First published in London in 1858, “Phantastes” by Scottish author George MacDonald is a classic work of 19th century fantasy. The story follows Anodos, a young man who finds a fairy lady in a desk inherited from his late father and wakes the next day to find his room transformed into a magical, dream-like forest. Anodos, while fleeing from evil forces, finds his ideal of female beauty in a magical statue who he can never quite catch. Anodos has many adventures and faces many temptations in this fairyland, from tree spirit confrontations to a long trek to the palace of the fairy queen, where he eventually meets his perfect Marble Lady. MacDonald’s writings would later astonish and influence writers such as C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and W. H. Auden, who saw in this work the successful embodiment of the depth and meaning of our inner, spiritual world. The poignancy and timelessness of “Phantastes” lies in its representation of a spiritual quest, one which we all must make as we become older, when our notion of the ideal becomes challenged by the wisdom of time, and the ultimate surrender of the self brings both overflowing joy and profound sadness. This edition includes a biographical afterword.
