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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Wow what an adorable tale.
4.5/5
I watched the movie version of this book obsessively as a child and was totally ignorant that this was originally a book. When I saw this at my local book shop I was elated and instantly bought it. Going into it I was comparing it to the movie and it does differ a bit but the book is super charming. The antiquated language, magic, and evil creatures paints a child's fantasy world come to life. Will definatly recommend to anyone young or old.
4.5/5
I watched the movie version of this book obsessively as a child and was totally ignorant that this was originally a book. When I saw this at my local book shop I was elated and instantly bought it. Going into it I was comparing it to the movie and it does differ a bit but the book is super charming. The antiquated language, magic, and evil creatures paints a child's fantasy world come to life. Will definatly recommend to anyone young or old.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A Nice & interesting fairy tale That it took me some of time to finish because I've got some other interesting books to read and I always finish books that I started . It was Funny at some moments with Curdie and the goblins. The end wasn't what I was expecting and I was very disappointed with it. It was said that there will be some continuation, so I've got to find the next book.....I don't think so! Perhaps one day who knows!
I was really excited about reading this book because growing up I absolutely loved the animated version. I knew going into this the novel was unlikely to captivate me the way the movie did all those years ago - and that turned out to be the case. Don't get me wrong, it was fun to read and it had that typical fairytale magical atmosphere (which I love), but it just didn't resonate with me the way the movie did.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A short book that took me months to finish. Boring and cliched, with completely flat characters. I did enjoy Hughes’ illustrations, though.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've dabbled a little with early children's literature, but there's little I've read that comes off as so quintessentially Victorian as 'The Princess and the Goblin'.
Set in a vague fantasy kingdom, the story begins with a brief description of an ancient disagreement that sent a large population living below ground. Over time they twisted and adapted - in perfect step with popular Darwinian theories of the day - to thrive down there, but still they resented the humans and their daylight. While the kingdom blithely continues about its day, the goblins plot their revenge against the royal family, driving them to paranoid lengths to keep the titular princess safe.
In true Victorian fashion this involves telling the girl nothing and offering no preparation whatsoever.
The book is sweet, though, and MacDonald employs a charming narrative voice to explain things in that decided patronizing tone, which is so hard to pull off. I especially liked the morale aspects of the story. How the narrator explains to the reader why Irene behaves the way she does - keeping promises, fostering a minimum of sulks, and generally being the model of behavior to which all daughters should aspire. That downward glance - you want to be like a Princess, don't you?
MacDonald was just old-fashioned enough to keep in a lot of horrid details concerning the goblins, their creatures, and their fates, but injected with enough whimsy for the most jaded and ironic of modern children. Not-to-mention us jaded and ironic modern adults.
Set in a vague fantasy kingdom, the story begins with a brief description of an ancient disagreement that sent a large population living below ground. Over time they twisted and adapted - in perfect step with popular Darwinian theories of the day - to thrive down there, but still they resented the humans and their daylight. While the kingdom blithely continues about its day, the goblins plot their revenge against the royal family, driving them to paranoid lengths to keep the titular princess safe.
In true Victorian fashion this involves telling the girl nothing and offering no preparation whatsoever.
The book is sweet, though, and MacDonald employs a charming narrative voice to explain things in that decided patronizing tone, which is so hard to pull off. I especially liked the morale aspects of the story. How the narrator explains to the reader why Irene behaves the way she does - keeping promises, fostering a minimum of sulks, and generally being the model of behavior to which all daughters should aspire. That downward glance - you want to be like a Princess, don't you?
MacDonald was just old-fashioned enough to keep in a lot of horrid details concerning the goblins, their creatures, and their fates, but injected with enough whimsy for the most jaded and ironic of modern children. Not-to-mention us jaded and ironic modern adults.
I listened to this as an audiobook read by Lizzie Driver and it was so good! Such a cute book, I used to love the cartoon movie when I was little.
Predivna knjiga i dostojna jednog od začetnika žanra fantastike. Priča namjenjena djeci što je vidljivo po pripovijedanju i likovima, ali iz kojeg i odrasli mogu mnogo toga izvući.
Evo nekoliko lijepih rečenica i žao mi je što ovu knjigu nisam nigdje našla prevedenu:
"True, her hands were hard and chapped and large, but it was with work for them; and therefore, in the sight of the angels, her hands were so much more beautiful."
"People must believe what they can, and those who believe more must not be hard upon those who believe less. I doubt if you would have believed it all yourself if you hadn't seen some of it."
"'We are all very anxious to be understood, and it is very hard not to be. But there is one thing much more necessary.'
'What is that, grandmother?'
'To understand other people.'"
Predivno. Napokon nešto što me se uistinu dojmilo nakon toliko vremena.
Evo nekoliko lijepih rečenica i žao mi je što ovu knjigu nisam nigdje našla prevedenu:
"True, her hands were hard and chapped and large, but it was with work for them; and therefore, in the sight of the angels, her hands were so much more beautiful."
"People must believe what they can, and those who believe more must not be hard upon those who believe less. I doubt if you would have believed it all yourself if you hadn't seen some of it."
"'We are all very anxious to be understood, and it is very hard not to be. But there is one thing much more necessary.'
'What is that, grandmother?'
'To understand other people.'"
Predivno. Napokon nešto što me se uistinu dojmilo nakon toliko vremena.