A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition

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	• The Princess and the Goblin (Books of Wonder) George Macdonald William Morrow & Co., Inc. / Books of Wonder, 1986 - 208 pages average customer review:based on 42 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great story!

When I was 8, the same age as the girl in the story (a princess-of course!)I read this book time and time again. I couldn't get enough of it. My mom had died when I was a baby, so I never knew her, and longed for a silver haired granny in a tower who would wash my face with water from a silver basin and have stars on the ceiling of my bedroom. Anyhow, I just read it again after many long years....almost 50! and it's just as good a story now as then...very sweet and nicely written. Excellent!

Very Victorian

This is one of the books that JRR Tolkien used to read to his children. It was published around 1872 and it has a very Victorian vibe to it. The good guys are too good to be true. I kept waiting for the great great grandmother to turn out to be some sort of evil witch who first gained Irene's trust, and then kidnapped her. Nope, the great great grandmother was good and pure to the very end. Also, having 12 year old children (like Curdie) working in the mines at all hours with no adult supervision seemed to be A-OK with the Victorians.

It is a nice story, but it's very 19th century. If you'd like to buy this, please consider this version:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1881084140

This is a hardcover reproduction of a 19th century version of the book, and has color plates and black and white drawings, both.

To be honest, the other book that JRR Tolkien read to his children is "The Wonderful Land of Snergs." This is the one where he got his idea for the hobbits. It's a much better story, but maybe that's because it was published in 1928, and so has a more modern writing technique.

See it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486452557

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One of the best fantasy books period

So it's written for children but I could hardly tell the difference. The simplicity of the storytelling made it all the more appealing and the veins of courage, humilty, and human frailty running through it were impressive and awe inspiring. Like I said it's simple but don't let that word fool you. It's brilliantly written and encourages the reader to look at his or her own character. "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19 It's a lesson we could all learn if not relearn...

A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition

The Princess and the Goblin is a truly delightful tale that is beautifully told by George MacDonald and deserves five stars. But, I will not attempt to review the story itself, for there are such wonderful descriptions and testimonies from other reviewers on this page concerning the content of MacDonald's work. However, I would like to describe the Puffin Classics edition in a little more detail. Please be aware that the Puffin's paperback cover is very soft and not as durable as other paperback covers. As well, the paper quality is rather grainy, which may not hold up well in the years to come. Thus, I have allotted this product four stars. On a positive note, I am pleased that the publishers kept the nostalgic illustrations by Arthur Hughes. Also, this copy has been edited well for typos and simple mistakes. With these particular points in mind, I would like to encourage the potential buyer to consider other editions of the text as well. Everyman's Childrens Library (The Princess and the Goblin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics Series)) has produced a hardback copy, which may be a better choice if the copy is to be given to a child. Also, for the MacDonald researcher or literary student, I would highly recommend the Johannesen edition(The Princess and the Goblin (George Macdonald Original Works)) since it is an authoritative edition. However, when it comes to the price, the Puffin Classics edition can not help but to be rather tempting. I hope these few notes have been helpful - Happy shopping.

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Happy Camper

Book arrived in very good condition and on time. Who could ask for anything more??

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Afterword by Peter Glassman. "In the facsimile of the 1920 edition, exquisite illustrations enhance the story of a young princess who is protected by her friend from goblins that live beneath the castle."--Booklist. A Books of Wonder(R) Classic.

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