The Princess and Curdie

The Princess and Curdie is the sequel of George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblin. Set a few years after the events of the first book, The Princess and Curdie follows Curdie as he sets out on a quest given to him by the old princess Irene.

When we first meet Curdie he has grown hardened by his time in the mine. On his way home from work he shoots a white pigeon. Realizing it belongs to the old princess (Irene's great great grandmother), he rushes into the abandoned castle to find the old princess. She heals her bird, and gifts Curdie with the ability to see a person's inner self by touching their hands. With his new gift he is sent on a quest to visit the king. Details of the quest are unknown, but the Princess assures him that with faith he will reach his destination and know exactly what to do.

Similar to C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald fills his book with christian allegories. Throughout the book, Curdie is told to keep going with blind faith. He learns to not judge a create by their appearance, but by what in on the inside. Lastly, he begins to preach right from wrong to anyone he meets. Along the way Curdie meets up with 50 strange creatures. People shun them as demons, and associate Curdie as the devil. The entire novel seems to draw from stories in the bible, especially the end of days.

The Princess and Curdie is categorized as a children's novel, but does not feel appropriate for today's children. Along with the religious emphasis, the book is at times violent, with an extensive vocabulary. It is better suited for a YA audience who undertstands the language and what is really going on. The theme of the novel is to trust the faith, and show kindness to all. The message is good, but the execution is dark. It is not as lighthearted as the first novel, but is closer to the dark style C.S. Lewis used in the final Chronicles of Narnia book. The violent actions are broken up by small cheerful descriptions (the king with Barbara, and the ball monster). They are what keeps the book going. The ending is overall a disappointment. MacDonald answers the question of what happens to the country and why we have never heard of it.

When I finished this book it was with a heavy heart. The last few paragraphs should have been a cheerful ending. Instead MacDonald ended it the way he did. I wish there were more books in this series. I really enjoyed the character of Curdie and Lina. I also enjoyed the mines. I don't know of any other tales that focus on a princess and a miner. It was a nice change from the knight coming to save the day or the ordinary servant, or farmer who falls for a princess. Curdie had his own thoughts and actions. He knew what he wanted in life. He was independent, down to earth, strong and respectable. Lina was also a great character. And ugly, dog-like creature, MacDonald gave her a heart. I did not understand her ending, but I would have loved to see more.

In all, MacDonald had some great ideas. His novel was interesting, but will have a hard time being applied to modern audiences.

This story convinced me that I want to continue to read more Macdonald, and left me with many things to chew and ponder. Compared to Princess and the Goblin, the overarching storyline was considerably bleaker and darker, and I wouldn't recommend it to younger readers who may have been able to handle and enjoy Princess & the Goblin (my 5 year old, for example). I think some more maturity is required to appreciate and glean the nuggets of wisdom that Princess & Curdie has to offer, and it may leave young readers feeling confused, upset, and disenchanted. Nonetheless, a brilliant story that I enjoyed and will have my kids read when they are a tad bit older. Finally, as a big fan of “Curdie's mother”, I was happy her name was revealed in this sequel :)

4.5 stars

The second of two books that follow the magical adventures of the Princess Irene and the miner's son Curdie, this one tells the story of a plot against the king, Irene's father, and of the quest Curdie was sent on to save the kingdom from the corruption that was quickly spreading through the palace, the city, and the whole land. It was a fun read, but I have to admit, I liked the first book better. It switched the perspective to Curdie's for almost the entire story, and I missed seeing things through Irene's eyes.

However, I still enjoyed it. There were some profound lessons and a subtle allegoric message that was fascinating to see play out, all the way to the unexpected ending. George MacDonald is a literary master, and I am so glad to have read these two books.