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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I love stories where a self-satisfied character is brought to the humbling realization of how little they know and how pathetic they are.
An odd one, probably not for me. MacDonald's characters are always more symbols than people, and I never felt I had much to hang my hat on here.
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An incredibly thought-provoking, engaging text that would lose you in seemingly unrelated imagery if you do not engage with it in a theological / philosophical dance. Although I am not a universalist, MacDonald’s theme of forsaking pride in order to truly live by dying will stay with me for a long time. Am I willing to accept the raven’s beck and call to truly think, feel, and live in a world that is not my own yet?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Slavery
I'm torn on rating this. I would actually like to gve it 3.5 stars but alas that's not possible andit's just not worth 4 in my opinion. I really wanted to like this book but it just fell short for me. If you're not used to 19th century style writing I do not recommend reading this. I have studied 19C writing quite extensively and I still found a few places thatI had to slow my pace in order to get want what being said. It's a great story but it is overly drawn out and rather repetitive which is what for me knocked it down a star. Don't get me wrong some of my favorite books are well over 1000 pages long but they stories that take that longto tell whereasI believe this one could have been told in quite a few less pages than it was. It was definetly very interesting and great at forcing the reader to open their mind to some many possibilities. I can see how many of the books I have read of the years have been either directly or indirectly influenced by this piece which is really awesome.
For reasons unknown, the back blurb of the copy I read belonged to a different book, and the whole experience was a lot more bewildering than it had to be.
Christian allegories (if you can call it an allegory when Adam and Eve are actually in it) are not my favorite by a long shot, and MacDonald seemed unable to end a sentence with something other than an exclamation point or a question mark, but it was interesting to read a very early example of fantastical literature.
Christian allegories (if you can call it an allegory when Adam and Eve are actually in it) are not my favorite by a long shot, and MacDonald seemed unable to end a sentence with something other than an exclamation point or a question mark, but it was interesting to read a very early example of fantastical literature.
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes