George MacDonald's Children's Fantasies and the Divine Imagination

This critical examination of George MacDonald's foundational children's fantasies reveals how the Victorian author fundamentally shaped modern fantasy through his unique theological vision. Colin Manlove meticulously analyzes MacDonald's eight shorter fairy tales alongside his major longer works, demonstrating how the writer saw divine imagination as the common source for both storytelling and spiritual truth. The book explores MacDonald's radical belief that God inhabits the human mind's depths, sending up wonder and narrative that bridge earthly and divine realms. Manlove's scholarship illuminates how MacDonald's Christian worldview infused his fantasy worlds with profound metaphysical dimensions.

What distinguishes this literary analysis is its focus on how MacDonald's theological convictions directly informed his creative process and narrative structures. Manlove demonstrates how fantasy served as MacDonald's primary vehicle for expressing divine truth, making this study particularly valuable for readers interested in the intersection of faith and literature. The book offers essential insights for fantasy enthusiasts seeking to understand the genre's spiritual origins and for scholars tracing the development of modern fantasy from its Christian roots. Through careful examination of MacDonald's symbolic landscapes and character transformations, Manlove reveals how these children's stories continue to resonate with theological depth and imaginative power.