What do you think?
Rate this book
Finding Camlann
An ancient poem and a mysterious burial inspire an enthralling historical and literary quest.
Despite the wealth of scholarship that pretends to offer proof, archaeologist Donald Gladstone knows there is no solid evidence that a real King Arthur ever existed. Still, the great popular tales spun by medieval historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, and embroidered by Chrétien de Troyes, Sir Thomas Malory, and so many others, must have found their inspiration somewhere. A dramatic archaeological find at Stonehenge and the rediscovery of an old Welsh battle poem, buried among the manuscripts of the Bodleian Library, open up enticing—and misleading—new possibilities.
When the beguiling Julia Llewellyn, a linguist working on the Oxford English Dictionary, joins Donald on the trail of clues, their fervent enthusiasms, unusual gifts, and unfulfilled yearnings prove a combustible mix. Their impassioned search for truths buried deep in the past, amid the secret places and half-forgotten legends of the British countryside, must ultimately transform them—and all our understandings of the origins of Arthur.
An intellectual and emotional journey of myriad pleasures, Finding Camlann is at its heart a love story—not only of romantic love but also the love between parents and grown children; the intense feelings of professors and students; the love of language, place, and home; and the thrill of scholarly research and detective work. Throughout, Sean Pidgeon’s lyrical prose brings together history, myth, and dream, sweeping the reader into the mysteries of the past and the pure delight of storytelling.
Despite the wealth of scholarship that pretends to offer proof, archaeologist Donald Gladstone knows there is no solid evidence that a real King Arthur ever existed. Still, the great popular tales spun by medieval historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, and embroidered by Chrétien de Troyes, Sir Thomas Malory, and so many others, must have found their inspiration somewhere. A dramatic archaeological find at Stonehenge and the rediscovery of an old Welsh battle poem, buried among the manuscripts of the Bodleian Library, open up enticing—and misleading—new possibilities.
When the beguiling Julia Llewellyn, a linguist working on the Oxford English Dictionary, joins Donald on the trail of clues, their fervent enthusiasms, unusual gifts, and unfulfilled yearnings prove a combustible mix. Their impassioned search for truths buried deep in the past, amid the secret places and half-forgotten legends of the British countryside, must ultimately transform them—and all our understandings of the origins of Arthur.
An intellectual and emotional journey of myriad pleasures, Finding Camlann is at its heart a love story—not only of romantic love but also the love between parents and grown children; the intense feelings of professors and students; the love of language, place, and home; and the thrill of scholarly research and detective work. Throughout, Sean Pidgeon’s lyrical prose brings together history, myth, and dream, sweeping the reader into the mysteries of the past and the pure delight of storytelling.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2013
268 people are currently reading
3836 people want to read
About the author
Sean Pidgeon
1 book30 followersAs an Englishman living and working in New Jersey, I have found that my perceptions of my home country have become more complex and more intense over the years. I am interested in the landscape and languages of the British Isles, the origins of our various cultures and national traditions. I am a student of the sciences and the humanities and the places where they meet: in history and archaeology, geography and mythology.
In my day job, I am an academic publisher at Oxford University Press. I am married to Sharon; we live in South Orange, NJ. Our sons are Aidan (22) and Ethan (20).
In my day job, I am an academic publisher at Oxford University Press. I am married to Sharon; we live in South Orange, NJ. Our sons are Aidan (22) and Ethan (20).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
May 24, 2013
In all honestly, I can see why some readers would finish Sean Pidgeon's debut novel and be left completely cold. If I had gone into this read with a predisposition to pull at its many dangling threads, I could easily have done so and had it fall apart in my hands. The plot itself is ambling and tangential. The editing is poor. The love story is awkward, and at times, a little insincere, and the characters themselves sometimes lack a depth of feeling that can easily disengage and disenchant the reader.
But.
I loved this book. I honestly loved it. And I can't attribute that giddy hedonism I felt in the dark nights that I devoured it to one factor alone. I must account for them all, for their part.
'Finding Camlann', as it turns out, is a perfect storm for my affections. It has every ingredient to which I might discover its qualities and rush headfirst into its pages. And that's just what I did. I picked it up quite by coincidence, not having the slightest inclination as to its content, found myself admiring its cover (I'm a true guilty indulgent of this practice) and reading the blurb on the inside cover...and that was it for me. It had to be mine. A combination of Welsh literary history, Arthurian legend, and an archaeological discovery near the sacred ground of Stone Henge?...well, let's just say the whole thing was a given. And once I'd started reading, the more I realized the fortuity and serendipity I had touched upon in finding it on a random table at my bookstore. It's pages are so rooted in Wales (my homeland) - places, characters, traditions and stories of ancient myth, Welsh language poetry - more so than any other fiction I have read to date. What with that, and my fascination with Arthurian legend that stretches back to childhood, I was starting to wonder if the whole thing hadn't been written with me in mind!
Despite the not-so-positive points I mentioned earlier, there are certain elements to 'Finding Camlann' that truly shine. Pidgeon's real genius is his ability to distort the lines between real history, myth history, and pure fiction. This he does with pure finesse, and I think I can safely say that it is in no small part due to the years of research that he took in constructing his story. Pidgeon leaves no Arthurian re-telling or literary reference point unmentioned in the quest to discover 'the real Arthur', if such a man ever existed. Indeed, this is perhaps the most permeable question of the entire novel.
The driving force of the story itself is an archaeologist named Donald Gladstone, as he endeavors to write a book chronicling (through historical and literary reference) his obsession with establishing the truths and fictions surrounding the legendary figure of King Arthur. Unlike most of his predecessors (and fellow academics) however, Gladstone's aim is not so much to feed into the legend and mystique that surrounds the character, but to strip him down to his bare essentials, hopefully exposing historical facts about his origins and life. Despite his efforts, he is having significant difficulty accomplishing his task, given the few historical references available, and the reliability of their sources.
Enter Julia Llewellyn, a gifted Brythonic linguist working at the head quarters of the Oxford English Dictionary. After a chance meeting that coincides with the archaeological discovery of a major burial site near Stonehedge, along with the discovery of a long-lost manuscript at the Bodleian library, his chances of unraveling the origins of Arthur start to seem a little more plausible. The manuscript contains a mysterious (and absolutely beautiful, may I add) poem, apparently chronicling the final battle of a great Welsh legend. While its supposed that the poet himself (who's very identity is in question) is referring to a famous prince and warrior of the Welsh people (Owain Glyn Dwr), it seems to reference Arthur, describing his final hours in battle upon the Welsh hills before his death. What follows is a scholarly detective story, fueled by a fascination with uncovering the truth about Arthur, and the quiet development of Donald and Julia's feeling for each other.
