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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I read this for the first time when I was 12 or 13 and I will always love it. This is the first time I have read it since the show came out and I was glad to see that hadn't spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
Did I read this book solely to compare it to the tv show? Mostly, and also because my mom owns them all and they are kept in a magical cupboard downstairs with all her Laura Ingalls Wilder books and the Bronte sisters. Also i think they are the original covers, be jealous of me, yo.
Ok, but mostly the tv show. My work best friend and I kinda love the tv show (I send her many texts in CAPS LOCK IS HOW I FEEL about many, many things relating to the tv show). Is it the greatest of all time? No, but sometimes you just need some escapist Canadian Mountie nonsense, you know?
AND POSSIBLE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS.
Pretty much the producers of the tv show paid for the book’s title. 99.9% of the characters, plot and even the time period is different. What’s the same, I hear you ask? Well, the character of Julie is untouched, so if you like annoying minor characters then you are in luck. I burst out laughing when, early on, Elizabeth mentions that “she prays for Julie every day”. I’ve been around enough church bitches to know what that means, and I’m there with you, Elizabeth. Screw Julia and the horse she’s gonna ride in on. This also, I believed, portended that Elizabeth was going to be more snarky and bitchy than in the show— I was wrong.
Then there’s the evil superintendent. In the book he’s a bore who got rejected by Elizabeth. Ho hum.
WYNN DELANEY ISN’T THE NAME OF A HERO, ROMANTIC OR OTHERWISE. I was living my life today , when I remembered that a character named Wynn Delaney exists and it bummed me out.
Other than that, the book was mostly ok and slightly charming and had a “little house” vibe until the love story. I don’t buy these one dimensional characters. Seriously, who even is Wynn? Does Elizabeth even have a personality? I don’t buy them in love. I don’t care. Tell me more about dead children. I can get on board with kids getting tumors and dying. BECAUSE THAT KID WAS A MORE FULLY DEVELOPED CHARACTER THAN WYNN CHICKEN FRITTERS DELANEY. If this book were all just little stories about teaching and frontier life it would have been so much better.
Also there’s no best-wingman-of-all-time, Rip. How you gonna have a western story without a dog? That’s a dumb choice, Oke.
Final decision: This is one of the rare instances where I think the tv show does it better. Better depiction of frontier trials, better character development, less clunky shoehorning in of Jesus and faith, etc.
Ok, but mostly the tv show. My work best friend and I kinda love the tv show (I send her many texts in CAPS LOCK IS HOW I FEEL about many, many things relating to the tv show). Is it the greatest of all time? No, but sometimes you just need some escapist Canadian Mountie nonsense, you know?
AND POSSIBLE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS.
Pretty much the producers of the tv show paid for the book’s title. 99.9% of the characters, plot and even the time period is different. What’s the same, I hear you ask? Well, the character of Julie is untouched, so if you like annoying minor characters then you are in luck. I burst out laughing when, early on, Elizabeth mentions that “she prays for Julie every day”. I’ve been around enough church bitches to know what that means, and I’m there with you, Elizabeth. Screw Julia and the horse she’s gonna ride in on. This also, I believed, portended that Elizabeth was going to be more snarky and bitchy than in the show— I was wrong.
Then there’s the evil superintendent. In the book he’s a bore who got rejected by Elizabeth. Ho hum.
WYNN DELANEY ISN’T THE NAME OF A HERO, ROMANTIC OR OTHERWISE. I was living my life today , when I remembered that a character named Wynn Delaney exists and it bummed me out.
Other than that, the book was mostly ok and slightly charming and had a “little house” vibe until the love story. I don’t buy these one dimensional characters. Seriously, who even is Wynn? Does Elizabeth even have a personality? I don’t buy them in love. I don’t care. Tell me more about dead children. I can get on board with kids getting tumors and dying. BECAUSE THAT KID WAS A MORE FULLY DEVELOPED CHARACTER THAN WYNN CHICKEN FRITTERS DELANEY. If this book were all just little stories about teaching and frontier life it would have been so much better.
Also there’s no best-wingman-of-all-time, Rip. How you gonna have a western story without a dog? That’s a dumb choice, Oke.
Final decision: This is one of the rare instances where I think the tv show does it better. Better depiction of frontier trials, better character development, less clunky shoehorning in of Jesus and faith, etc.
This was the first book I ever read by this author and loved it growing up. I have the movies as well.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was the first book I ever read by this author and loved it growing up. I have the movies as well.
J. Oke is certainly a prolific writer in her genre. This first novel of the Canadian West series sets the tone for those that follow. I enjoyed the easy reading pace and wholesome story even if some plot twists felt a bit predictable. Must be the Canadian connection, but I am feeling nostalgic for some L. M. Montgomery works now.
This was such a sweet read! I loved Wynn and Elizabeth's relationship, it was so cute! I liked seeing Elizabeth's life unfold as she figures out how to live on her own in the country. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series soon!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a quick, fun read...reminded me a lot of Catherine Marshall's Christie! The Hallmark show by the same name is very different , but this was still worth the time that it took me to read it! And thank goodness for e-books, so I could move quickly to book #2 of this series. :)
Belatedly adding - this was my first romance book and had led to a lifelong heart-flutter regarding Mounties. Discovered on my Gran's bookshelf. So wholesome.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The first three quarters was so slow, but the story picked up in the last quarter. I could've done without all the mouse drama. Maybe that was supposed to be humorous, but it felt like fluff to drag the story out.