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My opinions about Menewood are mixed. I’m deeply frustrated by it. The last half is a really interesting, well written, exciting epic historical fiction that is deeply researched and positively dripping with atmosphere. The first half is meandering, overlong, over complicated and full of the absolutely unnecessary and off putting thing that made me so angry about Hild. If you’ve also read Hild, and if you also found that end off putting and upsetting, it does not go away, and be prepared for it to consume the first 300 pages of Hild. If you were okay with it, then press on, I guess.

I also think the editor did a disservice in not forcing Griffith to cut some of this. 720 pages is a huge book and a huge ask for a reader. I go in expecting a book to earn every page over 350, and double earn every page over 500. This book did not do that. As I often say, there probably is a very good novel’s worth of pages in Menewood, but unfortunately there’s also a bad novel’s worth of pages, and it would have been to the story’s benefit to have them trimmed.

This book finished stronger than it started, and in spite of that review, I loved watching Hild come into her own, as a woman, and as a leader. Ultimately I was both disappointed by, and yet somehow really enjoyed this book, thanks to a strong ending. But I really don’t think I can recommend most people press on through the first 300 pages to get to the good part.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.