The mysterious little white horse of Maria's imaginings, is as ethereal as the rest of the cast, and the feudal, manorial air, the fabulous repasts prepared by mysterious servants and animals, all become rather cloying. There are frail enchantments, incredibly prescient animals, for a rather affected plot with a high, antique finish. It is set sometime in the 19th century, in the Devonshire countryside that the author so loved and it is an engaging and old-fashioned tale, underpinned by both magic and faith. ‘The Little White Horse’ is one of a number of stories that Elizabeth Goudge wrote for children. The delicate humor, the enchanting landscape, the unreal light continue however to give these qualities and nothing more. The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge Goodreads. The opening chapters which introduce Maria Merryweather, a 13 year old orphaned heiress, her kindly intelligent governess, Jane Heliotrope, Sir Merryweather, the owner of the somewhat haunted Moonacre Manor, and Wiggins, an ordinary, shallow but beautiful spaniel - these promise a real story. Though the prose gives pleasure, I doubt that many young readers will stay with more than a few pages of the slow-moving, dreamy tale that floats between reality and illusion. By the author of A City of Bells and Green Dolphin Street, an elegantly written book with the thoughtful, polished air of a Jane Austin gone exquisite.
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