The genius in the story lies here. While Pidgeon's many references to Arthurian source material are all accurate and thoroughly well researched, the key piece of evidence that ties the whole investigation together - the poem called 'The Song of Lailoken', written by poet Sion Cent, and suggestively pointing the reader in the direction of specific historical sources as its evidence - is in fact, a complete figment of the authors imagination. Here, the line is drawn between fact and pure fiction. There is no such poem, in the real world. And yet Pidgeon weaves his story with such mastery, composes his fabrication with such savoir-faire, that the reader is left in total belief of its authenticity. For me, being a Welsh speaker myself, the pure beauty and literary artistry of the poems composition left me spell-bound. It was truly the key that made me buy into the entire story, in the end. The characters fascination with it was not at all hard to believe, and it's what brought the story to life. For me at least.
Wonderful and heart-aching, etched with a timeless and beautiful kind of tragedy that made it feel indicatively Welsh. It made me pine for home.
But.
I loved this book. I honestly loved it. And I can't attribute that giddy hedonism I felt in the dark nights that I devoured it to one factor alone. I must account for them all, for their part.
'Finding Camlann', as it turns out, is a perfect storm for my affections. It has every ingredient to which I might discover its qualities and rush headfirst into its pages. And that's just what I did. I picked it up quite by coincidence, not having the slightest inclination as to its content, found myself admiring its cover (I'm a true guilty indulgent of this practice) and reading the blurb on the inside cover...and that was it for me. It had to be mine. A combination of Welsh literary history, Arthurian legend, and an archaeological discovery near the sacred ground of Stone Henge?...well, let's just say the whole thing was a given. And once I'd started reading, the more I realized the fortuity and serendipity I had touched upon in finding it on a random table at my bookstore. It's pages are so rooted in Wales (my homeland) - places, characters, traditions and stories of ancient myth, Welsh language poetry - more so than any other fiction I have read to date. What with that, and my fascination with Arthurian legend that stretches back to childhood, I was starting to wonder if the whole thing hadn't been written with me in mind!
Despite the not-so-positive points I mentioned earlier, there are certain elements to 'Finding Camlann' that truly shine. Pidgeon's real genius is his ability to distort the lines between real history, myth history, and pure fiction. This he does with pure finesse, and I think I can safely say that it is in no small part due to the years of research that he took in constructing his story. Pidgeon leaves no Arthurian re-telling or literary reference point unmentioned in the quest to discover 'the real Arthur', if such a man ever existed. Indeed, this is perhaps the most permeable question of the entire novel.
The driving force of the story itself is an archaeologist named Donald Gladstone, as he endeavors to write a book chronicling (through historical and literary reference) his obsession with establishing the truths and fictions surrounding the legendary figure of King Arthur. Unlike most of his predecessors (and fellow academics) however, Gladstone's aim is not so much to feed into the legend and mystique that surrounds the character, but to strip him down to his bare essentials, hopefully exposing historical facts about his origins and life. Despite his efforts, he is having significant difficulty accomplishing his task, given the few historical references available, and the reliability of their sources.
Enter Julia Llewellyn, a gifted Brythonic linguist working at the head quarters of the Oxford English Dictionary. After a chance meeting that coincides with the archaeological discovery of a major burial site near Stonehedge, along with the discovery of a long-lost manuscript at the Bodleian library, his chances of unraveling the origins of Arthur start to seem a little more plausible. The manuscript contains a mysterious (and absolutely beautiful, may I add) poem, apparently chronicling the final battle of a great Welsh legend. While its supposed that the poet himself (who's very identity is in question) is referring to a famous prince and warrior of the Welsh people (Owain Glyn Dwr), it seems to reference Arthur, describing his final hours in battle upon the Welsh hills before his death. What follows is a scholarly detective story, fueled by a fascination with uncovering the truth about Arthur, and the quiet development of Donald and Julia's feeling for each other.
The genius in the story lies here. While Pidgeon's many references to Arthurian source material are all accurate and thoroughly well researched, the key piece of evidence that ties the whole investigation together - the poem called 'The Song of Lailoken', written by poet Sion Cent, and suggestively pointing the reader in the direction of specific historical sources as its evidence - is in fact, a complete figment of the authors imagination. Here, the line is drawn between fact and pure fiction. There is no such poem, in the real world. And yet Pidgeon weaves his story with such mastery, composes his fabrication with such savoir-faire, that the reader is left in total belief of its authenticity. For me, being a Welsh speaker myself, the pure beauty and literary artistry of the poems composition left me spell-bound. It was truly the key that made me buy into the entire story, in the end. The characters fascination with it was not at all hard to believe, and it's what brought the story to life. For me at least.
Wonderful and heart-aching, etched with a timeless and beautiful kind of tragedy that made it feel indicatively Welsh. It made me pine for home.
January 30, 2013
This book was a hot mess: long-winded, meandering, nonsensical. Donald, an archeologist, and Julia, a linguist who works on the Oxford English Dictionary, search for clues that might shed light on the Arthurian legend. Donald is writing a book about the subject and wants to prove that the Arthur stories are really fables (original, no?). Somehow Julia discovers a poem that may or may not connected to Arthur. There's a lot of discussion regarding old Whales, Welsh words, and the authenticity of authorship. The characters do not talk like real people; even Donald and Julia's affair feels wooden. In an effort to give the affair credibility, the author throws in a twist at the end that has to do with Julia's husband's past.
This book should not have been published; it needed a thorough edit. Better yet, it needed to be scrapped and rewritten. I'm no fan of The DeVinci Code, but at least that novel was fast-paced and somewhat exciting. This one is a snooze fest.
I'm a nerd; I really am. My master's was in linguistics, and I love words and history and King Arthur legends. If this couldn't keep my attention, I'm not sure there is an audience for this novel.
This book should not have been published; it needed a thorough edit. Better yet, it needed to be scrapped and rewritten. I'm no fan of The DeVinci Code, but at least that novel was fast-paced and somewhat exciting. This one is a snooze fest.
I'm a nerd; I really am. My master's was in linguistics, and I love words and history and King Arthur legends. If this couldn't keep my attention, I'm not sure there is an audience for this novel.
