In Winter's Shadow

Down the Long Wind #3

by Gillian Bradshaw

1st edition paperback, fine (as new)

Genres: Fantasy, Arthurian, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mythology, Historical Fantasy

319 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Born in Arlington, Virgina, Gillian Bradshaw grew up in Washington, Santiago, Chile and Michigan. She is a Classics graduate from Newnham College, Cambridge, and published her first novel, Hawk of May, just before her final term. A highly acclaimed historical novelist, Gillian Bradshaw has won the Hopwood Award for Fiction, among other prizes. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and their four children.

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are very few Arthurian retellings that truly make me feel sorry for Guinevere/Gwenhwyfar. I'm not entirely sure that this is one of them, but it made me cry, so perhaps it must be. It's a painful read, this last book of the trilogy. Gillian Bradshaw spares the reader no pain: these aren't legendary characters, but for the space of reading, real people, and I grieved for their hurts and mistakes and the way they got swept away in circumstances. I'm not sure I liked Gwenhwyfar and Bedwyr, by halfway through the story, but I pitied them. I even grieved over Medraut's death, when he heard of Gwalchmai's death.

(There are no spoiler warnings on this, because I judge that the deaths of Medraut and Gwalchmai are well enough known that it would be a bit like putting a spoiler warning on something about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. I've seen people request one, but it seems ridiculous to me.)

Bradshaw's retelling is a powerful one, and it brings the characters to life. It's also a painful one. I don't find much hope in it, despite the epilogue. The Light goes out at the end, trampled under a cavalry charge.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4* of five

The Book Report: The last days of Camelot as narrated by Guinevere. Arthur lost in battle, Gawain and Mordred at daggers drawn over the death of Gawain's beloved son, death comes for all in the epic Battle of Camelot...Guinevere dies to the world by becoming a nun, and later the abbess of her nunnery. In this book, Guinevere's rupture with Arthur comes because she dishonorably attempts to rid the kingdom of horrible Mordred, not because she dallies with Lancelot. Frankly, I like this version a whole lot better because it makes internal sense to me, being the way I would expect Guinevere to have behaved based on her established character. Guinevere then reflects on the crash-and-burn of her hopes and Arthur's to save some small corner of the world for Roman knowledge and enlightenment. She sees, at the very end of her life, the Irish monastic ark that preserves a tiny fragment of Classical culture for the ungrateful future, and rests herself easy at last.

My Review: This is a reissue of the 1981 YA title that formed part of Bradshaw's first major commercial success. I got the book as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.

Bradshaw uses the Britonized spellings of the well-known characters' names: Gwynhwyfar, Medraut, Gwalchmai, none of which I felt comfortable with until about halfway through the book. She has a real gift for the characterization of these people, unlike some Arthurian follow-ons. She makes each of the people who come forward in the narrative into a very real presence. It's a lot of work to make a character consistent internally, but she does it, and despite the fact that she didn't have to because the characters are already so well-known.

This is book three of a trilogy. Frankly, it shouldn't matter much if you read them in order because I assume you're at least passingly familiar with the legend on which the books are based. Still, in order, the books are Hawk of May as narrated by the eponymous Gwalchmai or Gawain, being the story of his rebellion against his terrible mom Morgan le Fay/Morgawse, and service to her detested bastard half-brother Arthur; Kingdom of Summer, the tale of Gawain's penance for seducing the daughter of a king he was on Arthur's embassy to, and the death of his rotten mother at the hands of his big bully brother; finally this book.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh dear....it's all over. All 3 books consumed and done. It was a pretty wild ride! And to think she wrote this trilogy by 26 at best! Absolutely a great new take on the Arthurian legends and absolutely one of the best executed versions as well. A fabulous writer. I tend to have prejudice against Gwenhwyfar, myself, and this third book is from her viewpoint; I have read it and feel perhaps less annoyed by the general character than I did.

Highly recommended to Arthur fans :)

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you know Arthurian lore, then you don’t need to worry about spoilers in this review because Gillian Bradshaw’s In Winter’s Shadow is the definition of by the book. This final installment in her Arthurian trilogy feels like it belongs to an entirely different series than its predecessors. Hawk of May told the origin story of Gwalchmai ap Lot, better known as Sir Gawain. Kingdom of Summer gave us a similar coming-of-age treatment of Gwalchmai’s servant, Rhys ap Sion. But although the action in Kingdom of Summer was filtered through Rhys’s narration, there was no doubt that Bradshaw was telling Gwalchmai’s story and using his family to represent the conflict between Light and Dark. Considering that the source material has been around for centuries, there have been comparatively few stories focused on Gwalchmai/Gawain, which makes Bradshaw’s decision a refreshing narrative choice.

Spoilers to follow.

In Winter’s Shadow follows the pattern set by its predecessors and introduces a new narrator, Queen Gwynhwyfar, to show us another side of court. The problem is, it’s actually a side Arthurian fans have seen all too often: the love affair between Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr, a stand-in for Lancelot. There’s nothing wrong with retelling a classic story—we wouldn’t know about King Arthur today if the legend hadn’t been rewritten over generations—but there needs to be something new, some reason why readers shouldn’t just pick up White or Malory. Substituting Bedwyr (Bedivere) for Lancelot and Gwalchmai’s son Gwyn for his brothers Gareth and Gaheris is not a substantial enough change. Bradshaw’s previous novels found that reason in Gwalchmai, but he’s an ancillary character here.

