What do you think?
Rate this book
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood
From the author of The Magician's Daughter comes a captivating historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn.
Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people's sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights - dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur's return at the time of Britain's greatest need.
Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn't believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum's collection from the Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor's private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she's tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue - the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot.
Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people's sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights - dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur's return at the time of Britain's greatest need.
Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn't believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum's collection from the Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor's private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she's tried to ignore: she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue - the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot.
480 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2026
About the author
H.G. Parry
8 books1,508 followersH.G. Parry lives in a book-infested flat in Wellington, New Zealand, which she shares with her sister and two overactive rabbits. She holds a PhD in English Literature from Victoria University of Wellington, and teaches English, Film, and Media Studies. Her short fiction has appeared in Intergalactic Medicine Show, Daily Science Fiction, and small press anthologies. The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep is her debut novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
Read
November 11, 2025I’m going to have to think about this one. HG Parry is one of my favourite living novelists and I intend to read everything she writes. But my reaction to this book was complex and I need to reflect.
July 30, 2026
How do we go on living when the world is ending all around us? How can we love and care for each other knowing it will inevitably end in heartbreak? What’s the point in choosing to be kind, choosing to be brave, choosing to fight, when it seems like everything is doomed?
“Perhaps just because we can’t stop it happening doesn’t mean we have to let it.”
The Witch Below the Dreaming wood is a lush, clever, brilliantly layered standalone fantasy about holding out for a better world until the bitter, bloody end. It’s split between two timelines, both of which feel like the end of days to the people living through them: the fall of Camelot and World War II. This book contains a mysterious old house, an abundance of mice, medieval myths infringing on reality, a tragic, seemingly-doomed romance, and an astonishing platonic love story that transcends centuries. The character work is slow and delicate and nuanced, written so that your understanding and affection for these characters manages to sneak up on you, and you - like me - may be shocked to find yourself unexpectedly in tears at the end of the book.
It’s a deeply, beautifully magical story, both charming and melancholy, and determinedly hopeful in the face of hopeless odds. The tale has already been told, after all, hundreds and thousands of times over: Camelot will fall. There’s no other way it can end. And when we can’t own the narrative, all we can control are our own choices.
This manages to feel oddly timely, considering it’s a historical fantasy. Just like the characters in both timelines, I am plagued in 2026 by a constant sense of doom. The world feels like it’s getting worse, and like there is nothing I can do to stop it. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood doesn’t presume to offer a solution to that feeling; instead it’s a balm and a rallying cry, a reminder that no victory is forever and every day that we persevere is worth something.
“It will end one day, of course. Everything does. Until then, we have the ground that we hold against the dark, and the stories we fill it with.”
Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Perhaps just because we can’t stop it happening doesn’t mean we have to let it.”
The Witch Below the Dreaming wood is a lush, clever, brilliantly layered standalone fantasy about holding out for a better world until the bitter, bloody end. It’s split between two timelines, both of which feel like the end of days to the people living through them: the fall of Camelot and World War II. This book contains a mysterious old house, an abundance of mice, medieval myths infringing on reality, a tragic, seemingly-doomed romance, and an astonishing platonic love story that transcends centuries. The character work is slow and delicate and nuanced, written so that your understanding and affection for these characters manages to sneak up on you, and you - like me - may be shocked to find yourself unexpectedly in tears at the end of the book.
It’s a deeply, beautifully magical story, both charming and melancholy, and determinedly hopeful in the face of hopeless odds. The tale has already been told, after all, hundreds and thousands of times over: Camelot will fall. There’s no other way it can end. And when we can’t own the narrative, all we can control are our own choices.
This manages to feel oddly timely, considering it’s a historical fantasy. Just like the characters in both timelines, I am plagued in 2026 by a constant sense of doom. The world feels like it’s getting worse, and like there is nothing I can do to stop it. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood doesn’t presume to offer a solution to that feeling; instead it’s a balm and a rallying cry, a reminder that no victory is forever and every day that we persevere is worth something.
“It will end one day, of course. Everything does. Until then, we have the ground that we hold against the dark, and the stories we fill it with.”
Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2026
As myth- and lore-filled sandboxes go, Arthuriana is a vast one, which is both blessing and curse for a storyteller. There are so many different characters and tale threads to pull on that you can weave any kind of story you’d like. But, that infinite variety and the endless iterations that already exist can make it rather difficult to create something that feels simultaneously timeless and fresh.
Hold my beer, says H.G. Parry.
Parry is one of my favorite writers and storytellers because she combines a keen eye for historical detail with enchanting prose while masterfully deploying dialogue to create deep and heartfelt character relationships. It also just so happens that the topics and time periods she picks to write about are always near and dear to my heart, and few more than Arthur and the Round Table.
I grew up on Gwen Gross’s Knights of the Round Table, which was my gateway drug to both Arthuriana and fantasy books generally. I took my own whack at engaging with Arthurian lore in my first novel ( The Camelot Shadow), so I know both how joyful and how daunting it is to play in that space.
All of which is to say: I came to The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood with high expectations and tremendous excitement. The book still managed to exceed my expectations.
It contains all of the characteristic Parry qualities mentioned above in spades, but beyond that, I want to call out two things that especially stood out.
The first is the incredibly ingenious way Parry navigated Merlin living life backwards. I won’t spoil it here, but it’s an approach that’s simultaneously clever and elegant and ties the story together beautifully.
The other is a theme that pervades the story from the outset, which is that the end (of anything and everything) is inevitable (and it may not be a pleasant end), and, that, each day, all we can do is try to hold back the darkness one more time.
That’s a bleak and rather heavy veil through which to read a story, especially an Arthur story. Arthur, after all, stands for hope—hope for a better future, one where he returns in our darkest hour to lead us into a new golden age.
But, as I turned the pages…as I sat with that idea, the notion of fighting, of resisting, even when the outcome is inevitably not what you want…it occurred to me, largely because of Parry’s beautiful presentation of the theme, that it’s actually a hopeful idea. It’s what we are, and what we do, when the outcome is not in doubt that defines us, after all—we can always choose the how. And whenever and however we shuffle off this mortal coil, that means something—in fact, it means everything.
Besides: is the appearance of a random middle-aged white guy with outdated notions of chivalry really going to turn any tides in 2026? Methinks not (unless it's Jon Bon Jovi circa 1995 because man that guy had great hair).
I can’t recommend this book, or any of Parry’s books, strongly enough.
Hold my beer, says H.G. Parry.
Parry is one of my favorite writers and storytellers because she combines a keen eye for historical detail with enchanting prose while masterfully deploying dialogue to create deep and heartfelt character relationships. It also just so happens that the topics and time periods she picks to write about are always near and dear to my heart, and few more than Arthur and the Round Table.
I grew up on Gwen Gross’s Knights of the Round Table, which was my gateway drug to both Arthuriana and fantasy books generally. I took my own whack at engaging with Arthurian lore in my first novel ( The Camelot Shadow), so I know both how joyful and how daunting it is to play in that space.
All of which is to say: I came to The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood with high expectations and tremendous excitement. The book still managed to exceed my expectations.
It contains all of the characteristic Parry qualities mentioned above in spades, but beyond that, I want to call out two things that especially stood out.
The first is the incredibly ingenious way Parry navigated Merlin living life backwards. I won’t spoil it here, but it’s an approach that’s simultaneously clever and elegant and ties the story together beautifully.
The other is a theme that pervades the story from the outset, which is that the end (of anything and everything) is inevitable (and it may not be a pleasant end), and, that, each day, all we can do is try to hold back the darkness one more time.
That’s a bleak and rather heavy veil through which to read a story, especially an Arthur story. Arthur, after all, stands for hope—hope for a better future, one where he returns in our darkest hour to lead us into a new golden age.
But, as I turned the pages…as I sat with that idea, the notion of fighting, of resisting, even when the outcome is inevitably not what you want…it occurred to me, largely because of Parry’s beautiful presentation of the theme, that it’s actually a hopeful idea. It’s what we are, and what we do, when the outcome is not in doubt that defines us, after all—we can always choose the how. And whenever and however we shuffle off this mortal coil, that means something—in fact, it means everything.
