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The Magic City
Philip and Lucy discover that the city Philip has built using toys, books and household objects, has come alive. This is the account of their incredible adventures in those magical lands, where they meet characters from books and history, mythical beasts, and many other nice (and not so nice) people and creatures.
As with all Edith Nesbit’s tales, The Magic City has generous helpings of humour, imagination and interesting ideas, as well as the over-arching story of how a boy and girl who have unwillingly become step-brother and sister eventually learn to like each other.
A story that works on many levels and will be equally enjoyed by adults and children. (Summary by Ruth Golding)
As with all Edith Nesbit’s tales, The Magic City has generous helpings of humour, imagination and interesting ideas, as well as the over-arching story of how a boy and girl who have unwillingly become step-brother and sister eventually learn to like each other.
A story that works on many levels and will be equally enjoyed by adults and children. (Summary by Ruth Golding)
8 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 1910
139 people are currently reading
2467 people want to read
About the author
E. Nesbit
1,038 books999 followers
Edith Nesbit
(married name Edith Bland; 15 August 1858 – 4 May 1924) was an English author and poet; she published her books for children under the name of E. Nesbit.
She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later connected to the Labour Party.
Edith Nesbit was born in Kennington, Surrey, the daughter of agricultural chemist and schoolmaster John Collis Nesbit. The death of her father when she was four and the continuing ill health of her sister meant that Nesbit had a transitory childhood, her family moving across Europe in search of healthy climates only to return to England for financial reasons. Nesbit therefore spent her childhood attaining an education from whatever sources were available—local grammars, the occasional boarding school but mainly through reading.
At 17 her family finally settled in London and aged 19, Nesbit met Hubert Bland, a political activist and writer. They became lovers and when Nesbit found she was pregnant they became engaged, marrying in April 1880. After this scandalous (for Victorian society) beginning, the marriage would be an unconventional one. Initially, the couple lived separately—Nesbit with her family and Bland with his mother and her live-in companion Maggie Doran.
Initially, Edith Nesbit books were novels meant for adults, including The Prophet's Mantle (1885) and The Marden Mystery (1896) about the early days of the socialist movement. Written under the pen name of her third child 'Fabian Bland', these books were not successful. Nesbit generated an income for the family by lecturing around the country on socialism and through her journalism (she was editor of the Fabian Society's journal, Today).
In 1899 she had published The Adventures of the Treasure Seekers to great acclaim.
She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television. She was also a political activist and co-founded the Fabian Society, a socialist organisation later connected to the Labour Party.
Edith Nesbit was born in Kennington, Surrey, the daughter of agricultural chemist and schoolmaster John Collis Nesbit. The death of her father when she was four and the continuing ill health of her sister meant that Nesbit had a transitory childhood, her family moving across Europe in search of healthy climates only to return to England for financial reasons. Nesbit therefore spent her childhood attaining an education from whatever sources were available—local grammars, the occasional boarding school but mainly through reading.
At 17 her family finally settled in London and aged 19, Nesbit met Hubert Bland, a political activist and writer. They became lovers and when Nesbit found she was pregnant they became engaged, marrying in April 1880. After this scandalous (for Victorian society) beginning, the marriage would be an unconventional one. Initially, the couple lived separately—Nesbit with her family and Bland with his mother and her live-in companion Maggie Doran.
Initially, Edith Nesbit books were novels meant for adults, including The Prophet's Mantle (1885) and The Marden Mystery (1896) about the early days of the socialist movement. Written under the pen name of her third child 'Fabian Bland', these books were not successful. Nesbit generated an income for the family by lecturing around the country on socialism and through her journalism (she was editor of the Fabian Society's journal, Today).
In 1899 she had published The Adventures of the Treasure Seekers to great acclaim.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
February 11, 2009
The first real book I ever read on my own; "real" in the sense of having a couple of hundred pages, not very many pictures, a plot, and some character development. I remember being puzzled by the switches between the everyday world and the fantasy world, and not understanding what was going on until about a third of the way through.
Then a clue came up which was too obvious to miss. He's in the magic city fighting the dragon... it's a clockwork dragon... he has a clockwork dragon in the everyday world... aha! The fantasy world is his toys, and he ends up in it each night when he goes to sleep! It was terribly satisfying to have figured it out. OK, it wasn't exactly a killer insight, but I was only six; if I'd been a member of GoodReads at the time, I would have posted immediately. Since the Internet hadn't been invented yet, I've had to wait 44 years before getting around to it. Well, better late than never.
