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belovedsnail's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Absolutely engrossing. A bit dated, and not always in a good way.
Content Warnings
Underage romance with a young adult.
sarahcoller's review against another edition
1.0
I started off semi-excited about reading this. I enjoyed The Little White Horse and was looking for something light and "storyish". It took awhile to get into, then I started liking it a bit in the middle, then the last third or so was just not good at all and I found myself liking it less the more I read on.
The plot twist was predictable but sweet in places, and I did appreciate the themes of forgiveness and the mercy of God. Unfortunately, the author has no problem mixing in all kinds of pagan traditions about Christmas, Christianity, walking out the Bible, etc. and treats it all rather flippantly and on the same level. Poetic portions that are meant to be supernatural end up sounding pagan and humanistic.
This extremely imaginative author often makes one wonder to what audience she is writing. The child/teen characters are, in the author's own words, extraordinarily mature. Ugh, yes, and not at all believable. The John and Rosalind storyline was distracting and the "big revelation" was extremely anticlimactic. This was not one of my favorites, for sure.
I did learn quite a bit, though. Mummers = play actors who put on a Christmas pageant show. Bullroarer = an obnoxious but common primitive noise maker. Shipmen are usually portrayed with a scarf tied around their heads because they used it to help stifle the sound of the guns. I'm also quite curious about the planting chant and plan to research that a bit.
Favorite quote: "It's not the mark of a good patriot to hate the enemy...it's the mark of a patriot to love his country."
The plot twist was predictable but sweet in places, and I did appreciate the themes of forgiveness and the mercy of God. Unfortunately, the author has no problem mixing in all kinds of pagan traditions about Christmas, Christianity, walking out the Bible, etc. and treats it all rather flippantly and on the same level. Poetic portions that are meant to be supernatural end up sounding pagan and humanistic.
This extremely imaginative author often makes one wonder to what audience she is writing. The child/teen characters are, in the author's own words, extraordinarily mature. Ugh, yes, and not at all believable. The John and Rosalind storyline was distracting and the "big revelation" was extremely anticlimactic. This was not one of my favorites, for sure.
I did learn quite a bit, though. Mummers = play actors who put on a Christmas pageant show. Bullroarer = an obnoxious but common primitive noise maker. Shipmen are usually portrayed with a scarf tied around their heads because they used it to help stifle the sound of the guns. I'm also quite curious about the planting chant and plan to research that a bit.
Favorite quote: "It's not the mark of a good patriot to hate the enemy...it's the mark of a patriot to love his country."
snowdropreverie's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
maplessence's review against another edition
4.0
When I started this book I was instantly enchanted - forty pages flew by just like that!
Set in the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this book has another of Goudge's magical children. Stella & her dead mother are washed ashore and Stella is adopted by good farming folk. When Anthony/Zachary comes into her life, he proves to be the other half of her, but they are too young to make any formal commitment to each other. I'm not totally convinced with the plot developments that Goudge uses to work around this, (and ascribing favourable physical characteristics to being of noble birth!) but I did quite definitely enjoy the journey and spending the time with nice people.
An added bonus was the Christmas content - I loved reading about an English traditional Christmas. What a lucky chance that I was reading at this time of year!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
Set in the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this book has another of Goudge's magical children. Stella & her dead mother are washed ashore and Stella is adopted by good farming folk. When Anthony/Zachary comes into her life, he proves to be the other half of her, but they are too young to make any formal commitment to each other. I'm not totally convinced with the plot developments that Goudge uses to work around this, (and ascribing favourable physical characteristics to being of noble birth!) but I did quite definitely enjoy the journey and spending the time with nice people.
An added bonus was the Christmas content - I loved reading about an English traditional Christmas. What a lucky chance that I was reading at this time of year!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
jay_hobday's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
siguirimama's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
4.5
toniapeckover's review against another edition
4.0
Elizabeth Goudge is just one of my favorite writers for her beautiful descriptions of home and farm life and her sharp moral sense combined with a deep mercy and realism. This story, of children who fall in love and go on to complete an age-old circle that brings healing to the people around them, is reminiscent of The Little White Horse. Mix together a little magic, a little romance, a little history, a little faith - it's a great cozy read.
dissendiumnox's review against another edition
I think that this is one of those cases of "not the right moment".
Also in the synopsis, they compared it to Wuthering heights, so i guess i was expecting an atmospheric, gothic-ish, passionate romance story. That's not AT ALL what this is. It's more in the vein of Thomas Hardy and pastoral novel. Or, at least, up until page 300. I just couldn't see myself reading two hundred more pages of this. It was sweet but I think i needed a bit more of a "punch".
Also in the synopsis, they compared it to Wuthering heights, so i guess i was expecting an atmospheric, gothic-ish, passionate romance story. That's not AT ALL what this is. It's more in the vein of Thomas Hardy and pastoral novel. Or, at least, up until page 300. I just couldn't see myself reading two hundred more pages of this. It was sweet but I think i needed a bit more of a "punch".
charish's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book was very nice indeed, very beautifully written and enjoyable. I'd say it was a little too long with many subplots that left me prone to skipping chapters. Similarly, the 'golden child' narrative where everyone instantly loved Stella on a spiritual level got a bit much after a while, and this paired with a bit of classism and an uncomfortable age gap meant it was a good read, but not the best.
rlangemann's review
4.0
Third reread 2020: very much enjoyed it this time around. Restful and refreshing during the craziness that is this year.
Re-read summer 2014. Liked it better, but it's still a little weird.
Hmm, interesting book. The writing is beautiful, as is typical for Goudge, and the story fairly interesting (centered primarily around a farm in Devonshire, and the people connected therewith). It wouldn't be my favorite, though, because of the rather odd spiritual undertones. In this book, set around the turn of the 1800s (I think), Goudge is writing about an England which, though Christian, still has deep roots in fairyland, superstition and pagan thought. It's an odd blend.
Re-read summer 2014. Liked it better, but it's still a little weird.
Hmm, interesting book. The writing is beautiful, as is typical for Goudge, and the story fairly interesting (centered primarily around a farm in Devonshire, and the people connected therewith). It wouldn't be my favorite, though, because of the rather odd spiritual undertones. In this book, set around the turn of the 1800s (I think), Goudge is writing about an England which, though Christian, still has deep roots in fairyland, superstition and pagan thought. It's an odd blend.
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