Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery
Genre: YA Classic
Blurb (on back of book):
Emily Starr never knew what it was to be lonely—until her beloved father died. Now Emily's an orphan, and her mother's snobbish relatives are taking her to live with them at New Moon Farm. She's sure she won't be happy. Emily deals with stiff, stern Aunt Elizabeth and her malicious classmates by holding her head high and using her quick wit. Things begin to change when she makes friends: with Teddy, who does marvelous drawings; with Perry, who's sailed all over the world with his father yet has never been to school; and above all, with Ilse, a tomboy with a blazing temper. Amazingly, Emily finds New Moon beautiful and fascinating. With new friends and adventures, Emily might someday think of herself as Emily of New Moon.
MY OPINION: ******
So this is my NINTH time reading this book, I believe. No, I'm not crazy. I just always find myself picking it up and rereading it. I think I'll make it an annual ritual: Read this series at LEAST once a year, along with
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.
I believe I have reviewed this book at LEAST twice on this blog? Correct me if I'm wrong.
ANYWAYS, since I have reviewed it so many times, I'll make this super short.
Emily is an orphan who is forced to live with her Aunt Elizabeth and Aunt Laura Murry and her Cousin Jimmy Murray after they draw LOTS to see who'll get her (and no, they didn't do so because they WANTED her, it was quite the opposite)
Emily thinks she's never going to love New Moon, her new home, but as time goes on, it becomes so dear to her that she gets homesick when she's away. Her Aunt Laura and her Cousin Jimmy are sweet and kind to her but Aunt Elizabeth remains cold and formidable in Emily's eyes.
Emily is a writer who feels the NEED to write. If she doesn't, she'll burst. So she sneaks paper and writes whatever strikes her fancy, much to Elizabeth's dismay and protest.
She makes friends after the move: Ilse Burnley, a wild, fiery-eyed spirit who has a wicked temper and is always ready to start a fight, call names, and then make up immediately the next day with the person. She's neglected by her father who lost his wife and has left his daughter to literally fend for herself. I love Ilse with all my heart; she's endearing to me and I remember reading about her long, long ago.
Then there's Perry Miller, a boy who comes from Stovepipe Town and becomes the chore-boy at New Moon. They meet after he saves her life from a charging, raging bull. Perry and Emily are immediately close friends, though Ilse is never one to stop ragging on him about his grammar and his manners and whatever else he does that is improper.
And then, of course, there's Teddy Kent. Beautiful, gorgeous, amazing Teddy Kent who I've always loved the most out of them all... even more than Emily herself. He's an artist at heart and he's a close friend of Emily's... forever. He has a mother who is rather confining and hates everything he loves.
All of them have some sort of a talent:
Teddy with his art, Emily with her writing, Perry with his aspirations to be the Prime Minister, and Ilse with her elocution.
I've read this book so many times that I swear I can remember the order of events by heart. This book has so much in it and it's so detailed and it's actually a very interesting novel.
I would recommend this book to all readers.
Main Character: Emily
Sidekick(s): Teddy, Ilse, Perry, Laura, Jimmy, Elizabeth, Mr. Carpenter, etc
Villain(s): Elizabeth (at times), Rhoda, Ms Brownell, etc
Classic Elements: What makes a book a classic? It's been read for so many years and it was written a long time ago...
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