Island Magic: Week 3

Education, Poverty, Christmas at Bon Repos & Paradox

Island Magic by Elizabeth Goudge at the beach near Lake Erie.

“Christmas at Bon Repos was something terrific. The du Frocqs took the whole of December preparing for it and the whole of January recovering from it… That they did not all collapse completely must be put down to the sustaining power of the Island air.”

🌿 Elizabeth Goudge, Island Magic

Welcome to our week 3 discussion of Island Magic!

Goudge’s books always have a turning point around half way that propels the story more quickly forward, and she certainly gave us a good one at the end of chapter 4 with Grandfather’s first visit to Bon Repos. We understood the fear that Rachell showed in the first chapter much better after having that bully walk into their home and shatter their peace with accusations and grief.

But when we enter the next chapter, we start to see some more major shifts in the children. Collette and Jacqueline each have moments of hard life lessons, and they will start to relate to the world out of them. And soon, in chapter six, we will also see some major shifts in their Uncle Ranulph, the committed independent.

Join me for a quick walk through some major elements in chapters five and six of Goudge’s Guernsey story with the du Frocq family…

Education