The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie

I have two copies of this wonderful book in front of me...the Dover Juvenile Classics edition and the beautiful hardcover by Macmillan. Not only does the Dover edition omit all the sweet pictures, but right from the very first page it omits a sweet exchange between "Mr. Author" and an unnamed interlocutor--reminiscent of the story interruptions by the "real" Christopher Robin and the narrator of the Pooh stories. If something has obviously been cut out right from the first page, I'd bet other passages have been cut out, too. Perhaps this is unabridged from some version of the story, but it is definitely not the most complete text available. Stick to the hardcover or deluxe versions of the text for the real thing.

This story is a classic of its kind and was influential in the ongoing development of contemporary fantasy. It combined several pre-existing story elements into a tale with adventure, monsters, morals, and a touch of faery. It is probably no accident that this story is so similiar in tone to Tolkien's fantasies. While I am considerably older than the targeted age group, I found the story to be exciting with a touch of mysticism and mystery. And, yes, it does have a stong moral ending. The princess was thoroughly in character. While overly mature for her age, she exemplifies the British ideal of nobility. And Curdie represented the best of the British working class. As the saying goes, they continually kept their heads while everyone else around them were losing theirs. Although such virtues have been downplayed and vilified in recent times, they are still strong survival skills. MacDonald maintains a sense of suspense and mystery throughout the story, with a good mix of action and reflection. While the authorial comments might seem strange, they do ring true as part of a verbal presentation. Children will ask questions and will insist on clearing up the odd puzzlement. I came upon this story by accident, but I enjoyed it enough to pass it on. -Arthur W. Jordin

So you love C.S. Lewis? Narnia Chronicles? There people who don?t are few and far between. One of the biggest influences on C.S. Lewis was this man, George MacDonald (1824-1905). It was MacDonald?s talent for telling fairy stories that inspired Lewis in writing his own. Like Lewis, MacDonald has a remarkable ability to tell a delightful and enchanting story for children, layered with strong Christian themes and imagery by means of allegory and symbols. ?The Princess and the Goblin? is one of his most beloved works for children, and an excellent introduction to his style and success.?The Princess and the Goblin? features a heroine ? a princess called Irene ? and a hero ? a simple miner?s son called Curdie. While working overtime in the mines to earn money to buy his mother a red petty-coat, Curdie chances upon the goblins who live in the mountain, and discovers that they are hatching an evil plot against the king and his palace. Meanwhile the princess makes a discovery of her own ? high in the castle she finds a wonderful old lady who is her great-great-grandmother. The problem is, nobody else knows of her grandmother, and nobody believes her. But the princess does believe, and it is by her faith in her grandmother and the magic thread that she receives from her, that she is able to rescue Curdie. Together they rescue the entire palace from disaster at the hands of the goblins. In telling the story, MacDonald has an enchanting conversational style, wonderfully suitable for reading aloud to enraptured children ? an ability perfecting in telling stories to his own eleven children. But ?The Princess and the Goblin? is more than just a story. Before pursuing a literary career, MacDonald was a Congregationalist minister, and so integrates important underlying Christian themes. Believing in the great-great-grandmother despite the fact that many cannot see her, is a symbol of believing in God. MacDonald uses this to show how the Christian faith involves believing without seeing, and that not everyone has to ?see? something for it to be true. The grandmother?s lamp and magic thread are the guides on which the princess must depend, much like the Word which is a lamp on our path. It may sound tacky, but it works.Children are not likely to grasp the deeper underlying themes that MacDonald is working with. Nonetheless the story has a clear message for children. The clear conflict between the royal powers of light against the goblin powers of darkness is unmistakable. Moreover, the princess is presented as a model of virtue, and MacDonald frequently asserts the importance of moral virtues such as always telling the truth, keeping your word, and admitting your faults ? moral virtues that are equally important for princes and princesses of God?s kingdom. Courage, honesty, grace, dignity and beauty are timeless ideals for children of all times to strive for. If you love Narnia, you?re sure to like this one, and you?ll find yourself quickly g

This wonderful children's novel tells the story of eight year old Princess Irene. Cared for by her nurse Lootie, she lives in a mountain farmhouse while her father rules over the region from a mountain top castle. The local folk work as miners but are beset by the Goblins who inhabit the underground. Irene is saved from the Goblins by Curdie, a thirteen year old miner, and she in turn saves him. The whole thing is told in a pleasant conversational style and is filled with humor, word games, magic, derring-do, and pure wonderment.George MacDonald, a Congregational minister turned novelist, who seems nearly forgotten now, was one of the seminal figures in the development of Fantasy. His influence on other Fantasy authors is obvious, he was a childhood favorite of JRR Tolkein, who especially liked this book, and C.S. Lewis named him one of his favorite authors. His own stories draw on many of the themes and characters of classical European fairy tales. But where they were often merely horrific and meaningless, MacDonald adds a layer of Christian allegory. Thus, Irene and Curdie are eventually saved by a thread so slender that you can't even see it, but which leads them back to safety, teaching Curdie that you sometimes have to believe in things that you can't see.The book would be interesting simply as a touchstone of modern fiction, but it stands up well on its own and will delight adults and children alike.GRADE: A

This book is not only beautifully written and perfect for all ages, "The Princess and the Goblin" is also morally strong and uplifting. Children of either sex will be interested in it, with a loving and beautiful grandmother, a strong and intelligent young girl, and a young boy who is intent on protecting his loved ones and uncovering the evil goblin plot. I have read this countless times, and each time I discover something new. The sequel, "The Princess and Curdie," is also worth reading. I love this book!