The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood

From the author of The Magician's Daughter comes a historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn, perfect for fans of The Everlasting and The Once and Future King. 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. 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 London 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. "A dreamy tale about the power of stories. Beautifully conceived and impossible to put down." --Morgan Ryan, author of A Resistance of Witches "A true feast of myth and wonder." --Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light "A charmingly original entry into the Arthurian canon." --Louisa Morgan, author of The Faerie Morgana
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Community Reviews
For all lovers of the Arthurian myths and legends, this is for you. The Witch Below the Dreaming World weaves those stories in with the life of a rather hapless heroine who has managed to survive the Blitz in 1941, then finds herself sent off to Wales to catalog the books of an eccentric's library. From there on it's a wild ride, sometimes delightfully enchanting, but usually full of dangerous, raw magic and a plot that can leave you rather breathless. At least it did for me.
What I'm trying to say is that it is an exceptional book, hard to put down especially if you love King Arthur's world. H.G. Parry spun a marvelous tale. I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 because for me the ending was a little too bittersweet and a little disappointing. But IMHO it's worth reading again, maybe even a few times.
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