{Project Fairy Tale} The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalonby Marion Zimmer BradleyFormat: Paperback, 876 pagesPublication: April 12, 1984 by Ballantine BooksGenre: FantasyAge Group: AdultGet It: Amazon

Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, The Mists of Avalon will stay with you for a long time to come....

~synopsis from Goodreads
My Thoughts
I was so excited about reading this book. I was a little thrown when I realized it was 876 pages, but whatever. I could do it. The Mists of Avalon is told from Morgaine's point-of-view and is supposed to be sort of a "this is how it really happened, don't believe the lies you've been told." I love when authors to this. The story from the persecutive of the "villain."
I'd read a few reviews on it and they all praised the novel as being wonderful, great, etc. However... not so much. I tired, fellow readers, I tried so hard. Ugh, I wanted to like it so badly. I struggled to make it to my 100-page rule. (Okay, 112 because I couldn't stop mid-chapter.) I just didn't care about the characters.
I love the legend, I love the characters themselves, and I love a new take on old stories like this. I didn't love this.
I didn't even get to Arthur and his Knights yet. Heck, Igraine wasn't even pregnant with Arthur yet! Those two things made me want to continue the book until I got then, but mentally I couldn't take the slow and unengaging narrative. When you want to read, but you don't want to read the book you're reading, I think that's a sign.

Bottom Line
I didn't finish it. I barely got to page 112 without wanting to quit. Skip it and just watch the mini-series.
Director: Uli Edel
Actors: Anjelica Huston, Julianna Margulies and Joan Allen
Release Year: 2001 (TV)
Rating: NR
Length: 183 minutes

Director Eli Udel's Emmy-winning television miniseries gives King Arthur's Camelot a feminist slant as Avalon high priestess Viviane (Anjelica Huston) and sisters Morgaine (Julianna Margulies) and Morgause (Joan Allen) battle for control of the kingdom. Viviane manipulates her own sister into marrying a king in order to produce an amenable heir, but deceit, magic and human fallibility threaten to destroy both the plan and Avalon itself.

~synopsis from Netflix
I personally have not seen this, but a girlfriend of mine did and she really liked it. The previous also make it seem engaging and interesting. Let's hope for more things from this than the book.