Somewhere between Green Gables and Avonlea there is a Blue Castle.... Lucy Maud Montgomery , internationally best-selling Canadian author, wrote about girls who escaped into the wild when the world stopped making sense. Her girl-protagonists straddle the line between 'civilized' towns of the 1900s, and the mystic wilds of magical girls, young psychics, and natural witches. 29-year-old Valancy Stirling had always been out of step . Elfin and something of a changeling as 1920s ladies go, she's suddenly faced with ...
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Somewhere between Green Gables and Avonlea there is a Blue Castle.... Lucy Maud Montgomery , internationally best-selling Canadian author, wrote about girls who escaped into the wild when the world stopped making sense. Her girl-protagonists straddle the line between 'civilized' towns of the 1900s, and the mystic wilds of magical girls, young psychics, and natural witches. 29-year-old Valancy Stirling had always been out of step . Elfin and something of a changeling as 1920s ladies go, she's suddenly faced with harsh reality when she's diagnosed with a fatal illness of the heart . Bullied by her well-heeled, stuffy, and judgmental family, Valancy has grown up without love. Now she's forced to realize she will likely die before she's ever lived! The distant dream of having a home and loving family of her own-her Blue Castle-will wither unless she takes drastic action. And once Valancy knows she has nothing to lose? Everything changes. Full of humor and transformation, this relatable story of a young woman pushing the limits of her repressive family and social order belongs on the shelves of lovers of Classics like Jane Eyre , and Emma . But it should also be within arm's reach of modern book and film fans, those who loved Crazy Rich Asians , and Harry Potter . It belongs anywhere where readers savor just desserts, and delight in how the tables turn. 'The Blue Castle' is a fairy-tale upheaval of the status quo , where underdogs can rise, and the cruel get what they deserve. With a fresh Foreword by Grenfell Campus' Dr. E. Holly Pike, Associate Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, aimed at the value of the wild and being different to L.M. Montgomery's heroines! Calling all readers who love A Secret Garden, Emma, and Y.A. books like Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty! Get it today!
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 252 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 252 p. Intended for a young adult/teenage audience. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Valancy Stirling has lived a rather quiet life for almost 29 years. She has no exceptionally wonderful childhood memories, as others might. Her adult life didn't carry much happiness for her either. Just the day-in and day-out motions of living with her mother and cousin. Of course, the glaring fact exists that she's becoming an old maid and no young man has taken an interest to her.
"As far as she could look back, life was drab and colourless, with not one single crimson or purple spot anywhere. As far as she could look forward it seemed certain to be just the same until she was nothing but a solitary, little withered leaf clinging to a wintry bough." (Chapter I)
"The Blue Castle" is the story of one young woman's breaking-out-of-a-shell moment. Far too long she had been pushed around, following commands kindly and precisely as requested, and continuously living without actually living.
The day of fateful decision lands on her 29th birthday. The day she finally decides to do something for herself, even if it does spring the first wedge she's ever had between herself and another person. As Valancy's daring acts increase, the relatives grow progressively surprised -- although deportment must always be sustained, even when disgraced and shocked by the words and actions of a young woman going "dippy". (This was my favorite part of the book, and I had many laughs over the dismayed reactions, and also at how steady that Valancy maintained her performances.)
"'Let us be calm,' said Uncle Benjamin. 'Let us be perfectly calm.'" (Chapter XV)
Suffice it to say, Valancy does not "be perfectly calm" and continues in her newly found freedom from the gripping drabness that she had always simply existed in... My, what great things she accomplishes too!
This is such a fun, sweet piece of literature to read. I sped through the book so fast, because I just couldn't stop reading. L. M. Montgomery spoke so vividly to me through "The Blue Castle". It's a new favorite of mine, and I'll definitely have to read it again someday!
julieCS
Jan 19, 2012
Lovely and wholesome
A sweet book with a lovely, old-fashioned story. Suitable for teens and adults who are hungry for good writing and a more wholesome approach than is usually found nowadays.
