L.M. Montgomery's Complete Journals: The Ontario Years 1911-1917

L.M. Montgomery's Complete Journals: The Ontario Years 1911-1917 | Jen Rubio

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals

We‘re back into LMM‘s journals this week, starting volume 3 with LMM‘s honeymoon travels, setting up the manse in Leaskdale, and reflections on new motherhood. I‘m behind on this week‘s reading—so just a general check-in this week, posted early because tomorrow is packed! 😊

How are you doing with this week‘s reading?
What have you noticed? Are there sections, quotes, or themes that stood out to you?

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I am almost done reading this section, so I'll pop back in. Also, just confirming, we aren't reading the Chronicles as a group, right? I may still read through them because I'm kind of interested in how they fit into her overall publishing progression arc haha 2w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Yes, I decided not to include Chronicles this time around—I wasn‘t super interested in re-reading, and they pop up in the journal so close to Golden Road that logistically it also worked better to leave them out! I‘d love to hear your thoughts if you do read through them at this point, though! 2w

lauraisntwilder I'm behind, too, but I'm enjoying being back in Maud's world again. She made me laugh when she talked about her new dining room, with "only one window which gives a view of several ugly back yards including our own." I also loved the irony of her traveling to places she loved from books/poems and being annoyed when they were packed with tourists. Who goes to PEI and doesn't go to the Anne sights? Would you even go there otherwise?? 2w

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TheAromaofBooks Like @lauraisntwilder I was glad to be back to reading Maud's thoughts again. Her honeymoon sounds like quite the whirlwind! You have to wonder if she had any thoughts about Ewan vs. MacMillan when she met M in person. And was M's fiancee really as bad as Maud portrayed her, or was she being a little catty/dog-in-the-manger-ish?? On the other hand, it sounds like Maud was physically so uncomfortable from her cystitis, who can blame her for being⬇ 2w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) a little grumpy?? How horrible to have a problem at a time when there were no antibiotics or anything that could actually help her problem. It just sounds miserable, especially while traveling!

It's been fun to read about her setting up house and of course the arrival of Chester. But it's also kind of hard to read about her being soooo in love with her baby knowing that he's going to absolutely literally destroy her life later 😢 2w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks I've been enjoying Maud's voice again as well! I had to laugh at her comments about literary sites being crowded with tourists. I think she would be aghast at how AoGG sites are such a tourist attraction now! I feel for her annoyance, because who wouldn't want those gorgeous sights to themselves, for reflection & full immersion in the experience? It's a shame when the experience is diminished by the crowds, but ⬇ 1w

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) ...also just a little entitled to be so indignant that others also want to experience those same sights. @TheAromaofBooks Her descriptions of MacMillan's fiancee were really funny! I didn't get the sense that she was being catty (who knows, though!), but I did feel like her skills in writing a quick, vivid character sketch were on full display there! The passages where she gushes about her love for Chester were SO bittersweet to read. ⬇ 1w

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) The note on the May 6, 1913 entry really got me. “My own dear little son! What a blessing you are to me! Will you always be so?“ and then the later added note: “Oh, dear God! 1937!“ 😭 Another passage that struck me was in the June 29, 1913 entry, when she talks about truth and not having the courage to tell it because she's a slave to old conventions and rules. That rings so true about her struggles with conventions and appearances. 1w

TheAromaofBooks Yes on the conventions thing!! Because I definitely feel like a lot of her life choices were made because of “what would people say“ and “upholding the family name“ instead of what she actually wants from life. And that entry about Chester!!!!! 😢 1w

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BarbaraJean

L.M. Montgomery's Complete Journals: The Ontario Years 1911-1917 | Jen Rubio

#BookMail! Volume 3 of LMM‘s complete journals arrived today, and I spent some time happily planning out the next few months of the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead, figuring out where #LMMReread and #LMMAdjacent books should fall, which adjacent reads to include, and scoping out an LMM Christmas plan! 🎉 More details soon 😊

rubyslippersreads, Daisey, LeahBergen, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, Roary47, julieclair

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! When did we even originally start with our Kindred Spirits reads? You would think I would be burned out on LMM by now, but I have just so thoroughly enjoyed exploring one author and her works so completely. 4mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks We started in October 2020!! I‘ve really enjoyed this deep dive, too. (Well, obviously or I wouldn‘t keep it going 😂) It‘s been such fun reading along with you and the group! 4mo

TheAromaofBooks We may need a four-year anniversary party! 😂 I can't believe it's been that long!! 4mo

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I know, right?! Maybe I should host an Anne-themed swap or something! 4mo

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