Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock [Family Reads]

Why we chose Robert Holdstock’s Mythago Wood

We had originally picked a different book for this month. When I heard about Wyrd and Wonder, however, I asked Ash if she would be up for doing a ‘classic fantasy’ work. (This was going to be the Family Reads discussion for May but a medical emergency bumped it back to today.) We both independently suggested Mythago Wood.

The mystery of Ryhope Wood, Britain’s last fragment of primeval forest, consumed George Huxley’s entire, and long, life. Now, after his death, his sons have taken up his work. But what they discover is beyond what they could have expected. For the Wood is a realm where myths gain flesh and blood, tapping primal fears and desires subdued through the millennia. A realm where love and beauty haunt your dreams — and may drive you insane.

Our Discussion

You’ll get more out of this discussion if you’ve already read the book (minor spoilers ahead).

We both gave this book ★★.  The mythical wood premise appealed to us, but we found the plot lacklustre and portrayal of the female protagonist disturbing.

Ugh, Guiwenneth

I found the book disappointing and in fact a bit disturbing. I was introduced to Mythago Wood at a meeting of a young adult and children’s literature club and so I assumed the book was geared toward youth. It is not – Steven’s sexual comments about Guiwenneth and other characters shocked me, because I was not expecting them. Once I came to accept they were part of his character, I found them dull and gross. Here is a man who can think of little else but sex. His relationship with Guiwenneth is depicted in a one-sided manner, as Steven narrates the story and (oh yeah, this is important) she is literally a figment of his imagination – an archetypal ‘sexy warrior woman’ from the depths of consciousness, wholly defined by a male’s vision. Both Steven’s brother and father’s imagined versions of Guiwenneth into being and went mad when they lost her. Guiwenneth tears apart Steven’s family. To directly quote Ash: “I thought it was gonna be cool adventures in a mythical forest…I did not expect a book that was not for feminists”. I had the same expectations. This premise did not appeal to us at all. We thought it was a poor way to explore the idea of mythagos and the wood in which they inhabit. Ash and I would have enjoyed the story more is there was less Guiwenneth, more adventuring in ‘Mythago Wood’.

Finally, They’re in the Wood

That being said, we did enjoy some parts of the book that are set in Ryhope Wood. We liked the descriptive passages of the wood (“Yeah, it was like oh good we don’t have to talk about Gwen anymore, now we can talk about trees”). The climactic  in which Steven finally confronts Christopher was tense. Ash liked the retroactive narrative style, that gives it a particular tone and allows for some ominous foreshadowing. I liked Harry’s small story line, but not enough to pursue the sequel, which is apparently about his younger singer looking for him.

What Happened in the End?

We talked about this a bit but really there’s not much more to say. I found myself giggling a lot when recapping Mostly we talked about the notes I made in my ebook and how 80% of them could be boiled down to ‘wth’ (the ending + whenever Steven made a sexual comment).

We Hate the Word ‘Urscumug’

Try saying that out loud. (I seriously contemplated inserting the audio of us pronouncing it in ridiculous ways…)

 Final Thoughts

Whatever value Mythago Wood may have contributed to fantasy writing was largely lost on us due to Guiwenneth’s role as male fantasy fulfiller. Have you read Mythago Wood? What are your favourite works that might be considered fantasy classics?