tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post8671957387004132498..comments2024-03-28T21:19:01.330+02:00Comments on Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell: Rameau Reviews: The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer BradleyBlodeueddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435479623560871881noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-32200581415535938072015-05-03T05:27:59.335+03:002015-05-03T05:27:59.335+03:00I really liked this book, but I do understand your...I really liked this book, but I do understand your argument about the main characters being too passive. I share your opinion on that, many times I'd wished that they would take some action to influence the world around them, be a leader. They never did, but I still felt that despite never affecting their surrounding, they grew wiser. When I finished this book, I felt a bit depressed, but at the same time, I felt like I had just lived a whole life and left it behind.Tahna Rouspelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10172054744138768498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-61479304137725143122012-10-22T18:42:34.159+03:002012-10-22T18:42:34.159+03:00Thank you. I don't think you're getting an...Thank you. I don't think you're getting anything confused. Christianity or more accurately its priests as portrayed in this book did despise women and other religions. <br /><br />And as I've said before, I can understand why you'd love this book. There were many thing I did like and appreciate, but unfortunately I didn't buy the portrayal of women and how they viewed themselves. Even people who have limited choices, who are slaves even, do dream of rebellion and freedom. Had they been truly happy in accepting things as they came and being obedient to their superiors they wouldn't have considered themselves as victims. <br /><br />It's in the human nature to dream of better things and circumstances, these characters didn't.rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-63022970531650872412012-10-22T18:37:37.852+03:002012-10-22T18:37:37.852+03:00You're welcome and I hope you like the book be...You're welcome and I hope you like the book better than I did. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-38748123934943524102012-10-22T18:37:04.093+03:002012-10-22T18:37:04.093+03:00I've come to the conclusion that certain books...I've come to the conclusion that certain books and stories should be read during the teen years. After that (most) people grow up and lose patience with melodramas and certain other things that we've come to consider classics. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-74431748281332838652012-10-22T18:33:50.150+03:002012-10-22T18:33:50.150+03:00Thanks. It was the legend that lured me in. That a...Thanks. It was the legend that lured me in. That and a promise of strong women.rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-73213230832991053262012-10-20T17:53:07.792+03:002012-10-20T17:53:07.792+03:00I understand what you're saying, I just never ...I understand what you're saying, I just never got any of that from this story. I loved it immensely. It was quite some time ago, but I felt like because of the deities, mystical forces, and the times, these women were left with limited choices. <br />I also remember thinking how badly the Church despised all other religions and women. Or am I getting my Dark Ages books confused?<br /><br />Excellent review in any case :)Jenny Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04077659644092707107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-62821132805157406622012-10-19T21:52:12.702+03:002012-10-19T21:52:12.702+03:00I didn't know this one but saw this author a l...I didn't know this one but saw this author a lot. I think I have one book in my TBR pile. I'm sorry it wasn't for you, it's always difficult. but thanks for the discovery.Mellianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16406103812986322082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-36627690378400172562012-10-19T12:12:02.390+03:002012-10-19T12:12:02.390+03:00I've read this in my teens, and can't much...I've read this in my teens, and can't much remember of it, but in that time I devoured everything and anything Arthurian and mythologic. I don't think I would enjoy it very much at this point in life. Aurianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04538247058229504410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-6373152118467850192012-10-19T10:58:24.433+03:002012-10-19T10:58:24.433+03:00I suppose I was too engrossed in the different twi...I suppose I was too engrossed in the different twists and turns to notice the passive attitude of the characters but I suppose if I thought about it more I would come to a similar conclusion. Predestination is such a bleak theory after all, making all your efforts useless.Anachronisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10398058819007642332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-25231402854719037722012-10-19T06:37:42.210+03:002012-10-19T06:37:42.210+03:00I am glad that you read something again then so I ...I am glad that you read something again then so I could get a juicy review :)Blodeueddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03435479623560871881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-4879611573324068032012-10-19T03:59:24.559+03:002012-10-19T03:59:24.559+03:00I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I nev...I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I never read it and it really doesn't seem like a book I'd be interested in anyway. Thanks for the honest review.Yvonnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13261873308731564886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-81709989305144435572012-10-19T03:09:48.994+03:002012-10-19T03:09:48.994+03:00True, absolutely. I'm glad you liked it better...True, absolutely. I'm glad you liked it better than I did. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-1327498826186106432012-10-19T03:09:11.894+03:002012-10-19T03:09:11.894+03:00It annoyed me to no end. At first it was understan...It annoyed me to no end. At first it was understandable but as they grew and aged it became less so and started truly to irritate me. I haven't seen the film, and glancing at the cast list, I'm not absolutely convinced I want to. But I'll keep it in mind. