15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Two small children find that to stand they must first crawl., November 5, 1997
By A Customer
Considered by many MacDonald's best novel, Alec Forbes of Howglen contains a diversity of characters, personalities, and locales, yet maintains an unstrained and unforced continuity in that there appears no attempt to contrive or incorporate that which is ill-suited or unbelievable. The plot and various subplots flow, commingle, diversify, and rejoin with no break in the natural stream of the story line. Whereas in many novels of such diverse and complex characterization, the reader is forced to backtrack or rethink that which has gone before, there are no such obstacles placed in the road of those who journey alongside Annie and Alec.
This is an absolutely wonderful tale of the lives of two children, Annie and Alec, as they grow into adulthood. Although from two distinct social classes, which occurrence provides ample and diverse challenges for our beloved hero and heroine, Alec and Annie find, after considerable difficulty, trials innumerable, soul-rending afflictions, natural disasters, and, in general, some rather horrific catastrophes, a slender, yet all-powerful, thread which binds them together.
Upon the death of her parents, Annie, who has known nothing but the idyllic life of the small farm, awakens to find everything that she has known and loved gone; her sole childhood companion and dear friend, Brownie-the family cow, as well as the remainder of the livestock, farm implements, furniture, and accessories sold, and she, poor little soul, on the way to live with her father's miserly, mean, hypocritical cousin, Robert Bruce, and his family of ill-bred mongrels, above their shop in town. She and a very small trunk, which contains her meager belongings, are unceremoniously stowed in an attic room which contains no curtains, no lights, holes in the floor, and is shared by rats.
Grieved by the loss of her parents and her home would seem misery enough for one small child, but she is further tormented throughout the day by the Bruce children, and throughout the night by her fear of the rats. School is no sanctuary, for it is ruled by a petty tyrant who holds the firm, unequivocal belief that "to spare the rod is to spoil the child," and he cannot abide a spoiled or disobedient child.
Alec, although far from wealthy, lives with his mother in a modest, but quite comfortable home near the edge of town. It is here that Annie eventually is driven to seek refuge from the countless horrors that stalk her days and nights. It is here, through the eyes of a mother, that Annie sees love sparkle and shimmer as it gently caresses, nurtures, and develops the soul of young Alec.
Follow Annie and Alec, as well as all who cross their paths and touch their lives, in this compelling narrative of real life. For life is not without its trials and tribulations, sorrows and sadness, pains and afflictions, yet it is by and through all such as these,-the manner, means, and motives by which we face and overcome all such obstacles-, that we grow into the men and women that God would have us to be. As a muscle will atrophy if it never meets resistance, so then will a soul wither and die unless forced to encounter the oppressive weights of affliction, self-sacrifice, and self-denial.
We, not unlike water, ever seek the path of least resistance. In this book, MacDonald adeptly illustrates that the best laid plans of men may not provide that which is best for men. God will pursue His plan regardless of our idle hopes, dreams, and speculations. As a result, we often find life, at best, difficult and trying, while, at worst, it may appear all but unbearable. There is, of course, a simple means by which we may "make the way smooth," and that is by doing as Jesus did-the will of His Father.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Story of Growing Up in Early 19th Century Scotland., July 6, 1999
By A Customer
This novel is quite different than the rest of George MacDonald's adult novels. It has more laughs by far, though the story as a whole tends tward the melodramatic. It is George MacDonald's most complex work, intricately weaving together the stories of the two main characters: Annie Anderson (approx. 10 years old) and Alec Forbes (approx. 13 years old) as they meet and grow up to young adulthood. Annie looses her father and is forced to move in with her miserly cousin Robert the Bruce, one of the town's shop keepers. Alec eventually goes off to the big city to medical school and is forced to decide whether he will face life's disappointments or dissapate his life away with alchohol.
The first half of this book is too sentimental and bucolic for my tastes and seems geared more tward an adolescent audience. However, the action in the second half more than makes up for it. I would caution the reader that this book has much more Scots dialect in it than some of George MacDonald's other popular works like "David Elginbrod" and "Donald Grant" and you would probably do better to tackle one of these first, so that you don't get too discouraged.
This book stresses character development and has little or no sermonizing. Much of the first half of this book is taken up with the experiences of the two main characters in the town's one room school house and the overly strict disipline meeted out by the school master. His favorite method of disipline is the tawse (a small leather wip flung down from the shoulder) and indeed in one instance he almost beats young Alec to death. The apex of the novel is a tremendous flood, and you will find your eyes filling with tears as your favorite characters struggle for their lives. And you will be satisfied when your least favorite character gets his just deserts.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Touching, satisfying, and often humorous MacDonald story, March 31, 2010
This MacDonald story has a LOT of the Scots dialect, which I've become accustomed to now, but if I had read it earlier, it would have discouraged me. The Kindle version, however, has a glossary at the end with Scots words defined! So helpful! I will read Sir Gibbie again and use that glossary. Alec and Annie, the two main characters are very likable and very real (but, then, all MacDonald's characters are very real). As always, there are a few villains you will love to hate even though MacDonald keeps reminding you that as a Christian you shouldn't hate them but instead feel sorry for them. And Cosmo Cupples's relationship with Alec is oftentimes hilarious and in the end one of the most touching and satisfying things I have ever read. Some of Alec's adventures in his younger days dragged for me, but once he grew older, he was always interesting. Through Annie Anderson, MacDonald shows the tender love of God as well as he ever has. She brought tears to my eyes by making me see, through her words, how loving God is. My favorite MacDonald books are Donal Grant and Sir Gibbie, but this one is high up.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
