At The Back of the North Wind - George MacDonald Book Review

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Review Summary

Set in London around 1900, the young boy Diamond has to learn to drive Diamond the horse, which pulls his father's cab. The family is very poor and sometimes starving, and he sleeps over the stables where the horses are kept, but he is such a happy child that folks call him 'God's Baby'. And he is no ordinary boy: one night he is visited in his bedroom by North Wind, who is a beautiful woman, a breeze, or a storm, as she chooses. He discovers that she plays a powerful role in our lives and she is able to take him on a dozen wild adventures and teach him many things about the world that very few know, be they adult or child. He is even privileged to see the land at the Back of the North Wind. There is also a 'story within a story' in this book, which is worth reading on its own. It is a classical fairy story about Princess Daylight, who is blessed at birth by the good witches, but cursed by a bad one. A prince has to sort it out and they live happily ever after. However, Diamond's story has a tragic but beautiful ending. 'North Wind' is different to the 'Princess and Curdie' stories, but strangely similar. Recommended for anyone up to age of twelve, then again after the age of twenty-five.
Michael JR Jose, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of At The Back of the North Wind

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - sensitive (sigh....)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - an adult (general)
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - exploring a wondrous planet or phenomena
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)
Family relations Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - blue collar worker
Age: - a kid
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - can talk to animals - fire/lightning/weather cntrl - can see into the future - healing
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric
How sensitive is this character? - soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - physically sick

Main Adversary
Identity: - society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.

Setting
Terrain - Water
Earth setting: - 19th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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