This reading thing was clearly a good idea. I decided I would check out some more books from the library, and see if they were equally interesting. Within a few months, I'd turned into an E. Nesbit completist. I still think she's pretty good.
Then a clue came up which was too obvious to miss. He's in the magic city fighting the dragon... it's a clockwork dragon... he has a clockwork dragon in the everyday world... aha! The fantasy world is his toys, and he ends up in it each night when he goes to sleep! It was terribly satisfying to have figured it out. OK, it wasn't exactly a killer insight, but I was only six; if I'd been a member of GoodReads at the time, I would have posted immediately. Since the Internet hadn't been invented yet, I've had to wait 44 years before getting around to it. Well, better late than never.
This reading thing was clearly a good idea. I decided I would check out some more books from the library, and see if they were equally interesting. Within a few months, I'd turned into an E. Nesbit completist. I still think she's pretty good.
April 14, 2023
Philip and his adult sister, Helen, are orphans, but because she is an adult, she has undertaken guardianship of her brother. They have a fantastic relationship filled with whimsical and magical ideas. When Helen marries her betrothed, his daughter, Lucy and Philip must try to get along, but they are both unaccustomed to sharing their playthings, and so Lucy's aunt comes to take her for a full day while the honeymooners are away. During the interim, Philip builds a city out of Lucy's toys. From blocks, action figures, dolls, Noah's ark, a tea set, books, and all sorts of sundry items, Philip constructs a city that overnight seems to have become an entire ecosystem that has become real and Lucy has managed to enter the fantasy world. Now in order to get home, the two must perform seven labors (like Hercules) to get back home. This is an absolutely, wonder-filled, classic tale that reminds me of my childhood imagination, and all of the things that we used to amplify our toy adventures. I had several sets of plastic toy soldiers that included vehicles, and I remember using spools of thread, chess pieces, and assorted batteries as monsters. We even had a set of ballerina birthday cake candle holders that were girlfriends to the soldiers complete with our very own Mata Hari. Magical, fantastical, whimsical, classic with just one complaint enough to make this from a five-star to a four-star, which you will have to figure out for yourself since it involves a spoiler. In any case, this is #25 out of 50 from my TBR that is over 5 Yrs long.
February 7, 2015
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Three stars for the book plus an extra star for the...well...stellar performance by reader Ruth Golding. One of the best LibriVox offerings I've discovered so far. If you're looking for good titles for kids, put this one on your list. And if you like children's stories for yourself, put this one on your list. And if you don't...well...I shall just have to feel sorry for you.
September 26, 2019
Thanks to Gutenberg for this excellent read.
Phillip has an idyllic existence with his much older half-sister. The first page reminded me of the tale of the "teeny-tiny woman", in their little house with the little garden and the little maid...but it gets better. When everything seems absolutely perfect and changeless and wonderful, Phillip's sister reconnects with a childhood friend and--horrors!--agrees to marry him! Not only does Phil now have serious male competition for her time, attention and affection, but he comes with a child attached--and that child is a girl! Phillip finds himself dumped at his new BIL's (rather stately, luxurious) home while the happy couple is off honeymooning, and he makes himself so disagreeable to his new step that the servants decide to take her on a trip to her aunt's, leaving Phil to stew in his own juice. He turns to his own particular hobby, building cities out of anything that comes to hand: books, dominoes, vases etc. (Much easier to do in a home well provided with luxury materials, of course.) Suddenly he finds himself in the city he built on a tabletop, and the adventures begin!
Phillip has a great deal to learn, not only about bravery and not sneaking, but also that girls are not second-class creatures of limited intelligence and interests. Such ideas must have been revolutionary for many boys of his class and time (1910)! It is true that the Oracle only tells Lucy to be "brave and good"--but that leaves her a great deal of freedom in the interpretation!
This is one of my favourite Nesbit books; she doesn't talk down to her readers or wink over their heads at an adult audience. It's the best sort of fantasy, in which the magic that makes it all possible is incidental to the action, not overshadowing it. Somehow I found it more "believable" than The Railway Children, perhaps because the happy ending wasn't quite so sentimental.
Phillip has an idyllic existence with his much older half-sister. The first page reminded me of the tale of the "teeny-tiny woman", in their little house with the little garden and the little maid...but it gets better. When everything seems absolutely perfect and changeless and wonderful, Phillip's sister reconnects with a childhood friend and--horrors!--agrees to marry him! Not only does Phil now have serious male competition for her time, attention and affection, but he comes with a child attached--and that child is a girl! Phillip finds himself dumped at his new BIL's (rather stately, luxurious) home while the happy couple is off honeymooning, and he makes himself so disagreeable to his new step that the servants decide to take her on a trip to her aunt's, leaving Phil to stew in his own juice. He turns to his own particular hobby, building cities out of anything that comes to hand: books, dominoes, vases etc. (Much easier to do in a home well provided with luxury materials, of course.) Suddenly he finds himself in the city he built on a tabletop, and the adventures begin!
Phillip has a great deal to learn, not only about bravery and not sneaking, but also that girls are not second-class creatures of limited intelligence and interests. Such ideas must have been revolutionary for many boys of his class and time (1910)! It is true that the Oracle only tells Lucy to be "brave and good"--but that leaves her a great deal of freedom in the interpretation!
This is one of my favourite Nesbit books; she doesn't talk down to her readers or wink over their heads at an adult audience. It's the best sort of fantasy, in which the magic that makes it all possible is incidental to the action, not overshadowing it. Somehow I found it more "believable" than The Railway Children, perhaps because the happy ending wasn't quite so sentimental.
January 23, 2017
Featuring this now on the Forgotten Classics podcast.
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I've known for some time that C.S. Lewis loved E. Nesbit's children's stories. Recently I have come across a lot of varied authors upon whom Nesbit was an influence. And then I read Gore Vidal's essay about Nesbit as the best of English fabulists who wrote about children, but not for children (an important distinction, with his own endorsements.
Early on, before the magic begins, one can see what attracted not only children but adults. In her clear-eyed unsentimentality about a child's point of view, coupled with humor, irony, and far-flung imagination, Nesbit captivates anyone who loves stories.
This one captured me from several real-life angles (the nurse's hard heart, Philip's anguish over his sister's marriage) and from the fantasy angle. Who doesn't like the idea that a fantastic city one has built can become real and one can have adventures there? The adventures are gripping. The real problems are those we can relate to. And it is an absolutely ripping yarn.
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I've known for some time that C.S. Lewis loved E. Nesbit's children's stories. Recently I have come across a lot of varied authors upon whom Nesbit was an influence. And then I read Gore Vidal's essay about Nesbit as the best of English fabulists who wrote about children, but not for children (an important distinction, with his own endorsements.
As it is, the absence of imagination is cruelly noticeable at every level of the American society, and though a reading of E. Nesbit is hardly going to change the pattern of a nation, there is some evidence that the child who reads her will never be quite the same again, and that is probably a good thing.I capitulated. I turned to LibriVox, because who doesn't love having children's stories read to them ... and found the golden-voiced Ruth Golding narrating The Magic City.
Early on, before the magic begins, one can see what attracted not only children but adults. In her clear-eyed unsentimentality about a child's point of view, coupled with humor, irony, and far-flung imagination, Nesbit captivates anyone who loves stories.
This one captured me from several real-life angles (the nurse's hard heart, Philip's anguish over his sister's marriage) and from the fantasy angle. Who doesn't like the idea that a fantastic city one has built can become real and one can have adventures there? The adventures are gripping. The real problems are those we can relate to. And it is an absolutely ripping yarn.
March 22, 2022
Yaptığım bir kitap alışverişinin üzerine promosyon olarak eklenen, içindeki resimleri görünce Narnia-vari bir macera beklediğim ancak aynı heyecan ve keyfi bulamadığım bir kitaptı Büyülü Şehir.
Tabi ki 1910'da yazılıp günümüze ulaşmış kitaplara saygım çok büyük. Bir açıdan o günün efsanevi, bugünün kıt bir hayalgücüyle yazılmış gibi dursa da Jules Verne'den de yakından tanıdığımız 1910'da yazılmış her kitap gibi seksist ve ırkçı bir çocuk kitabıydı.
Para verip alınmaz ama alınırsa da iki büyük ve/veya ağır kitap arası okunabilir.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
Tabi ki 1910'da yazılıp günümüze ulaşmış kitaplara saygım çok büyük. Bir açıdan o günün efsanevi, bugünün kıt bir hayalgücüyle yazılmış gibi dursa da Jules Verne'den de yakından tanıdığımız 1910'da yazılmış her kitap gibi seksist ve ırkçı bir çocuk kitabıydı.
Para verip alınmaz ama alınırsa da iki büyük ve/veya ağır kitap arası okunabilir.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
December 4, 2018
Philip lives with his much older sister, Helen, and all is well. But when she decides to marry her childhood sweetheart, Philip doesn’t want things to change or to be left with his new cousin, Lucy, while his sister is honeymooning. Bored and lonely, he builds an enormous city of blocks and various household objects, and that’s when the magic begins.