August 5, 2017
This is a surprisingly erudite and surprisingly charming book. Having a long-abiding love for Arthuriana, I picked this up for a spot of light reading. Not only is this a likable entry in the scholars-and-the-subjects-they-love subgenre, it's a remarkably sophisticated and thoughtful work about history and memory, and how history and memory are layered. It's also deeply allusive, a work that argues (implicitly as well as, occasionally, explicitly) that the stories we tell shape the landscapes we live in. A character is described as driving along the edge of the moors that Holmes and Watson walked; there's a vicarage clock that stands at ten to three.
Appropriately enough for a novel in which an archaeologist and a lexicographer become unlikely allies in a quest to find King Arthur (please check your disbelief at the door), Oxford, loveliest of cities and home of lost causes, plays a starring role. There is a bit of quiet academic humor about the characteristics of members of the different colleges; Bodley's librarian exercises awesome authority; the streets and cafes and golden stonework of the city are evoked with great affection but without cliched sentimentality. Also, the tension between sensationalist and soundbite-driven "history" and serious, unglamorous scholarship is one of the chief sources of conflict in the novel. There's interpersonal drama as well, which probably appeals to a broader audience. But as a medievalist, I loved the discussion of the painstaking work that leads to the breathtaking, perspective-altering discoveries that occasionally change our mental landscapes.
Appropriately enough for a novel in which an archaeologist and a lexicographer become unlikely allies in a quest to find King Arthur (please check your disbelief at the door), Oxford, loveliest of cities and home of lost causes, plays a starring role. There is a bit of quiet academic humor about the characteristics of members of the different colleges; Bodley's librarian exercises awesome authority; the streets and cafes and golden stonework of the city are evoked with great affection but without cliched sentimentality. Also, the tension between sensationalist and soundbite-driven "history" and serious, unglamorous scholarship is one of the chief sources of conflict in the novel. There's interpersonal drama as well, which probably appeals to a broader audience. But as a medievalist, I loved the discussion of the painstaking work that leads to the breathtaking, perspective-altering discoveries that occasionally change our mental landscapes.
December 16, 2014
King Arthur...Merlin...Rebellion...Poetry...Wales...Ravens!
This should have been a mind-bending read. Alas, it wasn't for me. It was a trudge, a trudge I say! My initial perception while standing in the bookshop was, oh wow look at the neat cover. A coal-black raven with a scarlet sash holding a golden ring. And when you move the book slightly, the cover seems to come alive! What is this? An Arthurian re-hab? Bam, purchased.
How can you mess up a story about an archaeological search for clues from the Battle of Camlann, where King Arthur was mortally wounded? This book was just an exercise in the banal existences of snotty university elites who bemoan their loveless marriages and seem to have to drive everywhere. I mean, c'mon, Wales isn't that big. You drive in, you drive out (at least one character stops for books).
It's not all sloggy. The author creates a poem which leads to clues about ancient Welsh figures, and there's a side story about the bombing of a Welsh dam, nationalism in Wales, and pre-historic barrows. Somehow, it just never tied up for me. When it finally became intriguing, one quick paragraph ended the momentary excitement. Ah, well. There's always that raven on the cover.
Book Season = Autumn (season of long-falling shadows)
This should have been a mind-bending read. Alas, it wasn't for me. It was a trudge, a trudge I say! My initial perception while standing in the bookshop was, oh wow look at the neat cover. A coal-black raven with a scarlet sash holding a golden ring. And when you move the book slightly, the cover seems to come alive! What is this? An Arthurian re-hab? Bam, purchased.
How can you mess up a story about an archaeological search for clues from the Battle of Camlann, where King Arthur was mortally wounded? This book was just an exercise in the banal existences of snotty university elites who bemoan their loveless marriages and seem to have to drive everywhere. I mean, c'mon, Wales isn't that big. You drive in, you drive out (at least one character stops for books).
It's not all sloggy. The author creates a poem which leads to clues about ancient Welsh figures, and there's a side story about the bombing of a Welsh dam, nationalism in Wales, and pre-historic barrows. Somehow, it just never tied up for me. When it finally became intriguing, one quick paragraph ended the momentary excitement. Ah, well. There's always that raven on the cover.
Book Season = Autumn (season of long-falling shadows)
May 15, 2019
Oh how I love Arthurian legends, but this novel fell dismally short. I really wanted to like it. I actually liked the premise enough to speed read through it just so I can find out what the suspense/mystery behind some archaelogical dig or some family secret, but it did not deliver. The writing was full of dialogue that did not move it along. Few, if at all lyrical passages or bits to ponder about life or adventure. Donald, the main character is alright, albeit a bit safe. Julia could have been a great motivator or something, but I couldn't connect with either of them. When I finally got to the end and found more information about her husband's family, there was no surprise ending that could have redeemed the slow pace and unexciting events happening in this book.
April 5, 2013
Let me at least say I do love a good quest style story, especially if it deals with Arthurian legends. So at least this book held my attention and was interesting enough for the history and mythology and linguistic aspects. It is only in retrospect- away from the comfort of curling up and indulging in some quiet reading time- that my brain starts to pick everything apart. So, my advice, don't think too much about it or you'll ruin it.
Otherwise...what to say about this book? It took me a few chapters before I could tolerate the writing style, and then I realized it wasn't the writing style that bothered me, it was that the characters were the most uninteresting people on the planet. I could not get an idea of who they were in my head. And, also, they drive a lot. They drive everywhere! And every time they drive we get a lot of detail about the landscape and the routes. Fine, it presents a nice picture of Wales but I wish that amount of detail had gone into, I don't know, maybe making the actual plot cohesive and linear.
Lets talk about the side plot first. The one with Julia and the mystery of the bombing. This did not serve much in the way of the actual forward momentum of finding camlann. Its like...you know when you play a video game and there is the main quest that you NEED to do in order to move forward and then a side quest that, eh, you can do it for fun if you want but its going to slow you down? Probably would have skipped this one. Didn't care about Julia, didn't feel the need to delve into the inner workings of her complete lack of personality.
The main character didn't know what he meant to say about Arthur and it seems the author didn't either. It shoots off at random times in different directions and requires a big exposition at the end in order to keep the reader on the same page. I don't mind a little reminder of how we got there, but I hate NEEDING it in order to just know what is going on.
SPOILERS BE HERE!!!!
Speaking of the ending, do you seriously mean to tell me you all went on this dangerous steep, slippery trek up the waterfalls where someone dies only to look just a LITTLE BIT CLOSER at your map a few days later and discover a better path that leads to a place that LITERALLY has Arthur's name in it? You have been inspecting this map and you MISSED this. You MISSED the part where there was a symbol for a burial chamber with Arthur's NAME in it and you didn't think that maybe, just maybe, you should have started there when you were looking for the site of a final battle/burial ground? Did I miss something? Maybe my reading comprehension is off.