Besides: is the appearance of a random middle-aged white guy with outdated notions of chivalry really going to turn any tides in 2026? Methinks not (unless it's Jon Bon Jovi circa 1995 because man that guy had great hair).
I can’t recommend this book, or any of Parry’s books, strongly enough.
September 5, 2026
H.G Parry finding new sick and twisted ways to deliver “i would love you in every lifetime” and: stuck within the narrative while narrating the narrative
everlasting fans don’t sleep on this please!!!
everlasting fans don’t sleep on this please!!!
July 6, 2026
Leave it to H.G Parry to pick one of my favorite characters in literature and reimagine it using the second World War as a backdrop. (Seriously, my childhood cats were named Merlin, Morgana, and Guinevere.) No stranger to King Arthur retellings, this one… this one focused on Merlin and our Lady of the Lake, Morgan LeFay. This had everything I ever wanted in Merlin and Nimue’s story! Told in dual timelines, during the Second World War and during the fall of Camelot we hear the story of the Lady of the Lake and how she engineered the downfall of the Round Table. Raising Lancelot to be the love of Guinevere and Arthur’s undoing, to Nimue who was to be the doom of Merlin, and Mordred who would be the destruction of Arthur himself. During World War II people in Britain began dreaming of Arthur in vivid and startling detail. Thinking it’s a sign that he’s returning, it’s only when the whole story is told does it become clearer.
I tore through this book in about 24 hours because H.G. Parry is a master at submerging you so far in the story you refuse to come up for air. Have tissues ready because the end will absolutely have you bawling.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood hits shelves July 21. You absolutely need to snag a copy of this one.
Huge huge thank you to @orbitbooks_us for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
#thewitchbelowthedreamingwood #hgparry #orbitbooks #merlin #nimue
I tore through this book in about 24 hours because H.G. Parry is a master at submerging you so far in the story you refuse to come up for air. Have tissues ready because the end will absolutely have you bawling.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood hits shelves July 21. You absolutely need to snag a copy of this one.
Huge huge thank you to @orbitbooks_us for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
#thewitchbelowthedreamingwood #hgparry #orbitbooks #merlin #nimue
March 3, 2026
A lush and beautiful love letter to Arthurian myth, H.G. Parry's The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is everything that I could have hoped for.
In the midst of World War II, the dreams begin. Dreams of Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table are appearing all around. Yet Elaine is sent to Camlan House, an old mansion in the Welsh countryside at the request of a mysterious and elusive Professor Emory. There, alongside a distant housekeeper and a charming, wounded groundskeeper named Tom, Elaine must discover the truth within her own dreams for Nimue, Merlin's doom, is calling.
It is a book uniquely suited to those of us who grew up with Arthurian legends, who wept over the fall of Camelot, and have held onto its promise of hope and a returning king since childhood. It's about destiny, doom, the power of story, and about fighting against the darkness one day at a time.
I loved it.
Advanced Readers Copy was granted, courtesy of Edelweiss.
In the midst of World War II, the dreams begin. Dreams of Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table are appearing all around. Yet Elaine is sent to Camlan House, an old mansion in the Welsh countryside at the request of a mysterious and elusive Professor Emory. There, alongside a distant housekeeper and a charming, wounded groundskeeper named Tom, Elaine must discover the truth within her own dreams for Nimue, Merlin's doom, is calling.
It is a book uniquely suited to those of us who grew up with Arthurian legends, who wept over the fall of Camelot, and have held onto its promise of hope and a returning king since childhood. It's about destiny, doom, the power of story, and about fighting against the darkness one day at a time.
I loved it.
Advanced Readers Copy was granted, courtesy of Edelweiss.
June 21, 2026
I’ll read anything Parry writes at this point. so glad I got to read this arc. This will, however, be a hard review to write. The first 80-85% of the book was like god-tier 5 star writing for me. And then that last 15%…I just don’t know what happened. It’s not that it was confusing, it just seemed that it didn’t fit the rest of the story as it should have, like the story deserved a different ending, it didn’t live up to the rest of the story. Kind of seemed it could use a bit more time through the touch up process? It was frustrating. I lost interest in the story line and everything when I realized how this was going to end.
The writing is beautiful, poetic. A story you’d wanna read aloud to feel the dance of words sounding out together. I really rolled through the first 80%, didn’t want to put it down. Parry has a very subtle way of writing beautiful prose. She’s a natural story teller, no matter how much effort and work she put into this book, the first 80% came off effortless.
The characters were written in depth. I found Nemue wanting to please her critical mom relatable, Elaine being a hardworking librarian during WWII was really neat. If you grew up watching First Knight with Richard Gere, Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood, or Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck, this is the book for you.
The plot sucked me right in from the get go and didn’t let up until like I said about that 85% mark. Usually with dual POVs I tend to like one over the other but between Nemue and Elaine’s, I found myself enjoying each not being able to wait to see what happened next.
I enjoyed the theme of how the stories we inherit shape the choices we make until we choose differently. Who we are raised to believe we are can wreak havoc on life later on. If you like doomed loved stories, knights, wizards and witches, AND you love WWII dog fight history, this is the book for you. The fact that MC’s go from flying as owls in one era to the cockpit of a Tiger Moth in the next is simply amazing and it made sense. I’ve always thought it would be cool to pit a dragon against a bomber plane…this very nearly scratched that itch. Overall, highly recommend, just be forewarned that the ending probably could’ve used some more fleshing out (imo). I still look forward to reading Parry’s other works.
Thank you to Redhook and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The writing is beautiful, poetic. A story you’d wanna read aloud to feel the dance of words sounding out together. I really rolled through the first 80%, didn’t want to put it down. Parry has a very subtle way of writing beautiful prose. She’s a natural story teller, no matter how much effort and work she put into this book, the first 80% came off effortless.
The characters were written in depth. I found Nemue wanting to please her critical mom relatable, Elaine being a hardworking librarian during WWII was really neat. If you grew up watching First Knight with Richard Gere, Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood, or Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck, this is the book for you.
The plot sucked me right in from the get go and didn’t let up until like I said about that 85% mark. Usually with dual POVs I tend to like one over the other but between Nemue and Elaine’s, I found myself enjoying each not being able to wait to see what happened next.
I enjoyed the theme of how the stories we inherit shape the choices we make until we choose differently. Who we are raised to believe we are can wreak havoc on life later on. If you like doomed loved stories, knights, wizards and witches, AND you love WWII dog fight history, this is the book for you. The fact that MC’s go from flying as owls in one era to the cockpit of a Tiger Moth in the next is simply amazing and it made sense. I’ve always thought it would be cool to pit a dragon against a bomber plane…this very nearly scratched that itch. Overall, highly recommend, just be forewarned that the ending probably could’ve used some more fleshing out (imo). I still look forward to reading Parry’s other works.
Thank you to Redhook and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc.
“The witch below the dreaming wood” is one of my most anticipated books of the year. My first meeting with H. G. Parry was with “The scholar and the last faerie door” and I fell in love with her writing and stories. So of course I have to read everything she ever wrote in order to be happy. Also, these titles?? Gorgeous!!
The books is an Arthurian retelling and we read it from the perspective of Nimue and Ellie. While everyone dreams of Arthur and his life, Ellie dreams of Nimue and her life. I think most of the people know the legends about who Nimue is and what she does, so this book was a lovely retelling of those stories.
I’ve always been a fan of the TV show “Merlin”, so it was really easy for me to imagine these characters, because we do meet Merlin and Arthur and Guinevere and all the Round Table knights. I’ve been curious since the beginning of the book how Ellie connects to Nimue and viceversa and it made a lot of sense at the end of the story.
Nimue is lovely. She’s so human and kind and so powerful and caring. I loved her development and how much she tries her best in order to keep her promises. I think I loved her chapters more than I loved Ellie’s, just because it felt more fantastical, more mythological than the real life where Ellie is. It’s easy to understand why Nimue fell in love with Camelot, especially when she heard so many stories around her. Even I fell in love with it, and I know it wasn’t real. Or was it?
I liked Elaine as well, she’s a librarian during WWII and she is sent to Camlan House to catalogue an elderly and mysterious man’s library. There she meets Tom, who’s a sweetheart, and Mrs. Leaf who’s.. intriguing let’s say. And everything while she dreams of Nimue and Camelot, while, at the same time, the real world is in flames.
”Still, as the summer hours stretched out in unearthly quiet, their edge blunted only by the whistle of the wind off the sea, their edge blunted scratching of the library mice, and the occasional heart-stopping roar of a plane in the distance, she wondered if she might not be going slightly mad.”
I loved everything about it, the way H. G. Parry introduced other authors in the book, the ones who wrote about Arthur and Merlin. That made me want to read more about Camelot, I have “The once and future king” on my shelves, can’t wait to read it. The writing is majestic. H. G. Parry is so talented and writing beautiful stories and making them feel so alive. The prose is atmospheric and addictive, adding to the overall experience a feeling of melancholy for something that you’ll never meet.
”War, poverty, bureaucracy, cruelty — they’re not the sort of things you win against. But if you’re very fortunate, you can hold the line for a little bit longer. You can push back the dark as long as you can, and when it finally closes in you can face it with your head held high.”
Altogether, “The witch below the dreaming wood” was compelling, to say the least. The book pulls you in the story, and while it’s not fast paced, the chapters are patiently written and executed. It can be a little slow if the reader is not used to this kind of writing. For me, it’s was perfect. It’s a beautiful, sad and romantic story. It’s about friendship, second chances, love, family, courage and loyalty. It’s about magic and kindness.
”It was a beginning and an ending at once, the first time I would kiss him and the last time he would kiss me.”
And Mordred is a bitch, as always. (Yes, I know his reasons.)
“The witch below the dreaming wood” is one of my most anticipated books of the year. My first meeting with H. G. Parry was with “The scholar and the last faerie door” and I fell in love with her writing and stories. So of course I have to read everything she ever wrote in order to be happy. Also, these titles?? Gorgeous!!
The books is an Arthurian retelling and we read it from the perspective of Nimue and Ellie. While everyone dreams of Arthur and his life, Ellie dreams of Nimue and her life. I think most of the people know the legends about who Nimue is and what she does, so this book was a lovely retelling of those stories.
I’ve always been a fan of the TV show “Merlin”, so it was really easy for me to imagine these characters, because we do meet Merlin and Arthur and Guinevere and all the Round Table knights. I’ve been curious since the beginning of the book how Ellie connects to Nimue and viceversa and it made a lot of sense at the end of the story.
Nimue is lovely. She’s so human and kind and so powerful and caring. I loved her development and how much she tries her best in order to keep her promises. I think I loved her chapters more than I loved Ellie’s, just because it felt more fantastical, more mythological than the real life where Ellie is. It’s easy to understand why Nimue fell in love with Camelot, especially when she heard so many stories around her. Even I fell in love with it, and I know it wasn’t real. Or was it?
I liked Elaine as well, she’s a librarian during WWII and she is sent to Camlan House to catalogue an elderly and mysterious man’s library. There she meets Tom, who’s a sweetheart, and Mrs. Leaf who’s.. intriguing let’s say. And everything while she dreams of Nimue and Camelot, while, at the same time, the real world is in flames.
”Still, as the summer hours stretched out in unearthly quiet, their edge blunted only by the whistle of the wind off the sea, their edge blunted scratching of the library mice, and the occasional heart-stopping roar of a plane in the distance, she wondered if she might not be going slightly mad.”
I loved everything about it, the way H. G. Parry introduced other authors in the book, the ones who wrote about Arthur and Merlin. That made me want to read more about Camelot, I have “The once and future king” on my shelves, can’t wait to read it. The writing is majestic. H. G. Parry is so talented and writing beautiful stories and making them feel so alive. The prose is atmospheric and addictive, adding to the overall experience a feeling of melancholy for something that you’ll never meet.
”War, poverty, bureaucracy, cruelty — they’re not the sort of things you win against. But if you’re very fortunate, you can hold the line for a little bit longer. You can push back the dark as long as you can, and when it finally closes in you can face it with your head held high.”
Altogether, “The witch below the dreaming wood” was compelling, to say the least. The book pulls you in the story, and while it’s not fast paced, the chapters are patiently written and executed. It can be a little slow if the reader is not used to this kind of writing. For me, it’s was perfect. It’s a beautiful, sad and romantic story. It’s about friendship, second chances, love, family, courage and loyalty. It’s about magic and kindness.
”It was a beginning and an ending at once, the first time I would kiss him and the last time he would kiss me.”
And Mordred is a bitch, as always. (Yes, I know his reasons.)
August 9, 2026
Cozy and atmospheric
(Also Malory and White are looking at me very judgingly from the shelf asking when I'm gonna read them. Soon I keep telling them.)
(Also Malory and White are looking at me very judgingly from the shelf asking when I'm gonna read them. Soon I keep telling them.)
July 23, 2026
I spent this whole book sitting on the cusp of either becoming completely addicted or being severely bored, and somehow it never tipped either way. I kept waiting for that moment where I’d get completely sucked in, but it just never happened. Instead, I found most of it pretty dull.
It wasn’t bad enough to make me stop reading so 3 stars, I guess.
It wasn’t bad enough to make me stop reading so 3 stars, I guess.
August 30, 2026
As someone not very familiar with the Arthurian/ Merlin story (other than legendborn) this was absolutely fantastic. I love H.G. Parry’s writing and storytelling.
Longer review to come. I must go find Merlin fanfics
Longer review to come. I must go find Merlin fanfics
July 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 | 4.75 stars rounded up
Historical fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres and The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood exemplifies why that is. What a stunning, well-researched, and bittersweet book that centers women in a very male-dominated myth.
This story follows a research librarian, Elaine, who dreams of Nimue (the Lady of the Lake) while the rest of Britain dreams of King Arthur's return in the midst of WWII.
While I loved learning so much about the legend of King Arthur and Camelot throughout this book, I was most impacted by Nimue and the way in which this book challenges historically sexist narratives about her. HG Parry does such a beautiful job of using characters who played instrumental roles in the outcomes of legends but were deprived of any accolades to challenge the inherent power dynamic of story telling.
I also really appreciated getting to know the people behind the legends as they grappled with fate, morality, justice, and agency.
This book managed to feel ambling and action-packed at the same time. The shifts in POVs and settings created a very cinematic feel, which only emphasized the larger-than-life quality of the King Arthur legend.
Overall, a truly excellent book that broke my heart no less than 7 times.
Thank you so much to Orbit and Redhook for the advance copy!
Historical fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres and The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood exemplifies why that is. What a stunning, well-researched, and bittersweet book that centers women in a very male-dominated myth.
This story follows a research librarian, Elaine, who dreams of Nimue (the Lady of the Lake) while the rest of Britain dreams of King Arthur's return in the midst of WWII.
While I loved learning so much about the legend of King Arthur and Camelot throughout this book, I was most impacted by Nimue and the way in which this book challenges historically sexist narratives about her. HG Parry does such a beautiful job of using characters who played instrumental roles in the outcomes of legends but were deprived of any accolades to challenge the inherent power dynamic of story telling.
I also really appreciated getting to know the people behind the legends as they grappled with fate, morality, justice, and agency.
This book managed to feel ambling and action-packed at the same time. The shifts in POVs and settings created a very cinematic feel, which only emphasized the larger-than-life quality of the King Arthur legend.
Overall, a truly excellent book that broke my heart no less than 7 times.
Thank you so much to Orbit and Redhook for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Orbit for the gifted book!
"That’s the trouble with destiny, and with despair. Both make it too easy to tell yourself you had no choice."
"It was a beginning and an ending at once, the first time I would kiss him and the last time he would kiss me. It was wild and tender and breathless, the rush of the wind and the crash of the sea and the burning of the stars. It was Merlin and Nimue, with all the weight of story that would blaze for hundreds of years."
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
This was a hauntingly beautiful, melancholic masterpiece.
Utilizing a dual timeline, HG Perry expertly blends the grey, bleak reality of 1941 London and the wonder of Arthurian myth. Though still packed with whimsy, Camelot leans into a richly gothic undertone here, complete with blood magic and ancient pacts. The transition between the two eras is handled with incredible subtlety, making it feel as though the magic of the past is slowly bleeding through the veil and into the present day. The prose was atmospheric, lyrical and sensory rich, coaxing the reader forward like a whispered secret.
The bonds that form within each timeline and throughout this book feel achingly real. Each character is gorgeously flawed, with motivations that are easily understood and empathised with. I loved the more quiet moments between Elaine and Tom, as well as Nimue and Merlin. The respite created through their laughter and shared happiness really brought me closer to their stories, and made the more emotional moments hit even harder (and they did hit really hard at the end). There is a very small amount of romance, but it was very lovely, and I didn’t feel that the story needed any more than what was provided.
What ultimately made this really stand out for me, however, was how much Perry challenges the historically sexist narrative found within depictions of the Arthurian legend, shifting focus away from celebrated kings to center upon the forgotten figures (women) and systemic devastation that history often sanitizes. Instead of a “malicious temptress” who uses her feminine wiles to bewitch Merlin, Nimue is given immense psychological depth, a distinct voice and profound agency. There is a lot to unpack within this narrative regarding how stories are crafted and who holds the power to shape them.
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough, but keep in mind that this is a heavy, deliberately slow paced historical fantasy. I recommend saving this for when you’re in the mood for a deeper read, and for when you have time to really dig into it.
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚:
Arthurian Legend Retelling
Welsh Mythology
Duel Timelines
Reluctant Chosen One
The Power of Stories
Female Agency vs Patriarchal Destiny
Hope and Resilience in Dark Times
✄----------
Genres in Order of Weight: Historical, Fantasy, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
✄----------
Follow me on Instagram for more bookish content
"That’s the trouble with destiny, and with despair. Both make it too easy to tell yourself you had no choice."
"It was a beginning and an ending at once, the first time I would kiss him and the last time he would kiss me. It was wild and tender and breathless, the rush of the wind and the crash of the sea and the burning of the stars. It was Merlin and Nimue, with all the weight of story that would blaze for hundreds of years."
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
This was a hauntingly beautiful, melancholic masterpiece.
Utilizing a dual timeline, HG Perry expertly blends the grey, bleak reality of 1941 London and the wonder of Arthurian myth. Though still packed with whimsy, Camelot leans into a richly gothic undertone here, complete with blood magic and ancient pacts. The transition between the two eras is handled with incredible subtlety, making it feel as though the magic of the past is slowly bleeding through the veil and into the present day. The prose was atmospheric, lyrical and sensory rich, coaxing the reader forward like a whispered secret.
The bonds that form within each timeline and throughout this book feel achingly real. Each character is gorgeously flawed, with motivations that are easily understood and empathised with. I loved the more quiet moments between Elaine and Tom, as well as Nimue and Merlin. The respite created through their laughter and shared happiness really brought me closer to their stories, and made the more emotional moments hit even harder (and they did hit really hard at the end). There is a very small amount of romance, but it was very lovely, and I didn’t feel that the story needed any more than what was provided.
What ultimately made this really stand out for me, however, was how much Perry challenges the historically sexist narrative found within depictions of the Arthurian legend, shifting focus away from celebrated kings to center upon the forgotten figures (women) and systemic devastation that history often sanitizes. Instead of a “malicious temptress” who uses her feminine wiles to bewitch Merlin, Nimue is given immense psychological depth, a distinct voice and profound agency. There is a lot to unpack within this narrative regarding how stories are crafted and who holds the power to shape them.
Overall, I cannot recommend this enough, but keep in mind that this is a heavy, deliberately slow paced historical fantasy. I recommend saving this for when you’re in the mood for a deeper read, and for when you have time to really dig into it.
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚:
Arthurian Legend Retelling
Welsh Mythology
Duel Timelines
Reluctant Chosen One
The Power of Stories
Female Agency vs Patriarchal Destiny
Hope and Resilience in Dark Times
✄----------
Genres in Order of Weight: Historical, Fantasy, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
✄----------
Follow me on Instagram for more bookish content
August 22, 2026
The title of this book intrigued me and when I read that it was set in 1941 and all of Britain has been getting dreams of the stories of Arthur, something I know nothing to very little off, I was basically sold and so curious.
Arthurian stories are completely new for me, which made reading this book a real joy. Getting the read about parts of the story was more than enough for my 'knowing nothing of it' brain to still get into this book. The set up of the dual POV worked really well and the little hints spread throughout was great. Loved all the nudges to parts and characters of the lore of Arthur.
It also made me think and try to connect the dots and possible lines. I had some but also completely blind sided by others. All in all I really enjoyed this book, it read so smooth and easy and enjoyed how human the characters felt. Tom and his little flaws, Ellie and her unknown urge to research and get to it all. Don't forget Squeaks tho! Highly recommend this book as a nice standalone in between bigger series!
First time I read something from H.G. Parry and I'm for gonna check out some of her other books.
Pick this up if you love Arthurian stories, focus on Arthur and Nimue, set during 1941 war time with dual POV!
If you loved The Everlasting but want something a bit less deep, more of an easier read, pick this one!
Arthurian stories are completely new for me, which made reading this book a real joy. Getting the read about parts of the story was more than enough for my 'knowing nothing of it' brain to still get into this book. The set up of the dual POV worked really well and the little hints spread throughout was great. Loved all the nudges to parts and characters of the lore of Arthur.
It also made me think and try to connect the dots and possible lines. I had some but also completely blind sided by others. All in all I really enjoyed this book, it read so smooth and easy and enjoyed how human the characters felt. Tom and his little flaws, Ellie and her unknown urge to research and get to it all. Don't forget Squeaks tho! Highly recommend this book as a nice standalone in between bigger series!
First time I read something from H.G. Parry and I'm for gonna check out some of her other books.
Pick this up if you love Arthurian stories, focus on Arthur and Nimue, set during 1941 war time with dual POV!
If you loved The Everlasting but want something a bit less deep, more of an easier read, pick this one!
August 1, 2026
What a privilege it is, to meet a book you know has made you worse.
This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it is officially the favourite book I've read so far in 2026. I'm not sure it does anything particularly revolutionary with either Arthuriana or the reincarnation cycle that springs up around it, but oh my lord what it did do it did really, really well. Heart achingly romantic, I couldn't even put it down as I was crying.
Gorgeous fucking book.
This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and it is officially the favourite book I've read so far in 2026. I'm not sure it does anything particularly revolutionary with either Arthuriana or the reincarnation cycle that springs up around it, but oh my lord what it did do it did really, really well. Heart achingly romantic, I couldn't even put it down as I was crying.
Gorgeous fucking book.
July 25, 2026
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 21, 2026
⚔️ Arthurian Retelling
🕯 Historical Fantasy
🍃 Alternating Timelines + Dual POV
🔮 Thinning of the Veil
In The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, myth bleeds into reality as people across war-torn Britain begin dreaming that King Arthur is returning to save them. After a devastating fire at her workplace, historical archivist Ellie is sent away from the frontlines to catalog a private collection at the mysterious Camlan House.
I’m a sucker for historical fantasy anchored in real-world events, and setting this in WWII London made it feel so immersive. The concept of the veil between worlds thinning during times of extreme tragedy and duress was brilliant.
While the pacing slowed down a bit in the middle with a few characters who felt somewhat randomly thrown in, the second half completely pulled me back in—especially Nimue’s arc. The story of Nimue and Merlin is not what has been passed down and is far more complicated. I loved the way we got Nimue and Merlin's stories in the form of Ellie's dreams—such an interesting way to format the different POVs!
If you’re obsessed with Arthurian retellings, WWII historical fantasy, or atmospheric fairytale twists, definitely add this one to your TBR!
Thank you so much Redhook and NetGalley for the digital review copy.
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 21, 2026
⚔️ Arthurian Retelling
🕯 Historical Fantasy
🍃 Alternating Timelines + Dual POV
🔮 Thinning of the Veil
In The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, myth bleeds into reality as people across war-torn Britain begin dreaming that King Arthur is returning to save them. After a devastating fire at her workplace, historical archivist Ellie is sent away from the frontlines to catalog a private collection at the mysterious Camlan House.
I’m a sucker for historical fantasy anchored in real-world events, and setting this in WWII London made it feel so immersive. The concept of the veil between worlds thinning during times of extreme tragedy and duress was brilliant.
While the pacing slowed down a bit in the middle with a few characters who felt somewhat randomly thrown in, the second half completely pulled me back in—especially Nimue’s arc. The story of Nimue and Merlin is not what has been passed down and is far more complicated. I loved the way we got Nimue and Merlin's stories in the form of Ellie's dreams—such an interesting way to format the different POVs!
If you’re obsessed with Arthurian retellings, WWII historical fantasy, or atmospheric fairytale twists, definitely add this one to your TBR!
Thank you so much Redhook and NetGalley for the digital review copy.
August 9, 2026
Oh man. What a satisfying little Arthurian tale. I'm definitely going to recommend this to any King Arthur fan I know.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is a story mixing King Arthur and WWII. The Blitz has come to London, and the people are dreaming of the Once and Future King, the man, the myth, the legend told to return and save Britain at its darkest need.
Elaine Ambrose is a librarian at the British Museum. She's sent to Camlan House to categorize the ancient library of a mystery professor, Professor Emrys. At this house admist the mist and myths of Wales, she begins to dream as well, not of King Arthur, but of Merlin's apprentice, Nimue.
I really loved the mix of King Arthur mythos in this. It's been a long time since I've read anything containing the classic stories of the Knights of the Round Table. It was so much fun to read about Merlin shifting into animals, Lancelot struggling to maintain his goodness in the face of his love for his king's wife, some good grumpy Gawain moments, and Arthur just trying his hardest to do his best. All those good stories.
I also adored the characters. Elaine is smart and forward thinking. She's tough in her own way and so determined.
Tom is a great character as well. I felt he had a lot of depth and a lot of heartbreak to him. I really felt for his struggles.
The book is well paced with lots of things happening. I felt like I flew through it, although any book might have felt like that after my previous tome. I did feel the plot didn't have the depth I was hoping for. I expected there to be a bit more with the dreams and WWII. I feel like the setting existed to put Britain in a space where Arthur would be welcomed back or needed, but otherwise, WWII wasn't any sort of plot point. But again, I might be hampered by my previous read, which was very dense, and also expectations of what I hoped the book was going to be while going into it. I felt, in a way, this read to me as more YA.
But overall, I did really enjoy this. There are some good twists I didn't see coming and an ending that was different from my expectations. I loved the characters, and I love King Arthur, so I'll happily add a copy to my King Arthur shelves.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is a story mixing King Arthur and WWII. The Blitz has come to London, and the people are dreaming of the Once and Future King, the man, the myth, the legend told to return and save Britain at its darkest need.
Elaine Ambrose is a librarian at the British Museum. She's sent to Camlan House to categorize the ancient library of a mystery professor, Professor Emrys. At this house admist the mist and myths of Wales, she begins to dream as well, not of King Arthur, but of Merlin's apprentice, Nimue.
I really loved the mix of King Arthur mythos in this. It's been a long time since I've read anything containing the classic stories of the Knights of the Round Table. It was so much fun to read about Merlin shifting into animals, Lancelot struggling to maintain his goodness in the face of his love for his king's wife, some good grumpy Gawain moments, and Arthur just trying his hardest to do his best. All those good stories.
I also adored the characters. Elaine is smart and forward thinking. She's tough in her own way and so determined.
Tom is a great character as well. I felt he had a lot of depth and a lot of heartbreak to him. I really felt for his struggles.
The book is well paced with lots of things happening. I felt like I flew through it, although any book might have felt like that after my previous tome. I did feel the plot didn't have the depth I was hoping for. I expected there to be a bit more with the dreams and WWII. I feel like the setting existed to put Britain in a space where Arthur would be welcomed back or needed, but otherwise, WWII wasn't any sort of plot point. But again, I might be hampered by my previous read, which was very dense, and also expectations of what I hoped the book was going to be while going into it. I felt, in a way, this read to me as more YA.
But overall, I did really enjoy this. There are some good twists I didn't see coming and an ending that was different from my expectations. I loved the characters, and I love King Arthur, so I'll happily add a copy to my King Arthur shelves.
July 15, 2026
4.5 stars - a stunning, emotional, and captivating historical fantasy novel. This was my second H.G. Parry novel and she does such a marvelous job at weaving together real world history with lore and magic. I learned so much about Arthurian lore and felt connected to the characters in a way that I never have before. I also felt equally connected to the characters that were created solely for this book.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood felt like one big magical puzzle with all the pieces slowly starting to come together, but it wasn’t until the very end that you could make out exactly what the picture was trying to tell you and how beautiful that message was.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood felt like one big magical puzzle with all the pieces slowly starting to come together, but it wasn’t until the very end that you could make out exactly what the picture was trying to tell you and how beautiful that message was.
August 25, 2026
First off… what the f@%k. I am unwell 😩
This was lush, atmospheric, beautiful and heartbreaking.
For those that know the tale of Camelot and the Round Table, this may be easier to follow. If you don’t, and happen to drift off for half a page or more, you may get a bit lost. But that’s okay. Squeak will bring you back to exactly where you need to be.
An Arthurian legend set to the backdrop of WWII with dual timelines, reverse lifetimes, and a cast of characters that you initially hate, but grow to love — I’ve honestly no clue how H.G. Parry did it. No notes.
For lovers of The Everlasting, and all things hopeful and fantastical, this is a must read.
This was lush, atmospheric, beautiful and heartbreaking.
For those that know the tale of Camelot and the Round Table, this may be easier to follow. If you don’t, and happen to drift off for half a page or more, you may get a bit lost. But that’s okay. Squeak will bring you back to exactly where you need to be.
An Arthurian legend set to the backdrop of WWII with dual timelines, reverse lifetimes, and a cast of characters that you initially hate, but grow to love — I’ve honestly no clue how H.G. Parry did it. No notes.
For lovers of The Everlasting, and all things hopeful and fantastical, this is a must read.
July 14, 2026
A very lovely mix of myth and magical realism. I am such a fan of Parry and I would read her shopping list if I could. I loved this and even though my knowledge of Arthur is limited to say the least, I felt she did an excellent job of making sure the reader is up to speed which is super impressive. I wish the ending had a little more time to breathe however and I think the way everything unfolded at such high speed kept it from hitting harder. Overall a lovely read which I definitely recommend!
Huge thanks to Little Brown UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a review!
Huge thanks to Little Brown UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a review!
August 20, 2026
I have been ruined for other versions of the Arthurian tale. No notes, perfection.
Read
April 26, 2026A beautifully crafted historical fantasy, mythologically rich and emotionally resonant, deftly blending Arthurian legend and the latter days of WWII in a dual-timeline story where both Nimue's quest and Elaine's prove equally entrancing and hard to put down. H.G. Parry is fast becoming one of my must-read modern fantasy authors and this may be my favourite of her books yet.
July 30, 2026
Wales, 1941. In the midst of bombs falling on London in WWII, people have begun to dream of King Arthur. No one knows what the dreams mean, but they provide a collective hope for the war weary people of Britain. Elaine Ambrose is a librarian sent to Camlan House, the estate of a wealthy professor, to catalogue his library. The professor is nowhere to be seen, and the housekeeper and groom appear to be the only ones on the estate. Here, Elaine begins to dream, not of Arthur, but of Nimue, the apprentice who ensnared Merlin, and her dreams point towards the dark end of Camelot.
HG Parry has the uncanny ability to weave her own stories together with traditional tales, in this case the legend of King Arthur. She gives us compelling characters in Ellie and Tom, who seem like small players in a big war, but who have larger roles than they can imagine. The landscape of Camlan House separates them from the terrors the war brings to London, but with it the eeriness and emptiness of the deserted Wales countryside and creatures that haunt the night. The Camlan House setting easily transmutes to the Camelot of Ellie’s dreams, making it a seamless transition from reality to fantasy.
