15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Exactly the ending you'd expect to the trilogy., January 16, 2005
A brief overview of the trilogy:
Isolde is the princess of Ireland, married off to King Mark of Cornwall to protect her country, but deeply in love with his nephew, the fair and gallant Tristan. Mark is a self-absorbed, spoiled man, and his wife despises him. They never consummate their marriage, which Mark doesn't seem to mind until the third book. Tristan and Isolde seem to suffer no pangs of conscience, as they are not Christians as Mark, but follow the ancient Mother religion, and therefore believe that any woman has the choice to love and be with the man of her choosing. For twenty years Tristan and Isolde conduct an affair under the nose of the king. They navigate through seemingly endless trials and misunderstandings, never free to express their love.
Some readers may find this series more interesting than the Guenevere trilogy, for two reasons: the story of Tristan and Isolde is less well known than that of Camelot, and it's also a shorter tale, which allows the author more room for creativity. In the original myth, Tristan and Isolde both die around the events in the second book, The Maid Of The White Hands.
I was waiting for this third book for months, having finished "Maid of the White Hands" sometime in May. I wasn't exactly disappointed, but neither was I thrilled.
First of all, the book very definately follows Miles' typical style. The longing for lost loves, the mystical nature of the various Ladies and the Mother-right religion, the condemnation of Christianity, the idealistic resolution, were all there. If you've read the Guenevere novels and the first two in the series, you know exactly what I mean.
One thing I enjoy about Miles' work is the unique take on well-worn stories. I enjoy the way Miles both uses the myths as a framework and moves beyond them. I also enjoy the play between the Goddess worship and Christianity, rather than the strictly Christian viewpoint usually seen (in the story of Camelot/Holy Grail, etc.)
I found Isolde more likeable in this last book than previously, when she seemed to be ruled by circumstance and pride rather than her own will. Tristan, however, I'm not so found of. In this book the lovers are supposedly forty years old, yet Tristan does not seem to have matured at all. He maintains his blindly idealistic belief in honor, which hurts Isolde and puts them both in danger. Mark crosses the line from self-absorbed and foolish to violent and evil. His nephew Andred is a completely static character, his actions fully foreseeable. Also present are the scheming Christian prists, Merlin, and Queen Igraine.
This book seemed to me a rush job, and not a labor of love. Some finer points of logic were overlooked. Mark's actions grow increasingly outrageous and illogical (Isolde's treatment was witnessed by many, yet supposedly no one knows the truth); things are done by major characters that seem to have no consequences (particularly Tristan, at the end). Also, Tristan is king of Lyonesse, Isolde is queen of Ireland--yet Tristan apparently hasn't been back to his country in ten years or more, and Isolde has been away from Ireland for very long periods too. Wouldn't ambitious people like Andred try to take over in the monarchs' absences?
Second, although I realize authors don't want to just give things away every time, Miles creates artifical suspense by having characters be anonymous for several pages. For example, when Tristan and Isolde are hiding in a secluded castle, the author goes out of her way to make an approaching man seem ominous and dangerous, only to have him be a friend. This approach is overused, especially in the second half of the book. There are constant plot "twists", a number of which aren't terribly surprising, merely irritating because the build-up and mystery were not necessary.
Thirdly, the repetition of certain things grows very irritating. How many times now has Tristan appeared to Isolde disguised from both queen and reader for several pages? How many times does he ask "do you not know me, my love?" when he's been concealing himself deliberately? How many times does Isolde have imaginary conversations with her dead mother/"Mawther"? How many times now has she thought Tristan dead? And how many times do the words "No tears, no fears" have to be repeated? The refrain of "Goddess, Mother..." becomes grating after six books (Guenevere and Isolde both), as does "Erin. Ireland. Home." We get it already, Ireland is Isolde's home. Even within this one book, certain phrases are just plain overused.
I did enjoy this book, but it took longer than usual to read it because of all the mild irritations and frustrations. It resolved the trilogy in pretty much the way I expected, there's lots of chivalrous romance and adventure, and it's got a happy ending. Anyone who has previously enjoyed Miles' books will enjoy this one, but someone on the edge may find it a slogging, difficult read.
For a new reader of Miles' work, I would suggest starting with the Guenevere trilogy, as I found it much more enjoyable.
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