George MacDonald
1858
Annotated edition edited by John Pennington and Roderick McGill in 2017.
5/5 stars
Published in 1858, Phantastes is a coming of age story, that tells of Anodos' journey through Fairy Land. MacDonald's prose is beautiful and lush and his poetry, while a product of it's time, is often enchanting. The story itself is engaging and at times enthralling. It is a delightful read for those who enjoy both allegory and Victorian literature.
I have read this before, and was excited to find an annotated version. The editors John Pennington and Roderick McGillis define some of the more obscure words, interpret foreign phrases, place the novel in it's historical and literary place, point out influences, and give insights to the allegory. They also include a detailed introduction and appendices including illustrations, influences, contemporary reviews, and scholarly articles, in addition to a lengthy bibliography. This adds greatly to the enjoyment of the novel, and I'm delighted to have read it.
Read as part of the Classics Club. My explanation is here.
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