What if he hadn’t been? The relationship between him and Gwyn far outshines the one between Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr. So does the relationship between him and Medraut, which is mostly off-screen here. I can only imagine what they talked about for hours after Gwyn’s death. It makes me wonder what could have been if this novel had been narrated by Medraut, someone who obviously would have a different view of Arthur’s court than the previous narrators but is more closely related to Gwalchmai’s story than Gwynhwyfar. It would have been daring but perhaps too at odds with Bradshaw’s dichotomy of Light versus Dark (a supernatural conflict that is almost entirely neglected here). As it is, having Gwynhwyfar as narrator dilutes the brothers’ relationship and makes Gwalchmai’s last words and Medraut’s tears at his death feel unearned.

Bradshaw’s adherence to legend leads to some contrived character choices. The ostensibly wise Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr come off as incredibly stupid for not ending their affair—likely because it didn’t feel like an affair of passion. Bradshaw does a fantastic job setting up the conditions for the affair without villainizing anyone, but she has a harder time showing (not telling) why Bedwyr deserves this unconditional love. This discrepancy is at its worst after Bedwyr accidentally kills Gwyn and begs Gwynhwyfar to run away with him. Her decision to follow him to Less Britain (France) makes political sense, but the ease at which she forgives him for Gwyn’s death really makes her character come off an less sympathetic. It ties into one of the more questionable themes of In Winter’s Shadow, that it is intent, not outcome, that matters. I’m not sure that applies when you kill an unarmed teenager in a move that singlehandedly results in thousands of deaths and societal collapse. But, so as not to impose modern morals on medieval works, we’ll say manslaughter wasn’t as serious an offense in sixth-century Britain.

That still begs the question of why Bedwyr had to recuse Gwynhwyfar in the first place—why she didn’t simply ask to be sent to a convent. Even if she couldn’t raise the point in court, she easily could have asked Gwyn or Gwalchmai to convey the message to Arthur. And did no one think it was a bad idea to send Gwynhwyfar back to Camlann under the control of the man who brought about her ruin?

Luckily, Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr don’t have a monopoly on stupid decisions—Gwalchmai makes the uncharacteristic demand for war with Less Britain after his son’s death. To be fair, Gwalchmai’s need for vengeance is entirely understandable. But for him to refuse personal vengeance in favor of a war that can only benefit the person who was (arguably) responsible for Gwyn’s death? Told from Gwalchmai’s point of view, this decision may have been a compelling inner conflict of the Light and Darkness that still plague him—the emotional climax of the series. Told secondhand, it’s drained of any emotion and reads like a foregone conclusion.

As a result, when Gwynhwyfar gives her monologue at the end—“Not only is it all lost, it was we who lost it, we who by our own stupidity and weakness allowed ourselves to be divided”—it does not come off as profound. It has readers nodding their heads because it highlights the major flaw of the novel.

If you’ve never read an Arthurian story, you might enjoy this one. Bradshaw has an excellent grasp of history, and her writing style, especially the dialogue, mimics the language of the time period while still feeling modern. If only she had used this mastery to finish Gwalchmai’s story rather than diverting to the tired royal affair. In Winter’s Shadow is a shadow of what it could have been.

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book in the giveaway for a friend. She wanted it and wouldn't you know it, I won it. This is the 2nd time I've won a book for someone else (how's that for luck..hehe). She finally read it and loved it. I asked her for her rating and she said 7 stars (huh?), I finally figured out she was talking about a 10 star rating scale (ok, so she doesn't rate books often). I then asked her out of 5 stars, so she said 4. I'm not going to question her math skills and I'll go with the 4.

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third and final volume in the Arthurian retelling by Gillian Bradshaw, which has a post Roman Britain setting. Unlike the earlier books, this switches focus away from Gwalchmai (Gawain) and is told in the first person point of view of Arthur's wife, Gwynhwyfar (Guinevere). Also, unlike the others especially the first, this story includes no overt magic: the only lingering traces are the acknowledgement near the end of the presence of Gwalchmai's 'magical' horse of the Sidhe and his unearthly sword, both introduced in book 1 but not playing a part in this volume.

As the story opens Gwynhwyfar is worried about the problems building up at Camlann (Camelot). The end of volume 2 saw the ominous situation when Medraut (Mordred), Gwalchmai's younger brother and a reputed sorceror, arrived at Camlann and began to undermine the unity that Arthur had established with such effort. Gradually, the fact that Medraut is the child of incest and that his father is Arthur (ignoring the fact that Arthur was tricked by the sorceress Morgawse, as he didn't know she was his half-sister), begins to come out through Medraut's whispering campaign, alienating the support of allied kings and some of Arthur's own followers.

Medraut's insinuations also target his older brother Gwalchmai, and armed conflict breaks out as Arthur's 'band of brothers' begin to split into factions and individuals from each side fight duels over Medraut's accusations. Gwynhwyfar only succeeds in driving a wedge between herself and Arthur when she resorts to drastic action by poisoning Medraut's wine at a banquet, unsuccessfully. Gwynhwyfar's role puts her under immense pressure: she is, in effect, head administrator of the camp with the responsiblity for making sure everyone is fed and clothed and that there are supplies of everything needed by several hundred people. This, together with the emotional angst from her estrangement with Arthur, drives her into the arms of his right-hand man, Bedwyr. (In this retelling, there is no Lancelot, presumably because his character was developed in Medieval French songs and literature, and therefore was not an original component of the Arthur legend.)

