What do you think?
Rate this book
Adela Cathcart, Vol 1
Adela Cathcart is a novel written by the acclaimed Scottish author George MacDonald. The book is divided into two volumes, with volume one being the first part of the story. It follows the life of Adela Cathcart, a young woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. Adela is intelligent, curious, and deeply introspective, but she is also prone to bouts of melancholy and self-doubt.Throughout the book, Adela grapples with questions of faith, identity, and purpose. She is deeply affected by the people around her, and she finds herself drawn to those who are kind, compassionate, and spiritually-minded. Along the way, she encounters a variety of characters, each with their own unique struggles and challenges.One of the central themes of the book is the power of storytelling. Adela is an avid reader and writer, and she finds solace and inspiration in the stories she encounters. She also discovers that she has a talent for storytelling herself, and she begins to use this gift to help others.Overall, Adela Cathcart is a thought-provoking and deeply moving novel that explores some of the most fundamental questions of human existence. It is a testament to George MacDonald's skill as a writer and his ability to create complex, nuanced characters who resonate with readers long after the book is finished.""And the king said to 'All the queens of my acquaintance have children, some three, some seven, an some as many as twelve; and my queen has not one. I feel ill-used.' So he made up his mind to be cross with his wife about it. But she bore it all like a good patient queen as she was. Then the king grew very cross indeed. But the queen pretended to take it all as a joke, and a very good one, too.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
- GenresFiction
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
George MacDonald
1,895 books2,280 followersGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 20, 2016
Mind exercise, spiritual calesthenics
Ever since a friendship reintroduced me to George MacDonald, i have eagerly been reading his works. It is not his skill at writing so much as his understanding of God and man, Jesus and faith that intrigue me. Less dogma; more agape.
Ever since a friendship reintroduced me to George MacDonald, i have eagerly been reading his works. It is not his skill at writing so much as his understanding of God and man, Jesus and faith that intrigue me. Less dogma; more agape.
June 18, 2016
Not incredible, but thoughtful and warm-hearted
September 27, 2019
Quotes I love from the book-
Page 5
“But the night and the frost wake the sunshine of a higher world in our hearts; and who cares for winter weather at Christmas?—I believe in the proximate correctness of the date of our Saviour's birth. I believe he always comes in winter. And then let Winter reign without: Love is king within; and Love is lord of the Winter.”
Page 15
"The winter is the childhood of the year. Into this childhood of the year came the child Jesus; and into this childhood of the year must we all descend. It is as if God spoke to each of us according to our need: My son, my daughter, you are growing old and cunning; you must grow a child again, with my son, this blessed birth-time. You are growing old and selfish; you must become a child. You are growing old and careful; you must become a child. You are growing old and distrustful; you must become a child. You are growing old and petty, and weak, and foolish; you must become a child—my child, like the baby there, that strong sunrise of faith and hope and love, lying in his mother's arms in the stable.
"But one may say to me: 'You are talking in a dream. The Son of God is a child no longer. He is the King of Heaven.' True, my friends. But He who is the Unchangeable, could never become anything that He was not always, for that would be to change. He is as much a child now as ever he was. When he became a child, it was only to show us by itself, that we might understand it better, what he was always in his deepest nature. And when he was a child, he was not less the King of Heaven; for it is in virtue of his childhood, of his sonship, that he is Lord of Heaven and of Earth—'for of such'—namely, of children—'is the kingdom of heaven.' And, therefore, when we think of the baby now, it is still of the Son of man, of the King of men, that we think.”
Page 94
“Who can tell how many have been counted fools simply because they were prophets; or how much of the madness in the world may be the utterance of thoughts true and just, but belonging to a region differing from ours in its nature and scenery!”
Page 5
“But the night and the frost wake the sunshine of a higher world in our hearts; and who cares for winter weather at Christmas?—I believe in the proximate correctness of the date of our Saviour's birth. I believe he always comes in winter. And then let Winter reign without: Love is king within; and Love is lord of the Winter.”
Page 15
"The winter is the childhood of the year. Into this childhood of the year came the child Jesus; and into this childhood of the year must we all descend. It is as if God spoke to each of us according to our need: My son, my daughter, you are growing old and cunning; you must grow a child again, with my son, this blessed birth-time. You are growing old and selfish; you must become a child. You are growing old and careful; you must become a child. You are growing old and distrustful; you must become a child. You are growing old and petty, and weak, and foolish; you must become a child—my child, like the baby there, that strong sunrise of faith and hope and love, lying in his mother's arms in the stable.
