A lovely tale. A bit slow at times, but otherwise engaging.
Plot
Orphaned Maria Merryweather has just arrived at Moonacre Manor, her family's ancestral home, with her governess, Miss Heliotrope. While there, she meets so many interesting characters, not all of them human, and is caught up into the ancient feud between the Merryweathers and another ancient family, who are distant relations. Being a Merryweather "Moon Maiden", will Maria be able to put all things right, and end the feud for the safety of her family and the people of the near by village?
Morality
Morality is very good. The bad guys steal, but it is shown as being sinful.
Spiritual Content
Faith in God and obeying his precepts is placed highly in this story. The Merryweather family attend the village's church.
There is no real magic, beyond the appearance of the little white horse.
Violence
None.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Sir Benjamin likes to drink some beer or ale at meals, some times mulled claret. He also likes to have a drink at a pub after sitting on the bench as a magistrate. None of the drinking is to excess, though, and Sir Benjamin is never drunk.
Sexual Content
None.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
None that I recall.
Conclusion
A very lovely story, though quite a bit different from what I expected considering it is labeled as a fantasy story. There are a few times where the story seems to drag a little, but it is engaging most of the time. I think the style the story is told in is similar to that of Anne of Green Gables or Little Women: a bit old fashioned, and may seem even slower for some children.
Over all, it was a wonderful story, a mystery of sorts with a touch of fantasy. The characters are interesting, and the setting is quaint but beautiful.
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