The Blue Castle

Synopsis

"If it had not rained on a certain May morning, Valancy Stirling's whole life would have been entirely different."

At twenty-nine, Valancy had never been in love and it seemed romance had completely passed her by. Her only consolation were the "forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. 

All her life Valancy lived on a quiet little street, in an ugly little house, never daring to contradict her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt. Until the fateful day a letter came from Doctor Trent- and Valancy decided to throw caution to the wind once and for all . . . 

For the first time in her life, Valancy said and did exactly what she wanted. Soon she discovered a world full of find surprises and real adventures that she never knew could exist outside of her secret Blue Castle

Loved

• Valancy. L.M. Montgomery's heroines are just always the best, and Valancy did not disappoint. At the beginning of the story she seems to be quite the doormat, and almost pathetic in her resignation of her dull and unchanging life. Even in this state we detect a hidden personality of sense, spunk and a desire to live life to the fullest. Watching Valancy take on this dream of finding her Blue Castle, seeking romance, and becoming the person she's always wanted to be is so fun and rewarding- especially as she defies her overly-conventional and extremely overbearing family. She becomes a spunky and lovable heroine who we can all love to root for.

• Valancy's family. Reading about Valancy's ridiculous family and their quirky personalities is relatable for all readers who have that same aunt/cousin/uncle, etc. who always complains, has some ailment, worries for your salvation, or has a bad joke for every situation. Although her family is frustrating and at times nearly villainous in their severe judgments, they also provide a hilarious foil for Valancy and Barney's sense, adventure, and love for life.

• L.M. Montgomery's writing.  This is one of the many reasons why L.M. Montgomery is my favorite author- her writing is witty, romantic, and relatable. She never fails to help us feel as if we are in the heroine's shoes by providing characters who are reminiscent of people we know in our own lives in their quirkiness and distinct personalities. She has a way of storytelling that makes even the most fairytale-like endings and romances seem real because of her wit and ability to bring characters and situations to life.

• The romance. Although this isn't quite the dreaminess of Anne and Gil, this romance is appealing to older populations in that it's more relatable and somewhat more realistic (because we all know real life men do not act like Gilbert Blythe. . . :) The romance develops more slowly and with more realistic growth, while still causing readers to swoon at the end and feel satisfied. Although Barney is no Gilbert, he is a more realistic love interest in that he's odd, blunt, and not extremely handsome. Having a romance between more normal people and under more realistic circumstances is appealing for many readers and provides more authenticity.

• The theme of judgment and gossip. I feel like the author was deliberately trying to make a statement about judging others and paying attention to gossip, rumors, and supposed circumstances. There is a very clear theme throughout this story that we can never know what someone has experienced, and the real Christian lifestyle is to love everyone, despite their choices and pasts.

Didn't Love

• Although this doesn't compare to the Anne books, I loved this little story and I wouldn't change anything about it :) 

Content

• Language: 
• None.

• Sexual content: 
• One or two sweet kisses, not described.
• A secondary character has a child out of wedlock and there is much speculation about this in the traditionally Christian community.

• Violence
• Rumors of a character "stringing wives up by the clothes" in his shack.

Overall Thoughts

This is a 200+ page novel, but had the feel of one of L.M. Montgomery's short stories as it was short, sweet, and to the point. This little story delivered with a sweet and relatable romance, hilarious and quirky characters, witty writing, and a spunky, sensible heroine who finally decides to take control of her own happiness and find the life she's always wanted. This is a light-hearted, yet firm reminder that people cannot be judged on their pasts, beliefs, supposed circumstances, or circulated gossip. I definitely recommend this fun story to readers who are already fans of L.M. Montgomery, especially adult readers. However, if readers haven't read all the Anne books, I would definitely read those first because those are perfection :) But this little treat is a great story for satisfying those L.M. Montgomery cravings for romance, wit, and quirkiness.