Rating: 
Summary: Beyond Common Human Understanding
Review: I was brought to this book through the works of C. S. Lewis, and I was not disappointed. Although it starts off a bit hard to read, it rapidly becomes a wonderful journey through the spiritual world described in a metaphorical manner. This is necessary because MacDonald attempts to describe the texture of spiritual truths that are beyond common human understanding. Readers will find this book to be different from his Victorian tales. His story goes deeper into controversial theological issues than he does in his other novels (other than "Lilith") and sermons. In so doing, he deals with a part of the spiritual arena that is usually dealt with only by New Age or Eastern philosophies. Thus, MacDonald demonstrates that Christianity can deal with such areas, and must not surrender this away to other faiths. He was way ahead of his time in his thinking about spiritual issues.
Rating: 
Summary: A dull, boring fairy story
Review: I was only able to make it all the way through to the end of this monotonous book by sheer determination. I have never seen the merit that others (including C.S. Lewis) have found in it. I was yawning from start to finish. When the end finally came, I borrowed a phrase from Lewis himself to place a moratorium on ever returning to this book for another look: "Never again."
Rating: 
Summary: Not much plot but some nice lyrics
Review: I was shocked to see that the few reviews for this story were so positive. Not much happens in this story that could have aptly been called _A Walk Through Fairyland". There is no main 'objective' just the main character (the only character) wandering around meeting people or fairy creatures in a very linear fashion. The ending really didn't have much of a conclusion and the extremely liberal use of quotes was distracting from the story. It would have been much better if the prose was dropped and the songs were just collected. If you like no action, no character development and overwritten description give this book a try.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Quite As Good As Lilith...BUT Still Wonderful
Review: MacDonald's "Phantastes" often seems to be compared to his other surreal adventure story "Lilith". In both stories, a young man is residing harmlessly at home when a door is suddenly opened to another world. Both men - one in each story - step inside and embark on a journey, though neither is exactly sure where he is going or why.
In these fairy type worlds, both men encounter the sweet, the evil, the beautiful and the creepy. Both men receive intermittent guidance along the way, and both have to discern who to trust and who not to trust. Indeed, there is a very similar feel to the two stories.
However, that said, I found "Phantastes" to have quite a different tone than "Lilith," and in it MacDonald explores different issues. "Lilith" was filled with epic themes of good and evil. While the main character struggled to figure out who was good and who was evil, he essentially is always battling the force of evil - and all the moreso the more he figured out what was going on. This dynamic tension and ensuing adventure therefore draw the reader through the book like one is drawn through a good mystery novel.
The plot of "Phantastes," however, progresses mostly without any singular struggle with evil or any other epic tension; the main character is simply bopping around a fairy land, getting into some scrapes and meeting some interesting folks. His major struggles, essentially, always come down to battling his own private demons and weaknesses. This being the case, I found that "Phantastes" moved a lot slower than "Lilith." I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it; it simply wasn't clear what the point was to this fairy journey.
In the end, if a reader enjoys one of these books, he will likely enjoy the other one. MacDonald was not the most gifted pure writer, but he was incredibly gifted in transporting the reader to new realms. And, his constant creativity and mind-blowing turns of plot in these new realms is definitely enough of a reason to read him. He did inspire the likes of Tolkien and Lewis after all.
Rating:
Summary: If you like C.S. Lewis you'll love George Macdonald
Review: Many of the prevalent themes that one finds in C.S. Lewis' work are in this book. If you enjoyed the Pilgrim's Regress and Suprised by Joy, I would highly recommend this one.
Rating:
Summary: 7 out of 10
Review: Phantastes is a small, yet complex book. I enjoyed this book even though I often felt compelled to put it down. I do not agree completely with Lewis when he says that McDonald's writing style is not his strength. Although the prose is sometimes rough or overly drawn-out in places, I cannot imagine this book being written any other way. Also, this book contains passages that convey great beauty. I recommend this book to all who have finally grown old enough to love fairy tales again.
Rating:
Summary: Deep and thought-provoking
Review: Since C.S. Lewis is my hero, I had been wanting to read this book for a long time. I finally read it this year.
Though this book was not really what I expected it to be, I still enjoyed it.
My most favorite part in the book is the frame story of Cosmo and the mirror lady. This frame story is the greatest frame story I've ever read in a book before, and I could not put the book down during this story. I think it really parallels Christ's love for us, and shows the theme of the book, which I thought to be the importance of dying before you can truly live.
Though it was vague in places, I love Macdonald's beautiful descriptions and would also recommend his Sir Gibbie stories and Lilith. Macdonald was an incredibly imaginative and creative writer, and I admire him and see how Lewis was influenced by him.
Rating:
Summary: Phantastes: Just another Fantasy ?
Review: The author was unknown to me when I first picked up this book. I had last delved into fantasy novels as a child, the most notable being the writings of Tolkien & CS Lewis. Phantastes was something on another level completely. Where it may lack the adventure, characterisation & humour of other books, it is a powerful psychological journey. While reading, I was "Anodos" and his experience in the Faerie Lands brought revelatory knowledge of my innermost self. I wept as I slept securely in the warm presence of the Beech & felt again the deep maternal love of my mother for her young child. I shuddered with the recognition of the infernal shadow that sped toward me in the Ogre's cottage knowing that the picture matched my own experience also, and I left that house running, carrying with me an overwhelming sense of despair. I also found that as the character Anodos found redemption and finally his release, that I too, have known this longing all my life. George MacDonald, the author was a man who travelled a hard road, constantly seeing those dear to him dying of the prevalent illnesses of the Victorian era. He lost his mother at a young age and the memory of her is felt through most of his work as are many of the influential & formative experiences of his life. He is a man motivated to use his perceptive writing to influnce people to be greater men & women and I thank him for it.
Rating:
Summary: Phantastes: Just another Fantasy ?
Review: The author was unknown to me when I first picked up this book. I had last delved into fantasy novels as a child, the most notable being the writings of Tolkien & CS Lewis. Phantastes was something on another level completely. Where it may lack the adventure, characterisation & humour of other books, it is a powerful psychological journey. While reading, I was "Anodos" and his experience in the Faerie Lands brought revelatory knowledge of my innermost self. I wept as I slept securely in the warm presence of the Beech & felt again the deep maternal love of my mother for her young child. I shuddered with the recognition of the infernal shadow that sped toward me in the Ogre's cottage knowing that the picture matched my own experience also, and I left that house running, carrying with me an overwhelming sense of despair. I also found that as the character Anodos found redemption and finally his release, that I too, have known this longing all my life. George MacDonald, the author was a man who travelled a hard road, constantly seeing those dear to him dying of the prevalent illnesses of the Victorian era. He lost his mother at a young age and the memory of her is felt through most of his work as are many of the influential & formative experiences of his life. He is a man motivated to use his perceptive writing to influnce people to be greater men & women and I thank him for it.
Rating:
Summary: a tapestry of symbols
Review: The story of a man and his journey into the faerie land, Phantastes is rather a series of experiences than a continuous plot. The main character is no brave hero, and by no means does he succeed in all his adventures. But the true value of the book comes from understanding that it is by weighing our experiences rather than succeeding in them all that we find meaning in this life. Being composed of so many events that take place in the protagonist's journey, Phantastes could almost be chopped up into several short stories and served as a chronological anthology. But MacDonald, contrary to the conventions we are accustomed to today, chose to keep the narative together and present it as if it were one contiuous plot. Therefore, those who expect action are as little likely to find it as the are to enjoy the book. But for those of us who are romantics who can get lost in the beauty of each of these episodes, there is a glorious treasure to be found in this journey to the land of faeries.
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