The Wicked Day is the story of Mordred. In case you’re not familiar with the Arthurian legends, Mordred is typically the villain of the piece. He is King Arthur’s son with his half-sister, and he causes the downfall of Arthur and Camelot. He’s not a character that gets a whole lot of sympathy.
Until you read Mary Stewart’s The Wicked Day. She does an admirable job of turning Mordred into a character you can care about. One who, granted, does have some problematic traits. But overall, his actions have just been misunderstood. We follow Mordred from his childhood on the Isle of Orkney to his final battle with Arthur. Along the way, we see why he acted as he did. And it all seems perfectly reasonable. It’s not an easy feat to turn a villain into a misguided hero, but that’s exactly what Stewart does.
If you have any interest in the stories of King Arthur, you should certainly add this book to your reading list. All the elements of the legend are there, but from an entirely different and fascinating point of view.
Until you read Mary Stewart’s The Wicked Day. She does an admirable job of turning Mordred into a character you can care about. One who, granted, does have some problematic traits. But overall, his actions have just been misunderstood. We follow Mordred from his childhood on the Isle of Orkney to his final battle with Arthur. Along the way, we see why he acted as he did. And it all seems perfectly reasonable. It’s not an easy feat to turn a villain into a misguided hero, but that’s exactly what Stewart does.
If you have any interest in the stories of King Arthur, you should certainly add this book to your reading list. All the elements of the legend are there, but from an entirely different and fascinating point of view.
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