"But one may say to me: 'You are talking in a dream. The Son of God is a child no longer. He is the King of Heaven.' True, my friends. But He who is the Unchangeable, could never become anything that He was not always, for that would be to change. He is as much a child now as ever he was. When he became a child, it was only to show us by itself, that we might understand it better, what he was always in his deepest nature. And when he was a child, he was not less the King of Heaven; for it is in virtue of his childhood, of his sonship, that he is Lord of Heaven and of Earth—'for of such'—namely, of children—'is the kingdom of heaven.' And, therefore, when we think of the baby now, it is still of the Son of man, of the King of men, that we think.”
Page 94
“Who can tell how many have been counted fools simply because they were prophets; or how much of the madness in the world may be the utterance of thoughts true and just, but belonging to a region differing from ours in its nature and scenery!”
June 1, 2021
This book became a task to finish, but I would say there were some incredible moments. Rich truths baked within its story, and if you take the time, can really do something special in your heart. I am glad I read it, though the story was a little too distracted for my liking.
May 5, 2012
Great. simple profound and wonderful. Almost a lite read, but there are deeper bits of MacDonald throughout that save this (and the other two volumes) from being like a Grace Livingston Hill novel.
"It is quite possible to be too much afraid of giving offence." (sic)
"I took a glance a tthe books lying about. I always take advantage of such an opportunity of gainig immediate insight into character. Let me see a man's book-shelves, especially if there are not extensive, and I fancy I know at once, in some measure, what sort of a man the owner is."
"It is not great battles alone that build up the world's history, nor great poems alone that make the generations grow. There is a still small rain from heaven that has more to do with the blessedness of nature and of human nature, than the mightiest earthquake, or the loveliest rainbow."
"God makes the glow-worm as well as the star; the light in both is divine. If mine be an earth-star to gladden the wayside, I must cultivate humbly and rejoicingly its green earth-glow, and not seek to blanch it to the whiteness of the stars that lie in the fields of blue FOr to deny God in my own being is to cease to behold him in any. God and ma can meet only by man's becoming that which God meant him to be. Then he enters into the house of life, which is greater than the house of fame."
"But I think how pleased I should be, if I had a daughter, and she loved me so well that she only smiled when I took her plaything from her. Oh! I will not disappoint thee--thou shall have thy joy. Here I am, do with me what thou wilt; I will only smile."
"It is quite possible to be too much afraid of giving offence." (sic)
"I took a glance a tthe books lying about. I always take advantage of such an opportunity of gainig immediate insight into character. Let me see a man's book-shelves, especially if there are not extensive, and I fancy I know at once, in some measure, what sort of a man the owner is."
"It is not great battles alone that build up the world's history, nor great poems alone that make the generations grow. There is a still small rain from heaven that has more to do with the blessedness of nature and of human nature, than the mightiest earthquake, or the loveliest rainbow."
"God makes the glow-worm as well as the star; the light in both is divine. If mine be an earth-star to gladden the wayside, I must cultivate humbly and rejoicingly its green earth-glow, and not seek to blanch it to the whiteness of the stars that lie in the fields of blue FOr to deny God in my own being is to cease to behold him in any. God and ma can meet only by man's becoming that which God meant him to be. Then he enters into the house of life, which is greater than the house of fame."
"But I think how pleased I should be, if I had a daughter, and she loved me so well that she only smiled when I took her plaything from her. Oh! I will not disappoint thee--thou shall have thy joy. Here I am, do with me what thou wilt; I will only smile."
March 24, 2010
I had so looked forward to reading George MacDonald, finally. This is definitely NOT the book I should have started with. It became laborious because of all of the author's asides.
I cannot bring myself to attempt volumes 2 or 3.
I cannot bring myself to attempt volumes 2 or 3.
November 5, 2007
Read the the Light Princess...untouchable!
October 7, 2009
I highly recommend this book (all 3 volumes) to anyone who has lost heart at some point or another.
You can get all of George MacDonald's works for free at: http://manybooks.net/
You can get all of George MacDonald's works for free at: http://manybooks.net/
October 29, 2012
Extremely good book from an outstanding author. I have not read anything of George MacDonald which I would not recommend in the highest.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews