The Enchanted Castle (1907) is a children's fantasy novel by English
writer Edith Nesbit. Using elements of magic and mystery familiar to
readers of her beloved Bastable and Psammead Trilogies, Nesbit crafts a
tale of wonder and adventure for children and adults alike.
While on a school holiday, children Jerry, Jimmy, and Kathy explore the
open landscape of rural southwestern England. One day, they discover an
immense country estate, designed like an ancient castle and complete
with towers, gardens, groves, and even a lake. In the middle of its
central rose garden, they find a maze at the end of which a young girl
lies asleep. Waking, she reveals that she is the princess of the castle,
and agrees to show them some of its mysteries. One of these is the ring
of invisibility, which, when she slips it on her finger to demonstrate
its power, actually works. Startled, the princess reveals that she is
really the housekeeper's niece, and admits that she was only fooling
around. Scared at first, the children begin to experiment with the ring,
unleashing its powers in fantastic and terrifying ways. The Enchanted
Castle is an entertaining, endearing novel, a masterpiece of mystery
and adventure with enough excitement to ignite the wonder of children,
and to fill any adult with a sense of childish wonder.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Edith Nesbit's The Enchanted Castle is a classic of
English children's literature reimagined for modern readers.