Greetings readers!
Despite the cold temperatures I’m experiencing here in my corner of the globe lately, I feel like it is the perfect time to read those spring/summer books. It’s also my favourite time of year for middle grade. I don’t know what it is exactly, but something about the spring sun (and rain) gets me in the mood for a good heartfelt adventure.
The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery
Publisher: Tundra Books
Pub Date: January 9, 2018
Price: $12.99 CAD
ISBN: 9781101919491
Sara Stanley is only fourteen, but she can weave tales that are impossible to resist. In the charming town of Carlisle, children and grown-ups alike flock from miles around to hear her spellbinding tales. And when Bev King and his younger brother Felix arrive for the summer, they, too, are captivated by the Story Girl. Whether she’s leading them on exciting misadventure or narrating timeless stories–from the scary “Tale of the Family Ghost” to the fanciful “How Kissing Was Discovered” to the bittersweet “The Blue Chest of Rachel Ward”–the Story Girl has her audience hanging on every word.
Buy It!
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*A huge thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a free copy in exchange for a honest review!*
I have only read one other book by L.M. Montgomery which was none other than her masterpiece, Anne of Green Gables. I absolutely adored it and I cannot wait to continue the series in a near foreseeable future. So in picking up this book I was really hoping to immerse myself in Montgomery’s beautiful writing and quirky characters!
What I Liked:
Characters: There were lots of them, so I’ll highlight a few things for each!
Story Girl: She was an absolute delight. Montgomery definitely gives her a way with words and a mischievous personality to match with all those fancy terms she uses. I really liked reading the stories she told and the way she charmed kids and adults alike.
Beverly: He is actually the narrator which I found quite interesting. It’s probably the best since if it were in the perspective of the Story Girl this novel would probably go on and on. He also has a way with words and the fact that it is actually an adult Bev reminiscing on his childhood days really amps the sense of nostalgia!
Cecily: Oh she was my favourite! Maybe it was her curiosity and leadership that showed up sporadically when she wasn’t second-guessing herself. She was adorable and I loved her sassy one-liners too.
Peter: Another favourite. He added a lot of humour to the story, since he wasn’t raised “proper” like the other kids, but I loved that about him. I wish he wasn’t chasing after a girl who didn’t appreciate him, but who knows what could happen to this little crush of his.
Dan & Felix & Sara Ray: They added a lot of fun to the story too! So much bickering sass, and crying (<- mostly from Sara Ray) came from them. They gave the story a healthy dose of spirit.
Felicity: She was actually my least favourite…far too snobby and self-entitled for my liking. Yet, I also kind of liked her sassy and blunt ways. I’m conflicted.
The Setting:
Prince Edward Island has always been a dream destination of mine! It sounds liked such a scenic and beautiful place. Of course the PEI of today is much different from the PEI in the story, but still. The glowing sun of the summer in PEI was the perfect backdrop for the adventures of these kids!
The Writing:
Montgomery’s writing is absolutely stunning. The descriptions she uses to emphasize the innocence and beauty of the children and their adventures in growing up were perfect. Some passages were simply stunning and I couldn’t help but remark at their beauty.
The Stories within the Story:
How can I not talk about all the great little stories that the Story Girl told within the pages of the book. Some were heartfelt, others were tragic and some were very funny. It was really cute reading about the reactions of the other kids and the spell bound wonder they would be trapped in every time the Story Girl told a new tale!
What I Disliked:
What Was the Final Point?:
This was a really good story because of the amazing characters that Montgomery created. Otherwise in terms of plot, it was a little everywhere. I could not catch the direction of the story, other than it being a recount of the summer in the eyes of Bev.
Slooooowwww:
My, my it was a very slow story. Or perhaps it just felt like that because I didn’t know what the point of the story was. It was a little repetitive at times and that made me kind of want to put the book down.
Overall, it was a cute story. A perfect book to get my middle grade reading mood going. Yes it was a tad boring in places and quite outdated. (Whenever they mentioned converting the Heathen, I cringed..so just keep that in mind if you read this book.) Despite that I thought it was a fun read and I look forward to the sequel!
Rating: 3 / 5 stars
Recommend: Yes! It’s the kind of book you read when it’s raining out and you would rather bask in the warm light of the summer sun, with a light breeze keeping you cool at the same time.
Let me know what you think! What is your favourite L.M. Montgomery read? What is your go to middle grade author/book/series? What books do you like to read during the spring season, if you have a preference?
Happy reading!
~ Rendz
Reading with Rendz 
I think this one is so interesting since Montgomery doesn’t typically write from the perspective of a male character! It’s been awhile since I read The Story Girl and I don’t remember if I found the perspective particularly effective, however.
Yes, converting the heathen is quite an outdated notion! However, I have seen this theme in other older works such as Alcott’s. So I think it is at least an important historical detail. It seems that, at the time, many children were very concerned with the spiritual state of others and invested in finding ways to help them. Certainly we can talk about now whether this attitude is paternalistic or proud. But I do tend to look at these things from a historical viewpoint when I’m reading.
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Yes, when I found out that she wrote this book through a male perspective, I was curious to see how she would approach the voice of the character.
I also think it is always important to take into consideration the author’s life and historical setting of the book when reading. History really shapes a story and it’s characters so I understand why converting the heathen would be common in many books from that era.
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I’m afraid I didn’t much care for this one when I read it either. My personal feeling was that it lacked structure, which perhaps isn’t a solid reason to dislike it, but I couldn’t hang my hat on any particular direction in the tale. I prefer Anne of Green Gables because it seems to be going somewhere. I might need a reread though — I believe I’d read this was Montgomery’s favorite from her novels, & I do like Montgomery. 🙂
I ALSO WANT TO GO TO PRINCE EDWARD’S ISLAND!
I have Montgomery’s The Blue Castle on my Classics Club list. People have told me I’ll love it! 🙂
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Yes, I definitely agree! Anne had a direction and this one seemed to lack one. I hope you can get to Prince Edward Island soon!
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