You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
DNF at 36%.
This was truly repulsive
This was truly repulsive
A very sweet book, humorous and full of simple fantasy elements that bring me back to childhood dreams. It does some weird moralizing about women that is unfortunate but probably a product of its time. But it gives the lovely kind of happy ending I wouldn’t believe in modern books. The kind that fills you with hope even when you know all things end.
Sweet, enchanting, quirky, and a little bit magical. This was a wonderful children’s classic that swept me away with its enchanted setting (and lovely writing) and had me giggling in equal parts. My only regret is that I didn’t read it as a child. I would have LOVED the descriptions of moonacre manor. So beautiful!!
This was a fantastic book. Fantasy, life lessons, overcoming obstacles, wonder, compassion, and more. It may a young adult or children's book, but the story is one for all ages.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
Elizabeth Goudge’s The Little White Horse is one of my favorite children’s books. Set in England’s West Country sometime in the 19th century, the book is a charming and original fairy tale by an author who was, in her day, a beloved novelist.
Newly-orphaned Maria Merriwether and her governess, Miss Heliotrope, must leave London to live with Maria’s uncle, Sir Benjamin, at the family estate of Moonacre Manor. Maria immediately falls in love with Moonacre, its charming village, and the small, idyllic valley in which they lie.
But all is not well at Moonacre. There is a long-standing feud between the Merriwethers and the fishermen who dwell in a castle in the pinewood, poaching and stealing livestock from manor and village alike. Can Maria, aided by her childhood friend Robin and the manor’s wise animals, reform the castle-dwellers, reunite not one but two pairs of star-crossed lovers, and bring peace back to Moonacre Valley?
It’s hard to put into words just why I love this book so much. The fantasy elements, such as the titular little white horse and the ghost of Maria’s ancestor Sir Wrolf, are never intrusive; they appear in glimpses and hints only. The characters are individual, whimsically eccentric, and appealing – even the villain of the piece has some redeeming characteristics. Goudge never overdoes either the humor or the whimsy. The result is a beautiful, magical gem of a story, full of the redemptive power of love and common sense.
In fact, the only thing that detracts from my enjoyment of The Little White Horse is the descriptive epithet Goudge gives to the villain, Cocq du Noir (also Coeur de Noir) and his henchmen: They are the Black Men, a term which describes not their skin but their hearts, hair, clothing, and even the sails of their fishing boats. Given when and where Goudge was writing – mid-20th-century England – it’s not surprising that she didn’t realize the racial overtones the term “Black Men” could have for an American audience. As a child, I completely missed this connotation; I understood the term only in the sense that Goudge intended it. Yet the linkage of “black” with “bad”, though common enough in Western literature and culture, displays a racial insensitivity which I now find troubling. It’s something today’s parents may want to discuss with their children.
ETA (6/11/2020): The editors of the Lion Children’s Books editions (2011) have changed the nomenclature: they are now the Men of the Dark Woods. If you are reading aloud from another, older edition, you could replace the problematic term “Black Men” with “Men of the Dark Woods.”
Should you avoid the book on this account? Absolutely not. There is a lot to love about this charming book, from the wonderfully drawn characters to the lovingly described setting. (As a child, I longed for a tower room like Maria’s at Moonacre. To be honest, I still do.) There’s just the right amount of danger and suspense, perfectly balanced by marvelous touches of humor and the hints of magic that overlay the entire novel like the glitter of fairy dust. If you somehow missed The Little White Horse in your childhood, you owe it to yourself to read it now.
FCC disclosure: This book is in my personal collection.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
Elizabeth Goudge’s The Little White Horse is one of my favorite children’s books. Set in England’s West Country sometime in the 19th century, the book is a charming and original fairy tale by an author who was, in her day, a beloved novelist.
Newly-orphaned Maria Merriwether and her governess, Miss Heliotrope, must leave London to live with Maria’s uncle, Sir Benjamin, at the family estate of Moonacre Manor. Maria immediately falls in love with Moonacre, its charming village, and the small, idyllic valley in which they lie.
But all is not well at Moonacre. There is a long-standing feud between the Merriwethers and the fishermen who dwell in a castle in the pinewood, poaching and stealing livestock from manor and village alike. Can Maria, aided by her childhood friend Robin and the manor’s wise animals, reform the castle-dwellers, reunite not one but two pairs of star-crossed lovers, and bring peace back to Moonacre Valley?
