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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Overall, it was more interesting than I expected it to be. I’ve had it on my shelf for years, having collected most of Montgomery’s books, and I finally picked it up after a recent reread of other favorites of hers.
From character descriptions and scenery descriptions you can tell it's still clearly Montgomery, but you can also tell it's one of her only "adult" novels from the characters who swear (and not just written "d---") and the references to marriage beds (still references only, but not so oblique as say Anne was about her excitement about having a baby [b:Anne's House of Dreams|77394|Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables, #5)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442471048l/77394._SY75_.jpg|1133797]).
The large cast of characters (this is about a whole clan, not just one heroine or couple or family) was confusing but the variety also helped illustrate the more cynical reality of adulthood than many of her other books do. It was still enjoyable, looking at characters falling in love at first sight and then finding the less sparkling truth, but not the kind of feeling you get in Montgomery's other adult book, [b:The Blue Castle|95693|The Blue Castle|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1684723987l/95693._SY75_.jpg|1298683], or in her more girlish series and books.
A racist last line, uttered by a character, rather than the narrator, rather spoiled the story I'd really come to enjoy. Also, I would not have ended it with these two Sams, they were not among my preferred characters. It didn’t have to end with a romantic happy couple, but it could have at least ended with the happy spinster. In general I would also like to read about more spinsters making a life for themselves.
my Pinterest board of references
From character descriptions and scenery descriptions you can tell it's still clearly Montgomery, but you can also tell it's one of her only "adult" novels from the characters who swear (and not just written "d---") and the references to marriage beds (still references only, but not so oblique as say Anne was about her excitement about having a baby [b:Anne's House of Dreams|77394|Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables, #5)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442471048l/77394._SY75_.jpg|1133797]).
The large cast of characters (this is about a whole clan, not just one heroine or couple or family) was confusing but the variety also helped illustrate the more cynical reality of adulthood than many of her other books do. It was still enjoyable, looking at characters falling in love at first sight and then finding the less sparkling truth, but not the kind of feeling you get in Montgomery's other adult book, [b:The Blue Castle|95693|The Blue Castle|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1684723987l/95693._SY75_.jpg|1298683], or in her more girlish series and books.
A racist last line, uttered by a character, rather than the narrator, rather spoiled the story I'd really come to enjoy. Also, I would not have ended it with these two Sams, they were not among my preferred characters. It didn’t have to end with a romantic happy couple, but it could have at least ended with the happy spinster. In general I would also like to read about more spinsters making a life for themselves.
my Pinterest board of references
I enjoyed this story about the twisted ways that an extended family interacts, in part because it reminded me a bit of my own extended family. Because there are so many characters and the narratives revolve around family gossip, they are a bit flat, but their stories are fun. Mostly, I enjoyed the setting. I can't get enough of Prince Edward Island.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love almost everything that Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote. But I can't rate this one higher because of that awful last sentence 😕
and i like this one a lot better than other people seem to
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death
"Tee-hee--how very romantic" tittered Mrs Toynbee Dark, who had been standing for ten minutes at the corner of the old house watching them with sinister little black eyes.
"Ho, ho, my pet weasel, so you're there," said Peter.
Probably not my favorite of Maude's books, but nevertheless good. I'd go for rating it a 4, yet there are some aspects of it that make me bring it down to a 3 (which we'll get to later).
This is also one of Maude's few books intended for adult audiences. First of all, it is an overall delightful and amusing look into a messy clan living on P.E.I, probably about 10 years after WWI. The Penhallow-Dark clan seems to make up a large portion of P.E.I (not the part near Avonlea-- the towns mentioned are Bay Silver, Rose River, and a few others. None of these towns, FYI, are real though I imagine they are based on real ones? Or possible communities that no longer exist). The Darks almost always marry Penhallows and Penhallows almost always make marry Darks, which is incredibly inbred. One character even compares it to the Royal family.
Also, a small piece of trivia for anyone interested -- if you watched the Sullivan TV show, Road to Avonlea, the character of Romney Penhallow was taken from a short story (in Chronicles of Avonlea) about the Penhallows. He's not mentioned in this book, but there you go.
remember when these two broke 11 yr old me's heart? I do
The crux of the book is that Aunt Becky dies and makes everyone wait a year to find out who will inherit a family heirloom from her, which is a jug. Everyone wants it, yet Becky has guidelines for what kind of person she will and won't allow to have it. Shennagins ensure and Aunt Becky, judging from our brief glimpse of her while she's alive at the beginning of the book, is probably cackling happily from above.
My favorite storyline is probably that of Margaret, a spinster who doesn't really want marriage but does want a nice little house and a child. My second favorite was probably Peter and Donna's romance, partly because Peter amused me and Donna is one of the characters I liked the best.
