Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain: Hero Myths in the Mabinogion

Excellent source

A work written from the heart (as ever with this author), but one which does not withstand much critical analysis, I'm afraid. Bold though the attempt to reconstruct a Celtic pantheon (or at least part of it) is, the justification for doing so just cannot be sustained by the original texts.As an example, her "own new translation" of Preiddeu Annwn is driven less by the actual Welsh text than the author's wishful thinking. Her subsequent derivation and/or reconstruction of a system of spiritual development based upon this, while deft and highly attractive from an esoteric point of view, has little to do with the original.If you love the Mabinogion, and want to broaden the impact it has on you, then Ms Matthews' book is highly recommended. If you are a serious student of Middle Welsh, then I would avoid buying it as you will just get cross.Think of this book as in the same vein as Graves' "The White Goddess": read it using your heart, not your head, and enjoy it as a development of the story. But no more than that...

this is highly recommended if you work with the mabinogion during your path, especially if you want to understand it at a deeper level. the book goes through the four branches in extreme detail, teasing out all kinds of ideas and meanings which you may not have noticed or observed yourself. it certainly helped me to increase my own understanding, which is very helpful.