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  • Neo-Medievalism: Popular Culture and the Academy from Tolkien to by KellyAnn Fitzpatrick
  • Hilary Jane Locke
Fitzpatrick, KellyAnn, Neo-Medievalism: Popular Culture and the Academy from Tolkien to Game of Thrones, Woodbridge, D. S. Brewer, 2019; hardback; pp. 244; no illustrations; R.R.P. £60.00; ISBN 9781843845416.

Neomedievalism: Popular Culture and the Academy from Tolkien to Game of Thrones, by KellyAnn Fitzpatrick, explores the ways the Middle Ages is often framed and depicted in popular culture, familiar and new. Fitzpatrick's monograph attempts to place the term 'neomedievalism' alongside that of 'medievalism'. In doing so, she states that neomedievalism is a form of medievalism in need of re-evaluation, particularly in the ways in which the term is used in academic discourse. Whilst Fitzpatrick concludes that the term 'neomedievalism' is complex, academics 'must push us to be wary of the ways the past is presented […] both from outside of and within our own discipline(s), whether we venture to dungeons, towers, or taverns' (p. 194). Thus, through the use of examples drawn from a wide range of popular culture products, the work attempts to bridge the often-perceived gap between the academic discussion of medievalism and that of the public who view or engage with such content.

The monograph is structured into case studies. By initially examining the relationship of medievalism within the academy (presented as a literature review), the monograph explores Tolkien's influence on how the public envisage the Middle Ages. It goes on to examine films and television series, such as Game of Thrones, Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent, Beowulf, tabletop and card games, ending with fantasy medieval digital games. In this way, the monograph covers a lot of media to show how much popular content relies on medievalism and thus can inform popular representations. For example, Chapter 5 explores how the collectable card game Magic: The Gathering (released by Wizards of the Coast, a publisher of role-playing games) presents players a potential critique and connections between modern economics and Marx within the medieval fantasy game format. Following on from this, Chapter 6 pushes for further inclusion of digital, cooperative spaces that lend themselves to developing a deeper understanding of neomedievalism in popular culture. These two latter chapters of the monograph refocus the argument and show Fitzpatrick's interdisciplinary strengths as an academic.

There are several issues with this monograph. The writing can be convoluted, and it is often hard to follow the author's argument. The lack of clarity was a [End Page 216] disappointment, especially considering that one of the stated aims of the work is to facilitate wider discussions with the general public about themes of medievalism, rather than just within an academic setting, and should be accessible. The text also relies heavily on frequent and block quotations, particularly in the case studies that examine such well-trodden ground as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. As such, while there is some interesting engagement with those case studies, Fitzpatrick relies on other's work to convey her argument. And, unfortunately, Fitzpatrick drops into the work some mean-spirited quips about some undergrad students she has taught.

The major downfall of this book is its lack of originality. Neomedievalism does not offer those familiar with medievalism in modern academic studies anything new in terms of the conclusions reached. For the most part, Fitzpatrick's argument relies on other scholarly works in the field. Chapters 2 and 4, on J. R. R. Tolkien and Game of Thrones respectively, are particularly disappointing in content, as they offer no more than a summary of existing scholarly discussions. Furthermore, the case studies, even when they have merit, can be rather disjointed. For example, Chapter 3, exploring Sleeping Beauty, Beowulf, and Maleficent, is extremely unclear in its exploration of neomedievalism and gender in Hollywood productions and is in need of some reclarifying.

This monograph would be a good starting point for those seeking an introduction to medievalism, the concept of neomedievalism, and the ways in which these ideas intersect with popular media. Similarly, the text would function well in undergrad course readings, especially for courses that cover content related to the case studies. Unfortunately, the monograph...

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