Tuesday, April 2, 2013

B is for The Blue Castle

(For the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge, I will be featuring one book each day, that begins with that day's letter, that made an impression on me.  This means that for some reason, I didn't just read that book and forget about it.  No, I still think about it after some period of time has passed.) 


Title: Blue Castle, The
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Original Publication Date: 1926
Date I First Read: 2000
Adult Fiction / Teen Fiction
Basic Category: Romance-ish

Basic Summary: Valancy is 29 years old, and she is still living with her mother and aunt.   She feels stuck.  And then she gets a letter from a doctor who says she had a heart condition and will probably die.   She throws all caution to the wind in the freedom that the idea of death gives her . . . and her life suddenly changes for the better. 

What I Remember About the Book:  Valancy getting the letter.  Her many relatives.   Her letter to Barney. 

What I Took Away From the Book:  I read this book first when I was 25.  I was worried about being in Valancy’s position love and relationship-wise when I was 30.  I took different steps than Valancy did, but I too threw caution to the wind to some extent with my online dating, and found the one for me. 

Quote: "Valancy did not mind so much being an old maid.  After all, she thought, being an old maid couldn't possibly be as dreadful as being married to an Uncle Wellington or an Uncle Benjamin, or even an Uncle Herbert.  What hurt her was that she had never had a chance to be anything but an old maid.  No man had ever desired her," (1).  

Rating (1-5 Stars): 5 

12 comments:

Sweetbearies said...

I have heard about that book, and have wanted to read it. I always enjoyed revisiting the Anne of Green Gables series. Nice to be reading posts on the A to Z challenge about things I have heard of.

Cheryl said...

I love Lucy Maud Montgomery's works, but I never read this one. I'm pretty sure I have it here in my collection. Your post makes me want to dig it out.

Good luck with the challenge.

Cheryl
http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/2013/04/blogging-from-to-z-april-challenge_2.html

Kathe W. said...

I live in a very small town- I'll have to see if this book is available here! Have a lovely day curled up with a book!

Daniel B. (@publiusdb) said...

Sounds like a fun book. Thanks for the recommendation.

Unknown said...

Thanks for posting about books, they are always a favourite with me ;)

This sounds like an interesting book. although I hadn't hear of it before, I will definitely move it onto my TBR list.

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

Following from the A to Z Challenge. I've never heard of this book before, but I'm not nearly as well read as I think I should be. Found it on Goodreads and added it to my "to be read" shelf.

M Pax said...

I'll have to make note of this book. Many of my friends never married and I don't think any of them mind. I like that they found happiness without marriage. Although, I'm glad to have my Husband Unit.

Unknown said...

I loved reading the Blue Castle! For the longest time I didn't know L.M. Montgomery had written anything besides the Anne of Green Gable series. I'm so glad she did. Great post for B!

Elizabeth Wat Gibson said...

Sounds like a book to add to the tbr list. Thanks for recommending it.

Unknown said...

Just stopping by from the a-z challenge. This sounds like a very good read, and I love that you took life on like the character, and found what you were looking for because of it.

Have fun with the challenge.

Trisha said...

Sounds like you learned a very worthwhile lesson from this book! Another book I haven't read, incidentally. :)

Unknown said...

sounds interesting.