This children’s book is full of creative ideas, shows how a child affected by family changes might act, and includes two funny little dogs, but the plot is overly complex for a fairly short book, Philip’s continued grouchiness detracts from the excitement of the magic, and the ending is rushed as it ties up every loose end. If you’ve never read E. Nesbit’s wonderful children books, don’t start here — try The Story of the Treasure Seekers, Five Children And It, or The Railway Children.
‘“If I’m going to do noble deeds, I’ll do them. I don’t want any help, thank you, especially from girls.” he answered.
“I wish you did,” said Lucy, and finished her bread and milk.’
This children’s book is full of creative ideas, shows how a child affected by family changes might act, and includes two funny little dogs, but the plot is overly complex for a fairly short book, Philip’s continued grouchiness detracts from the excitement of the magic, and the ending is rushed as it ties up every loose end. If you’ve never read E. Nesbit’s wonderful children books, don’t start here — try The Story of the Treasure Seekers, Five Children And It, or The Railway Children.
‘“If I’m going to do noble deeds, I’ll do them. I don’t want any help, thank you, especially from girls.” he answered.
“I wish you did,” said Lucy, and finished her bread and milk.’
October 6, 2020
I've loved every E Nesbit book I've read. I'm sad I didn't know about this book as a little kid so I could have read it then. She creates the perfect blend of magic, humor, adventure and a happy ending. This book was written in 1910 but reads so fresh and modern.
Some of the many excellent quotes from this book.
"I'm more likely to meet Lucy. Girls always keep to paths. They never explore." Which just shows how little he knew about girls.
No one spoke. Philip said nothing because he was in a bad temper. And if you are in a bad temper, nothing is a good thing to say.
Why is it so pleasant to have a bath, and so tiresome to wash your hands and face in a basin?
But I am wandering. When you remember the things that happened when you were a child, you could go on writing about them for ever. I will put all this in brackets and then you need not read it if you don't want to.
In a maze of sleepy repletion (look that up in the dicker, will you?) the children went to bed.
"I wish we had factories like those. Our factories are so ugly."...."That's because all your factories are money factories, though they're called by all sorts of different names. Every one here has to make something that isn't just money or for money - something useful and beautiful."
"Oh, you mean your laws are beautiful when they're kept."...."Beautiful things can't be beautiful when they're broken, of course, not even laws. But ugly laws are only beautiful when they're broken. That's odd, isn't it? Laws are very tricky things"
"Girls aren't expected to be brave"...."They are, here. The girls are expected to be brave and the boys kind."
"How meals do keep happening! It seems only a few minutes since supper and yet here we are, hungry again"...."Ah, that's what people always feel when they have to get their meals themselves"
"You don't understand. You've never been a servant, to see other people get all the fat and you all the bones. What do you think it's like to know if you'd just been born in a gentleman's mansion instead of in a workman's dwelling you'd have been brought up as a young lady and had openwork silk stockings and lace on your petticoats."
Some of the many excellent quotes from this book.
"I'm more likely to meet Lucy. Girls always keep to paths. They never explore." Which just shows how little he knew about girls.
No one spoke. Philip said nothing because he was in a bad temper. And if you are in a bad temper, nothing is a good thing to say.
Why is it so pleasant to have a bath, and so tiresome to wash your hands and face in a basin?
But I am wandering. When you remember the things that happened when you were a child, you could go on writing about them for ever. I will put all this in brackets and then you need not read it if you don't want to.
In a maze of sleepy repletion (look that up in the dicker, will you?) the children went to bed.
"I wish we had factories like those. Our factories are so ugly."...."That's because all your factories are money factories, though they're called by all sorts of different names. Every one here has to make something that isn't just money or for money - something useful and beautiful."
"Oh, you mean your laws are beautiful when they're kept."...."Beautiful things can't be beautiful when they're broken, of course, not even laws. But ugly laws are only beautiful when they're broken. That's odd, isn't it? Laws are very tricky things"
"Girls aren't expected to be brave"...."They are, here. The girls are expected to be brave and the boys kind."
"How meals do keep happening! It seems only a few minutes since supper and yet here we are, hungry again"...."Ah, that's what people always feel when they have to get their meals themselves"
"You don't understand. You've never been a servant, to see other people get all the fat and you all the bones. What do you think it's like to know if you'd just been born in a gentleman's mansion instead of in a workman's dwelling you'd have been brought up as a young lady and had openwork silk stockings and lace on your petticoats."
