Customer Reviews

The White Witch

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. "The White Witch" is like an onion; there are so many levels to the story. The uppermost involves the English civil war between Charles II and the newly developed Puritans, Catholics and Protestants and how the new religion affects one particular family. Robert Haselwood turns to the Protestants due to his relationship with one of the leaders - this causes conflict in his family, who enjoyed the lavishness of living under the rule of Charles II. One member of the his family has a background in the gypsies and this is a different "skin" - Froniga tries to live her life suspended between the two cultures. Her gypsy background is at "war" with her gorgio background and this affects her dealings with members of both families. Two men, both working for the king, drift in and out of the lives of the Haselwoods and Froniga, and each other. Then there is the battle between Good and Evil. Froniga uses her "white witch" gypsy medicinal talents to heal and comes to realize that crossing over to the dark practices is a very fine line. Elizabeth Goudge has such a wonderful way of dealing with the buiding up of the motivations (not really the work I'm looking for), emotions of the characters and painting word pictures that soar with beauty. This has been one of my favorite books for years; I've gone through three copies. This book is hard to come across and really should be reissued.

It's been years since I've read this book but the feel of it lingers still. It is the struggle between the evil and good of a dark witch and a white witch in old England. These witches are really almost ordinary women caught in the times they live in where the dark witch is old and filled with the dark thoughts that life can bring while the white witch looks towards the light. There is a struggle between their forces which one can see as how life is without understanding and reaching out between people. Elizabeth Goudge wrote with that wonderful sense that gives you the taste, touch, feel, and vision of how things must have been. I would love to read this book again as well as others she wrote. I hope her books will be rediscoverd as Edith Whartons were and republished for future generations to enjoy.

Elizabeth Goudge's later books are full of wondrous historical fiction, and this is one of her shining ones. It is a rare author who can so explicitly portray characters on so many levels. This is one of my favorite books. It leaves us thinking for many years, and it fills those blank spots that history leaves out...

The White Witch, a historical novel brings to life the times of Charles I and the English Civil Wars of the 1640s. Elizabeth Goudge does a wonderful job with the gypsy and Puritan characters throughout the book.However, some of the plot seems rather unbelievable and unlikely.I mean, would the Parson stay at a black witch's cottage after his house is burnt to the ground, when he's friends with the white witch throughout the novel? Goudge tends to write beautiful descriptions but I found the plot suffered because of this fact. By the novel's end, I was tired of reading redundant descriptions of the same forest and flowers. More action please! The characters although plausible don't seem to speak in the language of the times and their actions often contradict who they are supposed to be. Goudge,however,did her research on the occult, healing herbs and the gypsies.

I've loved this book since I first read it, ca. 1980. I was 17 at the time; and yet, at 47, I find I still glean new insights from Goudge's writing. I particularly enjoy Froniga's use of herbs, and the respect for the healing power of plants that comes through in many, if not all, of Goudge's novels. This is also a portrait of a woman who chose to live unconventionally (and successfully did so) in a time when independent women were discouraged, to put it mildly. Froniga rocks!

I read this book when I was in high school (about 45 years ago). It's just as good as it was then, and perhaps more interesting from an adult point of view. The history is accurate regarding the conflict between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads and Ms Goudge makes the period come alive. This book influenced my interests in herb lore, herb gardening and herbal and alternative medicine integrated with main stream medicine. For a good story and a look at England in the time of Charles I, and to learn a little, too, read this book!

This is a beautifully evocative novel that is lyrical in places, contemplative, and altogether lovely. Goudge's sense of place is wonderfully explored through her writing style. Her religious philosophy is laid out with a deft hand, but is never heavy handed. I loved her characters, especially her depiction of the gypsy peoples. Most of her characters were multi-layered, and you always felt like they were more then just black and white, but all the shades of grey that make up the human condition.

I would have liked it better except for the fact that I felt Goudge got off track with her depictions of battles. Personally, I'm not a fan of reading battle scenes, and I felt that she took the emphasis away from the main story of Froniga when she diverted the plot away from the main character.

Otherwise, a wonderful novel. I will be reading more Goudge.