sir Galahad, and the other knights of the quest as they set out from Camelot to achieve the Holy Grail. The accomplishment of their goal will not only heal the wounded Fisher-King, but will bring about the long hoped-for healing of the land itself.Guite follows in the epic footsteps of Spenser, Milton, Dante, and Tennyson, yet this is not poetry destined solely for the halls of academia—it’s a story to be enjoyed by young and old alike, a story to be read aloud among friends and family, a story to be cherished for generations to come.
Before I even talk about the writing, first of all, I have to say this is one of the most beautiful books in my library. While not massive, my collection is approaching 2000 volumes, and I have some quite nice-looking books that I'm fond of, particularly some special leatherbound editions of classic titles. But for a book published in the last 5 or 10 years, this one has to be at the top of the stack in terms of aesthetics. From the well-designed cover and dust jacket to the beautiful typesetting and colored ink to the gorgeous illustrations and illuminated capitals by Stephen Crotts, this book is one you'll love to just look at! And we can't forget the handy red silk ribbon too!
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| Sample page, courtesy of Rabbit Room Press |
But while aesthetics are a wonderful bonus, a book should need more than looks to earn a place on your shelf, so let's get to the reason we're all here: the story.
So, in case you missed it, this retelling of the Arthurian legends is written in verse, not prose. I understand that that will not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's ok, but if you enjoy poetry at all, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. Guite's style and word choices make the text very readable, only occasionally employing older or archaic words, but always with obvious care and intentionality. I'll be honest, I did have to look up a word or two, but it didn't bother me at all. I just want to make it clear that one doesn't need an English degree to be able to enjoy this book, so don't feel daunted by the fact that it's written in poetic form. This is a ballad, not opaque verse that requires serious mulling to understand.
And speaking of the poetry, it's quite beautifully written. While there are a handful of go-to words that you'll find used to rhyme repeatedly throughout (mystery, courtesy), there is a wonderful musicality to the text that I loved. I love to read poetry aloud, so for the first 250 pages or so, I read this book out loud to myself, just to experience the writing in its fullness, and it was quite delightful. (I did end up switching to the audiobook for the last bit, for time's sake, which is read by the author, and it was fantastic!) The deliberately chosen flow and cadence of every line and stanza make this a joy to read. When you get into the rhythm of it, the words start to flow with lyrical ease.
In regard to the narrative that unfolds throughout these pages, it is definitely interesting. As I said above, I've not read any full tellings of King Arthur, and most of what I know about the tales has been gained through pop culture osmosis. I did read some excerpts back in my school days for literature class, and I've also read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain, which Guite refers to in the appendices of this book, but as a satirical work, the latter is certainly not the most authoritative or definitive version of the legends that one can find in Arthuriana. So, in short, I was going into this book fairly ignorant of the details. Between my unfamiliarity with the legends and the nature of storytelling in verse, there were a handful of instances where some nuance or detail escaped me, leaving me a little confused. Or I'd get the characters mixed up; there are quite a few of them! So I'd have to go back and reread a few sections and figure out what I'd missed.
One of the goals Guite had with this undertaking was to restore the numerous Christian themes and threads that run through these epic tales that he says have been "shorn away" in most recountings. And those themes are definitely apparent in this book. They are integral to the narrative, though the author also does not shy away from the unsavory elements like Guinevere's infidelity or the pagan traditions that appear in the earliest versions of these legends. Those elements are present, but only in a matter-of-fact way. They're not dwelled upon, and certainly not glorified.
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There is probably much more I could say about this wonderful volume, but I am neither a scholar nor a poetry expert. I am a reader. A lover of good stories, particularly of well-crafted ones. Galahad and the Grail is exactly that. Guite says in the Acknowledgements that this is "the project of a lifetime," and I believe it. One cannot read this book without recognizing the love and care with which he has selected every word, every syllable, of this ballad. And as I mentioned before, hearing the words of this epic poem delivered with such passion by the very man who wrote them in the audiobook is an experience all its own.
This book is the first of four volumes that will comprise Merlin's Isle, Guite's Arthuriad. And I can tell that it is the result of a lifetime of research, study, and scholarship. His poetic prowess and love of story come through on every page. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Galahad, and I know it will not be my last visit to these verses. I eagerly await the next volume! Malcolm Guite, I salute you, sir. What an incredible achievement!
J.D. Sutter is the producer and host of the Bookworm Banquet podcast and editor of the blog. He is the founder of Porchlight Family Media, a network of quality audio programming and review websites based in Phoenix, AZ.
Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. A favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.
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