The rest of the story is more or less as per the Arthurian legends with all the tragic fallout. The story itself is so well known that the interest in reading an Arthurian novel is in the way the author develops the characters and makes the story understandable in human terms, despite its unlikely elements. For me, the hopeless affair of Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr failed to convince. Their behaviour came across as a sort of lovelorn teenage angst. The fact that they both knew it would lead to the destruction of everything for which they had worked, as well as the terrible betrayal of someone they loved - Arthur - and had even been warned of such by Gwalchmai, made their behaviour unbelievable. As previously developed - Bedwyr features even in the first novel - both are noble, self sacrificing people. Yet to continue their affair when Bedwyr has already had to fight a duel to deny the rumours spread by Medraut only makes sense if both are selfish - which we're told they are not: they just can't help themselves. In younger people, this might have been believable but Gwynhwyfar is thirty-eight, well into middle age by the standards of the period, and Bedwyr, who must be about the same, has previously shown deeply held religious beliefs as well. They might have lapsed once, given Gwynhwyfar's low ebb at Arthur's rejection, but to keep on doing it when the situation is escalating into obvious danger - Medraut and his gang watching their every move - doesn't add up.

The other problem with the book is its deadly dull pacing for the first three quarters. It dragged and was an effort to read, more or less from the outset. It only picks up when the two lovers are caught and even then, really only at the point where Gwynhwyfar escapes to Arthur's camp after her conscience drives her to accept the punishment she feels she deserved for her betrayal. The final 100 pages or so are much better paced and have some good confrontation scenes with Medraut and his followers, plus the unfolding of one tragedy after another. The short Epilogue has a tacked on feel, as it attempts to show there is still one ray of hope against the darkening which followed the loss of the dream of Camlann. The book was heading for a 1-star review, but its final quarter means that overall it has earned 2-stars.

[Shaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars

Ah, "the saddest story of all the long tales told"... Although in truth, the emotional impact of this book is rather uneven. Still, well worth reading.

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found that the pace dragged here, possibly because In Winter's Shadow is retelling well-worn events from Arthurian stories. In comparison, Hawk of May and Kingdom of Summer dealt primarily with Gwalchmai/Gawain, and by avoiding the Green Knight story those two novels felt more...well, novel to me. Everyone behaves very stupidly in this one, but at least the narrative addresses it.

[Ahimsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Depressing af of course, but a well-told tragedy. The choice of Gwenhwyfar as narrator is well made. The tragedy spares no character. But it is one-note. The small flirtation at the end--was the glory of Rome something that deserved to be resurrected?--would have been vastly more interesting to explore. Still this is compelling reading, hard-to-put down and pretty a pretty sad end to characters we've come to love.

[Laura Hartness · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1982 and now reissued by Sourcebooks Landmark, Gillian Bradshaw’s In Winter's Shadow is the concluding volume of the Down the Long Wind trilogy. An Arthurian tale, this series focuses greatly on those surrounding the legendary High King and Emperor. In Book 1, Hawk of May, the story’s emphasis is on Arthur’s emissary Gwalchmai and his ascendancy from childhood to royal servitude and respected combatant. Book 2, Kingdom of Summer still has Gwalchmai as the main character, but it’s told from the perspective of his manservant, Rhys. Summer chronicles the rising tide that began to swell against Arthur, as well as the personal relationships of Gwalchmai, Rhys, and their love interests.

Book 3, In Winter’s Shadow varies in that it’s told from the perspective of a woman, Emperor Arthur’s wife Gwynhwyfar. Through Queen Gwynhwyfar’s eyes, we watch the continued struggle of Arthur and his Family against the forces of evil, brought on predominantly by his bastard son, Medraut. The Queen is very much a part of this struggle herself, as she is not only a leader within her community but is incredibly affected by events without and within. While her loyalty ultimately is always with Arthur, her heart is frequently torn between what is right and what is desired. This leads to trouble both within her marriage and throughout the entire kingdom.

The longest of the three volumes, In Winter’s Shadow took the shortest amount of time for me to read. I found every chapter to be quite interesting, and not bogged down in unnecessary set dressing and descriptive language. Bradshaw’s writing is such that we are easily transported to this Arthurian world, but without excessive baggage. There are battles without ridiculous amounts of gory details, passionate anger without cheap vulgarities and adulterous love scenes with just enough information to get the point across. It’s decidedly less spiritual than the first two thirds of the trilogy, and I missed having more of that element within the plot, but the political intrigue and relational dramas more than made up for that change in composition.

Down the Long Wind is different from other Arthurian tales in that there is no “Round Table” per se and no mystical Merlin character (although there is a briefly mentioned, mysterious bard named Taliesin). The fortress of Camelot is the more traditionally named Camlann. However, much of the original legend is retained, with a moderate amount of magic and spirituality within the first two thirds of the trilogy. This last portion, In Winter’s Shadow follows the travails and struggles of Arthur, his Queen and the forces swirling around them. There is adventure, betrayal, loyalty, passion, victory and defeat. It’s a sweeping tale that spans decades and easily transports the reader to another time and place.

I can say that I wish the final chapters had turned out somewhat differently than they did. Without offering any revealing details, the conclusion is not tied up perfectly in a tidy bow, with all parties happy and gratified. That being said, I felt that matters were handled in a highly realistic and possibly more historic fashion, if there is any truth to the Arthurian legends.

