The story in one page
Princess Irene lives on a mountain where the ground is hollowed out by goblins. While exploring, she meets her grandmother in a secret, glowing attic that only children can perceive. Meanwhile, a young miner named Curdie overhears the goblins planning to flood the palace and kidnap the princess. Curdie and Irene must work together to outsmart the creatures and protect the kingdom. When the goblins launch their attack, a strategic tunnel-digging operation turns the subterranean waters against them, drowning the goblin queen and forcing the remaining survivors to abandon their malicious ways or flee into the mountain. Irene and Curdie secure the palace, and order is restored.
Who's who
- Irene
A young princess who can see a magical, glowing lamp.
- Curdie
A miner boy who fights goblins and discovers their secrets.
- The Grandmother
A mysterious figure living in an attic visible only to Irene.
- The Goblins
Subterranean creatures with soft skulls who despise humanity.
What it's really about
- Perception
- Only some people can see the grandmother's light.
- Physicality
- Goblins have notably soft skulls and hard feet.
Why it's memorable
- A grandmother spinning thread while keeping it warm under a pigeon.
- A stone shoe permanently attached to the drowned queen's ankle.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
The miners find the dead goblin queen in the cellar with her stone shoe still on. The surviving goblins eventually become friendly, similar to brownies.
For your book club
- Why the goblins need special shoes for their soft feet.
- Whether Curdie's inability to see the magic makes him wrong.