Litsy

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.

3d

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.“
3d

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) 3d

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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. 3d

julieclair I‘m behind as usual… 🙄 2d

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! 2d

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) 1d

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!! 1d

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! 1d

BarbaraJean @julieclair I get it! Feel free to drop back in when you're able to catch up! 1d

lauraisntwilder @BarbaraJean Yes, would love more on the European trip or the Blythe children with Marilla and Rachel! 1d

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. 20h

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… 😂) 19h

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! 13h

25 likes14 comments

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

37 likes

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 😵‍💫 6d

TheAromaofBooks For real!! 😥 6d

30 likes2 comments

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! 1w

30 likes1 comment

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

BarbaraJean Rainbow Valley:
@julieclair, @TheAromaofBooks, @lauraisntwilder, @CogsOfEncouragement, @rubyslippersreads, @kwmg40, @JenLovesJT47

Rainbow Valley

BarbaraJean Last of the Mohicans:
@Daisey, @TheAromaofBooks, @julieclair, @lauraisntwilder, @rubyslippersreads, @JenLovesJT47

The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757

Daisey Looking forward to Last of the Mohicans! 1w

julieclair Looking forward to both of these! 1w

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! I'm in for both of these - or at least I've kept them from getting packed 😂 1w

34 likes5 comments

kwmg40

Anne's House of Dreams | L. M. Montgomery

pick

I have a much better appreciation of this book than I did when I had first read it a long time ago. I love how Anne has matured and evolved over the series but still retains much of what made so many people love her from the original Green Gables book.

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread @BarbaraJean
#52bookclub25 (character with red hair)
#gottacatchemall (Dhelmise: set on an island) @PuddleJumper

59 likes

BarbaraJean

L.M. Montgomery's Complete Journals: The Ontario Years: 1918-1921 | Jen Rubio L.M. Montgomery

Thank you everyone who voted on our next adjacent reads! Top picks:
Last of the Mohicans (6 votes)
Pollyanna (5 votes)
Life of Charlotte Bronte (4 votes)
I made the above schedule based on our votes & the Journals Vol. 4. We'll read Rilla and Pollyanna in May! Ivanhoe, More Tramps Abroad, and Beautiful Joe all received 3 votes each, so I'll plan to work those in later in the year.
#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMJournals #LMMReread #LMMAdjacent ⬇

rubyslippersreads, Daisey, LeahBergen, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks, Roary47, julieclair

BarbaraJean As always, all are welcome to join in for any part of the buddy read that strikes your fancy. I keep separate tag lists for each book and for the #LMMJournals read. Just let me know if you're not tagged and you'd like to be. @LitsyEvents 1mo

TheAromaofBooks Last of the Mohicans! I've always wanted to read this one, but I'm also scared 😂 Love the 5-chapters-a-week schedule for that one. 1mo

julieclair Yay! I‘m in for Pointed Firs and the Mohicans. And maybe for Rainbow Valley… please tag me for all three. 😃 1mo

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BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks 😂 It almost works out to chapter-a-day! I was torn between allotting 3 or 4 weeks for that one, but decided taking more time is never a bad thing 😆 1mo

BarbaraJean @julieclair I‘ve got you down for all three! 1mo

Daisey I‘m in for Last of the Mohicans! 1mo

32 likes6 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne's House of Dreams | L. M. Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread - House of Dreams Discussion 3/3

🏡 For those who are re-reading, what was it like to read this book right after Anne of the Island instead of after Anne of Windy Poplars?

🏡 What elements of this book did you most enjoy? What did you dislike?

