Fascinating, written with care and well-researched. I was surprised by how difficult Maud Montgomery's life was, and inspired by how much she wrote despite this. Julie Morstad's spare line drawings are the perfect accompaniment to the text. Includes aTime Line, Source Notes, and a Bibliography ( )

I liked this book, and although I applaud the author for sharing the darkness in L M Montgomery’s life with young readers (because I believe in showing kids the truth), I found it a bit depressing myself and fell into a bit of a melancholy after reading it. The author of Anne of Green Gables struggled in many ways throughout her life, absent father, cold relatives, tumultuous marriage, and struggles with sabotaging publishers.... I’m glad to know her story but it definitely felt rather glum. ( )

4.5 stars

Oh, what a lovely book! I hadn't dared to hope it would be as good as it is.

Rosenberg doesn't talk down to her audience, using vocabulary that's probably a little challenging for her target audience, but in just the right way so that they can learn the words in context. She doesn't shy away from themes of mental illness, loss, and even despair, and yet her affection for Maud shines through on every page. It's a blend of hope and loss, ambition and failure, happiness and sorrow in just the way that Lucy Maud Montgomery's own writings were.

This book feels like a L.M. Montgomery book, and I can't think of higher praise than that. ( )

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Instead of consuming this book, I feel like this book consumed me. I fell into it and was wholeheartedly immersed in L. M. Montgomery’s life. Even while not reading it, I still felt as though my heart and mind were with L. M. Montgomery. Certainly, I couldn’t stop talking about it, as my husband could attest. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been completely absorbed in a book, and reading this was such a wonderful experience.

L. M. Montgomery, or “Maud,” as she was called, is absolutely one of my favorite authors ever. I’ve read a good chunk of her works (and she was a prolific writer!), so to learn more about her experiences and what inspired her stories–especially those of Anne Shirley and Emily–was a lovely experience to begin with. It’s clear to see that Rosenberg loves Montgomery and her stories as well, because reading this as almost as close as reading a memoir, it was so filled with empathy and emotion. I felt like I was in a conversation with a friend, talking about another friend. It was a sort of: “Did you hear about Maud? She published a book!” kind of thing. I was joyous over Maud’s triumphs and saddened over how much loss and sadness she had within her life, but it’s a comfort to know that for all her struggles, she loved her writing, and those stories live on for us today thanks to her.

Rosenberg gives a comprehensive overview of Maud’s life, from early childhood to late adulthood. I love that she was able to include direct quotes from the personal journal of L. M. Montgomery, which added a great touch of personality and authenticity to situation. It’s nicely paced–I never felt as though too much or too little time was spent on one thing. I LOVED some of the humorous anecdotes told. L. M. Montgomery could be one funny lady.

What I most appreciated, however, was the frank discussion of mental illness. Both Montgomery and her husband seem to have had some forms of depression and anxiety, and I am so grateful to Rosenberg for tackling that head-on. The more we talk about these things, the more we share both the struggles and successes of people who live with this diseases, the more we normalize them and are able to seek help in managing them. It’s especially important for young people who might not know how to deal with what they’re feeling and what they may be experiencing to know that even those we look up to struggle with the same thing. I’m so glad this was included.

This biography is magical, truly. I felt completely transported reading it and it’s been one of my absolutely favorite reads this year. Every Montgomery fan will find something to love about it, and I’m so glad I was able to learn more about L. M. Montgomery’s life and experiences. Thank you so much to Liz Rosenberg for writing this and Candlewick Press for publishing this. It’s extraordinary.

Also posted on Purple People Readers. ( )