Wednesday 15 November 2023

Book Review: Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain by Amy Jeffs (Folklore & Myth)

Title: Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain
Author: Amy Jeffs
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date: 6 February 2024
Pages: 240
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Folklore & Myth
Source: ARC via Edelweiss

Journey into the wilderness of northwestern Europe between the sixth and tenth centuries, an oft forgotten time in a mystical and magical place where the terror of the wilderness was surpassed only by its potential for salvation.

Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain takes you on a journey out of the present and into the wilderness of another age. A collection of poems, tales, and deeply researched musings that explore the rich history of the Medieval wilderness of northern Europe and the mysteries and teachings that it holds. Amy Jeffs knows that if you “get lost in the wilderness, you may never be found,” so she is here to guide you through it and back home to your own wēstendream.

 

Wild was an enjoyable enough read that I finished in a single sitting. Jeff's retellings/original tales were okay, but to be honest I gravitated more to the commentary afterwards, dealing with the source material and its interpretation. This I found interesting. Some of the pieces I already knew (having studied some Old English works in the past), but a few I was less familiar with. This one is rather more specialised than Storyland, but those who enjoyed that earlier work may still want to check out this one too. If I could change anything I might have wished for a little more detail at times, as it felt like we were only scratching the surface of what could be said, but it was still fine as is. I am giving it 3.5 stars, which I would round up to a four, rather than down to a three.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 

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