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The Princess and the Goblin (Princess Irene and Curdie #1)
As always with George MacDonald, everything here is more than meets the eye: this in fact is MacDonald's grace-filled vision of the world. Said to be one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, The Princess and the Goblin is the story of the young Princess Irene, her good friend Curdie--a minor's son--and Irene's mysterious and beautiful great great grandmother, who lives...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
September 15th 1986
by HarperCollins
(first published 1872)
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Anything in me that is brave, honest, kind, and honourable is due in great part to the many times I read this book when I was young. I loved the characters and the adventures, and the settings of both mountain and palace (especially the mysterious dove tower).
I had forgotten other appealing aspects: the humor, and the excitingly challenging vocabulary words. And, perhaps most appealing, is a part of the story seldom mentioned in the descriptions here - Princess Irene's amazing courage. At age e...more
I had forgotten other appealing aspects: the humor, and the excitingly challenging vocabulary words. And, perhaps most appealing, is a part of the story seldom mentioned in the descriptions here - Princess Irene's amazing courage. At age e...more
May 12, 2008
Vanessa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone!
Recommended to Vanessa by:
Stefanie
Shelves:
book-club-books
This was a really charming children's novel. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. This would be a great book to read aloud as a family. I am excited to read more of George MacDonald's books and learn more about him. Apparently, many writers have been influenced by MacDonald, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, and Lewis Carroll. Thank you, Stefanie, for introducing me to such a great author!
I read this as a child and loved it! I still think about the book, and look at my sensitive feet in dismay!
I was immediately drawn to this story when I read the first page to this edition which reads:
"THERE was once a little princess who—
"But Mr. Author, why do you always write about princesses?"
"Because every little girl is a princess."
"You will make them vain if you tell them that."
"Not if they understand what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?"
"What do you mean by a princess?"
"The daughter of a king."
"Very well, then every little girl is a princess, and there would be no need to say anything about it...more
"THERE was once a little princess who—
"But Mr. Author, why do you always write about princesses?"
"Because every little girl is a princess."
"You will make them vain if you tell them that."
"Not if they understand what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?"
"What do you mean by a princess?"
"The daughter of a king."
"Very well, then every little girl is a princess, and there would be no need to say anything about it...more
Feb 24, 2008
Chloe
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Children and fairytale lovers.
Recommended to Chloe by:
A booklist (maybe by Michael D. O'Brien).
When I think of the magic of childhood, certain images come into my head. There’s a sort of sparkle, warmth, and yet there is always danger. However, childhood magic has an incomparable sweetness to it. There are few books that manage to touch on this nigh-indescribable feeling of childhood magic. The Princess and the Goblin is such a book.
The story is a fairytale, in the same order as Jack and the Beanstalk and The Goose Girl. There is a princess, a peasant boy, a castle and, of course, goblins...more
The story is a fairytale, in the same order as Jack and the Beanstalk and The Goose Girl. There is a princess, a peasant boy, a castle and, of course, goblins...more
Just finished reading this with my nine year old daughter. It took us a while to get into the Christian imagery. The imagery itself is just beautiful; there are images of God, prayer and answers to prayer to name a few.
All of the greatest fantasy novels depict the great trials that humans must go through in life. Though there may be magic in the tale, it does not make the going easy. My fairy tale mindedness sometimes wonders why with the zap of a wand all cannot be made well, but deep inside me...more
All of the greatest fantasy novels depict the great trials that humans must go through in life. Though there may be magic in the tale, it does not make the going easy. My fairy tale mindedness sometimes wonders why with the zap of a wand all cannot be made well, but deep inside me...more
A peculiar book by modern standards. I found it readable, but not very interesting.
There's no real plot until about three-quarters of the way through. There are unrelated events. Some are interesting, some are mysterious and develop mild suspense for that reason, but there's no force driving any character, no goals in sight, and no serious threat to any character. Characters are dull. Good characters are treacly, evil or foolish characters are evil or foolish without being interesting.
The end is...more
There's no real plot until about three-quarters of the way through. There are unrelated events. Some are interesting, some are mysterious and develop mild suspense for that reason, but there's no force driving any character, no goals in sight, and no serious threat to any character. Characters are dull. Good characters are treacly, evil or foolish characters are evil or foolish without being interesting.
