Litsy

L.M. Montgomery's Complete Journals: The Ontario Years, 1930-1933 | L M Montgomery

“Of course Emily II isn‘t half as good as New Moon. The second volume of a series, especially if it deals with a very young girl, is the hardest for me to write—because the public and the publisher won‘t allow me to write of a young girl as she really is. One can write of children as they are; so my books of children are always good; but when you come to write of the ‘miss‘ you have to depict a sweet, insipid young thing— ⤵️

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …really a child grown older—to whom the basic realities of life and reactions to them are quite unknown. Love must scarcely be hinted at—yet young girls in their early teens often have some very vivid love affairs. A girl of Emily‘s type certainly would. But ‘the public‘… I can‘t afford to damn the public. I must cater to them for awhile yet.” ⤵️ 2d

BarbaraJean Do you agree that Emily Climbs isn‘t “half as good” as New Moon? Do you agree with LMM‘s reasons re: writing constraints for why it may be inferior? How do you think Emily Climbs might have been different if LMM had been able to “damn the public”?
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread 2d

TheAromaofBooks I actually like Emily Climbs better, but maybe that is just because it doesn't feel as sad somehow haha But I do think LMM does a good job of providing us with a character who feels passionate, vibrant, and ambitious, and who is likable without “always being good.“ 11h

23 likes3 comments

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

How do you see Emily‘s writing ambitions manifest & grow throughout Emily Climbs?

Where do you see similarities between Emily & LMM?

What do you think of the choice Emily makes at the end? Do you agree with her decision or were you disappointed? What does the decision say about her sense of self? About her writing ambitions?

Are there any other scenes, themes, quotes, or characters you‘d like to discuss?

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

kwmg40 Though this book was published 100 years ago, Emily's decision seems uncannily appropriate for the current times. Without getting into politics, I'll just say that there is a wave of patriotism in Canada right now at a level I've not seen before and many young people are reconsidering their decisions to leave the country for work or study. LMM herself achieved great success staying in Canada and writing about regular small-town people! 20h

TheAromaofBooks I have such mixed feelings about the ending! On a personal level, I completely agree with Emily, that she doesn't have to leave her home to be a success, and that someone from a small town can still write about life just as well as someone out there experiencing the rest of the world or what have you. But as far as whether it is true to the character LMM has created - I'm not as confident. Emily turning down this offer just doesn't seem to 100% ⬇ 11h

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) match the ambitious, Alpine-path-driven Emily we've gotten to know over these two books. I feel like she would have said yes for a season - not forever, but for a year or something, just to gain the experience and hone her craft. 11h

16 likes3 comments

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread
Emily‘s relationships with her family naturally change here, and the New Moon family members fade a bit into the background. Still, her family continues to (or tries to!) influence her choices.

Where do you see that family influence most strongly in this book?

How are Emily‘s choices shaped by her family—and where do you see her pushing back on that influence as she matures?

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

kwmg40 Emily has a very strong sense of obligation to her family, and of course, some of those members don't hesitate in reminding her of her debt to them. I'd like to think that the most influential family member is cousin Jimmy, the one that most others consider “simple“ but whose wisdom Emily recognizes and whose quiet support she appreciates. 20h

13 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread My least-favorite characters here are Dean and Aunt Ruth—for very different reasons.

What do you make of Emily‘s relationship with Dean here? Do you see any redeeming qualities in Dean‘s friendship and influence in Emily‘s life—or is it all just creepy groomer vibes for you?

What (if any) redeeming qualities do you see in Aunt Ruth? For you, does this mitigate the way she treats Emily for most of the novel?

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

kwmg40 Had I read this book a couple of decades ago, I probably would have felt differently about Dean, seeing how he challenged Emily intellectually. Now, with changing attitudes in society, and also after having raised two daughters, I'm afraid he just seems creepy to me.

It's the same with respect to Aunt Ruth. All the bullying early on made it difficult for me to see her as any kind of ally to Emily, even with her later kinder actions. 20h

TheAromaofBooks I've really tried to be more attentive to Dean in this read-through, because it doesn't seem like LMM would have written him purposefully as a creepy groomer, so surely she was trying to make him a likable character/genuine romantic possibility? But it's so hard to get past the way that he is starting to manipulate Emily by being dismissive of her writing and using her trust in his opinions to undermine her ambitions for his own benefit. I think ⬇ 11h

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) that originally he does have good influences on Emily in the sense of broadening her mind and helping her to see the world beyond PEI, but like @kwmg40 said, at some point the creepiness outweighs any positives. His possessive attitude towards her since she was literally a small child is just so ick. 11h

TheAromaofBooks Aunt Ruth is completely obnoxious, but much like Aunt Elizabeth, so much of it stems from her having literally no idea of how to deal with a young person. I think she's very narrow-minded, but I honestly don't think she's purposefully mean-spirited, so I have a little more forgiveness for her than some of the other characters. Her pride in the family name is what motivates her both when she is coming down on Emily and when she is defending her. ⬇ 11h

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) So I feel like in the end, I still don't like her because she doesn't actually love or even like Emily, but I never felt like her motivations in the rules and even accusations of “slyness“ stemmed from a personal dislike of Emily as much as they did from her worry that Emily was going to bring some kind of disgrace on the family name. Secondary thought - we get a hint of Aunt Ruth's teenage scandal - does that make her super sensitive?? 11h

13 likes5 comments

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

“Emily did not sleep—did not want to sleep. It was too dear a night to go to sleep, she felt. She wanted to lie awake for the pleasure of it and think over a thousand things.
Emily always looked back to that night spent under the stars as a sort of milestone. Everything in it and of it ministered to her. It filled her with its beauty, which she must later give to the world…”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread ⤵️

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

BarbaraJean Emily‘s night of beauty under the stars is one of my absolute favorite scenes in this trilogy. That whole section where she and Ilse canvass for newspaper subscriptions still staggers my mind—two fourteen-year-olds, just turning up on a random doorstep and asking to stay the night! How‘s everyone‘s reading going this week? Which scenes have you particularly enjoyed? 1w

TheAromaofBooks Right?? I couldn't believe how they just would stay with random strangers, and went multiple days without contacting anyone from their families! So crazy.

Two passages I had noted this week. The first was about Dean. I was thinking about him and what beyond the age gap makes him so creepy. I think that if he just wanted to marry Emily it wouldn't be as bad - it's the fact that he uses her trust in him to manipulate her into being what he wants ⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) her to be, and to convince her that she is less than she is. In the chapter Driftwood, we see the first instance of him really being so condescending about her writing because he KNOWS that Emily will only be a writer if she can be a great writer. Seeing him belittle her for his own ends just infuriates me.

The other passage I marked was later in the same chapter. Emily says that she read a story that ended unhappily and she says ⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) “I shall always end MY stories happily. I don't care whether it's 'true to life' or not. It's true to life as it SHOULD BE and that's a better truth than the other.“ This sounded so LMM to me! As we've been reading her journals I've been amazed at how she could write such warm, happy stories during times of turmoil and intense stress in her own life. I so admire the way that she CHOSE to reflect good parts of life more than the bad. 1w

32 likes4 comments

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

“…over a hundred years ago great-great-grandfather Murray built this house and built it well. I wonder if, a hundred years from now, anybody will win a victory over anything because of something I left or did. It is an inspiring thought.”

This quote gave me chills—we‘re reading this 100 years after its publication. I think Emily would find that an inspiring thought!

How is your Emily-reading going this week?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, GingerAntics, TheAromaofBooks

AnnCrystal 🤩💝💝💝. 2w

TheAromaofBooks I can't deal with Aunt Ruth and her “you're sly“ accusations 😂 And Creepy Dean is literally creepier than ever. Overall the whole everyone trying to convince Emily who she wants to marry even though she's an actual child is kind of weird. But I am enjoying looking for tiny bits of LMM within the pages!! 2w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Aunt Ruth is infuriating, and the way Emily handles all of it is a testament to how much Emily has grown!! I'd indulge in a LOT more smart remarks than Emily does. Aunt Ruth's persistent “but WHY did you do _____?“ (and then her refusal to accept an honest response to a ridiculous question) would make me want to slap her. I mean, Emily probably wants to slap her, too, but it's remarkable how much restraint she shows! 2w

TheAromaofBooks Right?? Nothing is more annoying than someone asking you a question and then refusing to believe your answer! 2w

kwmg40 I'm a bit late starting this book but now eager to get into it. 1w

29 likes5 comments

LitsyEvents

Emily Climbs | Lucy Maud Montgomery

repost for @BarbaraJean

The Kindred Spirits Buddy Read of Emily Climbs starts this week! This is book 2 in the Emily series. I‘ll post weekly check-ins, and we‘ll discuss the book on Saturday, Sept. 13. Let me know if you‘d like to join in—if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead
#LMMReread