April 21, 2015
Este clásico infantil y su autora, Edith Nesbit, me resultaban totalmente desconocidos hasta el momento, pero de la que ya me declaro seguidor, y tengo ganas de leer alguna obra más.
Me ha parecido una historia llena de magia y fantasía, que tiene por protagonistas a dos niños; Philip y Lucy, que hacen que la historia tenga tintes de ternura, con los que yo he conectado sacando mi niño aventurero interior. La historia, orientada claramente a un público más infantil, es narrada en tercera persona, con un narrador omnisciente que a veces interactúa con nosotros, lo cual adoro.
La lectura se hace ágil y rápida, ya pues aunque solo cuenta con 12 capítulos, no pararan de suceder cosas ni un instante. Además tendremos millones de criaturas y seres conocidos; desde Noé y su arca, pasando por un hipogrifo, un loro parlanchín y personajes históricos como Cesar. No faltara en el libro un trasfondo de crítica a la sociedad de la época, realizando guiños a la revolución industrial y sus consecuencias.
Una historia infantil preciosa de la que no entiendo como no podía haber escuchado hablar antes de ella, porque recuerda mucho a Lewis Carroll o a Las crónicas de Narnia de C.S. Lewis. Además la edición es una gozada con todas las aclaraciones a pie de página que nos hace para comprender algunos términos y sobre todo por las ilustraciones que van acompañando cada página.
Me ha parecido una historia llena de magia y fantasía, que tiene por protagonistas a dos niños; Philip y Lucy, que hacen que la historia tenga tintes de ternura, con los que yo he conectado sacando mi niño aventurero interior. La historia, orientada claramente a un público más infantil, es narrada en tercera persona, con un narrador omnisciente que a veces interactúa con nosotros, lo cual adoro.
La lectura se hace ágil y rápida, ya pues aunque solo cuenta con 12 capítulos, no pararan de suceder cosas ni un instante. Además tendremos millones de criaturas y seres conocidos; desde Noé y su arca, pasando por un hipogrifo, un loro parlanchín y personajes históricos como Cesar. No faltara en el libro un trasfondo de crítica a la sociedad de la época, realizando guiños a la revolución industrial y sus consecuencias.
Una historia infantil preciosa de la que no entiendo como no podía haber escuchado hablar antes de ella, porque recuerda mucho a Lewis Carroll o a Las crónicas de Narnia de C.S. Lewis. Además la edición es una gozada con todas las aclaraciones a pie de página que nos hace para comprender algunos términos y sobre todo por las ilustraciones que van acompañando cada página.
March 8, 2022
elifthereader bir çocuk kitabı kategorisi için Büyülü Şehir’i seçmiştim. Aslında bu kitap benim özellikle satın aldığım bir kitap değildi, yaptığım bir kitap alışverişinde hediye olarak eklenmişti. Edith Nesbit meşhur Demiryolu Çocukları’nın yazarıymış ve bu kitabı fantastik edebiyat klasikleri arasında yer alıyormuş. Büyülü Şehir’de oyuncaklardan bir şehir oluşturan ve bu şehrin canlanmasıyla kendini maceralar içerisinde bulan Philip’in yaşadıklarını anlatıyor. İlginç Yazarın modern fantastik edebiyatın kurucularından olma sebebi de bu tarz bir sihirli dünyaya yolculuğun ilk kez anlatılmasıymış. Konu olarak ilginç denebilecek bir kitap ama tam anlamıyla çocuklara hitap edilmesi için yazılmış. Eğer çocukken okuma fırsatım olsaydı fazlasıyla beğeneceğim bir kitap olurdu ama hitap ettiği yaş aralığında olmadığım için fazla keyif aldığım bir eser olmadı. Elbette yoğun zamanlarda ve zor kitaplara odaklanılamadığında bu tarz çocuk kitapları kurtarıcı oluyor. Çocuk edebiyatından okumanın da hangi yaşta olunursa olunsun önemli olduğunu düşünüyorum. Demiryolu Çocukları’nı da bir ara okumayı planlıyorum.
May 4, 2015
Nesbit does it again for me. I love this book so much. The idea of imagination being what saves a child and makes him find peace and comfort in his life is beautiful, even perfect. There are moments in this book that feel like Gulliver's Travels and I even have to think that C.S. Lewis read and was influenced by her works because there are also moments that feel Narnia like here and this book came first. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, even if she doesn't care for Americans, which you will see in a small and obscure reference in the book. Here are some quotes to give you a taste.