END SPOILERS AND RANTING!
In conclusion, the little bits of magic and dream that come through here and there are wonderful and I wish the entire book leaned a little more that way instead of towards a geography lesson.
Otherwise...what to say about this book? It took me a few chapters before I could tolerate the writing style, and then I realized it wasn't the writing style that bothered me, it was that the characters were the most uninteresting people on the planet. I could not get an idea of who they were in my head. And, also, they drive a lot. They drive everywhere! And every time they drive we get a lot of detail about the landscape and the routes. Fine, it presents a nice picture of Wales but I wish that amount of detail had gone into, I don't know, maybe making the actual plot cohesive and linear.
Lets talk about the side plot first. The one with Julia and the mystery of the bombing. This did not serve much in the way of the actual forward momentum of finding camlann. Its like...you know when you play a video game and there is the main quest that you NEED to do in order to move forward and then a side quest that, eh, you can do it for fun if you want but its going to slow you down? Probably would have skipped this one. Didn't care about Julia, didn't feel the need to delve into the inner workings of her complete lack of personality.
The main character didn't know what he meant to say about Arthur and it seems the author didn't either. It shoots off at random times in different directions and requires a big exposition at the end in order to keep the reader on the same page. I don't mind a little reminder of how we got there, but I hate NEEDING it in order to just know what is going on.
SPOILERS BE HERE!!!!
Speaking of the ending, do you seriously mean to tell me you all went on this dangerous steep, slippery trek up the waterfalls where someone dies only to look just a LITTLE BIT CLOSER at your map a few days later and discover a better path that leads to a place that LITERALLY has Arthur's name in it? You have been inspecting this map and you MISSED this. You MISSED the part where there was a symbol for a burial chamber with Arthur's NAME in it and you didn't think that maybe, just maybe, you should have started there when you were looking for the site of a final battle/burial ground? Did I miss something? Maybe my reading comprehension is off.
END SPOILERS AND RANTING!
In conclusion, the little bits of magic and dream that come through here and there are wonderful and I wish the entire book leaned a little more that way instead of towards a geography lesson.
May 19, 2013
Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgin is an incredibly disappointing book. It caught my eye on the "New Books" shelf at the library and the bookflap synopsis reeled me in and convinced me that I needed to read it (see synopsis above)
What a great pity that it didn't quite live up to that. It actually is quite a mess. You've got Donald on his odd little Arthur quest driving everywhere and, apparently (from the text), noticing every little, itsy-bitsy detail of the geography around him along the way. You've got his rather dreary, maybe-it's-on; maybe-it's-off affair with Julia. You've got Julia's weird relationship with her husband and all her doubts and fears about whether he (her husband) or her father or both have been involved in this totally unrelated explosion in the past. You've got one half-crazy scholar and Donald's ex-wife who is bit batty on the subject of ancient Wales and a priestess cult. Mix well and add a stilted, present-tense narration...and watch how the story just sort of stumbles along from one of these topics to another. I didn't really notice any "fervent enthusiasms" or "combustible mix" (unless you count that explosion that didn't even happen during the story's present events). Even when told that Donald was getting excited about this discovery or that I didn't really believe that he was. And then when we get to the end.....well it just ends. There's no real closure to the story and we're left to imagine what happens next. In some books that's a good thing. But with no solid storyline in this one....not so much.
I may be over-rating it with two stars--but I thought the concept was interesting and I actually liked the characters. I just wish there had been a more coherent narration and more development of those characters.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
What a great pity that it didn't quite live up to that. It actually is quite a mess. You've got Donald on his odd little Arthur quest driving everywhere and, apparently (from the text), noticing every little, itsy-bitsy detail of the geography around him along the way. You've got his rather dreary, maybe-it's-on; maybe-it's-off affair with Julia. You've got Julia's weird relationship with her husband and all her doubts and fears about whether he (her husband) or her father or both have been involved in this totally unrelated explosion in the past. You've got one half-crazy scholar and Donald's ex-wife who is bit batty on the subject of ancient Wales and a priestess cult. Mix well and add a stilted, present-tense narration...and watch how the story just sort of stumbles along from one of these topics to another. I didn't really notice any "fervent enthusiasms" or "combustible mix" (unless you count that explosion that didn't even happen during the story's present events). Even when told that Donald was getting excited about this discovery or that I didn't really believe that he was. And then when we get to the end.....well it just ends. There's no real closure to the story and we're left to imagine what happens next. In some books that's a good thing. But with no solid storyline in this one....not so much.
I may be over-rating it with two stars--but I thought the concept was interesting and I actually liked the characters. I just wish there had been a more coherent narration and more development of those characters.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
November 26, 2012
Finding Camlann by Sean Pidgeon is, according to the author note, “the product of sixteen years of research, writing, and rewriting, and a lifelong preoccupation with the story of the ‘real’ Arthur.” I’m not particularly entranced by the story of Arthur and Camelot, but I loved the book’s cover (a raven playing with a red ribbon and a heavy gold ring) and a comparison on the jacket to A.S. Byatt’s Possession. (I read an advance reader copy, so I’m not sure the cover will be the final cover.)
Finding Camlann did indeed remind me of Possession, a book I loved. However, Possession was about two scholars researching the lives of two dead poets, a topic which interests me more than Arthur. Still, I did enjoy Finding Camlann.
The book is set in and around Oxford and the Bodleian Library (another plus for me) and Wales. One of the two main characters works on the Oxford English Dictionary; that fact alone would have made me give this book a try. The romance between two of the characters is subtle and never takes center stage. The focus is on scholarly research.
Since I am not an Arthur scholar, I have no idea how much of the information in this book is true, how much is speculation, and how much was completely made up. However, I believed everything that was laid out (although I did get lost in the details). I found the plot about the Arthur research very believable. There is a bit of a twist at the end that seemed far-fetched, but not so much as to impact my enjoyment of the book. I do not know how Welsh sounds, so I did find myself stumbling over the many Welsh names, words, and phrases.
If you are a fan of Arthur and Camelot, literary detective fiction, fiction set in Wales, or A.S. Byatt’s Possession, I recommend Finding Camlann.
Finding Camlann did indeed remind me of Possession, a book I loved. However, Possession was about two scholars researching the lives of two dead poets, a topic which interests me more than Arthur. Still, I did enjoy Finding Camlann.
