The Mists of Avalon

How it reads

The Mists of Avalon is historical fiction (arthurian historical fantasy, specifically), and its dominant mood is romantic. The relationship is the engine of the story. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in an international setting, in the historical past, told in the third person across several viewpoints. Its central concerns are power and politics, faith and love. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending is bittersweet: it resolves, but at a price. At 884 pages it's a real commitment. It's a mega-bestseller — the book everyone seems to have read.