In Winter’s Shadow is a fine conclusion to a very satisfying trilogy. I enjoyed hearing the story from the perspective of a woman, and Bradshaw always made her narrative interesting and worth my time. I frequently read this volume during my morning and afternoon walks by a lake, on the way to or from dropping my sons off from school. I always looked forward to that time, as it was a delightful escape from the duties and responsibilities of my day. I certainly recommend Down the Long Wind, especially if you’re a fan of Arthurian novels, but also if you enjoy a captivating, sweeping tale of adventure, magic, love and political intrigue. Gillian Bradshaw produced a fine work 30 years ago, and it is certainly worth its current re-emergence in the marketplace today. Hopefully it will acquire a new audience and continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

AudioBook Review
Stars: Overall: 4 Narration: 5 Story: 4


Carrying the story forward, the story is now told by Gwenhwyfar or Guinevere as more commonly known. Bradshaw has managed to bring us to the end of days for Camelot, with the final battles, the death of Mordred, Gwalchmai’s death and her own roles and guilt for her part.

Again managing to re-invent the story of King Arthur using Bretonized forms of the names and presenting unique perspectives on the events, with points of view that were left untold or unimagined in the originals, Bradshaw has managed to neatly pull all of the threads together and wrap this series with a conclusion that is both refreshing and satisfying.

What stands out prominently for me is Bradshaw’s ability to present her characters in a way that both feels unique yet holds true to their own internal dialogue as they explain, tell and share their parts of the story. From Gwalchmai’s guilt about his lost love, to the very well-reasoned and completely real sense of ‘what is right’ that Gwenhwyfar presents as she wraps up the series, this reads as if the characters are real and palpable, giving readers the ability to commiserate, empathize, learn from and enjoy each person as they appear.

Narration is again provided by Nicole Quinn who manages to present the arcane and archaic place and character names with a smoothness that never falters. That is a quality of major importance, as the names and places are often tongue twisters, and the flow of the story would be greatly impacted if the pronunciation faltered or varies. Additionally, her narration of the many moods of Gwenhwyfar, and the addition of simple adjustments in accent, tone and pace as she presented the other characters not only were easy to distinguish, but added to the enjoyment and impact of the story. Touches of Wales and Scotland, as well as a bit of the ‘Northern’ accent all add to the story, and her seamless transitions in this well-produced performance are a wonderful addition.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Sarah Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing about Arthurian legend books it that for them to be written well they are often bitterly and heartrendingly tragic. This one was no exception. A powerful story told through the eyes of the heart of the storm itself, it will pull at your heart. I'm not sure why I continue to read the Arthurian legend books, knowing already how they'll end, but In Winter's Shadow is an excellent conclusion to Ms. Bradshaw's series. The characters were well fleshed out with only rare instances of feeling a bit flat. There were times where I felt that some scenes were disconcertingly abrupt and could have benefited from a bit more exposition to keep them from feeling somewhat deus ex machina, but on a whole I devoured this book. It definitely left me with that bittersweet sadness at the inevitable conclusion.

[Howard Wiseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The darkest, most realist, and best (in my opinion) of Bradshaw's Down the Long Wind trilogy. Unlike the earlier two novels, magic hardly makes an appearance here, and the focus is not on Gwalchmai (the Gawain character) but on the classic Arthurian love triangle, and the downfall of Arthur's kingdom. Gwynhwyfar (Guinevere) is narrator and protagonist, and the most well developed character. Being a history wonk, one of the things I appreciate about Bradshaw's novels is that she is meticulous in her timeline, even though she gives no absolute dates (although it is possible to make a good guess as to what they are.)

[Ozymandias · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping that this book would continue the winning streak from Kingdom of Summer but - alas! - it’s borrowed the problems of Hawk of May and mixed them with the few problems that developed after and then threw in a whole new set. Making Guinevere the protagonist was a huge mistake. Think about it: what is her role in the Arthurian mythos? Does she really do anything? Is she ever at the center of events? The main enemy is and always has been Mordred. Guinevere’s just a distraction. Her peripheral role means that we’re treated to the same extremely irritating narrative device from book one, wherein all the action happens offscreen and Guinevere simply hears about it with the reader. Such vital moments as the Battle of Camlann, where Arthur and Mordred are both doomed to fall, are seen through warriors returning from the battlefield. This is the climax of the book (or it should be) but our POV character isn’t even a witness to it. She just tries to clean up the mess.

So what does Guinevere actually do? Exactly what you’d expect. She carries on an affair with Bedwyr (replacing de Troyes’ Lancelot), gets caught, and is used to tear the Family (Knights of the Round Table) apart. In this retelling she’s even stupid enough to carry on the affair while known villain Mordred’s in the court telling everyone about her and Bedwyn. The romance is weak. You can see why Gwen would be lonely. Arthur’s an empty shell of a character, for all that he’s supposed to represent perfection and decency. But Bedwyn doesn’t come across as a very likable person and their insane tryst makes far less sense when divorced from the overpowering motifs of fate and courtly love that underlay the original myths. I know that love can make people stupid, but this is really stupid and never seems to carry any real emotion beyond a bit of pity. Neither Gwen nor Bedwyr come off well from this. It’s hard to make someone like Guinevere sympathetic since giving her any sort of agency means making her selfish and spoiled, unless you can find a way to make Arthur problematic. And everyone wants Arthur to be a paragon. About the only time I’ve seen Gwen work as sympathetic and proactive is in Excalibur, where Gwen’s ambitions are believably and frustratingly undermined by Arthur’s unimpeachable loyalty and humility. Even then it takes an entire book for her reputation to recover from her doomed affair.

