kbreader 's review for:

Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery

2.0

hopeful medium-paced

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Listened to Librivox recording. I like Montgomery's writing, but I scored this story lower than I would her other books. I think it may have been because I read The Blue Castle just before this and the two female characters between them felt so different. Kilmeny seemed to only be valued because she was physically attractive. Yes, she could communicate well, but her looks were mentioned often enough that appearance seemed to be her redeeming quality. What if she had been ugly? Would Eric have noticed her or sought her out? And, I would have liked to see Kilmeny develop on her own without it being based on the status of a relationship. I think in her later writings that Montgomery did this type of character growth in a more intriguing manner.
This story may be best enjoyed if read as a fairytale. 
I think Montgomery has more dimensional characters than these. Still fun to find new stories by her, though.