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3.5 

The Phoenix and the Carpet

By E. Nesbit
The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

Like other E. Nesbit stories, The Phoenix and the Carpet was initially published in The Strand Magazine. While The Railway Children or Five Children and It proved more popular, Phoenix has still been adapted into three BBC TV series and a film.

The story picks up some time after the events of Five Children and It. The children are back in London and encounter another ancient, magical creature: this time a noble, beautiful, arrogant, and vain Phoenix. He comes with a magic carpet which the gang uses to go on adventures around the world. Some things don’t go as planned, but there are still opportunities to make others happy.

As a female British author of children stories, E. Nesbit was not a typical early 20th century woman. Described as tomboy during her childhood, she grew up a staunch supporter of democratic socialism in a time when many were crushed under poverty. She was a founding member of the Fabian Society, and dedicated herself to charity work, so much so that she almost ended up in poverty.

Nesbit’s stories continue to fascinate readers. Her dry wit and respect with which she engages children ensures that adults can also enjoy her tales. Her depiction of magic—how it follows rules which must be taught or learned, and the painful consequences when they are forgotten—has influenced the works of other writers such as P. L. Travers, C. S. Lewis, and J. K. Rowling.

40 Reviews

3.5
“Another childhood favourite, these childish adventures always make me smile - and even laugh out loud! Discovering both a Phoenix and a magic carpet, the children adventure to places they have only ever dreamed of - from tropical islands to an Indian bazaar - though not without their fair share of trouble. What larks!”
“Pre-reading: I knew nothing about this series going in. In fact I didn't even know it was a series. It just sounded so whimsical (and had a good word from Neil Gaimon) that I picked it up. Notes: This is an old series (first published in 1906) therefore it has some archaic language and outdated views; racism and sexism. The Book: There is a lot of whimsy. The story is completely blocked with whimsy. A *wishing* carpet (not to be confused your typical flying variety) and a phoenix kick off the story. The five children are well portrayed. They are believably flawed; their biggest flaw being their self centered-ness (caused by their young age). Cyril, Anthea, Robert and Jane aren't *bad* children. They are mischievous, curious and have a deep love for their family. Their misadventures cause any number of problems within and without their household; their cook almost quits because of their behaviour, a man is arrested (even though they had good intentions) but the carpet is what suffers the most at their short sighted fancies. I felt wretched for the carpet by the end of the story. I hope its next owners are much more careful and kind to it (The children weren't necessarily unkind they were just ... thoughtless). The children enjoy many adventures on the carpet; finding buried treasure, visiting a beautiful exotic beach, meeting with an Indian queen, and saving an innocent man. I enjoyed their flights for the most part but did have trouble when the old accepted attitudes clashed with current sensibilities. I do think that the phoenix was my favourite character. Honestly he won me over early on when he told the kids he needed to rest in order to be at his best (yay for a self-care spokesman). He is a wise character and tries to tell the children to treat the carpet better (another reason he was so endeared to me). He is, also, a vain bird and acts according to his nature, which is troublesome in some cases, but I liked that about him. I hope his next set of adventures are just as, or more, satisfying to him. He was quite a thoughtful creature, really. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the narrative style. The narrator talks directly to you in a conversational style. There are times when it is amusing but it made it impossible for me to forget that I was reading a book. I can see how many would find it charming and engaging but it didn't work for me. Overall, I am glad that I picked up the book on a whim but I am not sure that I recommend it. If I did it would have to come with the aforementioned notes and, if it was for a child, a discussion on how some of the language is not appropriate to use now a days (as it is offensive).”

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