Aside from the tedious romance that takes up most of the narrative, the main plot is about Medraut undermining Arthur’s empire from within. He’s able to build up an alliance of friends and win over many of Arthur’s men. Peace is a hard thing for warriors to bear, and now that peace has been won people are looking for some new conflict. It’s not too far off from the legendary dissolution of the Round Table. But it’s a hard thing to dramatize. Medraut’s scheming occupies the first part of the book (before the affair) and is basically just repeating the same proddings at the cracks in Arthur’s authority and slanders against his character. They never leave Camlann and nothing really changes.

The magic that annoyed me so profoundly in the first book is completely gone now. Gwen’s not a very magical character and she really doesn’t have much to do with Gwalchmai, who’s this series’ only real source of magic. Medraut, who is an evil sorcerer, limits himself to honeyed words and the occasional poisoning. I can’t say I really mourn its absence, but it feels bizarrely pointless to have had it in the first place. It also leads us to a profoundly unsatisfying resolution of Gwalchmai’s story. Nothing is resolved, the supernatural battle vanishes away, and neither his magic horse nor sword serve any purpose or role in the resolution. For a series that has so far revolved around Gwalchmai it’s a poor return for our earlier investment.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sicuramente il miglior romanzo della trilogia. Innanzitutto, Ginevra/Gwynhwyfar è sempre un personaggio estremamente affascinante, e nelle mani dell'autore giusto può brillare. La Bradshaw era decisamente l'autrice giusta: la sua rappresentazione della protagonista è quella di una donna complessa, che cerca di lottare contro un'ombra sempre più forte e di affrontare con coraggio il crollo del proprio mondo, uscendone sconfitta ma senza perdere la propria forza. In questo terzo libro vengono ripresi tutti gli aspetti migliori dei due precedenti: da un lato, il focus sull'interiorità dei personaggi e sulle relazioni che si instaurano tra di loro, sempre più complesse nel mescolare amore e odio, dall'altro avvincenti trame politiche che, oltre a permettere di assaggiare le relazioni internazionali in un contesto complesso come il primissimo medioevo, mostrano anche un'armonia progressivamente spezzata. Il risultato è la rovina, resa tanto più drammatica dalla sua evitabilità. Penso che questo sia una delle mie versioni preferite della fine del regno di Artù, se non altro per l'efficacia con cui l'autrice riesce a trasmettere il dolore dei personaggi. Devo dire che in questo caso l'assenza di elementi fantasy è un bene, dato che permette di focalizzarsi di più sull'aspetto tragico (nel senso proprio della parola). Di nuovo, lo stile è estremamente poetico e fluido e perfetto per rendere l'atmosfera luttuosa che mi piace tanto. L'ultima pagina penso che sia una delle più belle che abbia letto quest'anno. Un peccato che sia un libro così poco conosciuto, perché, a parer mio, è praticamente perfetto.

[Evan Þ. · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the glories of Light and the wonders of magic, this final volume of Bradshaw's Arthurian trilogy descends to the pettiness of soap opera and the ignominy of personal ruin. Yet is that not written already in the mythos of Arthur's court?

The first half was painful to read, with Gwenhwyfawr narrating. Both court and her marriage are building towards crisis, with Medraut quietly tearing the warband apart and Arthur refusing to take any action without evidence. And so, she falls into adultery with Bedwyr (Lancelot doesn't exist in this telling) even while knowing it's wrong.

And then, we see (obviously in retrospect) how their clinging to this sin tears them apart, even as Arthur's court is torn apart around them. Bedwyr loses his moral philosophy and honor. Gwenhwyfawr falls into folly. But - finally - some moral courage shows up belatedly in time for the ending to again be high adventure even though disaster on an outside scale.

This isn't the ending I expected from the first two books of the trilogy, and I can hardly recommend it as adventure when it's on so petty a scale. But in juxtaposition to the first two books, this does show how this - clinging to sin or throwing it aside - is the scale on which the great battles of Light versus Darkness are fought. The picture of Bedwyr's moral ruin is chilling set against how he was in the first two books; Gwalchmai's death is told exactly correctly; Medraut's death is much more fitting than in Malory's version; the epilogue has a quiet beauty.

It's not the ending I expected, but it's not a wrong ending.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book on a bright, blue, crisp January day under a long, unblinking sky, austere after the sentimental glow of the holidays, which was perfect for this last, and greatest, book of Mrs. Bradshaw's Arthurian trilogy. I cannot commend her enough for choosing Gwynhwyfar as the narrator of this book. As others have noted, as this character is often traditionally lacking depth, disliked, or overlooked, Mrs. Bradshaw brings out Gwynhwyfar's nuances, her failings and strengths as a woman and as an empress, making the reading feel the full and unbearable weight of all her duties and her loves. There was several times in this book where the tension and dread of what ultimately happens again and again in the legends grew so great I had to close the book for a moment before reading on, which marks brilliant work on Mrs. Bradshaw's part. This book was also the first in which I truly grew to love Gwalchmai, though Gwynhwyfar's sisterly love and care. Mrs. Bradshaw's prose is strong and her skill with nuance, particularly in the subject of Light and Darkness, has grown much since Hawk of May. Ultimately, the exhaustion and numbness that Gwynhwyfar lives through, the bitter days and months of doomed action, comes to be the reader's own. Death comes again and again, and heartbreak. But reading this book, though heavy, was a pleasure, and I will revisit it many times, I am sure.

[Dalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, heartbreaking, entirely predictable ending to the trilogy. For anyone familiar with Arthurian legend, the tragedy will not surprise. Still, despite expecting and dreading it, Bradshaw managed to leave an emotional impression on me while reading this book. The first half of the book felt a bit slow, the unraveling of the empire in slow motion. Even told from the point of view of Gwenhwyfar, I still don't understand how she and Bedwyr maintained their adulterous affair despite knowing the ruin that it would bring. The battle of Camlann told from the perspective of those waiting behind hits hard, starting with the death of Gwalchmai, continuing on through the death of Medraut and his realization of what he had given up to pursue his mother's dream of destruction (the love of his brother), and finally the slow realization that Arthur is dead and along with him, the dream of empire. There were many threads that I wish had been explored more (I found myself wishing that this story had focused on Gwalchmai), including the idea that perhaps empire is not the way in which the Light will triumph against the Dark, but overall I am left satisfied with the series and would heartily recommend it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly my least favorite of this trilogy, which is not to say it wasn’t good. The writing was still beautiful, the story very well told. However, the first two books gave me respite from the tragic story of Arthur and Guinevere, by giving me other points of view. As it must, I suppose, the final book came back to the main story, albeit with enough detail about what happens around the main story that I was able to enjoy it.

[LeAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sits fairly in the middle between the Arthurian legend and Arthurian history, with hints of mysticism and magic but nothing quite definite. It is not a particularly satisfying story, but that is perhaps material more than author. Again and again we are reminded that it is mundane human failings that bring disaster.

[Adrienne Crockett · Rating 4 out of 5]

King Arthur retelling...

We all know the story in its various versions, no Lancelot in this one, Bedwyr takes the role of the Queen’s lover as in the earlier versions of the tale. Arthur dies at the end as expected his body never found....
Very well told from Guinevere’s POV.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This is a powerful book.
Bradshow's prose is as good as ever, and this book manages to retell the familiar Arthurian story with a few surprising elements.
Despite the tragedies, it ends on a lovely and hopeful note.

[Sleeping.Bookerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in a German translation and it feels safe to say that it was THE WORST translation I have ever encountered. It is entirely possible that that partly influenced my overall reception of this book.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly different version of these characters than we are used to and more inclusion of the everyday Brits themselves. A fine read.

[AndrewKnoke]

Couldn't get into another King Arthur story

[Michael McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started the "Down the Long Wind" trilogy, I would have placed it as one of those series that proves rewarding after one has gotten through the other modern Arthurian classics such as those by Mary Stewart and Rosemary Sutcliffe (to mention only two). But, having completed the last book in the series, I place Bradshaw right up there on the first tier. "In Winter's Shadow" is an Arthurian novel that stands out among the very best I have read. At first, I was put off by the choice of yet another point of view; I wanted the the story of Gwalchmai to continue and that of his humble servant Ryhs. Besides, there have been numerous third rate retellings of the story of Guenevere (here in this novel Gwynhwyfar) and it is Gwynhwyfar who now narrates the novel. Did we really need to go this route, after the first two wonderful novels? Yet, I need not have worried; the story of Gwalchmai and the cast we have met in the previous novels are all here and their story continues.

Bradshaw delivers not only the tragic but satisfying conclusion to the legend of Gawain, but manages to present us with an entirely believable Gwynhwyfar. This is thus far the most endearing, vulnerable, and frustrating Gwynhwyfar that I have read in any source to date. The novel had classic Arthurian characters, including Medraut-Mordred, move me in ways that other works did not achieve. This a novel about forking paths and how each act may lead irrevocably to another, but how in the end these characters face their destiny (Bradshaw stays faithful to the major structure of the Arthurian tragedy while still delivering a few surprises), and she does follow Mary Stewart's casting of Bedwr into the role of Lancelot—I'm not sure if any other writers have done the same.

Gwalchmai has a bit of the vengeful Malory touch, but it is difficult not to feel his pain, in light of the tragedy that he faces, and this is cemented in his statement, "...the laws promote justice to those who have been wronged, and to obtain justice in such a cause I would go to the ends of the earth; I would take no blood-price, and spare no life in the world for pleading or claims upon me." More of this, I will not say, but I have always found that the best Arthurian retellings are those that do not skew to the ennobling or preference of one character at the expense of all the other characters. This is a very human and grey novel.

This novel accentuates the conflict by looking at it from sympathetically from characters on all sides of the conflict. The story of Arthur, Gwalchmai, and Gwynhwyfar comes to that end that we have all come to expect from the legend, but how she gets us there is utterly enthralling.Of course the Mordred figure is the villain, but Bradshaw reminds us how he became one and gives us a surprise at the end.

This is a series that now sits proudly in my Arthurian library in hardcover editions (some of the paperbacks suffer from some horrible artwork choices). I also switched between Kindle and Audible editions of these books and will do so again in the future. The audible narration by Nicole Quinn is first rate with very few technical glitches (such as the repeating of a phrase here and there).