The end is...more
George MacDonald's children's fantasy book was written in the 1800s, so it definitely has an antiquated feel that sets it apart from the children's books of today. I don't know whether many kids in 2010 could get through the old-fashioned vocabulary and rambling descriptions. I enjoyed the view into another era moreso than the story itself. Had it been written today, I don't know whether I would have cared as much for it.
This is a children's book, and is a little didactic in the vein of Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. What I love about this book is its feeling of wonder. The first time I read about Irene's grandmother, I was scared and inspired at the same time. Both this and the Princess and Curdie are extended allegories about faith and hope. The Princess and Curdie is, for me, stranger and more apocalyptic, and I enjoy it less than The Princess and the Goblin. Check out MacDonald's shorter fairy tales, too (The...more
I actually really enjoyed this book. It has such strong women in it and the story is pretty adorable. Curdie offers a great unlikely hero and Irene is precocious and brave throughout.
The Princess and the Goblin is the story of Irene, a princess who discovers her great great great grandmother in the attic of her house, only no ones believes her. Her grandmother is magical and helps her on many adventures. Meanwhile, Curdie is a young boy who works in the mines and he discovers a plot by the evil...more
The Princess and the Goblin is the story of Irene, a princess who discovers her great great great grandmother in the attic of her house, only no ones believes her. Her grandmother is magical and helps her on many adventures. Meanwhile, Curdie is a young boy who works in the mines and he discovers a plot by the evil...more
If you like Tolkien you will quiver with delight and dread over the beauty and darkness of this book. MacDonald was an influence on Tolkien and Lewis, etc. In here you will find some of the seeds of the LOTR, such as hideous goblins and their dark, corrupt origins, cavernous journeys in subterranean mines of misty mountains, heroic innocence and magic. But the magic in MacDonald is perhaps more exotic and strange and beautiful than that of Tolkien. Invisible threads spun of spider's webs, flamin...more
This would've been four stars, if the resolution of most plot elements hadn't been postponed to the sequel (whose existence wasn't indicated anywhere before the last sentence of the book).
Apart from that I found it quite enjoyable.
It's the first George MacDonald I've read. It was also one of the first books in English I bought ever so many years ago - not surprisingly, I found it too hard to read at the time. And I'm still surprised at the level of English that Victorian children could apparent...more
Apart from that I found it quite enjoyable.
It's the first George MacDonald I've read. It was also one of the first books in English I bought ever so many years ago - not surprisingly, I found it too hard to read at the time. And I'm still surprised at the level of English that Victorian children could apparent...more
Reseña: http://vocesdeloslibros.blogspot.com....
Hace unos días terminé este libro y la verdad no sabía muy bien cómo hacer esta reseña, pues al tratarse de un cuento clásico no sabía muy bien qué opinión dar de él.
La edición de este libro está muy cuidada. Cada pocas páginas encontramos alguna ilustración (en blanco y negro) de la escena en la que nos encontramos. Además que al inicio de cada capítulo, la primera letra imita a los antiguos libros.
Los capítulos son muy cortos, suelen centrarse ca...more
Hace unos días terminé este libro y la verdad no sabía muy bien cómo hacer esta reseña, pues al tratarse de un cuento clásico no sabía muy bien qué opinión dar de él.
La edición de este libro está muy cuidada. Cada pocas páginas encontramos alguna ilustración (en blanco y negro) de la escena en la que nos encontramos. Además que al inicio de cada capítulo, la primera letra imita a los antiguos libros.
Los capítulos son muy cortos, suelen centrarse ca...more
Mar 31, 2013
Gale
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-classics,
fantasy-young-adult
“Seeking to be Believed”
This Victorian children’s classic by George MacDonald has enchanted generations of children on both sides of the Atlantic, with its memorable young protagonists: 8-year old princess Irene and Curdie, a 12-year-old miner’s son. Destined to meet and ultimately rescue each other these endearing children struggle with Belief --being believed by skeptical adults and even by each other. Yet each has faith in their private belief of what is true.
Evil Goblins (also called cobs...more
This Victorian children’s classic by George MacDonald has enchanted generations of children on both sides of the Atlantic, with its memorable young protagonists: 8-year old princess Irene and Curdie, a 12-year-old miner’s son. Destined to meet and ultimately rescue each other these endearing children struggle with Belief --being believed by skeptical adults and even by each other. Yet each has faith in their private belief of what is true.
