First published 1859
King Arthur stands at the center of a realm where noble ideals clash with human weakness. Through twelve interconnected tales, Arthur establishes his Round Table, marries Guinevere, and watches his knights pursue quests that test their honor. Lancelot struggles between his devotion to Arthur and his forbidden love for the queen. Gareth seeks to prove his worth among the knights. Geraint fights to protect his marriage while battling his own jealousy. As the stories unfold, the perfect kingdom Arthur envisioned begins to crumble under the weight of passion, betrayal, and moral failure. The knights who once embodied chivalric virtue fall prey to their earthly desires. Arthur must confront the gap between his highest aspirations for mankind and the flawed reality of human nature. This represents the eternal conflict between spiritual ideals and physical temptations that defines the human condition.
Genres: classic-literature, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, fantasy, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: forbidden-love, moral-dilemma, quest
Setting: Round Table
Period: Medieval
371 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books Limited