[Juan Gallardo Ivanovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Winter's Shadow reveals the last part on the Down with the Long Wind trilogy. Gwynhwfar has been Arthur's wife for long, managing the whole of the day-to-day tasks and activities in Camlann but she also sees the coming threats that are beyond such activities. After allowing Medraut to enter Camlann, he gains influence in the Family and becomes a large power even without revealing his secrets. As Arthur's becomes more concerned by this fact, she will feel isolated and she will try to find solace in Artur's best friend: Bedwyr. They both don't know that their passion will lead them into tragedy and destroy everything that they once believed.

-----COMMENTARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS-----

Well, we went far with this trilogy. I was expecting a different approach on this book, but it wasn't. This time the story is told by queen Gwynhwfar (Guinevere) and she is a decent storyteller but I couldn't stand her way to think and act. I would have probably choose another character as Rhys o Bedwyr as narrator this time (or maybe Gwyn, that would be awesome). The good thing is that she is directly involved with the situation, so we have a first hand report of what is happening. We also see in some parts that she is brave too, daring to risk her life and honor to correct what is wrong.
On this book, we assist to the fall of Arthur's reign as Medraut's influence is growing. The main cast acknowledged this situation, but failed short to prevent further spreading of Medraut's power and even when they tried, they won't get any closer to defeat him.
Basically, we assist to a struggle between powers and Arthur's faction decreases momentum as Bedwyr's and Gwynhwfar's treachery deals a low blow into The Family's morale. Furthermore, as they are tried and found guilty, they will escape to Less Britain, killing Gwyn in the process and giving no chances to Arthur, but capturing them. Then a war will begin between Less Britain and Arthur. This is the perfect setting for Medraut's grabbing the imperial seat meanwhile Arthur's forces are fighting in the continent.
Medraut returns as main antagonist being cruel and revealing his true nature by acquiring the purple cloak (by force). He his the direct responsible for Gwyn's death and Gwalchmai suffering, aside for preparing the plot against Arthur's. He will came dying to Ynis Withrin to Gwynhwfar, who will tell him about Gwlachmai's death and closing the full circle. As he dies, another age for Britain will come.
This books has good points such as when Gwalchmai discovers that Gwyn is his son, the affair is revealed, Gwyn's death, Gwynhwfar returns to Arthur, Gwalchmai's and Medraut's deaths. We also are witness that Arthur's body is never found and his death is not explained.
The bad is that, as the story is told by Gwynhwfar, I found it less engaging: there were some day to day details that i didn't find relevant and there were adding pages to the story. By the middle of the book, things gains more weight and are better. I also felt that Gwalchmai ending wasn't the proper as he began the trilogy. I was expecting something a little bit different, more epic and emotional. A description of the battle between Bedwyr and him, shouting their miseries to each other's face. Instead, we have a partial account of what happened, heartfelt but partial.
Bottom line, the book concludes the trilogy that began very brightly and ended well, not a master piece as it should, but decent enough to close the series. Recommended to all Arthur's fans.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh I have adored it. It seems like forever since the last time I've enjoyed an Arthurian novel so much... Not that I do not enjoy the genre, I do. But after you read many books with the same subject, you're bound to be disappointed by many of them. Anyway, that's not the case.
I even liked this book better than its prequel, that was pretty, but not exactly my favourite around (its Gawain was a tid bit too far from canon to be my favourite).
Let's go with some order.

This is an account of the Fall of Camelot, told by Guinevere herself.
The story opens with Mordred wrecking havoc in Camelot, planning to overthrow Arthur and to seize power for himself. His strategy is a slow paced but clear one. Unable to put an end to Mordred's troublemaking, Guinevere tries to poison him during a feast. This leads to a massive rift between Guinevere and Arthur, which contributes, together with the overall unbereable situation, to bring Guinevere close to Bedwyr. The two of them start an adulterous relationship, to be then caught by Mordred and condemned to exile by Arthur.

Guinevere is to go north to her family, when Bedwyr attempts to kidnap her (in good faith actually, since he knows Guinevere's family won't be kind to her once she returns to them) and kills Gawain's son meanwhile. Guinevere and Bedwyr then excape in Less Britain, and from now on the story resembles really much the Story as we know it (war with Less Britain, Mordred staying behind and taking power, war with Mordred, Camlann, Guinevere goes north to become an abbess).

What I liked about this book:

-The characters. Guinevere is absolute perfection. She's the closest to my PERFECT Ideal Guinevere EVER. She's a queen, a powerful and capable queen. She's a bookworm, a very learned woman, and very apt at organizing and coordinating. Plus, there's no trace of a past as a tomboy, of a marriage of interest with Arthur (she actually marries him because she's captivated both by him and his project, just as I think she should be!), and of extraordinary abilities as a horse-rider.
Besides, her relationship with Bedwyr is one of the most believable ever. I mean, even in the most loving couple a rift can be created so tha one betrays the partner with someone else. Guinevere never ceases to love Arthur and, in the end, it is Arthur she chooses.
I was not too fond of Bedwyr actually... but he's a good Lancelot in all aspects. He's very selfish, and it was sorta irritating how he pretended to pass for the "Holier than thou" man when he was clearly unable to sort things right (for the others). He seemed only to be after his own desires... Irritating character, but after all, Lancelot's not supposed to be a good man in my head xD
Mordred was a venomous beautiful insect, just as I figure him. Clever, golden-tongued... perfect. Gawain's not my favourite version of Gawain. A tid bit too far from canon and almost unrecognizable as Gawain anyway. I have ADORED Gwyn.. and I've adored how he's supposed to be Galahad all the way xD

-The athnosphere. Gosh it was thrilling. The impending disaster, the rushed struggle to save everything from ruin.. sheer perfectiom

-The accuracy. It was a very believable novel in its historical aspects.

Anyway: it was definitely a good book, worth reading. I highly suggest it as the best Guinevere Book I've ever read till now.

[Kat Hooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, Originally posted at Fantasy Literature. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

In Winter’s Shadow is the final book in Gillian Bradshaw’s DOWN THE LONG WIND trilogy, an elegantly written historical fantasy about King Arthur that’s inspired by the Welsh legends. While the first two books, Hawk of May and Kingdom of Summer, have focused on Gwalchmai (Sir Gawain), this last novel is written from Gwynhwyfar’s perspective. You certainly don’t need to read the previous books to fully appreciate In Winter’s Shadow, but if you’re a fan of the time period or the legends, you’ll probably want to read Hawk of May and Kingdom of Summer at some point. They are lovely historical stories.

In In Winter’s Shadow, Gwynhwyfar gives us some of the history of the Roman Empire and its relationship to Britain. She tells of how when Rome left, the petty kings of Britain squabbled amongst themselves and were in danger of being overrun by the Saxons until Arthur declared himself emperor and forced them to unite. She also gives some of her own backstory — how she hates women’s work, prefers to study, and was her father’s pet. She spends her days working tirelessly to advance Arthur’s kingdom while he’s away on campaign. She runs her household, manages supplies for Arthur and his soldiers, and extracts taxes from the petty kings and the church. It is hard to deal with a war-torn country, plotting kings, and resentful clergy.

Gwynhwyfar desperately wants a child who will be Arthur’s heir. So far she has miscarried the children she’s conceived. She fears that Arthur will divorce her, but he refuses. She is jealous of Medraut, Arthur’s bastard son whose mother was the evil Morgawse. Medraut’s presence at Camelot reminds Gwynhwyfar of her barrenness. It frustrates her that Arthur has a son out of that hateful relationship with his stepsister, but can’t get one out of love with Gwynhwyfar. Medraut is still disrupting the unity of Arthur’s band and Morgawse haunts Arthur and Gwynhwyfar’s relationship. Thus, Morgawse, even though she’s dead, still threatens to bring Arthur — and all of Britain — down.

All of this is a lot of stress for Gwynhwyfar, which explains why she makes a couple of REALLY BIG mistakes, and why we, the readers, feel empathetic toward her even as we realize she’s being REALLY STUPID. The consequences of Gwynhwyfar’s sins are severe and instead of making Arthur’s reign more secure, she ends up destroying everything.

Though the story is slow and repetitive at first, In Winter’s Shadow eventually takes off and becomes quite compelling. Gwynhwyfar faces several moral dilemmas that are just as relevant today as they were back then. Is murder ever justifiable? What about adultery? When our leaders fail to act, when is it okay to take matters into our own hands?

In Winter’s Shadow is tragic and painful. It’s a disaster story. It’s the story about how well-meaning people can royally screw things up. It’s about the end of personal relationships and the end of an empire. Gillian Bradshaw succeeds in making both seem equally tragic.
Once again, I listened to Nicole Quinn’s narration of the audio version. She has such a beautiful voice and I especially liked her in this book because it’s told from a woman’s perspective.

[Melanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the conclusion of any series about King Arthur and Camelot is a rather daunting prospect - even more so when you are reading a version from Queen Guinevere's point of view.

I'm hiding the rest of the review under a spoiler tag because it technically is a spoiler if you're not already familiar with the legends, but the story is so well known I can't be bothered to separate the spoiler bits from the safe bits.



It's the most famous and tragic case of adultery in western mythos, IMO. Two people, who should have been loyal to their king, betray him at a devastating cost to those directly involved and to their nation as a whole. There's no way that any decent rendition of the story that even pretends to stay true to the legend can have a happy ending.

Bradshaw's version is particularly tragic, IMO. Many authors try to soften the weight of Guinevere's betrayal - making her a casualty of a loveless, arranged marriage or so struck by love at first sight for Lancelot that she just couldn't help herself. But Gwynhwyfar and Bedwyr's affair (Bradshaw conflates Lancelot and Bedwyr) isn't a case of star crossed lovers or a case of an unhappy marriage. She's very much in love with Arthur and Bedwyr is loyal to him as well. They just let their need for comforting each other get away from them, and once those doors have opened, they just can't seem to close them again no matter how much they love and respect the king or what the consequences might be.

It seems like a garden variety of adultery - which makes it all the more tragic, IMO. Arthur, the Knights, Camelot, and all of Brittan sacrificed because of a little lack of self control.

It occurrs to me that this trilogy, in many ways, is the story of Gwalchmai (Gawain) and his family. In the "spring" book you get Gwalchmai in his rise to fame in the court. In the "summer" book you have Gwalchamai and Agravain killing their wicked sorceress mother Morgawse, leaving their half-brother Medraut (Mordred) at loose ends. And in the "winter" book Medraut seeks revenge for his mother's death - ultimately killing his entire family, brothers, nephew, father - no one is spared from the final reckoning.

And in the end, Gwynhwyfar is left alone in a nunnery, forced to live out her days in exile - a punishment that seems a bit heavier now than it seemed to me when I was a teen. In her words - "It is a terrible thing to have worked the ruin of all one loved best, but it is worse to survive that ruin, and grow old, forgetting."