Evil Goblins (also called cobs...more
I discovered this audiobook available as a download rental from my local library. It is a children's chapter book, but I found it to be a pleasant listen. I also thought it was remarkably different from many fantasy fairy tales, as far as the plot goes. Other reviews of this book may mention that the author, George MacDonald, was one highly admired by Lewis. There is a sequel, which is mentioned at the end of the book, called The Princess and Curdie. In looking for a copy of that one, I found a...more
This one I listened to. There were a few aspects I liked about the story, but overall it was kind of slow and boring. There were a lot of parts I didn't understand and I'm not sure if that was due to the writing style, or user error. I don't know if I just wasn't listening hard enough at times when I would let my mind wander and miss things, or if there were actually things missing from the point of the story.
At any rate, this story is about a princess who doesn't live with her parents because s...more
At any rate, this story is about a princess who doesn't live with her parents because s...more
Eight-year-old Princess Irene resides in a remote castle with her nurse Lootie and several other servants while her papa-king travels all over his kingdom. The reason that the Princess lives in seclusion is that the goblins who dwell under the mountain have sworn revenge on the king’s family. In addition, she has a mysterious and magical great-great-grandmother who is watching over her but who is seen by nobody else besides her. Also, she becomes friends with a twelve-year-old boy named Curdie w...more
First published in 1872, The Princess and the Goblin is still a wonderful children’s story. I read an unabridged version that was a little wordier—more old-fashioned—than the abridged version I read in college, but I was amazed at all the layers of meaning I picked up on this time around that I missed back then. I can’t say if this was due to the abridgment, or if I’ve simply become a more astute reader.
In the story, Princess Irene and a young miner named Curdie are thrown into an adventure toge...more
In the story, Princess Irene and a young miner named Curdie are thrown into an adventure toge...more
Princess Irene lived with her nurse and was never allowed outside after dark. The mountain she lived on was mined by humans and ugly goblins. Their heads were as hard as stone and their only weakness was their enormous, soft feet that could be harmed easily. The goblins only came out after dark.
While exploring, Irene finds a secret staircase to a room with an old woman claiming to be her great great great grandma.
Irene and her friend Curdie must outwit evil goblins. Her grandma told her abou...more
While exploring, Irene finds a secret staircase to a room with an old woman claiming to be her great great great grandma.
Irene and her friend Curdie must outwit evil goblins. Her grandma told her abou...more
Generally speaking, I like MacDonald's realistic tales better than his fantasies. Which is odd for me, since I tend to think stories more fun if there's an element of magic somewhere.
On the other hand, I do like the fairy tales, and I enjoyed this one. It was a quick and simple read, lighter in nature than At the Back of the North Wind or even The Light Princess, and felt more obviously directed at children than I remember either of those being (granted, it's been awhile).
Irene's innocence and C...more
On the other hand, I do like the fairy tales, and I enjoyed this one. It was a quick and simple read, lighter in nature than At the Back of the North Wind or even The Light Princess, and felt more obviously directed at children than I remember either of those being (granted, it's been awhile).
Irene's innocence and C...more
Classic for kids, but not his best work. Pales in comparison to At the Back of the North Wind and Lilith. Irene is a princess, and Curdie is the son of the miner. Together they foil the plot of a bunch of goblins to attack the surface world.
It's a good moral tale, but everyone is too perfect in it. You root a little for the goblins, and mostly for Curdie as he is the most human, but there's too much obedience to authority and chiding people for not. In one scene, Curdie is taken to the room of I...more
It's a good moral tale, but everyone is too perfect in it. You root a little for the goblins, and mostly for Curdie as he is the most human, but there's too much obedience to authority and chiding people for not. In one scene, Curdie is taken to the room of I...more
Many years ago, I found a videotape with a strange title, "The Princess and the Goblin," and took it home for my children. It soon became one of my son's favorite movies, and he watched it over and over. I got to see it numerous times myself, and while I got some of the gist of the story, without captions, I was clueless. So when I found a copy of the original story in a used bookstore, I immediately purchased it.
Originally published in 1871, my copy has a copyright date of 1907, and the spine i...more
Originally published in 1871, my copy has a copyright date of 1907, and the spine i...more
This book is great if you are into classic children's books and fairy tales. I remember reading it as a kid and being in utter awe. As an adult, the narration is a little trite, but the story still holds, and I have to say the descriptions of the cobs (and worse yet, their animals) still made me shudder a little. I like to recommend this book for children, since it has both a strong female and male character, which is sometimes hard to find in children's literature. There is also a less famous s...more
Just read this for the first time and really enjoyed it! I love the character and virtues taught in this story. His idea of a true princess is so counter-culture to what is taught today!
