Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry. The book is actually out today. So, if it sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can pick it up wherever you get your books. I’m a big fan of Parry, especially The Magician’s Daughter & A Far Better Thing, and have been slowly working through her backlist. When I saw she had written an Arthurian historical fantasy, I just couldn’t resist requesting an ARC. Did I enjoy this new take on one of my favorite legends? Read on to find out!

From the author of The Magician’s Daughter comes a captivating historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn.

Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people’s sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights – dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur’s return at the time of Britain’s greatest need.⁣
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Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn’t believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum’s collection from the Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor’s private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she’s tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue – the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot.

***Thank you to Redhook/Orbit Books for providing an advanced copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I loved everything about The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry. The plot, characters, world-building, and themes were all on point, and Parry’s writing was wonderful, as always. Despite being based around an ancient legend that’s been retold countless times, the author managed to create a unique narrative out of it that kept me engaged until the end.

My favorite thing about The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood was how it used familiar elements of the Arthur myth in new ways. I particularly loved how the story tackled the mythos surrounding Merlin. He’s always such an intriguing character that is often shrouded in mystery, and I liked how the man behind the myth was explored here in such an interesting way. The intertwining of the lives of Morgan, Lancelot, Nimue, Mordred, and the Lady of the Lake was another fascinating amalgamation of previous renditions of the myth. The connection between those characters confused me at first, but I quickly came to see the sense of it. It made the fall of Camelot feel even more epic and tragic, which I didn’t think possible.

I also really loved how the story of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood was structured. The dual timelines of flitting between Camelot and World War 2 worked well. The two POVs did a great job of informing one another and slowly revealing the story’s secrets. Furthermore, the incorporation of the Camelot timeline as a series of dreams allowed for the addition of Jungian themes. There were some really cool moments where it felt like archetypes and myths were escaping from the collective unconscious in response to the mass psychological distress of the world war. Obviously, it was explained in fantasy terms, with the mythical creatures and characters appearing because of a weakening veil between reality and the Otherworld. However, Jung’s influence felt obvious to me, and as a psychology nerd, it made me happy. lol.

There was SO MUCH thought-provoking thematic content in The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood. It really highlighted the pieces of Arthurian legend that show how fragile society and its institutions can be. It pointed out how small things chip away at everyone’s belief in norms and the values that form the bedrock of governance, which ultimately causes things to spiral into chaos and division. Of course, it doesn’t help when the foundation of order is built on an unattainable lie, too. In Arthur’s case, that lie was chivalry because no one could live up to its ideals. The story pondered whether people are too complex and flawed for any order to last forever. Does that mean we shouldn’t try to strive for peace and unity? If the darkness of the Shadow always returns to rear its ugly head eventually, is it worth it to push it back, even if just for a time? Those questions are just a smidgeon of the things I was left thinking about upon finishing this book.

All in all, The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood was one of my favorite books of the year so far. It was such a fascinating take on Arthurian legend, and I was surprised by how much the story made me think. I can’t think of a negative thing to say about it. So, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars and can’t recommend it enough.

There you have it! My thoughts on The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry. Are you a fan of Arthurian stories? This is one you don’t want to miss! Have you already read it? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!