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chanizzle 's review for:
The Blue Castle
by L.M. Montgomery
Well besides being completely predictable, it was a pretty good book. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I am disappointed because I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected too after seeing all of the 5 star reviews. I liked the "lesson" we learn from Valancy (and John Foster) that:
I did not like how there were whole paragraphs about nature - the characters quoting or just trying to be eloquent and describing how the scenery looked. At first it was fine, but then it got to be boring as almost every other page there would be another paragraph on how lovely the snow covered elms looked... or how wonderful to hear the pines tapping at the window all night... blah blah blah. I started to skim over those bits.
Also, a lot of people have said it was funny... but I didn't find it that funny. I thought the jokes by Uncle Ben were annoying. In reflecting back I'm just not sure which parts were supposed to be funny. The eloquent speeches about nature were not funny. I suppose the confused reactions of the family at the family dinner, when Valancy starts speaking her mind were amusing, but not laugh out loud funny.
I'm glad I read it. It was worth the read and it was good. I just won't read it again.
GR Rating: 3 Stars - liked it, good, pleasant.
"fear is the original sin. Almost all the evil in the world has its origin in the fact that someone is afraid of something. It is a cold, slimy serpent coiling about you. It is horrible to live with fear; and it is of all things degrading."I have lived with fear and anxiety most of my life just like Valancy so those lines stood out to me. So I liked that Valancy took action and began to live. However... it was very obvious how it would all turn out:
Spoiler
I guessed that the doctor made a mistake and she wouldn't really die. And it was pretty obvious that Barney was actually John Foster... what else would he be doing for hours in his shed. The fact that he was also the son of Dr Redfern was stupid and over the top, but of course it had to be included so that her family could be sufficiently humbled and forgiving because she had made such a marvelous match. Why can't it have ended with her and Barney living out their lives on their island, ignoring her annoying and rude relatives forever.I did not like how there were whole paragraphs about nature - the characters quoting or just trying to be eloquent and describing how the scenery looked. At first it was fine, but then it got to be boring as almost every other page there would be another paragraph on how lovely the snow covered elms looked... or how wonderful to hear the pines tapping at the window all night... blah blah blah. I started to skim over those bits.
Also, a lot of people have said it was funny... but I didn't find it that funny. I thought the jokes by Uncle Ben were annoying. In reflecting back I'm just not sure which parts were supposed to be funny. The eloquent speeches about nature were not funny. I suppose the confused reactions of the family at the family dinner, when Valancy starts speaking her mind were amusing, but not laugh out loud funny.
I'm glad I read it. It was worth the read and it was good. I just won't read it again.
GR Rating: 3 Stars - liked it, good, pleasant.