The book is set in and around Oxford and the Bodleian Library (another plus for me) and Wales. One of the two main characters works on the Oxford English Dictionary; that fact alone would have made me give this book a try. The romance between two of the characters is subtle and never takes center stage. The focus is on scholarly research.
Since I am not an Arthur scholar, I have no idea how much of the information in this book is true, how much is speculation, and how much was completely made up. However, I believed everything that was laid out (although I did get lost in the details). I found the plot about the Arthur research very believable. There is a bit of a twist at the end that seemed far-fetched, but not so much as to impact my enjoyment of the book. I do not know how Welsh sounds, so I did find myself stumbling over the many Welsh names, words, and phrases.
If you are a fan of Arthur and Camelot, literary detective fiction, fiction set in Wales, or A.S. Byatt’s Possession, I recommend Finding Camlann.
December 3, 2012
I find I fall somewhere in the middle amongst the GR readers on this one (which you could probably guess from the 3-star rating). It was slow-going but engrossing, it was overly detailed in parts but also historically interesting, it was...contradictory for lack of a better word. Perhaps most of all it wasn't what I thought it would be.
I was interested in the pursuit of the "real" Arthur and Donald and Julia were interesting enough as protagonists, but I think the author's 16 years of research shows in the writing. There are a lot of info-dumps and not all of them are necessary to the story-telling. I'm also not altogether sold on the political backstory plot involving Welsh radicals. And yet. By the time I reached the midway point I was turning pages pretty quickly.
An interesting, if mixed bag.
I was interested in the pursuit of the "real" Arthur and Donald and Julia were interesting enough as protagonists, but I think the author's 16 years of research shows in the writing. There are a lot of info-dumps and not all of them are necessary to the story-telling. I'm also not altogether sold on the political backstory plot involving Welsh radicals. And yet. By the time I reached the midway point I was turning pages pretty quickly.
An interesting, if mixed bag.
March 25, 2014
I loved this book!
I love this kind of book. And, generally speaking, it is not often I can find this type of novel. Finding Camlann is set in contemporary times with contemporary characters who are experiencing trials and trauma in their own lives even as they are engaged in an academic quest. I love a literary and scholarly mystery, and in this case, Donald Gladstone, an archaeologist, is trying to find evidence of a historical King Arthur.
The journey takes him back and forth between Oxford, Cornwall, and Wales, and through a maze of shifting alliances made up of colleagues, friends, enemies, and an ex.
This was an excellent novel I would highly recommend.
I love this kind of book. And, generally speaking, it is not often I can find this type of novel. Finding Camlann is set in contemporary times with contemporary characters who are experiencing trials and trauma in their own lives even as they are engaged in an academic quest. I love a literary and scholarly mystery, and in this case, Donald Gladstone, an archaeologist, is trying to find evidence of a historical King Arthur.
The journey takes him back and forth between Oxford, Cornwall, and Wales, and through a maze of shifting alliances made up of colleagues, friends, enemies, and an ex.
This was an excellent novel I would highly recommend.
January 28, 2013
Deep in the landscape, history and myths of southwest England and Wales, an eerily powerful old battle poem inspires a gifted linguist and determined archaeologist to untangle clues about the real King Arthur.
I enjoyed this partly because I've spent time in that part of the world, and this book reveals so much about the layers upon layers of history you can find there. I found the would-be romance and other relationships very real and compelling, in a way that you wouldn't necessarily expect from an archaeological mystery.
I enjoyed this partly because I've spent time in that part of the world, and this book reveals so much about the layers upon layers of history you can find there. I found the would-be romance and other relationships very real and compelling, in a way that you wouldn't necessarily expect from an archaeological mystery.
January 20, 2013
This is a good book for anyone who loves English/Welsh culture and has an interest in the academic side of the King Arthur legends. It's definitely not for everyone and would likely be downright boring for some, but if you fit the above description, you'll appreciate it. It's a quick read with strong characters.
July 12, 2016
2.5
The academic hunt for King Arthur was awesome, but everything else was terrible.
The academic hunt for King Arthur was awesome, but everything else was terrible.
January 9, 2013
This book has been described as of interest to fans of the movie Possession starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart. While it's true that there are similarities - romance among two people brought together by new findings that shed light upon a piece of British history - the pacing of this novel would have been much better served as a movie. While I am glad I read it, I can't say I simply enjoyed it.
The story got lost for me in the emphasis placed on everything from the detailed descriptions of the British and Welsh countrysides to ancient historical events and genealogies to dreamscapes (which really seemed most out of place) to almost everything but the forward momentum of the story itself. I could see how the sweeping vistas would be gorgeous in a movie, or how the impeccably researched historical elements might appeal to history buffs, but I wanted more meat to the story itself. The very writing itself seemed to contain a kind of stereotypical British constraint that was occasionally swept aside by a fanciful phrase that almost did more to distract than add, it being so out of place.
All of that said, something about it kept me reading, maybe because the pacing was just enough to hook me in as I was about to give up with some new piece of the mystery or new development in a character's relationship. I did like the characters:
Donald Gladstone is the co-main character along with Julia Llewelyn. He's an archaeologist; she's a researcher for the OED. Her husband, Hugh Mortimer, I thought was the least realized character, despite his rather central role in the end. Some intriguing minor characters come in, with Donald's American ex-wife being my least favorite, mostly because she either put on airs as a character or the author genuinely believes American women act like this (either one being of extreme annoyance to me).
A slow build for sure, I was almost most disappointed in the ending, for right as there is a final build-up to the actual find that brings all the various pieces of the historical mystery together, the author prefers to write something prosaic and leave it all to our imagination, what happens next, as opposed to giving the reader some closure - which, ironically I felt, was something several of characters throughout the novel were looking for (closure). Overall, I'd recommend less historical reference, more character development.
The story got lost for me in the emphasis placed on everything from the detailed descriptions of the British and Welsh countrysides to ancient historical events and genealogies to dreamscapes (which really seemed most out of place) to almost everything but the forward momentum of the story itself. I could see how the sweeping vistas would be gorgeous in a movie, or how the impeccably researched historical elements might appeal to history buffs, but I wanted more meat to the story itself. The very writing itself seemed to contain a kind of stereotypical British constraint that was occasionally swept aside by a fanciful phrase that almost did more to distract than add, it being so out of place.
All of that said, something about it kept me reading, maybe because the pacing was just enough to hook me in as I was about to give up with some new piece of the mystery or new development in a character's relationship. I did like the characters:
Donald Gladstone is the co-main character along with Julia Llewelyn. He's an archaeologist; she's a researcher for the OED. Her husband, Hugh Mortimer, I thought was the least realized character, despite his rather central role in the end. Some intriguing minor characters come in, with Donald's American ex-wife being my least favorite, mostly because she either put on airs as a character or the author genuinely believes American women act like this (either one being of extreme annoyance to me).
