Customer Reviews

The Maiden's Bequest (MacDonalds / Phillips Series)

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This book is one of the best i have ever read.
I feel as if I have known Annie and Alec all my life.
I feel as if I've been in Scotland and seen the streets, bridges, stores and houses in howgland.
If you could read only 1 book this year...make it this one!!!!

I read this book for the first time when I was in high school and fell in love with it. I read it again in college, and recently again in my mid-20's. Every time I read it it inspires me. The character of Annie is so unlike your typical protagonist; she is shy, self-deprecating, loyal, insecure, pure, and simply the most precious character you're likely to come across. The love between her and Alec grows so sweetly and unexpectedly that it's a revelation. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially if you are seeking something different from what is mainstream today. It is sweet, and pure, and incredibly beautiful and you will never forget the time you spent in its world. It illustrates what real love is in a way you will carry with you forever.

Michael Phillips did an excellent job of reproducing George MacDonald's Alec Forbes of Howglen. This book has all the touching qualities of a George MacDonald book with all the thought provoking one-liners that we all know George sat and crafted carefully.

Alec and Annie are two rare characters that have depth and life to them. They're not perfect, but they grow, learn, change, and mature as the story progresses. The story isn't all that complicated or intricate, but the characters are compelling. The unjust and the just have their ups and downs. Revenge is had but proven bitter. Love provides a shield against some storms yet no shield for others. I think one thing I enjoyed about the book was its simple beauty. The passages were well written. There were no sections where I thought the author was just being plain lazy with a description.

It's a bit tough to read at times, dense packing of words and all that, but it's well worth reading. Child safe, too, if you're so inclined to share with teens and younger children with very high reading skills.