Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight

A good retelling of the story of Parzival. Begins with his decision to become a knight of the Round Table, and then his dealings with the grail. I preferred the version in Parsifal's Page by Gerald Morris. This version had all the heroics and the emotion, but not the humor in Morris's book.

Parzival, raised in the wilderness away from civilization, becomes one of Arthur's boldest and most respected knights. But when he inadvertently dooms a king to suffering, he must sacrifice all that he holds dear to seek the Grail.

In Parzival, Katherine Paterson retells the adventurous stories of a thirteenth century story. It is the legend of a nobleman who does not know his true identity. He seeks out the noble virtues such as chivalry and honor in order to be part of King Arthur’s court. The story is interesting from a historical point of view, as it is set in the Middle Ages. There are battles, enchanted castles, kings and queens. The main character’s father has been murdered and his single mother was left to take care of herself. She has tried to over shelter him and protect him from harm, but he is determined to find the training and skill that he needs to regain his dignity and place in society. There are magical elements in the story, and a sense that show more destiny marks his way. The story is an excellent representation of how classical literature represents the ideals of an era. Although the binding is lightweight and easy to carry, I thought some colored illustrations would have added to the content of the book, since it could represent the traditional artistic elements of the Middle Ages.
Ages: 7 and Up show less

This is a good retelling of an old story. Although the story is weak at times, it follows the Arthurian legend well.

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