A slow build for sure, I was almost most disappointed in the ending, for right as there is a final build-up to the actual find that brings all the various pieces of the historical mystery together, the author prefers to write something prosaic and leave it all to our imagination, what happens next, as opposed to giving the reader some closure - which, ironically I felt, was something several of characters throughout the novel were looking for (closure). Overall, I'd recommend less historical reference, more character development.
January 31, 2016
This should have been a book I loved: Arthurian legend, archaeology, British setting, a puzzle to unravel. I still want to have loved it. In the end, however, I just can't forgive it for not being what it could have been. It could have been a gripping, page turning, thrilling chase. It is not. It could have been a charming romance. It is not. It could have been a solid mystery. It is not.
What is it? Self indulgent. Virtually every scene opens with a description of the weather (always rainy btw). When the characters travel, the reader has to wade through lists of every town they pass through. Although most of the characters are highly specialized academics, or rabidly interested locals, they still stop to explain things to each other. Basic things they should all know. And they give those explanations in long-winded contraction free orations.
I might have been able to forgive all of that - except for two things that drove me batty. First, not one character in this modern day book has a cell phone. Consequently, everyone spends huge amounts of time leaving notes, asking to borrow phones in pubs, or sitting anxiously wondering where the others are. Cell phones are a fact of modern life. Authors need to deal with that in a believable way. Secondly, the author gives himself multiple chances for drama/action and then walks away from them. Example: the main character is alone in an isolated house with someone who may be a murderer and who also has reason whack the main character. No one else knows where the MC is. The two of them head to a semi-hidden and inescapable stone crypt and........ absolutely nothing happens.
What is it? Self indulgent. Virtually every scene opens with a description of the weather (always rainy btw). When the characters travel, the reader has to wade through lists of every town they pass through. Although most of the characters are highly specialized academics, or rabidly interested locals, they still stop to explain things to each other. Basic things they should all know. And they give those explanations in long-winded contraction free orations.
I might have been able to forgive all of that - except for two things that drove me batty. First, not one character in this modern day book has a cell phone. Consequently, everyone spends huge amounts of time leaving notes, asking to borrow phones in pubs, or sitting anxiously wondering where the others are. Cell phones are a fact of modern life. Authors need to deal with that in a believable way. Secondly, the author gives himself multiple chances for drama/action and then walks away from them. Example: the main character is alone in an isolated house with someone who may be a murderer and who also has reason whack the main character. No one else knows where the MC is. The two of them head to a semi-hidden and inescapable stone crypt and........ absolutely nothing happens.
September 8, 2016
Well - those are several hours I will never get back! I really wanted to like this book. While I am not an Arthurian legend fanatic I am interested in the history of Britain and most in particularly of Wales where a good part of my ancestry lies. I went into this book hoping for a good mystery to unfold and fully expecting it would be intertwined with a contemporary love story. What I read instead was a book that couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Is it a non-fiction exploration of archeological finds? Is it an historical mystery? Is it a contemporary thriller? Is it a romance? Is it a geography lesson? Is it an Arthurian legend? Is it a political commentary? Is it a dictionary (the author managed to liberally sprinkle the book with every polysyllabic obscure word he could find! Warning: have a dictionary at hand. I found the overuse of such words really interfered with the flow of the book). This book lacked identity and lacked focus. It suffered from . . . . a lack of good editing. It is a shame really because I thought there was a good premise (perhaps a few) behind all the rambling and lack of focus. The author clearly has a very good command of the English language but he need to be reined in. He also has some really good story ideas but he shouldn't have tried to put them all in one book of just over 350 pages. And . . . too many stories were being told without any of them feeling full, feeling justified. I would give the author a second chance and I would read another book by this author but, only on the condition that he gets a new editor!
October 22, 2014
If there is a word such as 'Anglophile' or 'Francophile' to describe those who are obsessed with Wales I don't know it. Nor do I care enough to look it up. And if among those people there are some who are equally enamored of the legend of King Arthur, then to them I highly recommend this book. To all others I say devote your precious reading time elsewhere. Finding Camlann is a screaming bore. Pidgeon's writing might best be described as correct and the reader definitely gets the sense of it having been honed by the composition of reference texts. Perhaps because the writing is so charmless, the characters are as well. None of the major players are at all likable and some are even repellent, though that does seem to be a post-war trend with British writing so Pidgeon could possibly be given a pass for following it. Trend or not, of the two funerals described in the story, I was sorry one of them didn't happen sooner. As for the so-called romance, the main female character is such a cold fish the reader winds up feeling sorry for her abandoned husband, manslayer though he is. I will grant this novel one commendation - it has reaffirmed my conviction that life is too short to read a bad book.
April 16, 2015
I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy Erin Hart's archaeological suspense novels set in Ireland, but I won't expect them to love this book. Long scholarly monologues, lengthy descriptions of the Welsh landscape, and characters that hover just this side of stereotype--these elements will test the reader. Mr. Pidgeon attempts to weave together several plots, but the connections between them are at turns tight, then loose. Also the story is told in the present tense throughout which, while it moves the tale along, can get tiresome because of the limits of this tense in a book of 260+ pages. I cannot imagine why this novel is being compared to Byatt's Possession. This comparison can only disappoint. All things considered, I'd still enjoy seeing a second novel from this author; there is much to be mined for stories in the history and pre-history of Wales.
February 10, 2013
After I had read 38 percent of this book, I gave up. Unless you are a fan of King Arthur - which I am not and now, thanks to this hot mess, will never be - don't bother to read it. Its meandering prose struck me as convoluted. I wanted to like it, but hated it. I paid good money for this kindle book and feel thoroughly cheated. I came to despise the heroine and the hero became more pedantic as the book moved forward. I could have made this a good murder mystery by skill wing one or the other and putting the blame on the other. I love history, have a degree in English literature, and still want to vomit over this book. Desperately wish I could get a partial refund.
September 29, 2017
While engrossed in the archaeology, I kept thinking of and was impressed by the colossal amount of research behind this story. The authenticity had me looking for a bibliography. Alas, it is fiction. Were I ever to return to Wales or walk around Oxford, this book could well serve as a local guide. Set before mobile telephones or GPS, the pace differs from that many would expect these days. Ordinance survey maps not Google Earth. I found the history and the histories behind the history sufficiently fascinating not to need the love interest.
