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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Amazing book. I picked it up for a couple bucks second-hand and it was very very worth it. George MacDonald is a master and it's easy to see where CS Lewis draws his inspiration from. However, this is very different from previous books of his that I have read, much darker and (initially) harder to get into. The beginning everything is rather complicated and difficult to muddle through, but by the end all becomes clear. Part of the intrigue of the book, for me, was not being entirely sure of the character's situation and those he was meeting, whether they were good or evil. It was tricky to decipher at first, everything was deceiving, but well-written so. A bit psychedelic but so so good. Seriously an amazing book.
I have always wanted to read George MacDonald. Today I finished my first book by him. I was not disappointed. What a way to end the year and head into the new year. This book covers the darkness of humanity and explodes into the hope of a new heavens and new earth. Check back with me in 2023 as I plan to read more MacDonald.
George MacDonald offers a wonderful storytelling ability with a moral purpose that is much less grim than Grimm. He was writing in the 1890's and the language is a bit difficult to get around. I gave up on some of the vocabulary. It would have been a noble purpose to look up all those words that I believe now would be considered archaic (but I might be fooling myself). Nonetheless, he writes a really good story. Take a Hebrew legend of the first wife of Adam, a real bad ass, and provide her an opportunity for redemption. There were moments when I wanted to cough but the message is a genuine and sincere Christian morality tale that should not be missed. An original voice from a want-to-be man of the cloth, one that the Church wasn't ready for. If he is admired by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien then has something to say worth reacquainting ourselves.
medium-paced
I am growing to ever love the way MacDonald writes and his controversial ideas. "Our life is no Dream, but it may and will perhaps become one." (Novalis)
I've read this book at least 12 times and I love it, still. It's easy to see where C.S. Lewis got some ideas for The Chronicles of Narnia within this story. There is also significantly less description of heathery moors than commonly found in a Scott's writing.
While I appreciate that this is one of the first forays into fantasy, I wouldn't consider it a necessity for all fantasy fans to read it. Admittedly I think it would have landed better had I first read it when I was a child. I also think it was written with the thought that it would be read aloud to a child (the author periodically giving his own commentary on the story). I might read the first 2 novels ("The Princess and Curdie" and "The Princess and the Goblin") again, but would not read "At the Back of the North Wind" again...ever.
"The Princess and the Goblin- ⭐⭐⭐
Overall I liked the story, more accurately I liked half of it. While I enjoyed every moment spent with our hero Curdie, I abhorred every moment spent with the annoying and whiny Princess Irene. I understand she is only 8/9 years old for the duration of this story, but it has been proven that child characters can be written without vexing the adult readers."
"The Princess and Curdie- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Once I settled into the story and Mr. MacDonald finally ceased preaching about the evils of humanity I enjoyed it quite a bit. Curdie was still as likable as he was in the Princess and the Goblin, and Princess Irene's presence was no longer the headache it used to be. Word of advice though: Skip the last 3 paragraphs. They aren't worth the ink used to print them."
"At the Back of the North Wind ⭐⭐
This one was very preachy (could almost feel the bible connecting with the back of my head). The storytelling also took very tiresome detours, often having little to no effect on the main plot. Took a lot of self-motivation to get through this one."
"The Princess and the Goblin- ⭐⭐⭐
Overall I liked the story, more accurately I liked half of it. While I enjoyed every moment spent with our hero Curdie, I abhorred every moment spent with the annoying and whiny Princess Irene. I understand she is only 8/9 years old for the duration of this story, but it has been proven that child characters can be written without vexing the adult readers."
"The Princess and Curdie- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Once I settled into the story and Mr. MacDonald finally ceased preaching about the evils of humanity I enjoyed it quite a bit. Curdie was still as likable as he was in the Princess and the Goblin, and Princess Irene's presence was no longer the headache it used to be. Word of advice though: Skip the last 3 paragraphs. They aren't worth the ink used to print them."
"At the Back of the North Wind ⭐⭐
This one was very preachy (could almost feel the bible connecting with the back of my head). The storytelling also took very tiresome detours, often having little to no effect on the main plot. Took a lot of self-motivation to get through this one."
Bit of a slog to end up at some ultimately frowzy moralizing
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
The first book on my list of re-reads that does nothing for me now. I can see why this book had such a big impact on me when I was in college. It's like reading Lewis with the guardrails removed. Indeed, that's largely what it is - Christian fantasy without any apologetic intent. I needed that at one point in my life. I needed to be mystified; too much of my Christian upbringing was aimed at demystifying my faith. Now, while the blessings of mystery are yet strong chords in the orchestration of my faith, I am much more "of the earth" in every aspect of my being. That is a theological and eschatological commitment as well as a practical and aesthetic one.
Thank you, father MacDonald, for setting me free in such a complete way that the freedom you preach still beats strong in my heart.
Thank you, father MacDonald, for setting me free in such a complete way that the freedom you preach still beats strong in my heart.