Neil Gaiman is one of the most widely known writers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, having produced fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and horror, television, comics, and prose. He often attributes this eclecticism to his ācompost heapā approach to writing, gathering inspiration from life, religion, literature, and mythology.
Readers love to sink into Gaimanās medieval worldsābut what makes them āmedievalā? Shiloh Carroll offers an introduction to the idea of medievalism, how the literature and culture of the Middle Ages have been reinterpreted and repurposed over the centuries, and how the layers of interpretation have impacted Gaimanās own use of medieval material. She examines influences from Norse mythology and Beowulf to medieval romances and fairy tales in order to expand readersā understanding and appreciation of Gaimanās work, as well as the rest of the medievalist films, TV shows, and books that are so popular today.
āIlluminating and provocative by turns, this book is a fascinating deep dive into Neil Gaimanās many medieval inspirations, ranging from Old Norse myth to morality play to folktale. Carrollās work inventively rereads well-known medieval texts alongside Gaimanās eclectic and creative reimagining of them in comic, novel, short story, and film.āāCarolyne Larrington, author, The Norse Myths that Shape the Way We Think
āWith clarity and humor, Carroll puts Neil Gaimanās works in conversation with chronicle histories, dream-vision poetry, saintsā lives, folktales, and other medieval (and medievalist) texts, drawing out chains of influence and reinterpretation. Like Gaiman himself, this book is accessible to the medievalist, the speculative fiction fan, and everyone in between.āāKavita Mudan Finn, author, The Last Plantagenet Consorts: Gender, Genre, and Historiography, 1440ā1627
āAn accessible survey of medieval influences across Gaimanās work, imbued with Carrollās humor and fresh voice. It provides historical and literary context for prominent themes and characters in Gaimanās most famous stories, as well as analysis of lesser-studied works such as The Books of Magic and the 2007 film Beowulf.āāTara Prescott-Johnson, author, Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century: Essays on the Novels, Childrenās Stories, Online Writings, Comics and Other Works
ā. . . an easy and enjoyable reading experience.āāMEDIENwissenschaft
ā. . . a useful guide for teachers hoping to introduce their students to medieval literature through Gaiman (or, conversely, to Gaiman through medieval literature). And, for those already familiar with some of Gaimanās work, Carrollās well-researched medievalist readings should offer some satisfying new perspectives.āāMythlore
