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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
My mom always said "A Girl of the Limberlost" was her favorite book while growing up. I never read it because it was too "old fashioned". Missing her at Christmas, I decided to finally read it. I really enjoyed it. Moreover, I could just imagine how wonderful she would have found it, growing up in the 20's and 30's on a farm in West Texas.
My mom was an avid reader. She passed away twenty years ago. Since I was reading it on an e-reader, I really wished she could have discovered e-books, Audible and Overdrive. She would have absolutely loved them.
Yes, the book is dated and reading it as a cynical adult, it would be easy to see the faults in it. But it is a charming story and well worth reading. I would strongly recommend it for girls who enjoy Little House, Green Gables and stories of this sort. It has the charm of those books but adds the naturalist aspect that gives the heroine a more can-do spirit. The author [a:Gene Stratton-Porter|1372693|Gene Stratton-Porter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1238819887p2/1372693.jpg] is especially inspiring. I will definitely do more research on her.
My mom was an avid reader. She passed away twenty years ago. Since I was reading it on an e-reader, I really wished she could have discovered e-books, Audible and Overdrive. She would have absolutely loved them.
Yes, the book is dated and reading it as a cynical adult, it would be easy to see the faults in it. But it is a charming story and well worth reading. I would strongly recommend it for girls who enjoy Little House, Green Gables and stories of this sort. It has the charm of those books but adds the naturalist aspect that gives the heroine a more can-do spirit. The author [a:Gene Stratton-Porter|1372693|Gene Stratton-Porter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1238819887p2/1372693.jpg] is especially inspiring. I will definitely do more research on her.
If you picked this book up because you want a story about a young academically-inclined female protagonist, desperate to go to school who, through trials and tribulations, perseveres in her desire for learning and ultimately learns the true value of education - well, better put it back down cause this ain’t it. Elnora says she’s desperate for education but she doesn’t really need it, she came out of the womb absolutely perfect, all-knowing, highly moral, can do no wrong. I mean, the first year she goes to high school, the school actually hires her to teach. She finished the first of her class despite there never being a mention of her studying, going to the library or cramming for an exam. A week after Elnora takes the violin into her hands for the very first time, she gets asked to join an orchestra! (That one at least has a sound explanation - we learn that her father was a violin player so the ability to play is just 100% genetical. Easy!)
If you want to write a story of a wunderkind who has it easy, that’s fine. But the narrator makes her out to be a titan of determination for overcoming “hurdles”, which are absolutely non-existent. Real hurdles she would have faced are never mentioned (for instance scheduling issues and lack of sleep which normally plague students who also work. Not Elnora!). Every single school-related struggle she faces has to do with her not having anything suitable to wear (this happens on more than three occasions).
Aside from this, the pacing is absolutely ridiculous, the psychological motivations for characters are contrived at best and the “We’re actually not poor anymore, because I remembered to go to the bank for the first time in 20 years” plot twist got me riled up.
The natural history bits and the swamp setting were interesting and the characters of Wesley, Margaret and Billy were delightful, so I guess that bumps it up to 2 stars, but just barely.
I feel personally offended that this was recommended to me because of my love for Anne of Green Gables.
If you want to write a story of a wunderkind who has it easy, that’s fine. But the narrator makes her out to be a titan of determination for overcoming “hurdles”, which are absolutely non-existent. Real hurdles she would have faced are never mentioned (for instance scheduling issues and lack of sleep which normally plague students who also work. Not Elnora!). Every single school-related struggle she faces has to do with her not having anything suitable to wear (this happens on more than three occasions).
Aside from this, the pacing is absolutely ridiculous, the psychological motivations for characters are contrived at best and the “We’re actually not poor anymore, because I remembered to go to the bank for the first time in 20 years” plot twist got me riled up.
The natural history bits and the swamp setting were interesting and the characters of Wesley, Margaret and Billy were delightful, so I guess that bumps it up to 2 stars, but just barely.
I feel personally offended that this was recommended to me because of my love for Anne of Green Gables.
Read this a long time ago. I remember that the first half was really interesting, but the second half was not as good.
This was a cute book. I wasn't so fond of the romantic aspects of it, but the story of Elnora going to school and some of the incidents thereof were enjoyable.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Pretty sure I read this as a teen. I think I need to re-read it, though.
So so beautiful! It was far more exciting and moving than I expected and if I had a daughter, I'd want her to be just like her!
It is rare that I read truly poorly written fiction. Even the Newberys I have been trudging through--as much as I may quibble over grammar or style--are not incoherent, even if they are dated. This book, for all it is still a somewhat beloved story, is a hot mess. Which is too bad, because it has its merits!
Many aspects of this story and characters are appealing; the teenage girl heroine who is a woods maven, collecting moths and tromping around in a swamp in gingham dresses? So awesome. Watching the Indiana countryside transform from farm and carriage to oil rig and motorcar? Fascinating. THE SCENE WHERE THE PREMATURELY WHITE-HAIRED MOTHER STANDS ALL NIGHT IN THE SWAMP DESPERATELY CATCHING MOTHS AND BRANDISHING LANTERNS AT BANDITS? I could read that every day.
But the flaws in this story are too distracting to be overlooked. Grammar is awkward and style is unclear and hackneyed. Stratton-Porter has an annoying habit of dropping in characters' names (like Freckles or the Swamp Angel) without ever really explaining who they are. Even when these characters appear toward the end, I was confused--they are obviously important, but I have no real idea why. Also, the main characters act very frequently without real motive. Why, for instance, does Elnora's cruel, unloving mother suddenly decide she loves an annoying, snot-nosed little urchin child enough to want to adopt him, while still treating her own daughter with hostility and neglect?
Overall, I just wish someone would rewrite this book BETTER, keeping the interesting parts while updating the style and making the characters more consistent. There's true potential here, but for now, if you want a book with a bug-hunting heroine, I would recommend [b:The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate|6202556|The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Calpurnia Tate, #1)|Jacqueline Kelly|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437655533s/6202556.jpg|6383049] or even [b:The Wild Girls|410127|The Wild Girls|Pat Murphy|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347700212s/410127.jpg|399412] over this one; if virtue is your thing, [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390789015s/8127.jpg|3464264] and [b:An Old-Fashioned Girl|246546|An Old-Fashioned Girl|Louisa May Alcott|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347469119s/246546.jpg|3719102] are much higher quality.
Many aspects of this story and characters are appealing; the teenage girl heroine who is a woods maven, collecting moths and tromping around in a swamp in gingham dresses? So awesome. Watching the Indiana countryside transform from farm and carriage to oil rig and motorcar? Fascinating. THE SCENE WHERE THE PREMATURELY WHITE-HAIRED MOTHER STANDS ALL NIGHT IN THE SWAMP DESPERATELY CATCHING MOTHS AND BRANDISHING LANTERNS AT BANDITS? I could read that every day.
But the flaws in this story are too distracting to be overlooked. Grammar is awkward and style is unclear and hackneyed. Stratton-Porter has an annoying habit of dropping in characters' names (like Freckles or the Swamp Angel) without ever really explaining who they are. Even when these characters appear toward the end, I was confused--they are obviously important, but I have no real idea why. Also, the main characters act very frequently without real motive. Why, for instance, does Elnora's cruel, unloving mother suddenly decide she loves an annoying, snot-nosed little urchin child enough to want to adopt him, while still treating her own daughter with hostility and neglect?
Overall, I just wish someone would rewrite this book BETTER, keeping the interesting parts while updating the style and making the characters more consistent. There's true potential here, but for now, if you want a book with a bug-hunting heroine, I would recommend [b:The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate|6202556|The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Calpurnia Tate, #1)|Jacqueline Kelly|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437655533s/6202556.jpg|6383049] or even [b:The Wild Girls|410127|The Wild Girls|Pat Murphy|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347700212s/410127.jpg|399412] over this one; if virtue is your thing, [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1390789015s/8127.jpg|3464264] and [b:An Old-Fashioned Girl|246546|An Old-Fashioned Girl|Louisa May Alcott|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347469119s/246546.jpg|3719102] are much higher quality.
Are you kidding me? How is this a well loved classic?! I thought it was the most boring, inane thing I have ever read. Okay, maybe not ever. But it was pretty bad.
I felt like I had missed something for most of the novel since I haven't read "Freckles" and there are lots of references to him in the book. Then all the moth crap. Yay for moths, I am glad Elnora can make money by catching bugs, but I really have no desire to read paragraph after paragraph about the Cepricae or whatever.
Elnora was a decent enough character, but in the end, a little too unrealistic. Nobody is that perfect. Come on. Mrs. Comstock was completely and utterly unbelievable.
Ugh. I hated this book and can't believe I even finished it. If this is what Anne of Green Gables is like, I will never read it. I'd rather die.
I felt like I had missed something for most of the novel since I haven't read "Freckles" and there are lots of references to him in the book. Then all the moth crap. Yay for moths, I am glad Elnora can make money by catching bugs, but I really have no desire to read paragraph after paragraph about the Cepricae or whatever.
Elnora was a decent enough character, but in the end, a little too unrealistic. Nobody is that perfect. Come on. Mrs. Comstock was completely and utterly unbelievable.
Ugh. I hated this book and can't believe I even finished it. If this is what Anne of Green Gables is like, I will never read it. I'd rather die.