The Forest Lovers: A Medieval Fairy Tale, A Romance

by Maurice Hewlett

My story will take you into times and spaces alike rude and uncivil. Blood will be spilt virgins suffer distresses; the horn will sound through woodland glades; dogs wolves deer and men Beauty and the Beasts will tumble each other seeking life or death with their proper tools.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Maurice Henry Hewlett (1861 - 1923), was an English historical novelist, poet and essayist.

He was born at Weybridge, the eldest son of Henry Gay Hewlett, of Shaw Hall, Addington, Kent. He was educated at the London International College, Spring Grove, Isleworth, and was called to the bar in 1891. He gave up the law after the success of The Forest Lovers. From 1896 to 1901 he was Keeper of Lands, Revenues, Records and Enrolments, a government post as adviser on matters of medieval law.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Williams was rather scathing in his criticism of Hewlett in War in Heaven, but I rather liked this story. OK, it's not high literature, but it's a pleasant "knights-in-armour/damsel in distress" story in the Victorian style.

It probably helps that the edition I have is also very nicely illustrated.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story and I loved the spirit of this woman and how she loved nature. Sad to see how the Indians were treated and the possible affect Christianity may have had on their condition (and not in a positive way).

[Poetreehugger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the late 1800s, this is a fantasy or fairy tale with a medieval setting, with a knight in armour and a much-distressed gentle damsel, a dastardly villain, secret identities, and bloody battles including lopping off the head of the enemy to prove he has been vanquished.
As a fairy tale, it will do.

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

My guess is that the author was aiming for a modern-ish take on the sort of knightly tales that are satirised in Don Quixote, but reading his entry on Wikipedia I have a feeling he may have taken this farrago of nonsense seriously. It's very long and very tedious. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Tuesday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Early romance
was okay, but hard to follow what was being said may need to read this one.

[Megan Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A classic example of a woman written by a man. And a man in the earlier 1900s trying to imagine the 1400s. Not the worst book I’ve read😂

[Mar Matias · Rating 1 out of 5]

O livro "The Forest Lovers (Amantes da floresta)" é, antes de tudo o mais, um romance medieval como diz a descrição. Nem tanto pela época em que foi escrito (1898) mas sim pela linguagem rebuscada e pelo contexto apresentado na história. Durante a maior parte da narrativa foi inserida uma forte conotação religiosa e poética, isso, somado à linguagem, dá um ar de trovadoresco ao texto.
A história toma início com Prosper LeGai, um cavaleiro cristão. Ao conhecer Isoult, uma jovem moça que pode vir a ser enforcada, por ser filha de uma bruxa, a menos que se case com alguém, Prosper achou do seu dever ajudar. Tendo se casado com a moça, ela foi salva do enforcamento;
Isoult é retratada como uma mulher gentil, mas ainda na fase da inocência. Uma
caracterização mais precisa é que ela é um arquétipo de uma mulher submissa. A relação entre eles se desenvolve através do livro, muitas vezes se interligando com outros personagens coadjuvantes.
Esse foi um dos primeiros livros que eu li em inglês, e a experiência foi decepcionante. Eu sofri pra continuar lendo o livro a cada página. O romance entre Isoult e Prosper tem uma idealização extremamente irrealista. A história é enfadonha e tão enfeitada que ao lê-la foi difícil manter os olhos abertos por causa do
sono.