April 25, 2018
Interesting story. However I think I might have enjoyed it better if I was a linguist or knew more about Wales history.
There was also an unsolved mystery throughout the book and I'm not quite sure how that tied up with the main story of finding of Camlann. I probably missed something while reading...
I enjoyed the settings and the clues in ancient and remote tomes for the characters to interpret. All in all, pretty good.
There was also an unsolved mystery throughout the book and I'm not quite sure how that tied up with the main story of finding of Camlann. I probably missed something while reading...
I enjoyed the settings and the clues in ancient and remote tomes for the characters to interpret. All in all, pretty good.
December 8, 2022
Very interesting book. Taught me a lot about welsh and British history and archeology. Got a bit heavy at times but I’m happy I pushed through
April 15, 2015
This was one of those books that I think I read at just the right time. However, I still think it is a slow read, and I still have my issues with it.
I first added this book to my TBR list two years ago, back in my senior year of high school. I had very little knowledge of British history, and absolutely no idea who Owen Glendower was, or the myth surrounding him. However, I did know some about King Arthur, Mordred, and their fateful battle at Camlann, which is what got me interested in the novel. I tried to read the book and was quickly in over my head. I realized it was more about Owen Glendower (a figure I was unfamiliar with) than King Arthur, and had absolutely no idea what was being talked about regarding the Welsh and British history. I ended up putting the book down after about seventy pages, very disappointed.
Now that I've taken a Medieval British course, read Le Morte d'Arthur, and even read Maggie Steifvater's The Raven Cycle (a series focused on a quest for Owen Glendower), I found that I actually understood what was being talked about in the book. References to Bede, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and even Owen Glendower himself no longer went over my head. I also knew about the variations of Mordred's name (Medrod, Medraut) and felt much more like I knew what was going on. I even recognized poems in the book that I'd read in my British literature course. It really pays to understand the subjects being talked about!!!
Despite this, however, I was still a bit unhappy with the book. I was able to finish it this time, yes, but it was a very slow, tedious read. The tense that it was written in also threw me off, as it was written in the Negative Present tense - ugh. Another issue was that a lot of the book read like an information dump, and some events just seemed way too convenient for the plot, which to me seemed like lazy writing. I also wish that the synopsis would have been clearer that this book is less about searching for Camlann and more about interpreting a poem about Owen Glendower. They never even seemed to search for Camlann, honestly. Frankly, I'm still confused as to how everything seemed to tie together at the end of the book - the book seemed to imply that Arthur and Glendower were the same person, just brought back to life hundreds of years later, but it was never made that clear to readers whether that was the author's intent.
Overall, I will say that for enthusiasts of British/Welsh history, as well as the myths of King Arthur and Owen Glendower, this wasn't a bad read, but a difficult one. Maybe if I give it another two years and reread it after I've finished my British studies minor, I'll enjoy it even more.
I first added this book to my TBR list two years ago, back in my senior year of high school. I had very little knowledge of British history, and absolutely no idea who Owen Glendower was, or the myth surrounding him. However, I did know some about King Arthur, Mordred, and their fateful battle at Camlann, which is what got me interested in the novel. I tried to read the book and was quickly in over my head. I realized it was more about Owen Glendower (a figure I was unfamiliar with) than King Arthur, and had absolutely no idea what was being talked about regarding the Welsh and British history. I ended up putting the book down after about seventy pages, very disappointed.
Now that I've taken a Medieval British course, read Le Morte d'Arthur, and even read Maggie Steifvater's The Raven Cycle (a series focused on a quest for Owen Glendower), I found that I actually understood what was being talked about in the book. References to Bede, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and even Owen Glendower himself no longer went over my head. I also knew about the variations of Mordred's name (Medrod, Medraut) and felt much more like I knew what was going on. I even recognized poems in the book that I'd read in my British literature course. It really pays to understand the subjects being talked about!!!
Despite this, however, I was still a bit unhappy with the book. I was able to finish it this time, yes, but it was a very slow, tedious read. The tense that it was written in also threw me off, as it was written in the Negative Present tense - ugh. Another issue was that a lot of the book read like an information dump, and some events just seemed way too convenient for the plot, which to me seemed like lazy writing. I also wish that the synopsis would have been clearer that this book is less about searching for Camlann and more about interpreting a poem about Owen Glendower. They never even seemed to search for Camlann, honestly. Frankly, I'm still confused as to how everything seemed to tie together at the end of the book - the book seemed to imply that Arthur and Glendower were the same person, just brought back to life hundreds of years later, but it was never made that clear to readers whether that was the author's intent.
Overall, I will say that for enthusiasts of British/Welsh history, as well as the myths of King Arthur and Owen Glendower, this wasn't a bad read, but a difficult one. Maybe if I give it another two years and reread it after I've finished my British studies minor, I'll enjoy it even more.
February 22, 2018
Wow! I loved this book. It had an interesting subject, a fun premise, and the writing was atmospheric and some of the best, most lyrical writing I have seen in ages. It’s the kind of book you hate to finish.
February 9, 2013
Set in academic England and the Welsh countryside, Finding Camlann begins a journey to find some new insights into the mythical versus historical King Arthur, but in the end the reader is left sorely wanting. A new archaeological discovery leads to the public to believe the grave of King Arthur and Queen Guenivere has finally been discovered, and the two main protagnists come together to investigate the veracity of this claim. Instead of focusing on this, Pidgeon storyline gets muddied up with an old family mystery that haunts Julia, the female lead, her Welsh nationalist father, and her husband (who she rapidly is estranged from due to this mystery). This mystery was supposed to merely serve as a device to bring the characters to a geographical location but instead turned into a main focus to the detriment of the truly exciting part of the story.
Also, The 'romance' between Julia and the male protagonist Donald, a British archaelogist who is attempting to find the true King Arthur, was really a throw away. I didn't feel an adequate explanation as to why Donald was so entranced with her, as most of her story line revolved around her stumbling into plot points set up by past events.
I really thought I would enjoy a more academic-based novel about ancient lore and archaeology (as compared to Dan Brown's over theatrical Indiana Jones' style novels), but unfortuntely this did not pan out. Much like a badly written undergraduate paper, Pidgeon threw in block text from 'manuscripts' (in both Welsh then translated into English, ugh) which I could not determine if they were made up to fit the story or truly exist. I was not compelled enough by the story to find out.
Pidgeon's descriptions of the natural were quite beautiful, too bad the main adventures were so dull.
