Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery is the second book in a trilogy, I only realised that when I started reading this one but I decided just to bash on with it. The book was first published in 1925 but my copy is a very recent purchase and a Virago reprint. When I bought it Jack mentioned that he thought the cover was horrible. Is that a bloke thing? I think it’s enchanting!

Emily is an orphan who lives on Prince Edward Island, Canada – at a house called New Moon with two of her aunts and a cousin. She has become very attached to the place, despite the fact that her Aunt Elizabeth is a bit of a dragon. The Scottish Presbyterian psyche is very evident in the family. Emily is constantly being told to remember that she is a Murray, despite the fact that her father was a Starr. The Murray family is seen as of some consequence locally.

Emily longs to become a writer, but Aunt Elizabeth thinks that fiction is telling lies so she’s dead against Emily’s writing. Her teacher Mr Carpenter has encouraged her writing over the years but when it comes time for Emily to move on to a high school in nearby Shrewsbury it’s by no means an automatic transfer as far as Aunt Elizabeth is concerned. It would be expensive and she doesn’t really want Emily to leave New Moon and her influence.

A compromise is reached when it’s agreed that Emily can stay in Shrewsbury with Aunt Ruth – another Murray, but this one got married and is now a widow. Emily must promise not to write any fiction for the three years she’ll be studying.

This is a lovely read, I enjoyed being a part of the community and meeting all the quirky inhabitants, many of whom I recognised. There’s a possessive widowed mother who is determined to keep any females away from her beloved only son. Harsh aunts who never give any praise – for fear of spoiling the child, but in times of dire need they’re on your side against the world. I felt such an affinity with Emily who is a book lover and a tree lover, she wrote:

“Trees have as much individuality as human beings. Not even two spruces are alike. There is always some kink or bend of bough to single each one out from its fellows. Some trees love to grow sociably together, their branches twining like Ilse and me with our arms about each other, whispering interminably of their secrets. Then there are more exclusive groups of four or five – clan Murray trees; and there are hermits of trees who choose to stand apart in solitary state and who hold the commune only with the winds of heaven. Yet these trees are often the best worth knowing. One feels it is more of a triumph to win their confidence than that of easier trees.”

L.M. Montgomery’s Scottish roots are very much in evidence in this book. There’s also a lot of comedy – and I needed that!

18 thoughts on “Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery

  1. I like L. M. Montgomery’s books and just downloaded the three books in the Emily series for $0.99 each. A bargain!

  2. This review brings back some wonderful memories for me. The first time I read all of L.M. Montgomery’s books was during the hours of nursing baby #4. Then, I read them again to my children over the years. I think I like the Emily books as much as the Anne of Green Gables series, but it’s a hard choice. I really like the quote that is in your post…what a gem!

    • Paula,
      I enjoyed this one just as much as the Anne books although I did also have an affinity with her and her problems with her red hair and freckles! Officially envious of you having a number 4 child!

      • Well actually I had a fifth child three years after number 4 making our family complete with 1 son and 4 daughters. I am very grateful for all of them, but believe me, I am not in any way trying to add to your envy. Just wanted to clarify. When I see so many young couples these days experiencing fertility issues, my heart aches for them.

        • Paula,
          Well – I’m a number five and the youngest, did you keep going until you had a son? or did you just want a big family. Kids are so expensive and we hoped that Jack could retire early so we stuck to two although four would have been my ideal.

          • I did want a large family, and our son was born first. I love little boys so I kept hoping for another one, but it didn’t happen. However, I now have 4 grandsons that I enjoy immensely. I know what you’re saying about the expense of raising children. I think we were rather naive, but things have worked out somehow.

          • Paula,
            How lovely – four grandsons! I must admit I was very happy with having two boys and it annoyed me when people assumed it was bad luck not to have a daughter. I think we overthought things, we should have been like you and just gone for it instead of planning everything out. We’re very lucky with our two ‘boys’ though and now have two lovely daughters-in-law.

  3. I’m sorry, Katrina. I posted a comment and an error page greeted me. Perhaps my comment went into a spam folder or somewhere else in the ether. Oh, dear.

  4. I loved those books, but haven’t reread them. I need to. I also recently found that there is a dvd series from the books, and bought them at our local used dvd store. looking forward to trying it out. Since I haven’t read the books in so long, I won’t be bothered by how much they change them for the series. : )

  5. I haven’t read any of the Emily books yet but I loved the first two books in the AGG series. And I also like the cover, I think it’s beautiful. I also loved Montgomery’s The Blue Castle. I think she wrote a couple of other novels aimed at adults and I’ve been meaning to track those down as well.

    • Karen K.
      I absolutely loved The Blue Castle, I so identified with the main character – I had the same kind of mother and upbringing! Like you I’ll have to track down the books she wrote for adults.

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