Thinking about it in terms of my essay, it's obvious that it's been immensely influential when it comes to portraying the women of the Arthurian stories, and on neopaganism as well. In fact, I think perhaps I like it even less than I did the first time. So I grabbed the Kindle edition, and got my mother to bribe me into reading it (if I could finish it before midnight on Christmas Day, I got a £10 gift voucher for books), and this time I am truly triumphant. I know I finished my initial skim-read of The Mists of Avalon not that long ago, but then I realised it's necessary for my essay. Book one ends with Arthur’s coronation and Morgaine’s decision to leave Avalon. Enraged and shamed by what her aunt has done, Morgaine plans to rid herself of the child that has resulted from their union. Miserable, but duty-bound, she tricks Morgaine and Arthur into becoming lovers during the night of the ritual fires. In spite of her great love and hope for Morgaine, Viviane is driven by an unrelenting vision. Meanwhile, Morgaine, Igraine’s daughter by her first marriage to Gorlois, has come under the apprenticeship of Viviane at Avalon. Their only child, Arthur, is believed to be the last hope in the long standing war between Saxons and Romans. In Book One: Mistress of Magic, the Lady of the Lake-Viviane-brings about the marriage of her younger sister Igraine to Uther Pendragon. No passive by-standers, these earthy priestesses from Avalon literally breathe life into a musty, oft-told tale. White’s The Once and Future King, the author makes use of the prerequisites of the Arthurian legend: Excalibur, the Holy Grail, Lancelet’s illicit love for Gwenhwyfar, the destruction of Camelot, but with a twist-she presents the entire panoramic story from the female point of view.

The mists of avalon series books