Customer Reviews

The Little White Horse

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I first read Elizabeth Goudge when I was 11 and I fell instantly in love with her writing. I read this book later than some of her others and I was enchanted immediately; and every time I re-read it, the enchantment returns. While I read, I am with Maria and Robin at Moonacre Manor, riding with them on their adventures, singing the Bell Song, confronting the Men of the Black Wood. I was thrilled to buy my own copy so I can read it whenever I want and not rely on the Public Library. And despite the fact that my copy has only the endpiece illustration of the Manor and its grounds, I can picture everyone and everywhere vividly. Goudge is a writer of true genius. Everything her characters do is completely consistent. Even the religion in the plot, and there is a lot, is not offensive or preachy. It fits perfectly into the whole ambience of the book. This is because Goudge was herself a deeply religious woman and the value she found in her faith is an integral part of all her novels. This book is worth 10 of most of the modern children's books. Moonacre Manor stands proudly with Narnia and Middle Earth.

The Little White Horse is an exceptional and magical book. I have read few books that can compare with the imaginative imagery, the depth of the characters and the originality of the story. The protagonist, Maria Merryweather, is thirteen years old at the start of the book. She, her governess, and her pet dog, are travelling to Merryweather Manor by coach to stay with her great-uncle after her father's death. Her explorations of the delightully described manor and the nearby village of Silverydew lead her to see that not all is as happy as it seems. Before she knows it, she finds a destiny before her that builds up to a decision between selfishness, as her ancestors have done, and humbleness and selflessness. Only then can the wrongs be righted and Maria see her little white horse she dreams of. I enjoyed the book because of the lovely descriptions of the manor and the valley, and the realisticness of the characters. Maria and her friends are not perfect heroes and heroines, but they are lovable and their character developing is crucial to the plot. The book keeps you reading as you discover with Maria the secrets of the manor and the village. Elizabeth Goudge's skillful imagery conjure up a wonderful picture of the 19th century English town where the magic is timeless. If you enjoy fantasy and magic, you will love this book.

It's too bad that so few of Elizabeth Goudge's books are in print, though I am grateful that this one has been reprinted. I'd never read it before, and initially I was turned off by the unicorn illustration on the cover. But I'd heard lots of comments about how magical it was, and so I sat down to read.

Newly orphaned Maria Merryweather is being sent from London to Moonacre Manor, the castle-like home of her uncle, Benjamin Merryweather. Initially Maria and her devoted governess Miss Heliotrope expect the place to be cold and uncomfortable -- but Maria is delighted to see an enchanted, silvery landscape, and the brief vision of a white horse running past. She fits quickly into the slightly strange, almost idyllic surroundings -- despite the fact that no woman has come to Moonacre Manor in twenty years. But Sir Benjamin seems very pleasant -- as does the huge, unusual dog Wrolf.

Maria is enchanted both by the beautiful natural surroundings and the neighboring village of Silverydew. But she begins to sense that something is wrong: her uncle is unhappy about something and won't talk about the briefly-seen white horse. Her childhood invisible friend Robin returns to her -- and the inhabitants of Silverydew know him. Beautiful items are laid out in her tiny, luxurious room -- with the initials L.M. And strange dark figures are creeping through the woods near the sea. Maria soon finds out about a long-lasting story of magic, sadness, greed and darkness that has haunted her family for generations, and is determined to set it right.

Goudge was evidently one of the few authors who can effectively blur the line between reality and dreaminess. Some sections of her prose are almost intoxicating; she never held back from describing surroundings and items lushly. The dreamy atmosphere of the book is established when Maria and Miss Heliotrope (and Wiggins the dog) arrive at Moonacre. Such beautifully written passages crop up, such as "moonlight and firelight mingled their silver and gold."

We also are given examples of Ms. Goudge's evident love of both nature, the countryside, and religion (not preachily, simply a demonstration of the beauties she saw in it). She also mixes in a few other items: the hare being a "Fairy" creature, the legend behind the Merryweathers and the valley, the sinister Black Men in the forest, and the enchanting visualization of the "little white horse" being one of the white horses that crashes in on sea foam.

Some aspects of this book are a little unusual by current politically correct standards: we get several negative references to "female curiosity", atheists may be offended by Ms. Goudge's evident dislike of atheism. And I literally have no idea what a "syllabub" is. However, since this takes place in a past era, there's no reason to fuss about it.

Maria herself is a delightful heroine, with just enough quirks to make her realistic -- her mild preoccupation with clothes, for example. Miss Heliotrope is not the usual strict spinster governess, but a kind and upright woman with real emotions and feelings. Wiggins is a little pain in the tail. We also have the fascinatingly charismatic Parson, who manages to make religion come dazzlingly alive while also being kind and gentle. And we have the loquacious Marmaduke Scarlet, a dwarf cook with an odd temper, an amazing culinary craft, and a vaguely gnome-like appearance. And it takes a little while for Robin to develop beyond the level of "boyish sprite," but he's a nice character as well.

