Kirkus Review: T.H. White’s The Once and Future King

The lives and legends of King Arthur and his knights are brilliantly retold with a confident and modern narrative voice that simultaneously recounts the action and turmoil central to a work of fantasy while providing its reader an opportunity to join the heroes as they attempt to ideologically change their world.

Initially centering on the childhood of Arthur, the first portion of the novel is a bildungsroman that fosters the teacher/mentor relationship between the future king and Merlyn, the wizard whose blessing and curse is to live his life backwards through time. As Arthur grows in years, the novel expands to focusing on his wife, Guenever, and the Knights of the Round Table, importantly Lancelot. White approaches the love triangle between Aurthur, Guenever, and Lancelot with fresh eyes yielding feelings of lust, loneliness, and fate. Fate plays an ever important role throughout the story, as Merlyn tries to circumvent the dread future that lies in wait for Arthur and Camelot, yet White often reminds his reader that there will be no surprises in his retelling of one of the world’s most popular stories. What sets White apart from other authors who have attempted a modern ride through Arthurian legend is his ability to weave the time fictional time period together in a nearly tactile manner. White employs the works of Chaucer, Malory and many other authors in his narration that combine with subtle humor to give the impression that you are being told the story of Arthur by a kind old professor by the a fire in his study. White writes based on the assumption that you know Arthur’s story, so his retelling is filled with looks into the consciousness of these legendary characters as they make decisions that shape and ultimately destroy a nation. The best parts of The Once and Future King yield the reader the opportunity to consider the correct use of power, might, and authority within the juxtaposition of a time primarily remembered as violent as a way to mirror the modern world. Yet White never steps out of bounds within his work, allowing the story to express the answers to implied questions.

A modern classic for people in love with classics.