- Paperback: 167 pages
- Publisher: Schocken (Jan 1 1987)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0805207228
- ISBN-13: 978-0805207224
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 13 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book,
By
This review is from: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women (Hardcover)
This was an amazing book by George MacDonald. It was absolutely beautiful and I could not put it down. When I had to put it down, my thoughts were constantly drawn back to the story of Anodos and his journey through the Land of Faerie.As I read, I could see that he was showing me much more than just the skin of the story. There was so much underneath that I could see, like shadows of fish in pond. You can see them, but can't particularly tell what kind they are. Perhaps this is due to lack of intelligence on my part, yet, there was much that I did not understand about the story. Even so, it added to the beauty and mystery of the book. Also, this version by Johannesen is great. The illustrations by Arthur Hughes are perfect to go along with the book.
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's All About Sex,
By A Customer
This review is from: PHANTASTES (Paperback)
While I'm not inclined to Freudian analysis, either McDonald intended this as a moral allegory to illustrate "appropriate" sexual behavior, or he thought his readers too naive to perceive some very suggestive symbolism. The book begins as the narrator, Anodos, is officially celebrating his entry into manhood on his 21st birthday. A beautiful woman magically appears and offers him a visit to Fairy Land, which he accepts. Anodos then wanders through a magical forest experiencing encounters of two kinds. The first kind are with women old enough to be his mother or grandmother. These women not only feed and lodge him, but (though perfect strangers) listen to him, dry his tears, stroke him, and generally cosset him; which he thoroughly enjoys.The mother-figures also warn Anodos against some encounters of the second kind, which is with women more or less his own age. One is a magical tree woman who rescues him from danger, holds him in her arms all night, and says she loves him. When he leaves her sorrowing in the morning he reasons that "she has all the pleasures she ever had" and "her life will perhaps be richer" for his memory, even though he did not stay. He brings a stone woman to life with poetry (the weakest aspect of this book is the abundance of second-rate poetry), but he is not supposed to touch her, and she flees from him. He encounters a second tree woman who takes him into her cave-bower. She tells him her life story, in which she continually refers to her own beauty, and "what followed I cannot clearly remember"-but when the story resumes, it's the next morning. He encounters a "little maiden . . . almost a woman" who carries a fragile globe. He keeps trying to touch it, and breaks it when he does so by force. She weeps, crying repeatedly that he has "broken her globe." Anodos does start to feel guilty about his behavior, the guilt represented by a black shadow that follows him everywhere regardless of the sun. However, he finds a fairy palace, which is probably a Christian allegory, where he meditates, reads, and contemplates. Healed from the wrong he has done others, he generously forgives himself and returns home (alleviating the anxiety his two little sisters have felt over his disappearance for three mortal weeks). The moral conclusion is, "what we call evil is the only and best shape, which, for the person and his condition at the time, could be assumed by the best good." Of course, there is the problem of what happened to all the women Anodos wronged . . .His only punishment is that the stone woman marries someone else--a knight he greatly admires, and he soon decides they are fully worthy of each other.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews) 13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Additional Product Details,
By jwsmith78 - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women (Hardcover)
The following review is given specifically for the Johannesen edition (George MacDonald Original Works) of Phantastes.First of all, the book has a slick, dark green cover that is waterproof. The front cover and spine are engraved with gold leafing, which gives the book a beautiful antique appearance. Furthermore, the spine is well-rounded and appears to be enforced for a lifetime of handling (this is obviously important for a serious book collector!). Also, the sewn pages within are acid-free and are of a light cream color which makes it easy on the eyes while reading. Secondly, Johannesen has included all thirty-three illustrations by Arthur Hughes. No other modern printing of this text includes these illustrations. Although it may sound silly to wish for these illustrations, it really adds a touch of delightful nostaglia to Phantastes Thirdly, the Johannesen editions are considered authoritative editions, which hold significant weight for the literary student or MacDonald scholar. Although the price may seem a bit steep, the product is well worth it. This is an attractive edition which may be passed down through your family for generations to come. I hope that this brief review has been helpful - happy shopping! 8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book,
By D. Forsythe - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women (Hardcover)
This was an amazing book by George MacDonald. It was absolutely beautiful and I could not put it down. When I had to put it down, my thoughts were constantly drawn back to the story of Anodos and his journey through the Land of Faerie.As I read, I could see that he was showing me much more than just the skin of the story. There was so much underneath that I could see, like shadows of fish in pond. You can see them, but can't particularly tell what kind they are. Perhaps this is due to lack of intelligence on my part, yet, there was much that I did not understand about the story. Even so, it added to the beauty and mystery of the book. Also, this version by Johannesen is great. The illustrations by Arthur Hughes are perfect to go along with the book. 7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A step into Fairyland,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women (Hardcover)
I first had to read Phantastes for a college English class, but i've since reread it dozens of times for my own enjoyment. MacDonald virtually transports the reader into the mind and heart of Anados (the main character) as he journeys through Fairyland. Here, Fairyland is a deeply dreamlike, sometimes nightmarish place where everything and everyone has a signifigance far beyond the surface. For me, the best part of this story is the fact that one can read it as a simple adventure or as a spiritual journey. The allegorical aspects of Phantastes are everpresent, though not blatant. MacDonald's flowery, Victorian prose allows the reader to draw only as much from Phantastes as he would like to get. However, if you read this, it will probably suck you right into the heart of the story. If you are looking for a dark, rich fantasy, this is the original...
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