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Book: The Mabinogion

The Mabinogion

By Sioned Davies
Published in 2018 by Oxford University Press
Finished reading: August 1st, 2023
Rating: 3.5 / 5

Description:

Celtic mythology, Arthurian romance, and an intriguing interpretation of British history - these are just some of the themes embraced by the anonymous authors of the eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece known as the Mabinogion. They tell of Gwydion the shape-shifter, who can create a woman out of flowers; of Math the magician whose feet must lie in the lap of a virgin; of hanging a pregnant mouse and hunting a magical boar. Dragons, witches, and giants live alongside kings and heroes, and quests of honour, revenge, and love are set against the backdrop of a country struggling to retain its independence.

Review:

An excellent translation. It’s more of an academic exercise to get through all the tales, but if knights’ quests are your thing there’s lots of that. It get a bit repetitive when reading from first tale to last, but that’s to be expected, these were never meant to be consumed in order, one after the other.

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