What lowered my rating (these are slight spoilers, but not huge)
- there is, at the very end, like literally the last page, an instance of racism that just startled me. basically, the n slur is used (about painting a statue). and like I get, it's "the times" and the men that are having this conversation are two middle-aged fishermen that don't have the best manners/morals. but still. yikes, yikes. YIKES.
- *screaming about Gay and Roger, but not in a happy way* Gay, no! like, please, Noel is absolutely a prat but go off and visit a friend off the island or go to Queens, please don't marry Roger. I get he is like, nice and all but he is 32, you're 18 and I am kind of worried he has known you for quite a while, which makes it all weirder. Anyway, thanks to Peter for expressing my feelings on the matter."At least the book is somewhat self-aware? At least Roger isn't Dean Priest-- although Dean doesn't marry Emily and everyone things/concludes he's a creepy possessive jerk. But I digress, since that's entirely different book. The basic thing is that a romance between an 18 yr old and a 32-year-old relative of hers skeeved me out.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but it's not without its faults. Maude has her usual gift of offering you glimpses into many character's lives that seem realistic and she captures their voices well. Despite there being a boatload of characters, I usually wasn't lost on who they were. The details of small-town life and family in-fighting are superb -- fights over pigs, over pews, never letting each other forget stealing jam, things like that. It's like seating on the shoulder of the town gossip that knows everything.
"Ho, ho, my pet weasel, so you're there," said Peter.
Probably not my favorite of Maude's books, but nevertheless good. I'd go for rating it a 4, yet there are some aspects of it that make me bring it down to a 3 (which we'll get to later).
This is also one of Maude's few books intended for adult audiences. First of all, it is an overall delightful and amusing look into a messy clan living on P.E.I, probably about 10 years after WWI. The Penhallow-Dark clan seems to make up a large portion of P.E.I (not the part near Avonlea-- the towns mentioned are Bay Silver, Rose River, and a few others. None of these towns, FYI, are real though I imagine they are based on real ones? Or possible communities that no longer exist). The Darks almost always marry Penhallows and Penhallows almost always make marry Darks, which is incredibly inbred. One character even compares it to the Royal family.
Also, a small piece of trivia for anyone interested -- if you watched the Sullivan TV show, Road to Avonlea, the character of Romney Penhallow was taken from a short story (in Chronicles of Avonlea) about the Penhallows. He's not mentioned in this book, but there you go.
remember when these two broke 11 yr old me's heart? I do
The crux of the book is that Aunt Becky dies and makes everyone wait a year to find out who will inherit a family heirloom from her, which is a jug. Everyone wants it, yet Becky has guidelines for what kind of person she will and won't allow to have it. Shennagins ensure and Aunt Becky, judging from our brief glimpse of her while she's alive at the beginning of the book, is probably cackling happily from above.
My favorite storyline is probably that of Margaret, a spinster who doesn't really want marriage but does want a nice little house and a child. My second favorite was probably Peter and Donna's romance, partly because Peter amused me and Donna is one of the characters I liked the best.
What lowered my rating (these are slight spoilers, but not huge)
- there is, at the very end, like literally the last page, an instance of racism that just startled me. basically, the n slur is used (about painting a statue). and like I get, it's "the times" and the men that are having this conversation are two middle-aged fishermen that don't have the best manners/morals. but still. yikes, yikes. YIKES.
- *screaming about Gay and Roger, but not in a happy way* Gay, no! like, please, Noel is absolutely a prat but go off and visit a friend off the island or go to Queens, please don't marry Roger. I get he is like, nice and all but he is 32, you're 18 and I am kind of worried he has known you for quite a while, which makes it all weirder. Anyway, thanks to Peter for expressing my feelings on the matter.
Spoiler
""Oh, you like them buxom, I suppose," sneered Peter, "like Sally William Y.--or just out of the cradle-like Gay Penhallow."Overall, I did enjoy this book, but it's not without its faults. Maude has her usual gift of offering you glimpses into many character's lives that seem realistic and she captures their voices well. Despite there being a boatload of characters, I usually wasn't lost on who they were. The details of small-town life and family in-fighting are superb -- fights over pigs, over pews, never letting each other forget stealing jam, things like that. It's like seating on the shoulder of the town gossip that knows everything.
So glad I finally read this Montgomery novel. It was fun to see how her writing is much more modern and more adult in this book. It reads kind of like one of those Gary Marshall movies with tons of celebrities and several intertwining stories. Very fun.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism
This was one of the most entertaining books of this genre I have ever read. Montgomery has such a knack for portraying silly, interesting, still very convincing and lifelike characters. And the clan and family dynamics seem true and familiar as ever, showing that people are the same no matter where, and have the same life dreams, hopes, disappointments and wonders in their life. One of my favorite books by Montgomery, Anne and Emily series included. Such a joy to read.