February 4, 2009

L.M. Montgomery Challenge: The Story Girl


I am a bit late to the carnival, but I couldn't pass up a chance to recommend a book that says...

"Even skeptical Dan prayed, his skepticism falling away from him like a discarded garment in this valley of the shadow [of death], which sifts our hearts and tries souls, until we all, grown-up or children, realize our weakness, and, finding that our own puny strength is as a reed shaken in the wind, creep back humbly to the God we have vainly dreamed we could do without."


L.M. Montgomery is the famed author of the Anne of Green Gables books. I say "famed" loosely since I didn't know who the author was until this carnival. I actually didn't even know the movies until I was a freshman in college! A kindred spirit introduced me, and I was hooked. After college I read the books and decided for this carnival that I would find what other treasures Montgomery had to offer.

The Story Girl is the enjoyable tale of a mid 20th century "gang" of teen aged friends who's ordinary experiences in life are all the richer because of their bond. While the book points out each person's strengths, the focus often revolves around the story girl, who is a gifted wordsmith.

"...if voices had colour, hers would have been like a rainbow. It made words live. Whatever she said became a breathing entity..."


Through the narrator's lens, we come to believe this! We want desperately to HEAR the stories and not just read them. The narrator is Beverly, the story girl's male cousin who comes to visit Prince Edward Island while his dad is working in South America. The fact that a teenage boy reveres the story girl's talents substantiates them all the more! Golden Road is the sequel (that I will be starting tomorrow), and begins in the same month that The Story Girl ends. Beverly reminds us that

"...before us was the dream of spring. It is always safe to dream of spring. For it is sure to come; and if it be not just as we have picture it, it will be infinitely sweeter."


I have to admit one problem with this book was that I kept expecting Anne Shirley to appear! Who could blame me? Nevertheless, I enjoyed this lighthearted read. Want to know what other good books Montgomery has written? Head on over to Reading to Know.

Interesting fact:

The Disney Channel series "Tales of Avonlea" is loosely based on The Story Girl novels.

3 comments:

Stephanie said...

The Story Girl is such a wonderful book. I need to pick that one up again, too.

Stephanie Kay said...

You can't go wrong with a L.M. Montgomery book!

Carrie said...

Oh WOW! What a very cool perspective in not knowing who LMM was until this challenge! I'm really glad you decided to join in and get to know her then! As SMB said above-you really can't go wrong with montgomery!

At any rate, thanks for participating!