Rating: 
Summary: Enchanting historical fairy-tale
Review: I happened to discover this gem when I was about 11 or so, and fell in love with it from the first page. Unfortunately for that tattered old library copy, I checked it out again many a time because the book was out of print and I couldn't find my own copy. (How I wished for something like Amazon or abebooks.com then!) How happy I am to find that it is reissued at last!As others have said here, the story takes place in a comfortable little village in a land that is similiar to the England of centuries ago. The customs, the language, the dress and thinking are all from a past era--yet the story is still captivating today. Really, it is a fairy-tale within a fairy-tale! Some have said that this is a story that you love as a child, but that you cannot appreciate as a "grown up". I beg to differ, it is all a question of whether you have "grown up" or "grown old". If you have passed into adult life, yet are still able to remember the joy of youth, you WILL love this memory AS MUCH as you once did, only with a different viewpoint--and I think, a better one. There are many varying comments, and even broad ideas, within these pages that require a mature, adult mind to grasp (rather like C.S. Lewis's Narnia). If you once loved it, try it and you just may love it again. All stories age over time. The Little White Horse was already a historical fantasy when it was published--that was and is its charm, and as time goes by, it can only become more charming!
Rating: 
Summary: Pollyanna goes to Faerie
Review: The author was drinking way too much sugar in her tea when she wrote "The Little White Horse." ... Kids will love it. Adults might feel their teeth scaling over. Well, the whole book is like that. The worst of the villains are poachers and cow thieves, although I wasn't very fond of the pastor who shouted out his parishioners' sins as they left church. Fortunately, sins in the village of Silverydew were few and minor. The plot is simple: orphaned Victorian teen-ager, Maria Merryweather goes to live with her new guardian at lovely Moonacre Manor. There is a curse on the manor and its surrounding acres that only she can lift. With the help of her many animal friends (lion, hare, dog, horse, cat, unicorn) and her husband-to-be, Maria sets out to give this story a happy ending. All of the animals are weighted with heavy symbolic meaning. The lion represents the sun, courage, and loyalty. Wiggins, the King Charles Spaniel (my favorite character) represents vanity and greed. The unicorn is a creature of the Moon, symbolizing purity and "remembrance of things lost to earthly sight." And so forth. ... including a herd of sheep that have been returned to Church ownership by Maria (hint on symbolism: poor little sheep that have gone astray. Bah. Bah. Baaah.) There are many lessons that girls can learn from this book. The three that I found most obnoxious were: • Curiosity is unbecoming and will lead you astray. Adults will tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it.
• Never argue with your man. Arguing could curse a whole village.
• The best of all possible fates is to marry your childhood sweetheart and have ten children. "The Little White Horse" is written with a "haunting beauty of wording and atmosphere (The Saturday Review)." Many people adore it (according to the cover blurb), including J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books. I realize that I'm speaking for a small minority (maybe a minority of one) when I say it gave me indigestion.
Rating:
Summary: Moonlit fantasy
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book!
Review: I Love this book! I'm so happy it is back in print because I believe it had been out of print for a while. I read a copy from an out of print book publishing company and I loved it! I love the way the plot all ties together at the end. It is an amazing book and you should read it!
Rating: 
Summary: Very enchanting...with one small flaw
Review: I absoultly adored this book. It is truely magical and would recomend it to anyone. However, you are probably wondering about this small flaw. That is, being an athiest, I was somewhat offened by some of the things said about athiests. One thing struck me in particular, when discribing a character, another character said, "...but he was a terrible thing, an athiest..." This is telling people, in my opinion, that while it isn't alright to make fun of people for their religion, it is alright to attack people that don't have a religion. Other then that, this book is a magical trip and a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Listen to this one, and you'll have to own your own copy!
Review: The Little White Horse was a magical rendition of a wonderful fantasy tale, written by a beloved author. A must read, or must listen to, with children. Like the book, Lad, a Dog, and other wonderful stories, this one will stay with you for a lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: This book is simply amazing. For one, it is long enough to keep me entertained for quite a while, and second, the author uses so many descriptive words that I could almost SEE the scene happening before me. When I read, I was so wrapped up in the magical world of 'The Little White Horse' that I didn't realise that I have to get off the train until my mother shook me! Overall, this book is LOVELY...I put 'The Little White Horse' down for the column, 'Favourite Book' when friends ask me to sign their 'friends' book'.
Rating:
Summary: The Little White Horse - a magical tale
Review: I happened upon this story at my public library in the form of books on tape. I didn't realize it was a children's book, but rented it because I am a big fan of Elizabeth Goudge. I found the story engaging and delightful. I like the strength and kindness of the main character, Maria. The story is filled with magical characters; each struggling to be the best creature possible. I immediately bought a copy for my oldest grand daughter. Although, this is a book with special appeal for preteen girls; it is a mystical story which will charm readers of any age.
Rating:
Summary: This book has kept the magic
Review: There are several books I loved as a child which I've tried to find again and read as an adult. Few of them - perhaps understandably - have evoked the same feelings for me as they did back then. Not so with The Little White Horse. I've re-read it several times over the past fifteen years, and each time the experience is new, fresh, and magical. (C S Lewis's Narnia Chronicles work for me as well.) I was interested to see that Harry Potter creator J K Rowling cites TLWH as one of her favourites.
Rating:
Summary: A definate classic...
Review: I read this book for the first time quite a few years ago, and I still love it! I think it is great, the way it is so full of things out of fairytales, yet is is so vivid and fresh. A must for any good book lover!
| 
