This new edition of George MacDonald's 1872 novel is updated and introduced by Michael Phillips as Volume 13 in The Cullen Collection.

This occasionally dark story is somewhat puzzling in MacDonald’s corpus of more uplifting works. Several of its disconcerting themes grew out of George and Louisa MacDonald’s friendship with author John Ruskin during a troubled time in the latter's life.

Alongside these qualifications, however, the descriptive portions contained within this realistic novel, especially the vivid imagery drawn from MacDonald’s trip to Switzerland in 1865, contain passages of great narrative power which are among MacDonald's finest.

“Wilfrid Cumbermede is an interesting work for several reasons.
One is the strength with which MacDonald works out his themes…
Self-abnegation is the essence of the divine nature; those
who would be children of God should emulate the pattern.
In the story MacDonald sets this act of self-sacrifice over against the general
manipulation and possessiveness that he saw in
many professing Christians of the evangelical mindset.
In Mr. Osborne…he creates perhaps his most compelling evangelical.
Osborne’s religious dogmas and attitudes are the chief source of
frustration for the main characters… In sharp contrast,
Wilfrid’s self-sacrificing action
marks the pattern of true religious conduct….”
- Roland Hein

 

457 pages