It’s hard to put into words just why I love this book so much. The fantasy elements, such as the titular little white horse and the ghost of Maria’s ancestor Sir Wrolf, are never intrusive; they appear in glimpses and hints only. The characters are individual, whimsically eccentric, and appealing – even the villain of the piece has some redeeming characteristics. Goudge never overdoes either the humor or the whimsy. The result is a beautiful, magical gem of a story, full of the redemptive power of love and common sense.
In fact, the only thing that detracts from my enjoyment of The Little White Horse is the descriptive epithet Goudge gives to the villain, Cocq du Noir (also Coeur de Noir) and his henchmen: They are the Black Men, a term which describes not their skin but their hearts, hair, clothing, and even the sails of their fishing boats. Given when and where Goudge was writing – mid-20th-century England – it’s not surprising that she didn’t realize the racial overtones the term “Black Men” could have for an American audience. As a child, I completely missed this connotation; I understood the term only in the sense that Goudge intended it. Yet the linkage of “black” with “bad”, though common enough in Western literature and culture, displays a racial insensitivity which I now find troubling. It’s something today’s parents may want to discuss with their children.
ETA (6/11/2020): The editors of the Lion Children’s Books editions (2011) have changed the nomenclature: they are now the Men of the Dark Woods. If you are reading aloud from another, older edition, you could replace the problematic term “Black Men” with “Men of the Dark Woods.”
Should you avoid the book on this account? Absolutely not. There is a lot to love about this charming book, from the wonderfully drawn characters to the lovingly described setting. (As a child, I longed for a tower room like Maria’s at Moonacre. To be honest, I still do.) There’s just the right amount of danger and suspense, perfectly balanced by marvelous touches of humor and the hints of magic that overlay the entire novel like the glitter of fairy dust. If you somehow missed The Little White Horse in your childhood, you owe it to yourself to read it now.
FCC disclosure: This book is in my personal collection.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
I originally reviewed this book in 2013 on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Hoard. You can also read it on Goodreads, here.
The loveliest story. I wish I could go back in time and give it to myself as a child.
My favorite fairy tale. I read this every two or three years during our winter vacation and adore it every time.
So sentimental and saccharine. But maybe in a good way. At least very comforting and light hearted for the times. Sentimental for me as this is one of the books my late grandma gifted to me as a kid. I hadn't read it until now, but I know Elizabeth Goudge was a favourite author of hers. This was quaint, magical, cute, and had an air of "modern fairytale" about it. Unicorns, dwarves, and lions. The sinister, black clad men hiding in the forest. So many secrets and charming hidden spaces.
The downside: overflowing with Christian sentiments and values. That was the biggest turn-off for me, it's all tied in to the religious messaging of the author. Both overt references to Christian doctrine and, like C.S. Lewis, so many the author felt the need to hide behind exciting plot points and awesome creatures to entice (or, as I see it, brainwash) children into believing.
A fun story somewhat spoiled by the religious allegory and morality judgements.
The downside: overflowing with Christian sentiments and values. That was the biggest turn-off for me, it's all tied in to the religious messaging of the author. Both overt references to Christian doctrine and, like C.S. Lewis, so many the author felt the need to hide behind exciting plot points and awesome creatures to entice (or, as I see it, brainwash) children into believing.
A fun story somewhat spoiled by the religious allegory and morality judgements.
This one of my all time favourite books.
I first read it when I was a teenager. I mainly picked it because it had a unicorn (my favourite creature) on the cover but absolutely loved reading it.
It's the charming story of Maria, an orphaned girl who is sent with her governess to live with a reclusive uncle in a remote old manor.
Reluctant at first, she soon falls in love with the place and the various new characters in her life. She spends her days exploring the house and the grounds and learns about its history. For the manor has a dark past which still affects it's inhabitants today and which Maria makes it her mission to fix.
The book was first published in 1946 so the writing is of its time in and it's a little cheesy but so sweet; you can't read it and not fall in love with it.
I first read it when I was a teenager. I mainly picked it because it had a unicorn (my favourite creature) on the cover but absolutely loved reading it.
It's the charming story of Maria, an orphaned girl who is sent with her governess to live with a reclusive uncle in a remote old manor.
Reluctant at first, she soon falls in love with the place and the various new characters in her life. She spends her days exploring the house and the grounds and learns about its history. For the manor has a dark past which still affects it's inhabitants today and which Maria makes it her mission to fix.
The book was first published in 1946 so the writing is of its time in and it's a little cheesy but so sweet; you can't read it and not fall in love with it.