Setting her novel in 1941, Parry leans on TH White’s The Once and Future King, parts of which had been published as separate shorter novellas by this time. By choosing Nimue as the focus of Ellie’s dreams, we see White’s Merlyn through a different lens. He may be a magical wizard who “ages backwards” and can see the future and change into different animals, but he’s also still remarkably human. The human war rages on, while the war in Ellie’s dreams creeps closer and closer to the fall of Arthur. And yet, Parry makes time for whimsy in her novel, too, lightening the mood with a questing beast and mice, mirroring the whimsy of Merlin himself in his own animal forms.
We alternate perspectives between Ellie’s 1941 timeline and the dream state of Nimue’s story. The deeper we get into the novel, the more clear Nimue’s narrative becomes; Ellie is remembering more of her dreams as she gets closer to understanding the mystery and the legend of Arthur is coming closer to the surface of our reality. Parry balances the two perspectives really well, and every time she switched back to the other, I felt ready to return to either Ellie or Nimue, and she keeps a strong narrative thread pushing the momentum of the story. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is simply excellent writing.
Thank you to Orbit for an eARC. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is out 7/21/26.
HG Parry has the uncanny ability to weave her own stories together with traditional tales, in this case the legend of King Arthur. She gives us compelling characters in Ellie and Tom, who seem like small players in a big war, but who have larger roles than they can imagine. The landscape of Camlan House separates them from the terrors the war brings to London, but with it the eeriness and emptiness of the deserted Wales countryside and creatures that haunt the night. The Camlan House setting easily transmutes to the Camelot of Ellie’s dreams, making it a seamless transition from reality to fantasy.
Setting her novel in 1941, Parry leans on TH White’s The Once and Future King, parts of which had been published as separate shorter novellas by this time. By choosing Nimue as the focus of Ellie’s dreams, we see White’s Merlyn through a different lens. He may be a magical wizard who “ages backwards” and can see the future and change into different animals, but he’s also still remarkably human. The human war rages on, while the war in Ellie’s dreams creeps closer and closer to the fall of Arthur. And yet, Parry makes time for whimsy in her novel, too, lightening the mood with a questing beast and mice, mirroring the whimsy of Merlin himself in his own animal forms.
We alternate perspectives between Ellie’s 1941 timeline and the dream state of Nimue’s story. The deeper we get into the novel, the more clear Nimue’s narrative becomes; Ellie is remembering more of her dreams as she gets closer to understanding the mystery and the legend of Arthur is coming closer to the surface of our reality. Parry balances the two perspectives really well, and every time she switched back to the other, I felt ready to return to either Ellie or Nimue, and she keeps a strong narrative thread pushing the momentum of the story. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is simply excellent writing.
Thank you to Orbit for an eARC. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is out 7/21/26.
August 17, 2026
Thank you to Redhook Books and Orbit Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood today.
I cannot express to y'all how utterly CAPTIVATING this book is from beginning to end. I haven't felt so gobsmacked by a book with timey-wimey twists and turns since The Everlasting, and THAT is saying something. But the way the characters and their relationships are portrayed across time and history was so evocative and emotional that I was sucked in from the get-go.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood follows two perspectives: Nimue from Arthurian legend and Elaine from present/historical day England in 1941. We alternate between the two timelines as Nimue learns it's her destiny to destroy Merlin, and Elaine must piece together the clues of Nimue's past to stop a great evil before it's too late.
I love a book where every time I get absorbed by one POV, we immediately switch to the next, and I get frustrated to be ripped away from that character only to be immediately sucked in by the alternate POV's drama. Elaine and Nimue were compelling and devastating in their own way, both facing their inevitable fates and trying so hard to save these newfound relationships they've built in their own times, only to learn that they don't get to keep them.
Is there romance in this book? Yes and no, in the best way. The book FEELS romantic, and there are romantic moments, tensions, and relationships explored. But there's less on-page intimacy than in your typical fantasy romance or romantasy book, so don't go in with that expectation!
I can't even get into the plot too much because I want to avoid spoilers, but if you're familiar at all with the traditional stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, then you'll appreciate how this book paints Nimue in a different, much kinder light. I loved seeing so many familiar characters through her eyes, and especially her growing up with Lancelot and Mordred beneath the Lake. We see not a temptress or seductress but just a girl raised by a mother driven by rage and grief, molded into a weapon. And as for Elaine, we see someone who's been traumatized by the Blitz in London rediscover her courage and fight for what's right, even when her life is on the line.
Lastly, I love how H.G. Parry draws parallels between the battles of medieval Camelot and the modern wars fought in the 1900s. Themes of chivalry, honor, sacrifice, bravery, kindness, love, and revenge were beautifully depicted and clearly transcend time.
All in all, this is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year, and if it's not already on your TBR, you better add it EXPEDITIOUSLY!
I cannot express to y'all how utterly CAPTIVATING this book is from beginning to end. I haven't felt so gobsmacked by a book with timey-wimey twists and turns since The Everlasting, and THAT is saying something. But the way the characters and their relationships are portrayed across time and history was so evocative and emotional that I was sucked in from the get-go.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood follows two perspectives: Nimue from Arthurian legend and Elaine from present/historical day England in 1941. We alternate between the two timelines as Nimue learns it's her destiny to destroy Merlin, and Elaine must piece together the clues of Nimue's past to stop a great evil before it's too late.
I love a book where every time I get absorbed by one POV, we immediately switch to the next, and I get frustrated to be ripped away from that character only to be immediately sucked in by the alternate POV's drama. Elaine and Nimue were compelling and devastating in their own way, both facing their inevitable fates and trying so hard to save these newfound relationships they've built in their own times, only to learn that they don't get to keep them.
Is there romance in this book? Yes and no, in the best way. The book FEELS romantic, and there are romantic moments, tensions, and relationships explored. But there's less on-page intimacy than in your typical fantasy romance or romantasy book, so don't go in with that expectation!
I can't even get into the plot too much because I want to avoid spoilers, but if you're familiar at all with the traditional stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, then you'll appreciate how this book paints Nimue in a different, much kinder light. I loved seeing so many familiar characters through her eyes, and especially her growing up with Lancelot and Mordred beneath the Lake. We see not a temptress or seductress but just a girl raised by a mother driven by rage and grief, molded into a weapon. And as for Elaine, we see someone who's been traumatized by the Blitz in London rediscover her courage and fight for what's right, even when her life is on the line.
Lastly, I love how H.G. Parry draws parallels between the battles of medieval Camelot and the modern wars fought in the 1900s. Themes of chivalry, honor, sacrifice, bravery, kindness, love, and revenge were beautifully depicted and clearly transcend time.
All in all, this is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year, and if it's not already on your TBR, you better add it EXPEDITIOUSLY!
August 4, 2026
Finally! An Arthurian reimagining that is both original and respectful of canon!
There has been a spate of Arthurian retellings in the last 10 or so years, and most of them are not great. So it was a delight to find this offering from HG Parry, which focuses primarily on Nimue, Merlin, and Mordred, but cleverly weaves a new story for all of the major characters from Arthurian legend.
I was skeptical about the WWII timeline at the outset, as it’s difficult to see how this content could possibly tie together with the original story beyond the academic pursuits of the protagonist.
Thus it was a pleasant surprise to see how well Parry wove the timelines together and gave us something truly new without upending or ignoring the important canon material from early Arthurian writers.
Finding a way to center the story on the fact that Merlin ages backwards was truly a unique and clever idea. This is largely an anecdotal bit in canon and is mostly ignored or treated as a cute wizarding trick in most reimaginings and retellings, but Parry really hit on a terrific use of it here.
Parry’s last few books prior to this one have been a bit of a letdown, but I loved her work before that. This book is an excellent return to form for one of the best in the business at putting a new and creative spin on legendary and classic literary material.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
There has been a spate of Arthurian retellings in the last 10 or so years, and most of them are not great. So it was a delight to find this offering from HG Parry, which focuses primarily on Nimue, Merlin, and Mordred, but cleverly weaves a new story for all of the major characters from Arthurian legend.
