Witch Below the Dreaming Wood

H G Parry

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Book cover for Witch Below the Dreaming Wood
Image for variant 9780316588249
Book cover for Witch Below the Dreaming Wood
Image for variant 9780316588249

Witch Below the Dreaming Wood

Witch Below the Dreaming Wood

H G Parry

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Description

From the author of The Magician's Daughter comes a historical fantasy where dreams come to life and Arthurian legends are reborn, perfect for fans of The Everlasting and The Once and Future King.

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 London 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.

About the Author

H.G. Parry lives in a book-infested flat on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, which she shares with her sister, a cat, three guinea pigs, and two over-active rabbits. She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Victoria University of Wellington and has taught English, film, and media studies.

Critical Reviews

"H.G. Parry is a writer known for building on what has come before, and in The Witch Beneath the Dreaming Wood she draws deeply on the traditions of Arthurian romances. A magical blend of real World War II history with the mythical history of the great romantic legends creates a charmingly original entry into the Arthurian canon, full of rich and believable characters. A lovely read!"--Louisa Morgan, author of The Faerie Morgana

"I devoured this tale! Parry braids Arthurian myths into war-time Britain with urgency and deft. Her magic is as haunting as a sea-wind. Her writing brings both history and legend to life." --Ryan Graudin, author of The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois

"A powerful message about unflinchingly facing one's destiny in acts of courage. The historically detailed depictions of the horrors of war; well-drawn characters, both familiar and original; and many poignant moments make this worth a look for fans of Arthuriana."


--Publishers Weekly

"H.G. Parry has crafted a dreamy, achingly beautiful tale about the power of stories. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood imagines the magic and legend of the Arthurian age as a bright light, thrust into the darkness of World War II. Beautifully conceived and impossible to put down, The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood stands as a call to stubbornly cling to our own ideals, even in our darkest hours."--Morgan Ryan, author of A Resistance of Witches

Praise for H. G. Parry:

"By turns wondrous, haunting, and mysterious, The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door asks big questions and delivers all the right answers. This book is historical fantasy at its finest." --Olivia Atwater, author of Half a Soul

"Part historical fantasy, part campus novel, and entirely magical, The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is easily my favorite read of this year. Parry has crafted an unputdownable, bittersweet tale about thorny love, belonging, and what it means to truly fix a broken world." --Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

"A brilliant story of magic and scholarship and ambition. Of sacrifices made to keep loved ones safe, and a secret world that is wilder and stranger and more complicated than even those living in it know. This is a marvelous, thought-provoking, captivating novel, and I loved it completely." --Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians

"H.G. Parry masterfully blends myth, history, and legend into a rich and heartfelt story. The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood is a worthy addition to the annals of Arthuriana." --Rowenna Miller, author of The Palace of Illusions

"The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood brims with the same magic as T.H. White's The Once and Future King as it braids the untold story of Nimue and Merlin with the grit and horror of the London Blitz. The result is a poignant tale of those desperate to escape their fates yet determined to do the right thing, of falling in love with the dream, and of persistence despite the inevitability of the end. An extraordinary love letter to Arthuriana."--Susan J. Morris, author of Strange Beasts and Wayward Souls

"A spectacular, dreamlike journey through British myth and history, this is truly the Arthurian legend for our times: lyrical, haunting, wounded, but also full of hope. H. G. Parry has written a masterpiece."--Amy S. Kaufman, author of The Traitor of Sherwood Forest

"This book feels as though I could have pulled it, dust-coated, from a half-forgotten shelf. A true feast of myth and wonder; it fed both the Arthuriana-loving child in me and the adult hungry for fresh ways of looking at old tales. I grinned, I cried, I didn't want to put it down and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished."--Freya Marske, USA Today bestselling author of A Marvellous Light

"Blending history and legend, Parry delicately illustrates how troubled times cause humanity to romanticize the past with futile desperation, yet ultimately the story ends with messages of hope and moral duty. This is a love letter to stories, and her stylistic approach, with varied pacing and narrative voice, encourages careful reading and intentional, poignant reflection."--Library Journal

Publishing Information

Publisher: Redhook
Pub date: 2026-07-21
Length: 448 pages

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