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-11806479471502134222012-10-19T03:07:17.924+03:002012-10-19T03:07:17.924+03:00Oh, I can understand that. And I did like huge par...Oh, I can understand that. And I did like huge parts of it, it just wasn't enough for me. I've not read that many interpretations of the legend and if you say they were meek and passive in the original too, I'll believe you. <br /><br />The point is that as much as Ms. Bradley might have improved upon the characters by exposing and exploring their flaws, I don't think she went far enough. I think she stopped a couple of steps before the finish line. <br /><br />And while Ms. Bradley might have redeemed Morgaine and showed her as something other than a simple villain, she did shift the blame onto two other women and vilify them. I don't understand how that helps the cause. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-11045585892837048352012-10-19T02:59:18.140+03:002012-10-19T02:59:18.140+03:00I'm glad my suffering spared someone else'...I'm glad my suffering spared someone else's pain. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-42188392390301850732012-10-19T02:58:34.221+03:002012-10-19T02:58:34.221+03:00I remember that, and your review. And I agreed wit...I remember that, and your review. And I agreed with you on many of the positive things. I just couldn't enjoy them as you did because of the passive characters.<br /><br />It wasn't just that the the story was bleak or that the women didn't have any choice; it was that they didn't think they had any choice. It's different to read a story you know how it's going to end because it's a legend and that's how it's supposed to end, and reading a story you know how it's going to end despite how it's being written. <br /><br />I didn't feel like Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, and the others were writing their own story and living their own lives that just happened to sum up to the unfortunate downfall of Arthur and Camelot. I read a story that was destined to end in a certain way and everyone including the characters themselves knew it. <br /><br />And I think a better writer would have managed to give me that illusion that the story could have ended differently and that it was just bad luck Arthur died in the end. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-40486210066663682392012-10-19T02:50:09.320+03:002012-10-19T02:50:09.320+03:00I'm glad I could help.
It wasn't an utte...I'm glad I could help. <br /><br />It wasn't an utterly wasted effort. I did get to read a coherent version of the Arthurian legend. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-36136010502414314642012-10-19T02:48:42.368+03:002012-10-19T02:48:42.368+03:00Someone pointed out on Goodreads that even chattel...Someone pointed out on Goodreads that even chattel dream of rebelling, but I didn't feel like these women did that. Morgaine for example was spared of making mistakes by the men acting according to plans discussed earlier. How was she to learn from something she didn't do?rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-8019159055543716882012-10-19T02:44:36.991+03:002012-10-19T02:44:36.991+03:00They are the great weakness in the story, but if y...They are the great weakness in the story, but if you like the legend it's worth a glance. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-88932063667869067692012-10-19T02:43:42.574+03:002012-10-19T02:43:42.574+03:00Thanks. It's something I'd grab from a lib...Thanks. It's something I'd grab from a library shelf and spend a half an hour reading before deciding whether to borrow it or not. The issues that bothered me might not bother you as much. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-64175486262586997552012-10-19T02:41:43.519+03:002012-10-19T02:41:43.519+03:00I think I decided to read this when I read Anachro...I think I decided to read this when I read Anachronist's review and do I agree with her about the story itself. It's a great story, just dull and patronising.rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-52032485287413098002012-10-19T02:32:33.305+03:002012-10-19T02:32:33.305+03:00That was an interesting glitch. Blogger never ceas...That was an interesting glitch. Blogger never ceases to fail.<br /><br />Thanks for taking it. I've been lazy reader lately. rameauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16552920853028898768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-45250995103611651502012-10-19T02:28:52.389+03:002012-10-19T02:28:52.389+03:00Well, I loved this book and thought the author wro...Well, I loved this book and thought the author wrote one hell of a story. Stacihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07600979915661464945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-86321201782180257992012-10-19T01:53:15.622+03:002012-10-19T01:53:15.622+03:00It's too bad the female characters were passiv...It's too bad the female characters were passive like that. I watched the film version of this one and enjoyed it. The Bookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10217390642323530030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5157347784110166160.post-13755311804159098702012-10-18T22:11:11.762+03:002012-10-18T22:11:11.762+03:00I actually liked this book. Mostly because it took...I actually liked this book. Mostly because it took a story I never warmed and made it better. She didn't change the outcomes, just the characters. They were passive in the original too. I think it has become feminist because before they touted Gwen (who I never liked) because she was meek. They also vilified Morgaine because she was strong (sound familiar?). So, MZB took these characters and, to me, exposed them for who they were... flaws and all. I liked that so much better.<br /><br />However, not comparing it to the first... you certainly have a point. ;)Melissa (Books and Things)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00074452958853212024noreply@blogger.com