🏡 Final thoughts on Anne‘s House of Dreams?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, monalyisha, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks

CogsOfEncouragement It was nice to not have to wait for Anne and Gilbert‘s happiness! 1mo

CogsOfEncouragement I enjoyed these characters in Anne‘s new neighborhood so much. I also really enjoyed the twist in Leslie‘s story (which I had completely forgotten) and her happily ever after. 1mo

kwmg40 The chapter that stayed in my mind was the one describing the general election in Canada. I liked how friends, family and neighbours could disagree vehemently about politics but after the election, they could put those disagreements aside and carry on as before. I hope that's still the case today, but with all the vitriol I see in the news and social media, I'm not so sure! 1mo

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TheAromaofBooks It was weird to skip Windy Poplars, but kind of interesting to jump straight to their married life. It also does make more sense as far as secondary-character continuity goes (Rebecca Dew only appearing in WP and Ingleside). I love this book and found the ending, where they are getting ready to leave behind their home, especially poignant as I'm getting ready to move out of the house where we've lived for 10 years. I think LMM does an amazing job⬇ 1mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) keeping Anne and Gilbert true to their characters, while introducing new people and weaving the threads together. Someone like Captain Jim seems like he should be kind of annoying/ridiculous, yet comes through as realistic and lovable. Miss Cornelia seems like she ought to be a caricature, but the way that she shows genuine kindness and generosity to everyone around her instead makes her warm and interesting - and I actually totally ⬇ 1mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) love her getting married in the end! I guess I basically find it amazing how LMM can hit the right notes, creating vivid and realistic characters whose conversations and actions seems so natural. 1mo

23 likes6 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne's House of Dreams | L. M. Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread - House of Dreams Discussion 2/3

I was struck by this quote on the value of different life paths, specifically the roles that women choose for their lives (or the roles that society/circumstances choose for them). What do you think about the way House of Dreams portrays women‘s roles, through characters like Anne, Leslie, and Miss Cornelia?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, monalyisha, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks

CogsOfEncouragement Chapter 15: The Glen St. Mary church wouldn‘t have been built to this day,” went on Miss Cornelia, ignoring Captain Jim, “if we women hadn‘t just started in and took charge… Says a lot about women being capable and getting things done though they lack certain opportunities and rights at this time in history. 1mo

kwmg40 Definitely, in those days, women had much more pressure to act as supporters and caregivers. If a woman valued that role for herself, then that's definitely not a 'waste“, but it's tragic when a woman strongly prefers a different path but doesn't have the freedom to choose it. 1mo

kwmg40 On the topic of women's issues, I loved that Anne decided to ignore all the questionable advice in the parenting book! 1mo

20 likes3 comments

BarbaraJean

Anne's House of Dreams | L. M. Montgomery

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMReread

Anne‘s House of Dreams Discussion - 1/3

🏡 What did you think of Gilbert and Anne as a married couple? What (if any) changes do you see in Anne now that she‘s married?

🏡 How would you compare Anne‘s other friendships (Diana, her college chums) to her friendship with Leslie?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, CogsOfEncouragement, lauraisntwilder, monalyisha, kwmg40, TheAromaofBooks

CogsOfEncouragement I adore them as a couple. Fun to be in their world. 1mo

CogsOfEncouragement Leslie has had more sorrow than most, and has such unhappy responsibilities. This makes her such a different character than Anne‘s other chums. It makes her equipped to be a true friend to Anne when her own tragedy comes. They are supportive to each other in genuine, deep ways. 1mo

kwmg40 I like how Anne and Gilbert still retain much of their earlier characteristics in their married life. Anne is still sensitive, idealistic and a dreamer, while Gilbert is steady, reliable and practical. They make a good team! 1mo

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TheAromaofBooks I love Anne and Gilbert together. Like @kwmg40 said, they seem to balance each other well. I especially love the chapter where they are deciding whether or not Gilbert should tell Leslie about the surgery that could help her husband. I think their disagreement and then the way they still basically agree to disagree is written really well, and gives us a great look at Gilbert's character. 1mo

TheAromaofBooks It's so interesting to read these books as an adult. When I first read them around 10-12yrs old, I couldn't really understand the difference in Anne's friendship with Leslie vs Diana or college chums. Now, having gone through some life-sorrows myself, I can appreciate the difference. Leslie is Anne's intellectual equal, combined with a soul-maturity that only comes from surviving tragedy. I also understand now why their friendship changed after ⬇ 1mo

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) Anne's tragedy as well. You genuinely can't understand what it's like to live through something horrific until you have, and I thought LMM did such a good job of making that a turning point of their friendship. 1mo

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