Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Book Review: The Princess and the Goblin

by George MacDonald


Tweet Synopsis: A classic tale with a little princess, a distracted king, a poor hero, and some creatures that might not be what they seem #fairytale



Why Did I Pick It Up: Trying to mark off bingo squares - it is a 

The Good: 

When I was a little girl I LOVED this story! I started it at a friends' house and begged my mom to buy it and the sequel for me. I read and re-read those books many times throughout my tween (and into my teen) years. I like our little naive princess Irene and her quest for adventures. I loved the descriptions of her room and the forest and imagined myself living there. I especially loved Curdie and had quite the crush on him. 

Now I see the value for a younger girl reading this story, but as an adult the magic is gone. That was a big disappointment because I looked forward to reading these tattered paperbacks again. 

The Bad: 
It is feeling a little dated. The language is thick and flowery, the storyline muddled at times. 

The Ugly: 
I didn't enjoy it as much on this read. I think a big part of that can be "blamed" on the fact that stories nowadays don't read like this - they are more straightforward. It isn't just about being dated, but actually hard to read. I really think this is because the magic is gone - as an adult I don't get caught up in the beauty of her bedroom because I have a whole house. I (along with Lootie and King-Papa) imagine she was just having some crazy dreams. I don't connect with Irene anymore and that is disappointing. 

Who will love this book? Excellent read-aloud story for children of any age, great read-to-myself story for tweens and anyone who loves a good fairy tale 

How much did I like it?  7/10 

Will I read more? Someday, maybe to my own little girl

Bingo 2015: Book 100+ Years Old

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