I was skeptical about the WWII timeline at the outset, as it’s difficult to see how this content could possibly tie together with the original story beyond the academic pursuits of the protagonist.
Thus it was a pleasant surprise to see how well Parry wove the timelines together and gave us something truly new without upending or ignoring the important canon material from early Arthurian writers.
Finding a way to center the story on the fact that Merlin ages backwards was truly a unique and clever idea. This is largely an anecdotal bit in canon and is mostly ignored or treated as a cute wizarding trick in most reimaginings and retellings, but Parry really hit on a terrific use of it here.
Parry’s last few books prior to this one have been a bit of a letdown, but I loved her work before that. This book is an excellent return to form for one of the best in the business at putting a new and creative spin on legendary and classic literary material.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
July 25, 2026
The Witch Below The Dreaming Wood is a gorgeous and imaginative retelling of Arthurian lore. The intermingling of past and present WWII England was such an unexpected and remarkable pairing, and I truly loved every minute of it.
The story begins with an introduction to Nimue, Lancelot, and Mordred as children living with Morgan Le Fey, the Lady of the Lake. Each child has been raised by Morgan to understand their role in the downfall of Camelot. Nimue’s narrative continues through the dreams of Elaine Ambrose, a librarian living in WWII England. As war rips through England, many of its inhabitants begin to dream of King Arthur, and many believe this is a sign that he will return when England needs him most.
The British Library is bombed, and Elaine is sent to Camlan House to retrieve as many manuscripts as she can from its extensive library. While there, she meets Tom. Rather quickly after Elaine’s arrival, she and Tom realize that Camlan House sits where the veil between past and present is thin and the things of legends become all too real for them to ignore.
Merlin and Nimue’s stories are always some of my favorites in Arthurian lore, and I absolutely loved how H.G Parry chose to represent them in this story, as well as the narrative she gave to myth and lore.
I cannot wait to read more from H.G Parry in the years to come!
The story begins with an introduction to Nimue, Lancelot, and Mordred as children living with Morgan Le Fey, the Lady of the Lake. Each child has been raised by Morgan to understand their role in the downfall of Camelot. Nimue’s narrative continues through the dreams of Elaine Ambrose, a librarian living in WWII England. As war rips through England, many of its inhabitants begin to dream of King Arthur, and many believe this is a sign that he will return when England needs him most.
The British Library is bombed, and Elaine is sent to Camlan House to retrieve as many manuscripts as she can from its extensive library. While there, she meets Tom. Rather quickly after Elaine’s arrival, she and Tom realize that Camlan House sits where the veil between past and present is thin and the things of legends become all too real for them to ignore.
Merlin and Nimue’s stories are always some of my favorites in Arthurian lore, and I absolutely loved how H.G Parry chose to represent them in this story, as well as the narrative she gave to myth and lore.
I cannot wait to read more from H.G Parry in the years to come!
June 9, 2026
As the second world war ravages the globe, people all over Britain begin to dream of King Arthur. Whispers arise of unexplained wonders — dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Some claim that these miracles herald Arthur's return at the time of Britain's greatest need. But Elaine Ambrose, a librarian at the British Museum, has no interest in dreams, and is frustrated to be sent away from London to catalogue a private library on the coast of North Wales. Yet all is not as it seems. When Elaine begins to dream, not of Arthur but of Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, she realizes that what returns next Midsummer's Eve may not be salvation but rather the darkest days of Camelot.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is told from two points of view, during two time periods, and in two distinct styles. Ellie's story is historical fiction with fantasy elements that seem to spill over from Nimue's story, which is a YA Arthurian retelling. I found Ellie's chapters vivid and engaging; I nearly cried reading about her trying to save books from the British Museum's library after it was bombed in May 1941. But I dragged my way through Nimue's chapters, which read as bright and flat, like a Disney cartoon. Although the two storylines came together fairly neatly at the end, the juxtaposition of fairy tale-esque "danger" and WWII setting just didn't work for me overall.
Readers who preferred H.G. Perry's The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door may have better milage with this book than those (like me) who preferred A Far Better Thing.
Thank you to NetGalley and RedHook for providing an advance copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is told from two points of view, during two time periods, and in two distinct styles. Ellie's story is historical fiction with fantasy elements that seem to spill over from Nimue's story, which is a YA Arthurian retelling. I found Ellie's chapters vivid and engaging; I nearly cried reading about her trying to save books from the British Museum's library after it was bombed in May 1941. But I dragged my way through Nimue's chapters, which read as bright and flat, like a Disney cartoon. Although the two storylines came together fairly neatly at the end, the juxtaposition of fairy tale-esque "danger" and WWII setting just didn't work for me overall.
Readers who preferred H.G. Perry's The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door may have better milage with this book than those (like me) who preferred A Far Better Thing.
Thank you to NetGalley and RedHook for providing an advance copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2026
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Whenever a new King Arthur retelling releases, I trip over myself to read it. In the case of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, I was even more excited to read this one because it was written by H.G. Parry, the author of The Scholar and The Last Faerie Door , and The Magician’s Daughter. Parry always manages to create such uniquely magical experiences in her novels, so I was anxious to see how that applied to The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, which follows Nimue and her relationship with Merlin.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, doesn't just follow Nimue and Merlin, though. It also alternates to a second timeline set during World War I, following a librarian named Ellie as she travels outside war-torn London to catalog a private book collection at a country estate. I was very invested in both Nimue's and Ellie's perspectives. I found myself wishing they were entirely separate books, however, because I think the connection between the two storylines didn't work as well for me as I would have liked.
Even with that bit of a disconnect, I was constantly interested to see what was happening to both characters in these very different storylines. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, felt like both historical fiction and fantasy, which are two genres I really enjoy. I also loved the different take on Arthurian legend and the recognition that there are so many different renditions of the events surrounding the fall of Camelot. I also loved the references and twists on classic things like Gawain and the Green Knight, and the questing beast.
While there is plenty to love about this book, certain things didn’t hit home for me as much as I hoped. One of the things I love the most about the legends of King Arthur is just how messy and human it all is. All of the characters, from Arthur himself, to his best friend and loyal knight, Lancelot, and his wife, Guinevere, and even Merlin, are all very complex characters with flaws that eventually lead to the downfall of Camelot. So when I read retellings, I expect to find a certain level of personal and political upheaval.
This kind of drama is present in The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, but I would have liked for the novel to take it further to make the fall of Camelot feel more realistic to me. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the page space is devoted to the cast of characters and mysteries in both timelines, and how the events of Nimue’s life are affecting Ellie’s time period. This is another reason why I wished that the novel had been two different ones, because while I enjoyed the characters and unraveling the mystery alongside Ellie, I would have liked more time dedicated to the Arthurian characters.
For instance, this book suffers from something I see in a lot of different King Arthur retellings; Arthur is more legend than actual character. Camelot's eventual fall carries the most weight when Arthur himself feels worthy of the loyalty he inspires. His legend only works when he is a man others would willingly build a kingdom around.
Unfortunately, every other character seems to have more development than Arthur. I not only found this disappointing, but also felt that it lessened the impact and intrigue of the novel, which involves people all over the world suddenly dreaming of Arthur’s return in a world divided by the first World War. It was a little hard to be excited about his predicted second coming when readers are told in Nimue’s perspective that he’s nice, strives to uphold his own chivalric principles, tries to be fair, and allegedly likes animals. It feels like this portrayal of Arthur won the loyalty of Merlin and his other subjects based merely on being the subject of prophecies, rather than any winning character traits of his own.
Perhaps due to Arthur's lack of development, one of my other favorite Arthurian characters, Mordred, fell flat for me as well. Mordred, more than anything else, serves as a foil to Arthur. His entire existence is to test Arthur's ideals, character, and limits. Without a strong character for Arthur, there isn't much for Mordred to actually foil. Instead, Mordred was just so outright villainous. Readers get the sense that he is unequivocally irredeemable simply because he is supposed to be and I really would have liked to see more conflict and complexity in him, personally.
