Litsy

Rainbow Valley | L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery

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Another charming installment in the Anne of Green Gables series. This one featured a few of Anne's children but was mostly about a family they befriend.

#gottacatchemall(Cottonee:friends stick together)
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

LMM dedicates Rainbow Valley to three young men who were killed in WWI, and the ending of the novel, with its references to the Piper, foreshadows the war to come. Did you notice anything else in the book that echoes or explores these bookend references to the war?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder Ellen West seems pretty convinced there's something rotten in the state of Germany. 1w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder And she wasn't wrong! I loved seeing LMM's interest in politics come out in that way. I felt like the Piper stuff was a little heavy-handed, but I liked that little foreshadowing with Ellen. 5d

kwmg40 There were definitely instances of foreshadowing -- references to the politics but also suggestions that the world will change and the current times will be gone forever. 12h

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

It was heartbreaking to read the above in LMM‘s journals and to see LMM‘s loss of her cousin and dear friend overshadowing the publication of Rainbow Valley. But I loved hearing the source for both of these Rainbow Valley moments.

What are some of your favorite parts of Rainbow Valley? Favorite episodes or quotes?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

JenlovesJT47 I can‘t wait to actually sit down and read her journals. Hoping to get to it this week. 💚 She was such an interesting person. 1w

CogsOfEncouragement Throughout the book, it was interesting to me how gossip in the small community played such a role in nearly everything. Sometimes the gossip caused great harm, and sometimes it was the gossip of others that prompted someone to act to everyone's betterment. 1w

BarbaraJean @JenlovesJT47 I hope you end up being able to get to them—I‘ve really loved reading the journals! 5d

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BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I got so mad at the gossips! Yes, there were times the Meredith kids (AND the Blythes, if we‘re being fair—which the gossips were not) really got up to mischief—like the pig-riding 😂 But it seemed like the things that set off the worst gossip were often innocent mistakes (like cleaning the house on Sunday!) or situations the kids should/would never have been in—if a responsible adult had provided some guidance and care. 5d

BarbaraJean In spite of how much John Meredith (as a father) frustrated me, I really enjoyed the Rosemary + John love story. I was rooting for the kids to have her in their life. I loved her friendship with Faith, and how Una finally brought everything together so sweetly & selflessly. I also loved basically all of the scenes that centered on Faith. Her explanation in front of the church, her letter to the Journal, and the pig-riding!! ⤵️ 5d

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) And I loved Faith‘s response to seeing that condescending minister catch his coat-tails on fire, vindicating poor Adam just a little bit! 5d

kwmg40 I enjoyed the antics of the Meredith kids, and seeing how their “bad behaviour“ usually stemmed from childish impulsiveness, kindheartedness or good intentions. 12h

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

For those who are re-reading the series: How was it reading Rainbow Valley right after House of Dreams instead of after Anne of Ingleside?

Does this book feel like an “Anne” book to you? What do you think of the glimpses we do get of Anne and Gilbert?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder I think it makes more sense coming right after House of Dreams. Well, actually, I think it's that Anne of Ingleside makes more sense if you read this one first. LMM introduces all the children in this one, but on my first read through, I read Ingleside first and was a little lost. I think I'll enjoy that one more this time through. 1w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder Oh, I hadn‘t even thought about that with Ingleside! Even though we get very little development of the Blythe kids here, at least we do get the general introductions. I‘ll definitely be paying attention to how that affects my reading of Ingleside this time. 5d

BarbaraJean Although this doesn‘t feel like an Anne book to me, doing kind of a fast-forward to the next generation made sense to me. And I loved getting to see glimpses of Anne and Gilbert at this stage of their lives. The few moments we get of Anne as a parent (both to her own kids and to the Meredith kids at times) were just lovely. 5d

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

What worked or didn‘t work for you in this book? What did you most enjoy? What did you dislike or find problematic?

We get a bunch of new characters: Anne‘s children and the Meredith family, and various members of the community including the West sisters. Which were your favorites or least favorites? Who would you have liked to read more (or less!) about?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

CogsOfEncouragement I of course like Rosemary. I was very much frustrated by Ellen not allowing Rosemary out of a promise no one should make, and then again when Ellen was keeping herself and three other people from easy happiness. I enjoyed Norman's character and any scene he was mentioned.

