Do you ever feel in need of something that will restore your delight and hope in life? Then, look no further, because Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery is the perfect book for you!
Like a bouquet of fresh flowers, this book will make you smile (even through tears at some points) and help you to see the beauty in everyday life again. Once you start, you won’t be able to put it down!
Main Characters in Emily of New Moon
The cast of Emily of New Moon features an engaging collection of characters living in Blair Water, Prince Edward Island during the 19th century.
Emily Starr, a recently orphaned 10 year old, is always searching for moments of beauty and wonder, which she refers to as “The Flash.” Although her relatives think of her as pensive and proud, Emily longs to be loved by her new family and often takes solace in her imagination.
When her father dies, Emily’s aunts, Elizabeth and Laura, decide to raise her as their own at New Moon, their farm in Blair Water. Although Laura dotes on her niece, Elizabeth is a strict disciplinarian, and she clashes with Emily’s independent spirit on several occasions.
Cousin Jimmy, who lives with the aunts at New Moon, receives criticism from the townspeople for not seeming “quite all there.” However, he encourages Emily as she adjusts to her new life and inspires her with his peculiar penchant for poetry.
In Blair Water, Emily soon gathers a gaggle of friends, who fill her life with excitement and adventure. Teddy Kent aspires to become a famous painter, but faces opposition from his grieving mother. Ilse Burnley has a temper like a volcano, yet stands by Emily as fiercely and loyally as a Spartan. And Perry Miller, an irrepressible orphan living with his aunt, always manages to bring a hint of mischief to their play.
Finally, Dean Priest, a member of her extensive family, saves her life and delights her with food for her imagination. Although several years older than her, he treats her as an adult and perhaps wishes for a deeper relationship than she anticipates.
Overview of the Plot (without spoilers!)
When Juliet Murray elopes with Douglas Starr, her family ruthlessly cuts off all ties, estranging her until her death. Consequently, Emily knows little of her mother’s family, who view her with contempt. Away from their scornful relatives, Emily and her father develop a close bond in their little house filled with books, cats, and imagination.
After Douglas Starr dies, the dutiful Murrays determine that although Emily’s parents defied them, they must not abandon one of their own blood, and accordingly, they must take care of her. The lot falls to Elizabeth and Laura, Juliet’s unmarried sisters, to raise Emily, and so Emily moves to New Moon.
At New Moon, Emily does her best to live up to the high standards of her aunts and win their affection. Despite her efforts, she battles with Aunt Elizabeth who seems to value rules more than relationship.
As she struggles to find her place at New Moon, Emily discovers her love for poetry and vows that she will eventually become a famous authoress. Hoarding paper like gold, she fills her spare hours in composing poems, epics, and letters to father.
Slowly, time begins to soften the death of her father, and Emily finds herself enjoying life again. Whether cutting her own bang, sleeping in a haunted room, visiting a priest, or eating a poisoned apple, she never lacks exciting things to write about.
Even as she grows to love her new home at New Moon, in her quiet moments, questions plague her. Will Lofty John cut down his bush? What happened to Ilse’s mother? Will Aunt Elizabeth ever love her? And will she manage to climb the Alpine Path? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Memorable Quotes from Emily of New Moon
I love L. M. Montgomery’s work so much, I could highlight something on every page of this book. She writes such breathtaking descriptions and makes such insightful comments on human nature. I’ve limited myself to my favorite 15 quotes from Emily of New Moon. Hope they inspire and delight you as much as they did me!
“‘Death isn’t terrible. The universe is full of love – and spring comes everywhere – and in death you open and shut a door. There are beautiful things on the other side of the door.'”
“One couldn’t be afraid or bitter where love was – and love was everywhere.”
“‘People worry so much, they think you’re not right if you don’t worry.'”
“A suffering or tortured animal always filled her with a such surge of sympathy that it lifted her clean out of herself.”
“‘It is raining tonight and it sounds like fairies feet dancing over the garret roof.'”
“‘Rhoda Stuart made fun of Ilse and me but I heaped coals of fire on her head…The strange thing is Father, that now I don’t feel any more as if I hated her. I feel quite kindly to her and it is much nicer. It is uncomfortable to hate people.'”
“‘I don’t like to be told I look like other people. I look just like myself.'”
“To love is easy and therefore common – but to understand – how rare it is!”
“‘And like all female creatures, you form your opinions by your feelings.'”
“‘You make me believe in fairies, whether I will or no,’ he told her, ‘and that means youth. As long as you believe in fairies you can’t grow old.'”
“‘I wouldn’t want to be anybody but myself even if I am plain. Besides…though I may not be very good-looking now, when I go to heaven I believe I’ll be very beautiful.'”
“Outgrowing things we love is never a pleasant process.”
“‘She has left the childhood of her soul behind, though she is still a child in body.'”
“‘I think there’s something trying to speak through you – but you’ll have to make yourself a fit instrument for it. You’ve got to work hard and sacrifice.'”
“‘If it’s in you to climb, you must – there are those who must lift their eyes to the hills – they can’t breathe properly in the valleys.'”
Are you convinced yet? 🙂 I’d be sold on that last quote alone. So go find yourself a copy, and start reading! Consider it a dose of medicine for your soul.
In need of more reading material? Head over to the Book Nook for book reviews and lists to satisfy all your literary cravings!
Leave a Reply