Other characters’ portrayals of the famous characters weren’t my favorite either. While it was nice to see a somewhat different take of Guinevere and Lancelot’s love affair, it felt like it was also more a product of magic than actual intense passion, which cheapened the relationship, and by extension, its notorious consequences. Morgan le Fey, who interestingly enough raises Mordred along with Nimue and Lancelot, is a watered-down, pun intended, version of the scheming sorceress and Lady of the Lake.
However, the entire creation of the Lake itself was incredibly magical and creative. This was one of my favorite parts of the story, and has the kind of quiet magic that Parry always manages to marinate her stories in. While Merlin was definitely one of the more interesting portrayals I have seen of the character, his relationship with Nimue, which is positioned to be some kind of star-crossed, grand love affair that transcends time, ultimately failed to convince me of their connection. Nimue's feelings for Merlin often felt inconsistent to me, and for an all-knowing, time-traveling man, Merlin doesn't seem very interested in clarifying his own feelings either.
Perhaps there were just too many moving parts in The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood. The novel did such a great job creating a sense of mystery and urgency. It feels like Ellie and her friend Tom are racing across the clock before something terrible happens. Tom was one of the most interesting, and quietly powerful characters in the entire story to me. Parry does a fantastic job of showing both the physical and psychological effects of war on this former pilot who was injured in battle through his relationship with Ellie, who was sheltered in her beliefs and experiences despite coming from war-torn London. Their growing sense of trust and quiet ability to understand when a subject needed to be dropped for the comfort of the other was the strongest portrayal of friendship and love in the entire book.
The ending, which brings together the two different timelines, sadly lost me and felt simultaneously unsatisfying and depressing to me. Though I think it was intended to be a bittersweet ending, I found that I thought less of Nimue as a result of the events and the things we learn about everything that is happening. It also felt like Ellie, who I had really related to, for being such a driven young woman and book enthusiast, and Tom, had been reduced to mere plot devices, which was a tough pill for me to swallow.
Though the ending didn’t work for me, I must say that the entirety of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood felt like a love letter to King Arthur written by a fan who happens to be an incredibly talented author herself. While this novel wasn’t my favorite of Parry’s and didn’t resonate with me like The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door or even other King Arthur retellings, I am glad I read it. I think this book could be a great entry point for many people who want to learn more about Arthurian legend and for existing fans of both the legend and the author too.
Whenever a new King Arthur retelling releases, I trip over myself to read it. In the case of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, I was even more excited to read this one because it was written by H.G. Parry, the author of The Scholar and The Last Faerie Door , and The Magician’s Daughter. Parry always manages to create such uniquely magical experiences in her novels, so I was anxious to see how that applied to The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, which follows Nimue and her relationship with Merlin.
The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, doesn't just follow Nimue and Merlin, though. It also alternates to a second timeline set during World War I, following a librarian named Ellie as she travels outside war-torn London to catalog a private book collection at a country estate. I was very invested in both Nimue's and Ellie's perspectives. I found myself wishing they were entirely separate books, however, because I think the connection between the two storylines didn't work as well for me as I would have liked.
Even with that bit of a disconnect, I was constantly interested to see what was happening to both characters in these very different storylines. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, felt like both historical fiction and fantasy, which are two genres I really enjoy. I also loved the different take on Arthurian legend and the recognition that there are so many different renditions of the events surrounding the fall of Camelot. I also loved the references and twists on classic things like Gawain and the Green Knight, and the questing beast.
While there is plenty to love about this book, certain things didn’t hit home for me as much as I hoped. One of the things I love the most about the legends of King Arthur is just how messy and human it all is. All of the characters, from Arthur himself, to his best friend and loyal knight, Lancelot, and his wife, Guinevere, and even Merlin, are all very complex characters with flaws that eventually lead to the downfall of Camelot. So when I read retellings, I expect to find a certain level of personal and political upheaval.
This kind of drama is present in The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood, but I would have liked for the novel to take it further to make the fall of Camelot feel more realistic to me. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the page space is devoted to the cast of characters and mysteries in both timelines, and how the events of Nimue’s life are affecting Ellie’s time period. This is another reason why I wished that the novel had been two different ones, because while I enjoyed the characters and unraveling the mystery alongside Ellie, I would have liked more time dedicated to the Arthurian characters.
For instance, this book suffers from something I see in a lot of different King Arthur retellings; Arthur is more legend than actual character. Camelot's eventual fall carries the most weight when Arthur himself feels worthy of the loyalty he inspires. His legend only works when he is a man others would willingly build a kingdom around.
Unfortunately, every other character seems to have more development than Arthur. I not only found this disappointing, but also felt that it lessened the impact and intrigue of the novel, which involves people all over the world suddenly dreaming of Arthur’s return in a world divided by the first World War. It was a little hard to be excited about his predicted second coming when readers are told in Nimue’s perspective that he’s nice, strives to uphold his own chivalric principles, tries to be fair, and allegedly likes animals. It feels like this portrayal of Arthur won the loyalty of Merlin and his other subjects based merely on being the subject of prophecies, rather than any winning character traits of his own.
Perhaps due to Arthur's lack of development, one of my other favorite Arthurian characters, Mordred, fell flat for me as well. Mordred, more than anything else, serves as a foil to Arthur. His entire existence is to test Arthur's ideals, character, and limits. Without a strong character for Arthur, there isn't much for Mordred to actually foil. Instead, Mordred was just so outright villainous. Readers get the sense that he is unequivocally irredeemable simply because he is supposed to be and I really would have liked to see more conflict and complexity in him, personally.
Other characters’ portrayals of the famous characters weren’t my favorite either. While it was nice to see a somewhat different take of Guinevere and Lancelot’s love affair, it felt like it was also more a product of magic than actual intense passion, which cheapened the relationship, and by extension, its notorious consequences. Morgan le Fey, who interestingly enough raises Mordred along with Nimue and Lancelot, is a watered-down, pun intended, version of the scheming sorceress and Lady of the Lake.
However, the entire creation of the Lake itself was incredibly magical and creative. This was one of my favorite parts of the story, and has the kind of quiet magic that Parry always manages to marinate her stories in. While Merlin was definitely one of the more interesting portrayals I have seen of the character, his relationship with Nimue, which is positioned to be some kind of star-crossed, grand love affair that transcends time, ultimately failed to convince me of their connection. Nimue's feelings for Merlin often felt inconsistent to me, and for an all-knowing, time-traveling man, Merlin doesn't seem very interested in clarifying his own feelings either.
Perhaps there were just too many moving parts in The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood. The novel did such a great job creating a sense of mystery and urgency. It feels like Ellie and her friend Tom are racing across the clock before something terrible happens. Tom was one of the most interesting, and quietly powerful characters in the entire story to me. Parry does a fantastic job of showing both the physical and psychological effects of war on this former pilot who was injured in battle through his relationship with Ellie, who was sheltered in her beliefs and experiences despite coming from war-torn London. Their growing sense of trust and quiet ability to understand when a subject needed to be dropped for the comfort of the other was the strongest portrayal of friendship and love in the entire book.
The ending, which brings together the two different timelines, sadly lost me and felt simultaneously unsatisfying and depressing to me. Though I think it was intended to be a bittersweet ending, I found that I thought less of Nimue as a result of the events and the things we learn about everything that is happening. It also felt like Ellie, who I had really related to, for being such a driven young woman and book enthusiast, and Tom, had been reduced to mere plot devices, which was a tough pill for me to swallow.
Though the ending didn’t work for me, I must say that the entirety of The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood felt like a love letter to King Arthur written by a fan who happens to be an incredibly talented author herself. While this novel wasn’t my favorite of Parry’s and didn’t resonate with me like The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door or even other King Arthur retellings, I am glad I read it. I think this book could be a great entry point for many people who want to learn more about Arthurian legend and for existing fans of both the legend and the author too.
Connect with Me:
bloggingwithdragons.com
My Book Review Policy
bluesky| instagram | tumblr | twitter |pinterest | facebook | storygraph | email |
Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews