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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
A darling read that featured the longest run on sentence of my life. It was a lot like Anne of Green Gables, but it was written by a Transcendentalist which you can definitely see all of their influence pour through the book. It had good characters and I'm glad I read it!
I read this book in school and wanted to re-read it. I really enjoyed the beginning of this book but the middle of the book dragged.
I don't think I've ever hated a character as much as Billy, every time his character was in a chapter I rolled my eyes and thought "here comes 5 pages of boring melodrama that furthers the plot in absolutely no way." I also didn't like how Eleonora's mom changed in a split second from a terrible mother to her best friend. Like what? No.
I still liked the book because it was just so wholesome and sweet.
I don't think I've ever hated a character as much as Billy, every time his character was in a chapter I rolled my eyes and thought "here comes 5 pages of boring melodrama that furthers the plot in absolutely no way." I also didn't like how Eleonora's mom changed in a split second from a terrible mother to her best friend. Like what? No.
I still liked the book because it was just so wholesome and sweet.
Reread from way long ago. The mystery is what happened to my copy from mom.
Another review here had problems with the moral instructional parts of these of books (Little Women, etc ) where girls are told how to be good and what their gendered roles should be, but I think that is often the 2nd most interesting part of the story. It's interesting to look at how these shift from region to region and over a fairly short period of time. This book is also interesting because there is such a conflict over the desire for development/ exploitation of the land and the desire to value and preserve the swamp and its bio-diversity.
Sure, the plot has some weird lurches in terms of the kinds of emotional realism you would expect now but I think that's balanced by the period striving for achievement of moral ideals. We don't really do that so clearly and loudly these days.
Another review here had problems with the moral instructional parts of these of books (Little Women, etc ) where girls are told how to be good and what their gendered roles should be, but I think that is often the 2nd most interesting part of the story. It's interesting to look at how these shift from region to region and over a fairly short period of time. This book is also interesting because there is such a conflict over the desire for development/ exploitation of the land and the desire to value and preserve the swamp and its bio-diversity.
Sure, the plot has some weird lurches in terms of the kinds of emotional realism you would expect now but I think that's balanced by the period striving for achievement of moral ideals. We don't really do that so clearly and loudly these days.
Breathtakingly sentimental, but utterly charming. Sort of an Anne of Green Gables in the swamps of Indiana, but with loads and loads of moths.
2.5?
This is something I might have enjoyed, even loved, as a child or a young teen but reading it for the first time as an adult I was not impressed. I don't think this has stood the test of time and endured the way other children's and young adult classics of its ilk have. It just doesn't have the kind of insight into children, young people, their world and relationships that I've seen from other authors of the era. I found the characters inconsistent and confusing and the whole thing felt so repetitive. The book covers at least 4 years, maybe 5 or 6 but it's hard to say because the pacing is WHACK. The first week takes forever to get through and then it mosies along for a while until three years pass in a paraphraph and then after the graduation I just lost track.
This is something I might have enjoyed, even loved, as a child or a young teen but reading it for the first time as an adult I was not impressed. I don't think this has stood the test of time and endured the way other children's and young adult classics of its ilk have. It just doesn't have the kind of insight into children, young people, their world and relationships that I've seen from other authors of the era. I found the characters inconsistent and confusing and the whole thing felt so repetitive. The book covers at least 4 years, maybe 5 or 6 but it's hard to say because the pacing is WHACK. The first week takes forever to get through and then it mosies along for a while until three years pass in a paraphraph and then after the graduation I just lost track.
What a great read! However, the ending was a bit abrupt and could have ended more naturally!!
I suffered through to the end, but this was hard to read. Even considering the age of the novel, the dialogue was forced and unnatural. The main character, Elnora, is bratty and entitled and overly dramatic throughout, yet of course everyone loves her (because she's beautiful). Though her mother certainly leaves much to be desired, she's pissed her mother won't sell their timber for logging or open their land to drilling for oil, all while pretending to care about its natural resources (moths, butterflies, etc). She has magical savior neighbors who buy her whatever she wants because she "deserves it", squanders her own money buying unnecessary clothes and treats so she can be part of the in-crowd at school, and then throws a full-on temper tantrum when she doesn't get even more new clothes. Of course, then a handsome, rich man comes to save her.
This book was very enjoyable to read. However, there were a few things I didn't like. Such as when Elnora and Edith were talking together and Elnora said that as Phillip's wife she would cook for him, and make a comfortable home for him, and help him in his ambitions. It was kind of implied that to be a good wife you would need to do these things... but I disagree. What about Elnora's ambitions? Why does she have to be the one making the meals and making the home? Anyway, I actually really like the character Edith's growth during the book. I also liked being able to see Freckles and the Angel again. It is a good book, but there were just too many things that bothered me a little to rate it 5 star.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No