Goudge's books accomplish two things; they make you think, but they also manage to make you feel good. I've read almost all of her books, but this is my favorite. I began keeping a journal of quotations because of this book. It's also the first out-of-print book that I ever searched for and bought for myself,(a few years before the internet made it easy!). For those who love books set in England, this has it all - the beautiful manor house of Damerosehay (Dam er rose hay)- the beautiful elderly patriarch, Lucilla, who knows what's best for each of her adult children - David, the young actor, Hilary, the country parson...British country life at it's best.
Elizabeth Goudge was truly a magician at creating interwoven, flavorful worlds with stories within stories and characters I would love to have for neighbors. Pilgrim's Inn is an old fashioned story about spiritual strengths and weaknesses; about growth, maturity and the child likeness we should all retain. Set in one of those magical places that is so ordinary, a Girls School, it winds its way through to a love story, happy ending. I loved these people and their stories and was very happy that some of them showed up again in other of her works!!
