I’m not sure if it was because of the formal (aka British author) tone of the writing, or the limited dialog, or that the characters’ thoughts and feelings were not delved into deeply enough, but whatever it was I didn’t find myself caring about Tristan, Iseult, or even the cuckolded Duke Marc. My main issue with the novel was that I never connected to the characters. I wanted to like this book because I think the story of Tristan and Iseult can be one of the greatest tragic romances, but this version didn’t leave me with that heart-broken feeling I use to rate a good love story. When Iseult is given in marriage to the Duke of Cornwall, fighting the love Tristan feels for her will become the most difficult challenge he has ever faced. The author states in the book’s foreword, “I have tried to get back to the Celtic original as much as possible.” The reader follows Tristan, whose name means “sorrow”, from a young man in the kingdom of Lothian through his many quests and adventures that ultimately leads him to the Irish princess Iseult. The story of Tristan and Iseult is said to have originated as an oral Celtic legend and evolved into part of the Arthurian legend of medieval times.
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