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fresh_guy's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
magic_at_mungos's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
This book is light, fluffy, and quite entertaining! Really the perfect short little comfort read. I got a decided I Capture the Castle vibe which was quite welcome. It also reminded me a bit of Little Women too. Judy is a fun heroine to read along with and I'm very pleased my guess about the ending was right!
All along I kept imaging the setting to be in the 1920s but I was very surprised when I found out Jean Webster wrote this in 1912! It feels much more modern than that! I love that Judy was able to express her own independence and not be controlled by her benefactor (even if he meant well). What a nice message for all the Edwardian girls reading this. I'm a little bit sad I didn't read this when I was younger, but I'm glad I read it now!
All along I kept imaging the setting to be in the 1920s but I was very surprised when I found out Jean Webster wrote this in 1912! It feels much more modern than that! I love that Judy was able to express her own independence and not be controlled by her benefactor (even if he meant well). What a nice message for all the Edwardian girls reading this. I'm a little bit sad I didn't read this when I was younger, but I'm glad I read it now!
congressbaby143's review against another edition
4.0
My desire to read this novel has been stoked by a tweet I saw talking about how Jervie was 28 when he tried to be this looming figure in 17-year old Judy’s life.
We never really found out why daddy-long-legs decided to be daddy-long-legs to Judy… so I can only assume that it’s because he couldn’t find women his age who like him, therefore he decided to groom one. That’s truly the one star off this book….
Because much as I disagree with the creepiness of it all, I did enjoy it much. Judy was a character. Truly a character. She was smart and funny. Girl was really a writer. And I love seeing how she grew so much from that angry Julia-hating girl to what she has become.
I read this already knowing that Jervie is DLL so I feel like I have been more aware of the groomer-coded behaviors of DLL. It’s really evident. But it doesn’t make me hate Judy at all. If anything, I really adore how she was very decisive. I love that she skipped the farm one summer or that she went to the McBride’s camp the next one — all against DLL’s wishes. It really is suuuuch a weird controlling behavior for DLL to appear as Jervie in person whenever he felt like he was losing control based on Judy’s letter. Apart from that, I really love the format of this and I am really fond of Judy. I kept thinking if she was manipulated at all when she never really got any reply from DLL… but I found my answer when Jervie started inserting himself in Judy’s life.
The neurosis Judy goes through trying to rationalize her imagined father figure in every letter tho…. Soooo funny.
I enjoyed it and will always think that Jervie is a creep…. But I will always have a soft spot for Judy. Something about her is so modern and young and exuberant. It helps, too, that I grew up watching the cartoon (I, too, had a huge crush on DDL x Jervie Pendleton when I was growing up), so the way I this novel looks in my head is exactly like the animation… and not a real creepy man funding a young girl to grow up to be his wife.
Mildly alarmed that we really were brought up with the morals of that animation which was akin to encouraging a fondness for men like Jervie…. Wwwwwwww
I have to check out when this was written exactly because it really is super funny and modern. Of course I didn’t like how abruptly it all ended and with Judy ending up with the 14-years older man who met her when she was a minor…. 4/5 stars incoherent maudlin of a review but I definitely enjoyed it. It was a bedtime read I picked up first thing after waking up this morning.
PS
I found out it was first published in 1912…. The way it was smartly written gives me the feeling that Jean Webster wrote this as a commentary… that despite how the girls of her time grew up to develop their own minds, they are still within the confines of their time… the confines being that it’s totally okay to be preyed upon by handsome rich old men…
Damn they really do keep getting away with it…. Leonardo Dicaprio ass-coded DLL. I’m almost tempted to take another star off by the idea but if it truly were a commentary I have not completely fleshed out yet…. Jean Webster is really to be admired.
We never really found out why daddy-long-legs decided to be daddy-long-legs to Judy… so I can only assume that it’s because he couldn’t find women his age who like him, therefore he decided to groom one. That’s truly the one star off this book….
Because much as I disagree with the creepiness of it all, I did enjoy it much. Judy was a character. Truly a character. She was smart and funny. Girl was really a writer. And I love seeing how she grew so much from that angry Julia-hating girl to what she has become.
I read this already knowing that Jervie is DLL so I feel like I have been more aware of the groomer-coded behaviors of DLL. It’s really evident. But it doesn’t make me hate Judy at all. If anything, I really adore how she was very decisive. I love that she skipped the farm one summer or that she went to the McBride’s camp the next one — all against DLL’s wishes. It really is suuuuch a weird controlling behavior for DLL to appear as Jervie in person whenever he felt like he was losing control based on Judy’s letter. Apart from that, I really love the format of this and I am really fond of Judy. I kept thinking if she was manipulated at all when she never really got any reply from DLL… but I found my answer when Jervie started inserting himself in Judy’s life.
The neurosis Judy goes through trying to rationalize her imagined father figure in every letter tho…. Soooo funny.
I enjoyed it and will always think that Jervie is a creep…. But I will always have a soft spot for Judy. Something about her is so modern and young and exuberant. It helps, too, that I grew up watching the cartoon (I, too, had a huge crush on DDL x Jervie Pendleton when I was growing up), so the way I this novel looks in my head is exactly like the animation… and not a real creepy man funding a young girl to grow up to be his wife.
Mildly alarmed that we really were brought up with the morals of that animation which was akin to encouraging a fondness for men like Jervie…. Wwwwwwww
I have to check out when this was written exactly because it really is super funny and modern. Of course I didn’t like how abruptly it all ended and with Judy ending up with the 14-years older man who met her when she was a minor…. 4/5 stars incoherent maudlin of a review but I definitely enjoyed it. It was a bedtime read I picked up first thing after waking up this morning.
PS
I found out it was first published in 1912…. The way it was smartly written gives me the feeling that Jean Webster wrote this as a commentary… that despite how the girls of her time grew up to develop their own minds, they are still within the confines of their time… the confines being that it’s totally okay to be preyed upon by handsome rich old men…
Damn they really do keep getting away with it…. Leonardo Dicaprio ass-coded DLL. I’m almost tempted to take another star off by the idea but if it truly were a commentary I have not completely fleshed out yet…. Jean Webster is really to be admired.
koszulek's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
avoraciousreader68's review against another edition
medium-paced
5.0
Book source ~ Purchased at Chirp
In the early 1900s, Jerusha “Judy” Abbot grew up in a home for orphans. When she is 18, she is sent to college by one of the trustees who chose to remain anonymous. As part of his agreement to pay for her tuition, room and board, she is to address him as Mr. Smith and write to him monthly when she received her allowance. She does so and this is a collection of her letters to him.
Ok, this is just as delightful as I remember it being when I read it as a kid several decades *cough*four to be precise*cough* ago. I actually only vaguely recalled it, but remembered that I enjoyed it, so when I saw it on sale at Chirp I jumped at the chance to revisit it. Also, the narrator is fantastic!
murawa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0