3 out of 5 stars.
I would like to thank I.B.Tauris for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.
Definitely more a text book than something you casually read as something to do. And I agree with the other reviews – why no mention of Pratchett?
Okay, that’s all going to sound far more negative than I mean it to be. This was a fascinating and educational book and I did get some fantastic information from it that was new to me. But I will stand by my comments that this is more the sort of book you read for research and study than just to while away a few hours.
I like text books, I love to research and so, for me, whiling away the hours with this was sort of okay… but I really did find it slow going at times and it seemed to get distracted at what the point it was trying to make actually was. Heck, I get like that… pretty sure at least half my reviews appear like that. 😉 But, yeah, not a book to casually read.
I also found the layout format rather dull and I feel this added to the ‘text book’ feel. Then again, if ‘The Land of the Green Man’ is being sold as a text book – nailed it. For me, too blocky, not enough gaps/ paragraphs and sometimes very easy to go cross eyed over and start thinking about other things and losing concentration on what I was trying to read.
From the blurb on Netgalley I was expecting a slightly lighter style of read and not the heavy text book I got.
Would I recommend this book to others? I might mention it in passing as a good reference book if people were trying to research the myths and legends associated with areas of the UK. But I wouldn’t jump up and down and tell everyone it was the ‘must read’ book of the season.
Would I buy this book for myself? Yes I would. See my comments on loving to research and how I gleaned some new information from ‘The Land of the Green Man’. Don’t get me wrong, this is an excellent reference book to add to the collection of anyone wanting to cover the myths and legends of the UK. I really could see myself referring back to this book often due to my own writing and wanting to be inspired by those story tellers who came before me.
In summary: A little slow going, not the light and easy read I took it to be from the blurb, but still a worthy book to add to any true lover of myths and legends library.
Until next time,
Janis. XXOO
Janis's Journal 