Review: The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H. G. Parry

Rating: /10

Synopsis:

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. ⁣

Review:

An unconventional love story to rival The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow.
I can’t describe this as anything other than magical.

A standalone historical fantasy that weaves Arthurian legend with the gritty reality of World War II.
As the horrors of the London Blitz ravage Britain, a strange phenomenon plagues the world: people everywhere begin experiencing vivid dreams of King Arthur, sparking desperate hopes for his return.

In 1941 Wales, a librarian and a grounds man get pulled into a mystery as they try to figure out why the veil is thinning. Is it even possible?
In alternating chapters, we get the story of Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. Or rather, a story because, as the book itself acknowledges, there is more than one passed down in history.

The fall of Camelot could be about so much—chivalry, infidelity, political factions, empire building, an entire way of life—and still rest in the hands of such a small group of people.

– From the author’s note.

Like I said, this book is magical and enchanting. Normally, I hate anything that plays with time, but this managed to pull it off in a fairly satisfying manner.

It tackles destiny, PTSD, and what we mean by courage.

What I truly appreciated was the focus on platonic love. I called this a love story, but it’s more focused on the encounters and choices built over encounters, on months and years, on compatibility and accountability.

I do think it tried to pack slightly too much in – for example, Robin Hood showed up for a scene which felt random.

Overall, an enchanting standalone that mixes WWII and Arthurian legend in an unconventional and creative way.