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muninnherself 's review for:
The Little White Horse
by Elizabeth Goudge
I first read this in 1981.
I'm sure I read somewhere that this is one of JK Rowling's favourite children's books and there's definitely a lot of food in it. (She's spoken at length of her love of food in books.)
I too love descriptions of food. I think you get it a lot in post-war books - this was first published in 1946 - because of rationing. So the food descriptions are amazing and luscious, and one of Maria's features, as well as her 'exquisitely tiny' feet and her bravery, is her extremely healthy appetite. Hurrah.
Elizabeth Goudge's adult books are a tad Godly for my tastes, and this is pretty Godly it must be said, but in a very charming simple way that doesn't seem too over the top, partly because it's set in the 1840s. (Likewise the idea that Maria gets married a year after the action in the book - when she's all of fourteen - doesn't seem as disturbing as one might expect. Things are different in the slightly magical world of Victorian Moonacre.)
Maria's adventures as she explores Moonacre and learns about the mistakes of her ancestors both distant and nearer in time are exciting and delightful.
I do find this book very comforting, as comforting as Maria finds the knowledge of the crystal beads sewn onto her boots, even though no one can see them.
I'm sure I read somewhere that this is one of JK Rowling's favourite children's books and there's definitely a lot of food in it. (She's spoken at length of her love of food in books.)
I too love descriptions of food. I think you get it a lot in post-war books - this was first published in 1946 - because of rationing. So the food descriptions are amazing and luscious, and one of Maria's features, as well as her 'exquisitely tiny' feet and her bravery, is her extremely healthy appetite. Hurrah.
Elizabeth Goudge's adult books are a tad Godly for my tastes, and this is pretty Godly it must be said, but in a very charming simple way that doesn't seem too over the top, partly because it's set in the 1840s. (Likewise the idea that Maria gets married a year after the action in the book - when she's all of fourteen - doesn't seem as disturbing as one might expect. Things are different in the slightly magical world of Victorian Moonacre.)
Maria's adventures as she explores Moonacre and learns about the mistakes of her ancestors both distant and nearer in time are exciting and delightful.
I do find this book very comforting, as comforting as Maria finds the knowledge of the crystal beads sewn onto her boots, even though no one can see them.