This book was an amazing tale of fantasy. I couldn't belive the courage Irene had as an eight year old girl. She was strong, and always believed in her grandma, who in reality saved everyone. I wish more was said about Irene's great great great grandmother because I want to know what happened to her at the end and how she was in the tower with no one knowing. I found it interesting that besides goblins, the story was very realistic, but everything about the grandmother was beyond magical. The re...more
If I remember correctly, this book is considered a forerunner to Narnia. It tells the story for sheer enjoyment. It tells the story to teach truth. My 10-year-old son read this first, and insisted that I read it. I'm so glad he did! It was very uplifting--I even took some notes on it--imagery that struck me powerfully.
I love the overarching truth it teaches that each one of us is royalty, since we are all children of a King.
I love the overarching truth it teaches that each one of us is royalty, since we are all children of a King.
OMG!! Why haven't they made a live-action film out of this!?! This is awesome!! If you've only seen the cartoon, read the book, this is definitely one of those times when the book is waaay better than the movie (cartoon in this case). Curdie is more mischievous and a natural poet, Irene has more doubts, Lootie's more excitable and emotional, the King is more knowledgeable, and Irene's great-grandmother is more fairy-like (a.k.a. more like Galadriel [Lord of the Rings], Glinda [Oz], and the Blue...more
George MacDonald disebut-sebut sebagai sosok yang mempengaruhi penulis-penulis fantasi seperti J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, ataupun Madeleine L'Engle. Dan setelah membaca The Princess and the Goblin, kelihatan memang unsur-unsur yang kemudian mempengaruhi penulis-penulis generasi di bawahnya.
Dunia ajaibnya memang tidak sekompleks Narnia atau Middle-Earth, lebih mirip setting fairy tales biasa, medieval Europe nun jauh di masa lalu. Tokoh jahat dalam dongeng ini adalah Goblin. Alkisah mereka memil...more
Dunia ajaibnya memang tidak sekompleks Narnia atau Middle-Earth, lebih mirip setting fairy tales biasa, medieval Europe nun jauh di masa lalu. Tokoh jahat dalam dongeng ini adalah Goblin. Alkisah mereka memil...more
It's been many, many years since I first discovered this book, but I still remember it well. I was summertime lethargic and browsing along the shelf in the children's section of the library. Saw this title on a musty smelling clothbound book, slid it off the shelf, read the first few pages and was entranced. Went home and read the whole book in one sitting.
Wonderful story. A lonely young princess wanders through the vast house she lives in and discovers she has a great great grandmother no one...more
Wonderful story. A lonely young princess wanders through the vast house she lives in and discovers she has a great great grandmother no one...more
I'm digging through the classics (mostly because I can read them for free on the Kindle) and went back to these old George MacDonald stories.
I loved The Princess and the Goblin. It's certainly not modern children's literature. It's far too slow paced, it spends way too much time explaining things, and the moralizing is more blunt (though much of modern children's literature is moralizing as well). But it still has an interesting story to catch the imagination.
The Princess and Curdie, on the othe...more
I loved The Princess and the Goblin. It's certainly not modern children's literature. It's far too slow paced, it spends way too much time explaining things, and the moralizing is more blunt (though much of modern children's literature is moralizing as well). But it still has an interesting story to catch the imagination.
The Princess and Curdie, on the othe...more
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George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.
Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S. Lewis that wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master": "Picking up a copy of Phantastes one day at a train-station bookstall, I be...more
More about George MacDonald...
Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S. Lewis that wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master": "Picking up a copy of Phantastes one day at a train-station bookstall, I be...more
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“Seeing is not believing - it is only seeing.”
—
81 people liked 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.'
Yes, grandmother. I must be fair - for if I'm not fair to other people, I'm not worth being understood myself. I see.”
—
44 people liked it
More quotes…
What is that, grandmother?'
To understand other people.'
Yes, grandmother. I must be fair - for if I'm not fair to other people, I'm not worth being understood myself. I see.”
Apr 15, 2012 09:01pm
Apr 16, 2012 03:47pm