Faith was a favorite, I chuckled as she tried to fix messes she made, only to make things worse in some ways. Her letter to The Journal was a hoot! 1w

lauraisntwilder I was a little confused about when Mrs. Meredith died. I haven't taken the time to look back, but I swear Mr. Meredith has a memory of his wife holding little Una and it sounded like Una was a baby, or a very young toddler, at least. But later Una remembers a speech her father gives them shortly after her mother's death. I wouldn't have thought she be old enough to remember. 1w

lauraisntwilder *she'd be old enough 1w

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TheAromaofBooks We'll see if Litsy lets me comment😑 RV has always been my least favorite of the Anne books, and I think it's because I don't like John Meredith. Can anyone really be this self-absorbed and neglectful? How can you still consider him a “good“ person? I have no patience with his whole “guilt-stricken“ moments that are immediately followed by him pursuing his own interests again. While I love the children, I find John impossible to root for. 6d

BarbaraJean I really like the characters in Rainbow Valley—I love the Meredith kids. But it frustrates me that the Blythe kids are just side characters. And it‘s way too darn hard to remember which Blythe is which, because they‘re not at all fleshed out, and then Nan and Di are named after Anne and Diana, which confuses me! 6d

BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement Faith was my favorite! I loved her boldness to stand up to the gossips, both with her church announcement and her letter to the Journal. My jaw literally dropped with some of her comments in her letter—but most of what came across so harshly was said truthfully and without malice. Like her comment about the yarn!! I love Rosemary, too—and Ellen‘s stubbornness and hypocrisy infuriate me. 6d

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I found that memory of Cecilia and Una—it‘s halfway through Ch. 14: “the child whom the dying mother had clasped to her heart… Cecilia had clung to her baby until the gates of death had shut between them.” I was confused, too—“her baby” sounds like Una was either an infant or the youngest, but we know Carl is younger than Una. The AoGG fandom wiki says Jerry was 8 when his mother died, which would make Una 6 at that point. 6d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks YES about John Meredith. I liked Rainbow Valley more on this reading than before, partly because it reminded me so much of the little gang of friends in Story Girl/Golden Road. But John Meredith bothered me SO much more. No matter how much he supposedly cares for his children emotionally, he‘s a crappy father. But I was equally infuriated by the community, who gossip & judge those poor good-hearted, well-meaning kids who have ⬇ 6d

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …absolutely no support or guidance at home. I wanted to cheer at Anne‘s speech about what she‘d say about the Meredith kids, and the way Miss Cornelia took it to heart. But those kids needed more than adults defending them and their father‘s love for them. I think I was rooting for Rosemary & John in part because those kids needed her so badly!! But it also made me really angry that John finding a wife was presented as the best solution ⬇ 6d

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) …for his failures as a father. Because guess what? If he can‘t remember that he has kids that need caring for, odds are he‘s going to neglect his wife, too. And that‘s going to be a crap marriage if her primary role as a wife is getting him to pull his nose out of tomes of German theology in order to remember he has a wife and kids. (Also UGH to commenting on Litsy via the web right now...) 6d

kwmg40 I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the earlier ones. I agree with others that John Meredith was an infuriating character but I liked all the other characters, even Ellen. One complaint I had about the subplots is that I felt I had seen them all before in earlier books -- the rescued child, the long-separated lovers, etc. 12h

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

Hello, #KindredSpirits! Checking in halfway through our read of Rainbow Valley!

📚How is your reading going? What are your thoughts so far?
📚What stands out to you from the first half of the book?
📚Any favorite sections or quotes?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

CogsOfEncouragement I'm just to chapter seven at this moment, but plan to finish the whole book in time for next week's discussion. This is a re-read for me. I read it once over ten years ago.

I'm struck by the relationship between Susan and Shirley, that he would not go with the rest of the family to Avonlea but with Susan to visit her brother. I can't imagine.

2w

CogsOfEncouragement Chapter One:

“Speaking of gossip...Mrs. Harrison Miller over harbour tried to hang herself...If I had been in her shoes, Mrs. Dr. dear, I would have gone to work to worry him so that he would try to hang himself instead of me.“
2w

CogsOfEncouragement Chapter Four:

Love was the only law at Glen St. Mary manse.

The world isn't a vale of tears, Mrs. Taylor. It's a world of laughter.

Father said in his sermon...we should love everybody...How could we love Mrs. Alec Davis?...Oh, father only said that from the pulpit...He has more sense than to really think that outside. (edited) 2w

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CogsOfEncouragement Chapter Five:

Mr. Wiley used to mention hell when he was alive. He was always telling folks to go there. I thought it was some place over in New Brunswick where he come from. 2w

julieclair I‘m behind as usual… 🙄 2w

lauraisntwilder Just like the last time I read this, I can't help feeling like it's strange to be introduced to all Anne's children and then spend most of the book with an entirely different group of children. I like Meredith children, so I'm still enjoying the book, but it's odd. Gilbert only spoke in one scene so far, that I can remember. I miss him--and Diana and Marilla, and, actually, Anne, too! 2w

BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I thought it was odd as well, to have Susan take Shirley with her to visit her brother instead of him going with all the other siblings to Avonlea. He and Rilla kind of just disappear from the narrative (well, until the codfish episode with Rilla!). (edited) 2w

BarbaraJean @CogsOfEncouragement I love all the quotes you mentioned. Every one of them was one that caught my eye as well. I loved this especially: “The world isn't a vale of tears, Mrs. Taylor. It's a world of laughter.“ I love Faith Meredith so very much!! 2w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder It IS odd. The first chapter sets up expectations that the book will be about the Blythes, and then the focus completely shifts. Like you, I like the Merediths, but it's such an adjacent-feeling book, rather than an “Anne“ book! Also: I wanted more about Anne and Gilbert's Europe trip! I'd read a whole novel about that! 2w

BarbaraJean @julieclair I get it! Feel free to drop back in when you're able to catch up! 2w

lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean Yes, would love more on the European trip or the Blythe children with Marilla and Rachel! 2w

TheAromaofBooks I haven't started my reread of this one yet, but I'm planning to read the whole book this week!! We're at the new house with no internet right now, so my Litsy check ins are a little sporadic 😂 Hopefully we'll get things sorted this week!!

It's interesting to read this book directly after House of Dreams instead of after Ingleside. I think that adds to the “why isn't this book about the Blythes“ kind of feeling. 2w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks You‘ve had just a FEW other things going on in your life… 😆 Looking forward to hearing your thoughts next week, and best wishes on sorting all the things! (Or most of the things… some of the things… a few of the things… 😂) 2w

kwmg40 I've only just started reading this novel so can't say too much yet. It's a reread for me, but I'd first read this so many years ago that it feels like a new experience! 2w

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

“It is never quite safe to think we have done with life. When we imagine we have finished our story fate has a trick of turning the page and showing us yet another chapter.”

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

“There are days when he growls at everybody because he thinks he is fore-ordained to eternal punishment… My own opinion is that he is not sound in his intellect, for none of that branch of the Millers were. His grandfather went out of his mind.”

Well, THAT lands differently after reading last week‘s section of LMM‘s journals. 😳😬😢

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals #LMMReread

JenlovesJT47, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks

TheBookHippie 😵‍💫 3w

TheAromaofBooks For real!! 😥 3w

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LitsyEvents

Rainbow Valley | L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery

Repost for @BarbaraJean
Next up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead our #LMMReread of Rainbow Valley & our #LMMAdjacent read of The Last of the Mohicans. @BarbaraJean will post check ins on Saturdays; full discussion of Rainbow Valley will be March 15 & for Last of the Mohicans it will be on April 12.
All are welcome to join in! Please let @BarbaraJean know if you want to be added to or removed from the tag
list.

BarbaraJean Thanks for re-posting! 3w

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BarbaraJean

Rainbow Valley | L. M. Montgomery

Next up in the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead: our #LMMReread of Rainbow Valley, and our #LMMAdjacent read of The Last of the Mohicans.

I‘ll post check-ins on Saturdays; the full discussion of Rainbow Valley will be March 15, and for Last of the Mohicans it will be on April 12.

All are welcome to join in! I‘ll post my tag lists for each book in the comments. Please let me know if you‘re not tagged and you‘d like to be (or vice versa!)

LitsyEvents