osprey_archer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
osprey_archer) wrote2012-12-27 11:15 am
osprey_archer) wrote2012-12-27 11:15 am
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Book Review: Emily & Anne
I’ve been reading Emily Climbs, the sequel to L. M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon, which is her second most famous series after, of course, Anne of Green Gables. And I can see why: Anne has a splendid romance, while I don’t like any of Emily’s romantic choices. I think she’s going to end up with Teddy, who is the least objectionable of the lot. But so dull!
On the other hand, Emily’s best friend Ilse is a thousand times more interesting than Anne’s best friend Diana, who is nearly as dull as Teddy. I always felt that Anne was in a sense projecting kindred spiritship onto Diana - not that Diana didn’t like Anne a lot, because she clearly did, but the poetic depth of the relationship was all Anne’s.
It works out all right, because Anne is a fictional character, but in real life attempting to believe someone into being a kindred spirit is pretty much destined to end in disillusionment.
Ilse, on the other hand, clearly has true kindred spirit potential: I love her wickedness. She flies into rages and curses, she wears clothes that are too grown up and goes around with too many boys, she doubts the existence of God, and she and Emily had adventures: they go skinny-dipping together (Emily protests: we kept our petticoats on!) and sleep out all night on a haystack.
Also, the Emily books introduce a word that I think ought to be dragged into the lexicon. Speaking of a cousin, Emily says, “She and I are friendish...we are more than mere acquaintances but not really friendly. We will always be friendish and never more than friendish. We don’t talk the same language.” (261)
ALSO because it is Yuletide week, I come bearing an Emily of New Moon Yuletide rec. A modern day version where Emily blogs, with a dash of Anne for good measure: Work in Progress. (The author lists the pairing as Emily Byrd Starr/Writing. I am in favor of this.)
Anne rolls her eyes. "Is your aunt really going to know if you cheat on your nonfiction with some hot prose on the side?"
"It's the principle of the thing. I've got my pride," Emily says.
"Ah, yes, Murray pride," Anne says, warming to the topic. "Also known as, your family is so ridiculously stubborn that whenever I think about them I thank God I'm an orphan."
"I'm an orphan, too," Emily points out.
"I thank God I'm adopted," Anne says.
On the other hand, Emily’s best friend Ilse is a thousand times more interesting than Anne’s best friend Diana, who is nearly as dull as Teddy. I always felt that Anne was in a sense projecting kindred spiritship onto Diana - not that Diana didn’t like Anne a lot, because she clearly did, but the poetic depth of the relationship was all Anne’s.
It works out all right, because Anne is a fictional character, but in real life attempting to believe someone into being a kindred spirit is pretty much destined to end in disillusionment.
Ilse, on the other hand, clearly has true kindred spirit potential: I love her wickedness. She flies into rages and curses, she wears clothes that are too grown up and goes around with too many boys, she doubts the existence of God, and she and Emily had adventures: they go skinny-dipping together (Emily protests: we kept our petticoats on!) and sleep out all night on a haystack.
Also, the Emily books introduce a word that I think ought to be dragged into the lexicon. Speaking of a cousin, Emily says, “She and I are friendish...we are more than mere acquaintances but not really friendly. We will always be friendish and never more than friendish. We don’t talk the same language.” (261)
ALSO because it is Yuletide week, I come bearing an Emily of New Moon Yuletide rec. A modern day version where Emily blogs, with a dash of Anne for good measure: Work in Progress. (The author lists the pairing as Emily Byrd Starr/Writing. I am in favor of this.)
Anne rolls her eyes. "Is your aunt really going to know if you cheat on your nonfiction with some hot prose on the side?"
"It's the principle of the thing. I've got my pride," Emily says.
"Ah, yes, Murray pride," Anne says, warming to the topic. "Also known as, your family is so ridiculously stubborn that whenever I think about them I thank God I'm an orphan."
"I'm an orphan, too," Emily points out.
"I thank God I'm adopted," Anne says.