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The Princess and the Goblin

George MacDonald

Book Overview: 

The Princess and the Goblin is an enthralling fantasy tale written by George MacDonald. Her nurse Lootie raises the princess Irene in a house on a mountain, it is here that she meets her mysterious great-great-grandmother, and her friend the minor boy Curdie. Things are peaceful for Irene until the hideous race of goblins that live beneath the mountain start planning something big.

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .It gave a great spring, and ran straight up one of the rocks like a huge spider. Curdie turned back laughing, and took Irene's hand again. She grasped his very tight, but said nothing till they had passed the rocks. A few yards more and she found herself on a part of the road she knew, and was able to speak again.

"Never mind, Princess Irene," he said. "You mustn't kiss me to-night. But you sha'n't break your word. I will come another time."

"Do you know, Curdie, I don't quite like your song; it sounds to me rather rude," she said.

"Well, perhaps it is," answered Curdie. "I never thought of that; it's a way we have. We do it because they don't like it."

"Who don't like it?"

"The cobs, as we call them."

"Don't!" said the nurse.

"Why not?" said Curdie.

"I beg you won't. Please don't."

"Oh, if you ask me that way, of course I won't; though I don't a bit know why. . . Read More

Community Reviews

I was immediately drawn to this story when I read the first page to this edition which reads:

"THERE was once a little princess who—
"But Mr. Author, why do you always write about princesses?"
"Because every little girl is a princess."
"You will make them vain if you tell them that."
"Not if they underst

A great fairytale. Very reminiscent in a way of C.S. Lewis' writing, so I was not surprised to find that MacDonald actually heavily inspired not only Lewis, but also J.R.R. Tolkien as well. Classically written fantasy with strong allegorical thematic tones, The Princess and the Goblin is both heartw

A charming fairy tale for children about a princess, a miner and hundreds of goblins- not just one.

The goblins hate the king because they used to be normal humans. They chose to live underground, to be away from the king and his taxes, and that choice has turned them inhumanely ugly and grotesque.

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*Read for class*

The Lord in his mercy has given me another chance to teach Charlotte Mason style and I am getting to visit so many old friends.

I tried to start with a couple excellent books to whet my student's appetite and delightfully he has responded with joy.

I will always give George MacDonald 4 or 5 stars. I

No wonder why Tolkien and CS Lewis admired this tale. A very fine and enchanting story.

Published in 1872, The Princess and the Goblin is one of the first books in the modern fantasy genre. This book had tremendous and very visible influence on all the (now much more famous) authors that came after it.

It is of course very dated. It does not match the standards that fantasy have created

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