The Princess and the Goblin (Puffin Classics)

Amazon.com's Price: $3.99

Prices subject to change.

Third Party New Price: $1.78
Order it used: $0.01

This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Lenny's description:

Amazon.com Review:
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 in a secret room at the top of the castle stairs. Filled with images of dungeons and goblins, mysterious fires, burning roses, and a thread so fine as to be invisible and yet--like prayer--strong enough to lead the Princess back home to her grandmother's arms, this is a story of Curdie's slow realization that sometimes, as the princess tells him, "you must believe without seeing." Simple enough for reading aloud to a child (as I've done myself more than once with my daughter), it's rich enough to repay endless delighted readings for the adult. --Doug Thorpe

Seller's description:
A little princess is protected by her friend Curdie from the goblin miners who live beneath the castle.

Features:

ISBN13: 9780140367461
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product details:

Item number (ASIN): 0140367462
Author: George Macdonald
Creator: Arthur Hughes, Illustrator
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.8
Edition: Later printing
ISBN: 0140367462
Manufacturer: Puffin
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Package Dimensions: 80 x 500 x 770 (hundredths-inches)
Publication Date: March 1, 1997
Publisher: Puffin
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Binding: Paperback

Reviews from Lenny's visitors:

There are no visitor reviews available at this time.

Add your own review!

Amazon.com customer reviews:

Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Great edition, except NOT unabridged.
I was very pleased with this book in most respects. It has high quality binding, the illustrations are nice (both original by A. Hughs and H. Stratton). However, when I purchased the book it was unclear whether the version was unabridged or not. Reading some other reviews, I knew that some editions leave out at least some passages. In the first chapter, there is an exchange between the author and reader/listener "THERE was once a little princess who-"But, Mr. Author, why do you always write about princesses?...". This exchange is shown on the book description (which is misleading)...BUT, it is not actually in this version of the book. I didn't know what else might be left out as well. I ended up returning this book and purchasing a used copy of an older version, (which I am pleased with). It's a shame because in all other respects (illustrations, binding, etc.) this is a very nice edition.

Rating:

- The Princess and the Goblin
I love 'The Princess and the Goblin' partly because it is very easy to read, but still of satisfying depth, and partly because nothing happened the way I expected it to. Kids love this story, and fortunately adults do too. It is timeless because it features a hero who, while being imperfect, doesn't waver from his values.

Rating:

- Great book, a little slow
It took a while to come, but it did make it before the date it promised. Make sure you leave a week or so extra to make sure you get it. Great book though. Wonderful allegory.

Rating:

- The Princess and the Goblin
This classic 19th Century fairy tale still holds up 100 years later. George MacDonald was in a sense a feminist ahead of his time; the beautiful and mysterious grandmother is a central and memorable character. The goblins are wicked but not too scary. The descriptions of the [Welsh?] landscape are vivid, and the relationship between the princess and the humble miner's son, Curdie, speaks of breaking down class barriers.

Rating:

- The Fantastic Imagination Didn't Feel Like Being So Fantastic Here
George MacDonald has produced some mind-blowing works in his lifetime, as demonstrated in The Complete Fairy Tales (Penguin Classics). This one however, seems much more traditional. Rather than fly you in and out of reality itself as he did in The Golden Key, he takes you into your standard medieval setting and leaves you there. This left me feeling disappointed. Really, the only thing I'd classify as mind-blowing in The Princess and the Goblin would be the cobs creatures. I suppose anyone who's really into stuff like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty could find much enjoyment in this story, and although such stories have their fair share of magic, they actually look rather bland sitting next to some of MacDonald's shorter tales. Personally, I think he could have made the Princess and the Goblin much, much shorter and kept the story intact. To summarize, if you're into insane stuff as much as I am, look elsewhere for something to hold your interest. Don't cross MacDonald's other works off your list though.