#BuddyRead

30 likes

LitsyEvents

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

repost for @BarbaraJean

The Kindred Spirits #BuddyRead of Emily Climbs starts this week! This is book 2 in the Emily series. I‘ll post weekly check-ins, and we‘ll discuss the book on Saturday, Sept. 13. Let me know if you‘d like to join in—if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead
#LMMReread

BarbaraJean Thanks for the repost! 3w

27 likes1 comment

BarbaraJean

Emily Climbs | L M Montgomery

The Kindred Spirits Buddy Read of Emily Climbs starts this week! This is book 2 in the Emily series. I‘ll post weekly check-ins, and we‘ll discuss the book on Saturday, Sept. 13. Let me know if you‘d like to join in—if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead
#LMMReread

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, LitsyEvents

TheBookHippie I love this book! Enjoy! 3w

TheBookHippie @GingerAntics not sure if you read this one yet. 3w

GingerAntics @TheBookHippie oh the second one in the trilogy. I bought this after we read the first one and I loved it so much… but then I totally forgot about it. I‘m in. 3w

See All 10 Comments

TheAromaofBooks I started this one (against my better judgment 😂) so I'm in!! 3w

BarbaraJean @GingerAntics Yay! I'll add you to the tag list. @TheAromaofBooks 😂 😂 I'm interested to hear how re-reading these lands for you!! 3w

BarbaraJean @TheBookHippie I 💜 Emily so much. 3w

TheBookHippie I do to! If I can squeeze in a reread I will let you know! 3w

BarbaraJean @TheBookHippie You're very welcome to join if you can! Also, we're reading Emily's Quest in November—so there's that. 😁 3w

BarbaraJean @JenlovesJT47 @lauraisntwilder @kwmg40 @TheAromaofBooks @GingerAntics Soooo, I don‘t know how I keep doing this, but I got the number of chapters wrong 🤦🏻‍♀️ I‘ve corrected the pic on this post—if you were tracking which chapters to read based on the original version of the post, please note that it‘s changed. Because Emily Climbs has 25 chapters and not 34 chapters 😩😆 3w

TheAromaofBooks Oh nice, that means I'm all caught up for this week! 😂 3w

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BarbaraJean

Emily of New Moon | Lucy Maud Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

Do you agree with LMM that this is the best book she‘s written (thus far in her life)?

What criteria do you use when considering what is a “best book”? For you, is “best” different from “favorite”?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, willaful

BarbaraJean I have a *really* hard time with determining what is a “best book.“ For me, “favorite“ and “best“ are very different things. I can appreciate a book's literary excellence and still not like it, and I can absolutely LOVE a book that I know isn't very well-written. So even though I asked this question, it's hard to answer! 😆 I do think EoNM is a better book than AoGG, but I don't know if I'd say it's better than Rilla. 2mo

lauraisntwilder EoNM is my favorite, but I think AoGG is probably her best to this point, from a literary standpoint. Marilla, Matthew, and Rachel are all so well and clearly defined. Jimmy is, but Elizabeth and Laura don't feel quite as real. I love them, but they're very similar to other sets of sisters in LMM's work. 2mo

TheAromaofBooks I think I have to agree with @lauraisntwilder that AoGG seems like a more well-rounded book to me. It's also possible, though, that I feel that way because I've read AoGG a thousand times and EoNM twice 😂 I definitely don't think Emily is better than Rilla - I really think Rilla may be LMM's best book. I do think LMM connected far more with Emily as a reflection of herself than she did with Anne, who was entirely imaginary, and I can see why ⬇ 2mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) LMM would consider this her most pleasurable book to write. I think she enjoyed slipping in some autobiographical tones. She's also more confident as a writer at this point than she was when AoGG was written. 2mo

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks I see that with AoGG being a more well-rounded book than EoNM. I think I love Emily so much because there is so much depth and richness to Emily herself. We don't have nearly as much of Anne's inner life as we do Emily's—the tradeoff there is the deeper characterization Laura points out in AoGG, of Marilla, Matthew, Rachel, and others. With Rilla, it's kind of the best of both in its characterization. 2mo

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