"Of course it is magic. Everything in the world is magic, until you understand it."
"Tears are very strong magic."
"'Girls always keep to paths. They never explore.' Which just shows how little he knew about girls."
"If you are in a bad temper, nothing is a good thing to say."
"Why is it so pleasant to have a bath, and so tiresome to wash your hands and face in a basin?"
"Your late jailer, Mr. Bacon-Shakespeare, has written no less than twenty-seven volumes, all in cipher, on that very subject. But as he has forgotten what cipher he used, and no one else ever knew it, his volumes are of but little use to us." (I only include this one to proved that Nesbit wasn't perfect and I do think that she and I would have a lovely debate over Shakespeare had we ever had the chance to meet.)
"The factories in this land surprised Philip, who had been taught not to build factories with his bricks because factories were so ugly, but these factories turned out to be pleasant, long, low houses with tall French windows opening into gardens of roses, where people of all nations made beautiful and useful things, and loves making them. 'I wish we had factories like those,' Philip said. 'Our factories are so ugly.' 'That's because all your factories are money factories,' said Mr. Noah, 'though they're called by all sorts of different names. Everyone here has to make something that isn't just money or for money - something useful and beautiful.'"
"Beautiful things can't be beautiful when they're broken, of course. Not even laws. But ugly laws are only beautiful when they ARE broken. That's odd, isn't' it? Laws are very tricky things."
"The children were not allowed to help, but they loved looking on, and almost felt that if they looked on earnestly enough, they must, in some strange mysterious way, be actually helping. You know the feeling, I daresay."
"But don't you see, when you want to do something and don't want to at the same time, what are you to do? There are so many things to think of. When it's like that, there's one thing you mustn't think of. What, you might ask? Yourself…"
"Oh dear, aren't there any women here. They always have more sense than men."
Note to self: While it doesn't come across in a true quote, please remember the concept of God's voice as having a beautiful harmony with a strong, grey voice that gives instruction blending with a golden voice of song and that blend makes the most beautiful and compelling music ever heard.
"Of course it is magic. Everything in the world is magic, until you understand it."
"Tears are very strong magic."
"'Girls always keep to paths. They never explore.' Which just shows how little he knew about girls."
"If you are in a bad temper, nothing is a good thing to say."
"Why is it so pleasant to have a bath, and so tiresome to wash your hands and face in a basin?"
"Your late jailer, Mr. Bacon-Shakespeare, has written no less than twenty-seven volumes, all in cipher, on that very subject. But as he has forgotten what cipher he used, and no one else ever knew it, his volumes are of but little use to us." (I only include this one to proved that Nesbit wasn't perfect and I do think that she and I would have a lovely debate over Shakespeare had we ever had the chance to meet.)
"The factories in this land surprised Philip, who had been taught not to build factories with his bricks because factories were so ugly, but these factories turned out to be pleasant, long, low houses with tall French windows opening into gardens of roses, where people of all nations made beautiful and useful things, and loves making them. 'I wish we had factories like those,' Philip said. 'Our factories are so ugly.' 'That's because all your factories are money factories,' said Mr. Noah, 'though they're called by all sorts of different names. Everyone here has to make something that isn't just money or for money - something useful and beautiful.'"
"Beautiful things can't be beautiful when they're broken, of course. Not even laws. But ugly laws are only beautiful when they ARE broken. That's odd, isn't' it? Laws are very tricky things."
"The children were not allowed to help, but they loved looking on, and almost felt that if they looked on earnestly enough, they must, in some strange mysterious way, be actually helping. You know the feeling, I daresay."
"But don't you see, when you want to do something and don't want to at the same time, what are you to do? There are so many things to think of. When it's like that, there's one thing you mustn't think of. What, you might ask? Yourself…"
"Oh dear, aren't there any women here. They always have more sense than men."
Note to self: While it doesn't come across in a true quote, please remember the concept of God's voice as having a beautiful harmony with a strong, grey voice that gives instruction blending with a golden voice of song and that blend makes the most beautiful and compelling music ever heard.
July 13, 2008
Yay, Nesbit! Shouldn't think this'll become a favourite, but was delighted by Nesbit's sense of humour and imagination as always.
October 6, 2019
A book full of imagination and wonder - created through the creativity of children. An entertaining read and a true classic.
