Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood . By: George MacDonald: Novel (World's classic's) Paperback – February 11, 2017

Really enjoyed this one- He is a painter with words- This is a story about a young vicar with his first parish in Marshmellow. A slew of round characters, and a mysterious young woman under the thumb of her overbearing, and controlling mother add to the mystery. Damsels are rescued from fates worse than death, and families are reconciled, and villians are dealt with... It's a grand book for those in the ministry as he goes about his daily life in the village ministering to those who are both poor and rich. He's not perfect, but has a good heart, and you get to hear some George MacDonald sermons along the way. Some are rich in Christ, but poor in possessions, and several are wealthy in goods, but poor and hardened in spiritual matters. With God's wisdom, this vicar serves them and ministers to them all- reconciling many and handling a lot of sticky situations with aplomb. Would recommend this. I also listened to this because you really can't get the fullness without a re-read.

"Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood" is the story of Henry Walton's early years as an Anglican vicar in Marshmallows, told from the perspective of his later years. It's the first book in the Marshmallows trilogy, with the second being "The Seaboard Parish" and the third "The Vicar's Daughter." With little author intrusion, no Scottish dialect, and a satisfying ending, I found it more enjoyable than some of MacDonald's other adult novels.

Having spent 38 years with my husband in the pastorate, I found the book to be relevant, reverent, and realistic. Our internal struggles of growth plus the stress of dealing with others' difficult problems caused us to lean on the Lord continually for guidance and wisdom. The author, a former Pastor, portrays all of this in a slower-paced novel set in the 1800s. His ability to apply spiritual understandings to everyday people/problems is unsurpassed. I admire MacDonald's writings, and would go so far to say he's my favorite author.

I'd gladly recommend this novel to anyone in pastoral ministry, involved in the "cure of souls." It relates the ministry of a pastor new to his parish and the relationships that he encounters in the course of his service to the community, as well as his own interior wrestling over personal matters. It's slow paced (as befits a story written in the late 1800s), but wonderful.It's hard to tell how much might be autobiographical from George MacDonald's own life, but clearly his interest in ministering to the hearts and souls of people comes through.

I love George MacDonald's writings. They require slower reading, come from a time when people had the time to meditate on higher values and the importance of leaving a true life. Mr. McDonald shows how a true life in the spirit is woven into our life through the simple events of every day life.

while the author does good credit to his subject I must say I expected somewhat more from this author. My Kindle forced me to read most of this book twice from failure to mark my pages when closing it for temporary respite but my old memory is now so poor that my interest in it didn't suffer much from it. I particularly enjoyed his treatment of deathbed vigils, English cultural attention to class distinctions and attitudes towards it. Great character development as expected from George. A definite four star.

A delightfully Christian narrative! I have a friend or two that I feel would benefit from reading this book, I would not feel remiss in compelling them to read it.

I have read this book about four times over the year. George McDonald gives such wisdom in his characters. I have enjoyed so many of his novels.