George MacDonald (1824-1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister. Though no longer a household name, his works (particularly his fairy tales and fantasy novels) have inspired deep admiration in such notables as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle. C. S. Lewis wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master". Even Mark Twain, who initially despised MacDonald, became friends with him. MacDonald grew up influenced by his Congregational Church, with an atmosphere of Calvinism. But MacDonald never felt comfortable with some aspects of Calvinist doctrine. Later novels, such as Robert Falconer (1868) and Lilith (1895), show a distaste for the Calvinist idea that God's electing love is limited to some and denied to others. Especially in his Unspoken Sermons (1867-89) he shows a highly developed theology. His best-known works are Phantastes (1858), At the Back of the North Wind (1871) and The Princess and the Goblin (1872), all fantasy novels, and fairy tales such as - The Light Princess (1867), The Golden Key (1867), and The Wise Woman (1875).
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Victorian Canterbury Tales,
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This review is from: Adela Cathcart (George MacDonald Original Works) (Hardcover)
Stories can heal. This important yet unbalanced work by MacDonald acts as treatise on the medicinal power of a well told narrative. Framing some of MacDonald's best known short stories is one girl's struggle for meaning and the awakening of her imagination by a group of storytellers.
"Adela Cathcart" showcases the three George MacDonald personas that dominate his cannon. The three main storytellers in this work, Mr. Smith, the curate and the doctor represent the whimsical fairy-tale writer MacDonald, the mystical preacher MacDonald, and the gothic MacDonald. Mr. Smith has told more than "The Light Princess," and "The Giant's Heart." He has also told "The Princess and the Goblin," and "The Wise Woman." He is the spirit of play, of whimsy, the love of nonsense that united him with his friend Lewis Carroll. Likewise, the curate has told more than his tales in the "Adella." He has written parts of the novels, like "Donal Grant," some poetry, and the "Unspoken Sermons." His preaching can either be presented through the vision, the abstract and mysterious, or through the direct absolute moral. The latter can disrupt a narrative, the former brings added depth and significance to the events. The final persona is the doctor who represents the dark gothic side to MacDonald's work. This side of MacDonald has been seen not only in the "Cruel Painter," but in "The Portent" and parts of "Lilith," the story of Cosmo in "Phantastes," and some of the novels. MacDonald is at his best when all three parts are combined as they are in "On the Back of the North Wind," "Phantastes," the "Golden Key," and even "Lilith." While "Adela" has many wonderful stories, the problem with them is that MacDonald's personas are divorced from each other and can only influence the other through critical or praiseworthy comments after the story is finished. The doctor and the curate cannot collaborate as they do in MacDonald's novels. Neither can Mr. Smith collaborate with the curate as they do in the longer fairy tales. This is bipolar MacDonald: fascinating, full of wonder, but flawed and lacking balance. A note on the text: Johannesen prints the best copies of MacDonald's work at a reasonable price. All three volumes are included in this copy.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Introduction to George MacDonald,
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This review is from: Adela Cathcart (George MacDonald Original Works) (Hardcover)
C.S. Lewis called George MacDonald his literary master and stated he quoted from MacDonald in virtually all of his books. "Adela Cathcart," one of George MacDonald's major fictional works, offers readers a good introduction to both the imagination and the theology of this author, once among the world's most famous.
MacDonald's body of work encompassed a huge variety, from children's tales to deep examinations of religious themes. MacDonald spoke in many voices, all from a common theme but frequently intermixed to a degree that would require one to read a dozen or more of his other works to grasp with any sense of understanding the breadth of his vision. In "Adela Cathcart," however, MacDonald seemingly isolates his many voices through the invention of a "Story-Telling Society" formed to assist the title character in her recovery from a sense of spiritual depression. Along the way the reader hears not only the many and varied aspects of MacDonald's views, but a skillfully woven tale itself including elements of adventure, humor, romance, even horror, and spiritual development. George MacDonald's theology takes a back seat in this book, though it is visible, if one looks closely, on every page. However, the story -- and stories -- which comprise "Adela Cathcart" can be enjoyed without significant interference from, and perhaps even enhanced by, the quiet religious aspects. MacDonald is a magnificent writer; "Adela Cathcart" is a wonderful example.
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