December 20, 2023
Definitely a cute story worth reading^
June 22, 2012
E. Nesbit with a model of 'The Magic City'This book was a true delight to read, and probably her best one so far in comparison to The Enchanted Castle and The Railway Children. I think if you are the sort of person who ever built a blanket fort and pretended it was real (even if it was a million years ago and you were only 5 then), you will definitely enjoy this story. If you aren't this type of person, I have a message for you: you are really boring :). Build one now and save your soul!!! hehehe
Sure there were some problematic ideas in the story. For one it was painfully obvious who the villain was (despite Nesbit's attempts to physically hide her face and hair). Sometimes things got silly too for no good reason, and I wish the deeds of valour performed by the hero of this story actually went up in level of difficulty, as they sort of varied and you didn't get the feeling that the stakes were getting higher, but rather, more random.
I also noticed that there are some reviewers who somehow couldn't understand Philip's pain and fixation on his elder sister (who's really his adopted mother). I found it puzzling. I mean it is quite obvious that the dear old Pip, as they call him, was extremely fixated on his 28 year old sister. But he was only 8. He lost his parents and only had her in all the world. I mean, they build an island only for the 2 of them. That tells you how they feel: it was always the 2 of them against the world. Then the sister goes off and gets married and runs of to Europe on a honeymoon. And no it's not like a honeymoon now. It was over 100 years ago. If one went to Europe, one really did GO.. for a long long time! And poor Pip got parked, alone into a strange house where everyone just shoved him from one place to another, not to mention the strange girl he got for a step-sister. We know from reading the book that little Lucy didn't even meet her new stepmother Helen till after they get back from Europe!!!! (bizarre! but it how it was then). Little Phillip never chose to have a new family, and was left all alone without his only family that he knew; so yes, he was missing his sister badly.
Anywho, I'm finishing the review of this Magical City (I can see how it inspired Narnia!) with a full photo of the model, which although is in black-and-white, still looks really awesome!!!
July 28, 2020
Every E. Nesbit book is a five star book. I love how the omniscient narrator always breaks into the ongoing plot and says things like this: "I'm sorry this chapter was cut up into bits with lines of stars, but stars are difficult to avoid when you have to tell about a lot of different things happening all at once." That's ultra-meta, in a way that I don't think any other author has done in quite the same way. Of course, there are other Nesbitian authors. C.S. Lewis is obviously a child of Nesbit; Lucy and Edmund go to the same school as Lucy and Philip from The Magic City (an upperclass British school of the turn of the 19th century where everyone is always "making Pax" with one another); Lewis also has meta omniscient narrators (but never quite as meta as Nesbit). Diana Wynne Jones and Neil Gaiman are Nesbitian; I think Eleanor Estes and Elizabeth Enright have some similar qualities too (J.K. Rowling, on the other hand, is not Nesbitian; neither is Tolkien). The other thing about The Magic City itself is the Ozness of it all; Dorothy Gale and Lucy and Philip did NOT go to the same school, but they ended up in the same kind of surreal dreamlike world (and not the movie either). The Pretenderette from Magic City could be happily ensconced in Oz; the China County from Oz might be one of the islands Philip and Lucy missed out on seeing. This isn't my favorite E. Nesbit I've ever read (that is still probably The Railway Children, which is a COMPLETELY different kind of book but oh, so wonderful). But every Nesbit is a joy.
June 3, 2018
What a fantastic story! I was drawn in by relatable, real characters and enticed by the imaginative story line. Like the very best children’s books, E. Nesbit helps us see within a fantasy what we are blind to seeing in every day life. Her descriptions are vivid and she masterfully embeds truth. Reminiscent of Narnia, there was nothing but enjoyment in being carried off to another world where we enact versions of ourselves that we wish we could be. Can’t wait to read it to my own kids or nieces/nephews one day!
December 2, 2016
I couldn't wait! Had to find the book on Librivox & finish it. Nesbitt is always surprising & delightful.
November 14, 2024
Although I eagerly read many Nesbit books growing up, this one was out of print then and thus, not in my library (no such thing as e-books in those days!) So I was happy to find this on Gutenburg.org and it did not disappoint. Despite being 115 years old, the story works in the current era. Social norms differ of course, but the racism and misogyny often found in older books is largely absent. Although Phillip (somewhat understandably) tries to control the adventure, Lucy proves to be creative, resourceful and assertive - an equal (and essential) partner in the end. A flashback to my youth and a joy to read.
October 19, 2022
A fun and creative story that is reminiscent of childhood. It definitely encompasses C.S. Lewis's quote, "God wants the mind of a man, but the heart of a child."
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish it didn't have to end.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish it didn't have to end.
February 23, 2024
My grandson (10) and I just finished reading this astonishingly entertaining tale. E. Nesbit is clearly the best author I never heard of before.... We truly love her writings. I hope you will, as well.
August 9, 2018
I confess that the other three E Nesbit books I've read did not hold my interest... One of the Wouldbegoods I never even finished. The Magic City, however, was a much better book. It isn't something transcendent like Narnia or The Wind in the Willows, but it was jolly fun. I think I would have liked it better as a child, but it was still enjoyable as an adult. :)
February 4, 2010
This was a cool book. I liked the ideas in it, and the story was cool.
With the exception of /The Book of Dragons/, and her other short fiction, I think I prefer E. Nesbit's fantasy that has a grounding in the real world most. There's a reason for this, though. When she writes in pure fantasy mode, she tends to go faster and introduce more characters more quickly. The adult characters in her pure fantasy stories totally cater to the fantasy settings, as well, and often seem like a part of the child's imagination. The fantasy worlds seem this way, as well—and I guess from what happened, this makes complete sense. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but it makes it harder for me to follow, and for some reason it doesn't hold my interest quite as much in some parts. I don't think it would be quite the same for a kid, though. Anyway, that aside, I can say I really liked the book. Don't let this dissuade you, though—I did really like the book (I just thought it was a little arduous of a listen).
Don't confuse this with /The Magic World/, by E. Nesbit—that book is a collection of short stories; this one is not. Speaking of short stories, E. Nesbit wrote a short story that is very similar to this novel. I forgot which one it was, but it doesn't quite surprise me. She does seem to revisit her ideas once in a while (i.e. compare /The Railroad Children/ with /The Treasure Seekers/). At first, I wasn't so sure that I liked this tendency, but I think I appreciate it a lot more, now.
With the exception of /The Book of Dragons/, and her other short fiction, I think I prefer E. Nesbit's fantasy that has a grounding in the real world most. There's a reason for this, though. When she writes in pure fantasy mode, she tends to go faster and introduce more characters more quickly. The adult characters in her pure fantasy stories totally cater to the fantasy settings, as well, and often seem like a part of the child's imagination. The fantasy worlds seem this way, as well—and I guess from what happened, this makes complete sense. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but it makes it harder for me to follow, and for some reason it doesn't hold my interest quite as much in some parts. I don't think it would be quite the same for a kid, though. Anyway, that aside, I can say I really liked the book. Don't let this dissuade you, though—I did really like the book (I just thought it was a little arduous of a listen).
Don't confuse this with /The Magic World/, by E. Nesbit—that book is a collection of short stories; this one is not. Speaking of short stories, E. Nesbit wrote a short story that is very similar to this novel. I forgot which one it was, but it doesn't quite surprise me. She does seem to revisit her ideas once in a while (i.e. compare /The Railroad Children/ with /The Treasure Seekers/). At first, I wasn't so sure that I liked this tendency, but I think I appreciate it a lot more, now.
October 5, 2013
I read a fair amount of Edith Nesbit as a child, but hadn't run across this one. About a boy who magically enters a city he had built of odds and ends, this book is reliable, if unexciting Nesbit.
The story, and the substory about the boy making friends with his new step-sister, doesn't bring much that's new. But the magic of Nesbit's writing is in the light, good-natured feel of her writing, and that's present here in full force.
All in all, a nice, light-hearted story, and a fun, safe read for young children.
The story, and the substory about the boy making friends with his new step-sister, doesn't bring much that's new. But the magic of Nesbit's writing is in the light, good-natured feel of her writing, and that's present here in full force.
All in all, a nice, light-hearted story, and a fun, safe read for young children.
February 20, 2015
I savored this, taking my time reading it. So delightful. It reminded me L. Frank Baum's Oz and certainly Nesbit could have made a series out the idea. I wanted it to go on and on. I liked Philip and Lucy's relationship, how it evolves and I liked how Nesbit gives her female characters some spunk, smarts and bravery. All around charming!
January 29, 2015
This was an enjoyable read, but somewhat dated. It reminded me an awful lot of The Phantom Toolbooth, but given the publication date was around 1910, clearly it was the blueprint. Parts were predictable, the climax was over too quickly, and the resolution was rushed.
November 23, 2013
Not as good as the Railroad Children. Really unremarkable...which speaks for itself, doesn't it?
December 19, 2014
Adorable. We need to read everything else she wrote immediately.
January 4, 2016
Such a fun book! I have loved it for years, & it has worked well as read-aloud for all 3 of my children at various ages. Can completely see the influence on C.S. Lewis.
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