The Golden Key (A Sunburst Book)

This has been a favorite book since college (decades ago); George MacDonald was a friend of C.S. Lewis. I would have preferred it in hardback but it is wonderful nonetheless, including illustrations by Sendak! It is a book for all ages, as hopefully, we are still children in our hearts.

This new edition of McDonald’s 19th c. classic, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, contains riches for both a middle-grade child reading it as a questing fairy tale and as an adult seeing it as a metaphor for life, death and the afterlife. I was grateful for Jane Yolen’s afterword to give some background about the writer and to put the tale in context and for the illustrator’s note at the end. This is a multilayered work that benefits from both.Shadows and rainbows with colors no one has ever seen before are central to the imagery of The Golden Key. It’s brilliant and refreshing to choose the black and white medium of scratchboard, with its layered, high-contrast detail and immediacy — rather than going the way of a traditional, full-color illustrated book. The reader brings a lot to this work; let their imagination color this numinous world.Ruth Sanderson is a skilled master of this difficult medium and her figures and faces are especially beautiful here, along with her gorgeous rendering of light. There is one face in particular, described in great detail by the writer and on which much hinges emotionally in the text (The Old Man Of The Fire in Chapter 7), and Sanderson nails it. Superb.This is a well-designed, generously illustrated book for all ages, with some delightful additions to the text. Sanderson bookended the tale with double-page spreads at the beginning and end, where a seeker is discovered and set on his way and are then invited to take up the quest at the very end. The cycle begins anew, framing this work in a way any reader can understand — no matter their age or approach.Sanderson was clearly passionate about illustrating this project, and it shows. A treasure to keep and to give to special people as a gift. Highly recommended.

George MacDonald's "The Golden Key" is really only a short story (or maybe a short novelette), but is packed with wonder and awe. It has great depths to it, and is surely worthy of many rereadings, and much time to think about. As I read it, I delighted in ideas borrowed by C.S. Lewis's books, and some of Tolkien's. Of course, Lewis himself stated that MacDonald was his master (having been a seminal literary figure in his life), and lovers of either Lewis or Tolkien should without doubt read both "The Golden Key" and MacDonald's master work, "Phantastes". "The Golden Key", like all of MacDonald's works, is for adults, even though very little of it would be unsuitable for children; like Lewis' and Tolkien's works, it is based solidly on a firm moral core which continues to resonate with me long after I have finished reading it.

Like so many MacDonald stories, I ended with the sense I could see and yet not see what the theme was, that the story was beautiful yet hard to define. Well worth the experience!

A short fairy tale potent with powerful magic that drew me into the fairy world and got lost there until the end of the story. Such a treat!

I bought it as a gift & wish I could get another one.

I was partway through Tolkein’s famous essay on fairy tales when he mentioned this story. I decided to check it out and was quite impressed. It’s an Odyssian adventure rich with imagination. Its strength lies not in the plot but in the imagery. My favorite part is that it lends equal weight to both a male and female lead. Worth reading if you want a story that appeals to any age group.

Very well packaged and promptly delivered. A wonderful fantasy story.

George MacDonald's work was new to me. These tiny books thrilled me with their storytelling - so magical, so ecological and so 'bang up to date'. Full of enchantment, this story will touch you deeply if you read with an open heart. As I write this, I want to re-read this story, so this must be a very good sign! I love George MacDonald - let's spread the word.

Ho acquistato il libro soprattutto per il suo corredo di illustrazioni,avendo già letto precedentemente la storia.Devo dire che sono rimasta piacevolmente sorpresa dalla bellezza delle immagini riprodotte.Pienamente soddisfatta dell'acquisto

I already knew this wonderful story by George MacDonald, but the illustrations made by Ruth Sanderson make the experience even more fantastic. It's definitely worth paying attention to every detail you see in the pictures, while letting your mind be transported to Fairy Land along with the characters.

Full of unexpected twists and turns and a layered context that I'm still processing. Wonderful read!

This is a lovely book. The second of George Mac Donald's books that I am reading. His writing is as beautiful as ever.