Also, The 'romance' between Julia and the male protagonist Donald, a British archaelogist who is attempting to find the true King Arthur, was really a throw away. I didn't feel an adequate explanation as to why Donald was so entranced with her, as most of her story line revolved around her stumbling into plot points set up by past events.
I really thought I would enjoy a more academic-based novel about ancient lore and archaeology (as compared to Dan Brown's over theatrical Indiana Jones' style novels), but unfortuntely this did not pan out. Much like a badly written undergraduate paper, Pidgeon threw in block text from 'manuscripts' (in both Welsh then translated into English, ugh) which I could not determine if they were made up to fit the story or truly exist. I was not compelled enough by the story to find out.
Pidgeon's descriptions of the natural were quite beautiful, too bad the main adventures were so dull.
March 11, 2013
I was really disappointed in this book. As a big fan of King Arthur stories and of many of the places in England associated with them, I was very excited to read a book that bills itself as the "Da Vinci Code" of Arthurian legend. I had hoped it might make some plausible conjectures about which parts of the stories were true and provide some historical context for why these tales have remained so beloved throughout the centuries. That would have been a good book. And because I wanted to read THAT book so much, I kept holding out hope that I'd get at least a little of that in this book, right up through the great big let down of an ending.
What this book actually is, is a heady, often tedious dissection of an old Welsh poem. The love story feels tacked on and there's no reason to root for it. There is a great deal to do with Welsh nationalism which, having never had to concern myself with that topic, I felt keenly under-informed about throughout. There are also large gaps in logic, including a character being aware of information he hasn't actually yet been given, an assortment of convenient to the plot coincidences despite the main character belittling coincidence, and a great number of misunderstandings that could have been averted if these people only used cell phones. If I'm not mistaken, modern technology is available in modern England.
On the plus side, the book has a very pretty cover.
What this book actually is, is a heady, often tedious dissection of an old Welsh poem. The love story feels tacked on and there's no reason to root for it. There is a great deal to do with Welsh nationalism which, having never had to concern myself with that topic, I felt keenly under-informed about throughout. There are also large gaps in logic, including a character being aware of information he hasn't actually yet been given, an assortment of convenient to the plot coincidences despite the main character belittling coincidence, and a great number of misunderstandings that could have been averted if these people only used cell phones. If I'm not mistaken, modern technology is available in modern England.
On the plus side, the book has a very pretty cover.
February 19, 2013
Do you have any idea how hard a book that's in any way about King Arthur has to work to bore me? I've read almost everything, from the driest scholarly works to the most overblown flights of fantasy, about this legend during the past 20 years. Some I loved, some I don't remember, and some make me wonder why I bothered finishing them when I could've read something else instead. This one falls into the last category. It was an exploration of the Arthurian myth set against the story of two uninteresting people who didn't show any evidence of falling in love but apparently did anyway, off the page. Along the way there was great, ponderous exposition about Welsh patriotism, a long-ago backstory that never took off, a husband and wife who had fallen out of love long before the story took place (it's possible they found each other as boring as I found them both, in which case they should have stayed together), and...I frankly don't even remember many more details although I just finished the thing. Bored, bored, bored. I'm going to have to reread either Gillian Bradshaw's excellent Gwalchmai trilogy or T.H. White's Once and Future King to remind myself why I love this story so much. I'd recommend that anyone interested in this book (and you won't be for long) do the same.
January 28, 2013
Fans of Arthurian legend and British history are in for a treat when they open Finding Camlann, the debut novel by Sean Pidgeon. Part mystery, part love story and a thrilling exploration of Celtic myth, the novel is a unique and extremely intelligent look into the scholarly life. Archeologist Donald Gladstone, recently divorced, throws himself into his passion of exploring the true origins of the Legend of King Arthur, and to find out as much as possible about the existence of an actual Arthur in the historic record. His chance encounter with Julia Llewellyn, a linguist for the Oxford English Dictionary, leads both he and Julia on a quest to find the location of Camlann, the actual site of the battle where Arthur is said to have lost his mortal life and gone on to the next realm where he will wait until Britain once again needs his services. A dramatic find at a site near Stonehenge and the discovery of a lost Welsh battle poem lead the pair on an exciting adventure that will cause Donald and Julia to explore the benefits and drawbacks of both fact and fantasy. Extensively researched and emotionally gripping, Pidgeon has created an atmospheric and scholarly novel, which is also a tribute to human emotion and motivation. Pidgeon is certainly an author to watch.
June 26, 2018
After reading the description of this book I had images of The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure popping up in my mind, only this would be more historically accurate. In the end this book was nothing like either of those works, but it was full of history. Only it was history the author assumed the reader would know and wasn't explained very clearly. Half the time when I was reading this I felt like I was in a confused fog and the other half I was waiting for something to happen while reading pages and pages of Tolkein-esque descriptions of the Welsh countryside. I had invested so much time in this that I absolutely had ro finish it. About 3/4 of the way on something finally did happen, and then there wasn't enough space left for resolution. It felt like the author had a few distinct ideas in his head but everything was sort of slapped together with some big descriptive words for good measure. I finished this book feeling deeply unsatisfied. It had so much potential, but hardly any of it was met. I don't give negative reviews lightly, I am just dissappointed with how good this could have been.
January 5, 2013
just some Saturday morning thoughts as I was reading.
I love the contrast of Donald the scientist/archeologist and Donald the smitten man. This contrast is reflected in the writing as well, the science/historic aspect harder to access, the man/human part easy. Reminds me a bit of Grapes of Wrath, the more sophisticated (poetic) interchapters reading one style, the narrative the other. In this case, science and history, logic and exposition, juxtaposed to the psychological, romantic love story
I loved the language. I loved the setting. the descriptions. BEAUUUUTIIIFUL!
I think Sean Pidgeon a genius.
So much to think about in terms of the story, the style, the characters, the layers.
The pace at final third (where am now) moves quickly.
off to finish the book. cold outside, nice hot cup of coffee in.
I love the contrast of Donald the scientist/archeologist and Donald the smitten man. This contrast is reflected in the writing as well, the science/historic aspect harder to access, the man/human part easy. Reminds me a bit of Grapes of Wrath, the more sophisticated (poetic) interchapters reading one style, the narrative the other. In this case, science and history, logic and exposition, juxtaposed to the psychological, romantic love story
I loved the language. I loved the setting. the descriptions. BEAUUUUTIIIFUL!
I think Sean Pidgeon a genius.
So much to think about in terms of the story, the style, the characters, the layers.
The pace at final third (where am now) moves quickly.
off to finish the book. cold outside, nice hot cup of coffee in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews