AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND

LOVED IT.

I recently discovered MacDonald at a garage sale for a dime. I vaguely recalled having heard his name in home school circles and so for $0.10 I devoured The Light Princess and fell in love. I love his princess stories so I was particularly delighted to find a princess story within the Back of the North Wind. It's like a two-for-one deal!

At any rate, occasionally Diamond reminded me of a male version of Elsie Dinsmore. All his responses were perfect and he always had a delightful attitude, etc. Children like that make me sick because they are beyond perfection. Despite that, I was able to concentrate enough on North Wind and thoroughly enjoy the book.

My favorite part was when North Wind had to sink the ship. I get so tired of the modern day question, "If God is good why did He allow thus and such to happen?" I thought MacDonald answered that well by having North Wind explain that sinking the ship WAS good. Although some things may be painful for us to watch and to bear, ultimately they are for our good. Things we don't understand have meaning. J & I just watched "The Hiding Place" and one of the Ten Boom's fellow prisoners asked how God could allow such suffering with the creation and sustaining of the concentration camps. Betsy Ten Boom answered, "To teach us to obey Him." I though MacDonald did a nice job saying the same thing. We need to hang tight to God's hand, trust and obey. Easier said than done but delightfully expressed in this story.

Anyway, it was fun to read another MacDonald story but after reading a few of his books in a row I'm ready to move onto something else. My copy of Beekeeper's Apprentice just arrived at the library and after eLr's post I can't wait to read it!