This is a thoroughly delightful book, full of childlike innocence and wonder that very few could pull off. Fans of Narnia and the "Hobbit" will probably eat this right up. A timeless, charming tale.

My mother was a voracious reader and instilled the same appreciation of books in me. I first read this book when I was about 10 years old. I must have read it a hundred times at least! The writing was so vivid, I can still close my eyes and picture Maria and company having their sumptuous meals at Moonacre Manor; the angry darkness of the Black Men; and the gentle, wizened face of Digweed. Twenty years later, it's still one of my all-time favorites.

A few years ago, I tried to find a copy of the original edition--my childhood copy was destroyed during Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica some years ago. I was quite disappointed when the book I did find came without the magnificent illustrations and maps contained in the original.

I'd love to get a copy of an earlier edition for my children!

This was the favorite book of my childhood. I loved the old English setting, Maria's tower room, and all the details of her life - but what I liked most of all was the unique quality this story has of hovering somewhere between fairy tale and real life, between fantasy and reality. There is just enough magic to make you believe that, just maybe, it could be true, it could happen to you. At the heart of the story is the poignant, dream-like image of the little white horse- I think consciously put in as a symbol of all those vague, undefined, unspoken longings that are hidden deep inside ourselves. I wrote a college paper on this book in my twenties and could still see no flaws in it; only now in my fourties reading it to my daughter am I able to note that the writing is a bit clumsy and heavy handed at times. But I still can't stop hoping - believing - that someday, looking down a forest glade, I at last will see the glowing unicorn in the distance.

When I was about 14, I chose "Little White Horse" at the library because I thought it was about a horse and I was mad for horses. As I began to read, it became evident that this was no horse story, but I was entranced and couldn't put it down. Elizabeth Goudge's writing style is such that one can easily visualize the salmon-colored geraniums, the special foods included in Marmaduke Scarlet's repasts, or Robin's brown curling hair that twisted like a drake's tail in the back. Robin . . . I fell so in love with Robin . . . so much so that my son carries his name all these years later. This book portrays that loveliness that exists in this world if one will but look and see and so is wonderful for children and adults alike. "Little White Horse" opened the world of Elizabeth Goudge to me, a world of enchanting, life-enhancing detail. To the customer who wrote from Christchurch, N.Z., "Henrietta's House" was published in the U.S. under the title "The Blue Hills" and will be available through Amazon.com this September!

I was stunned to find recently that J.K. Rowley named "The Little White Horse" as her favourite book when she was growing up. (I'm in the best of company.) I had no idea the book was still in print and am about to order a new edition from yourselves, not because I don't have a copy, but because I would like to preserve my old one in reasonable condition - insofar as that's possible, as I read and re-read it myself over several years. My 9-year-old has just read and loved the book. I am now reading it to my 5-year-old, who is trying to guess some of the mysterious links between characters which build up so dramatically throughout the story. I am not surprised, now, that I enjoyed it so much. Not 'til we read "Harry Potter" recently did I enjoy again such a plot development, or such delightful, brave, and unusual characters. This book deserves to be much better known. If it took filming it to make that happen, then so be it.

I was thinking of this book as a gift for a 14 year old and it was so clear in my mind yet I couldn't remember the title so I called my mother. I started with, remember that book with the girl who was orphaned so she could only wear grey and lavender? (yes, Victorian era all the way) And there was a little seashore and all the boats had black sails? And Robin lived underground and his mother didn't have a mirror, just a round piece of copper? The images in this book are so striking, they will stay with you 20+ years after reading. Yes, the archetypes are there, but they aren't anything to be afraid of. Masterfully written, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting. The Little White Horse pulls you deep into its world -- and it's a fantasy world you want to be in (unlike Lemony Snicket, I might add). This is my favorite Elizabeth Gouge book and I would recommend it to any young girl, especially preteen or early teen. I rate it *Simply Delicious* and A Classic, definitely worth sharing with the next generation.

At first glance, years ago, I thought this was too "cutsey" for words. J. Rowland's comments sent me to it again, and there is a lot behind the cute I did not see then.

I must have read this book 10 or 15 times while I was growing up (from age 8 up through age 15 or so)-- I have always read avidly, but this book is one of the few I would want with me on a desert island. The book has a credible romance, adventure and mystery to satisfy those who like plot-driven writing, and a writing tone which, for some reason, I always found extraordinarily comforting. I'm excited to find it again as an adult.