Historical Romance Book Club discussion

Discussion thread for the second BOTM for October 2024. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some html is ok' for instructions.)

Join us in reading this HR that is set in the Twentieth Century. Happy reading!


The Blue Castle

Synopsis:

An unforgettable story of courage and romance. Will Valancy Stirling ever escape her strict family and find true love?

Valancy Stirling is 29, unmarried, and has never been in love. Living with her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt, she finds her only consolation in the "forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle--a place where all her dreams come true and she can be who she truly wants to be. After getting shocking news from the doctor, she rebels against her family and discovers a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams.

I've started reading The Blue Castle and am enjoying it. Lucy Maude Montgomery uses the same charm in drawing her characters as she did in Anne of Green Gables. It is easy to picture the people as she describes them. And she certainly has an art of imparting natural, realistic, and funny conversation. I am smiling as Valancy (love her name) is finding herself and embracing her courage. I checked out the book version that also has A Tangled Web in it, and I will be reading that after The Blue Castle.

Absolutely love this book so far. Montgomery is a favorite author even more now. The Blue Castle is really a coming-of-age story even though the heroine is 29. Her character is so vivid. And the heights she reaches make me emotional in a good way. I had to go out and stare at the moon last night because of this book. Not quite finished yet. I had to put it down after midnight and go get some sleep but I sure didn't want to.

And the romance was purrfect. Loved it.

I read this in june and omg it was def a beautiful read! Like, I want to reread it right now just to immerse myself in the story all over again

You both have me intrigued to try this book. I hope to get to it soon

Just finished this one! It was such a fun read. Love a character down in the dumps who finds a fun way to change her fate. Romance was so cute at the end too! :)

I'm starting this one today.

It is a very sweet book. I enjoyed the setting and era.

I found an epub version at the library. Just started--up to page 8, and I'm already loving it!

I am going to read this one later in the month as I have several library books due soon.

I think this is my first attempt at the BOTM this year. Either I haven’t had the room to fit it in or I didn’t much care for the selections. Since this book has been highly recommended and on my tbr for years, I’m giving it a go this month.

Hmmm. I don't think I'm on the same page as everyone else.... Not really liking the book that much.

I started this yesterday and have read to the start of Chapter 19 - nearly half way through. The chapters are short and it's a pretty easy read. But I'm struggling with (view spoiler)[Valancy's low self-esteem. I prefer romance heroines with a bit more agency and self confidence. Hopefully her character growth during the book will feel all the better for her being so submissive/downtrodden at the start.

Valancy's family is truly dreadful. I think the descriptions of them are also detracting from the book for me. They are just too horrible, and I'm not enjoying reading about poor Valancy being crushed by such selfish people.

Also, there is not enough romance in this book for me. I'm at 43% and still not clear who the hero is going to be. (hide spoiler)]Hmmm. Not my favourite kind of read.

Clearly I'm in the minority here, and I'm glad others are enjoying this book. I do intend to finish, and hopefully it will pick up as it progresses further. I do appreciate having a different type of book as a BOTM. I would never have picked this up otherwise, and it's interesting to read a book written so long ago. I don't think I've read anything by this author since Anne of Green Gables when I was a kid. Admittedly, this might be my first and last by her LOL.

Jan wrote: "Hmmm. I don't think I'm on the same page as everyone else.... Not really liking the book that much...."

Yes, Jan. I understand how you're feeling about the book even though I myself enjoyed it. It helps to know ahead of time that it's not going to be a regular romance novel. It's an LM Montgomery 'flight of fancy':)

Regarding the submissive/downtrodden heroine:(view spoiler)[I'm usually good to go along with quite a lot, but when her mother (or cousin?) asks her if she's wearing her flannel petticoat (which she hates), I just assumed she would lie and say 'yes' to avoid the ensuing haranguing! Just like you, I prefer heroines with a little more spine, so the beginning was a bit difficult. I suppose Montgomery was looking to provide a striking juxtaposition between Valancy's before and after (hide spoiler)]

Regarding the romance part of the book: (view spoiler)[It is not front and centre in the way that one would expect of a romance novel. And I'm going to propose one reason (I'm sure there are others): this isn't a historical romance novel! It's a contemporary romance novel written and set in the early twentieth century, so contemporary mores of the time apply to the characters as well as the author and the writing. Hot and steamy romances did happen in the early twentieth century, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone to give you the particulars, ha, ha! (hide spoiler)]

Thanks for your comment, Olivia. I admit, I did expect more romance in the book (although not in the style of a modern-written one of course). But your comments do make sense.

Jan - I had a similar experience to you. It does improve in the latter stages. As I commented above - a sweet book (just a bit 'twee' for me). I did enjoy the Canadianness of it - I was actually born in Canada and most of my family.is there...it reminded me of the older generation in my Dads clan.

Jan wrote: "Thanks for your comment, Olivia. I admit, I did expect more romance in the book (although not in the style of a modern-written one of course). But your comments do make sense."

You know, as soon as I hit 'post' I thought, "That's probably not what Jan meant." I was expecting a little more of the romance earlier on in the book as well. Now I'm wondering when exactly romance as a genre came into its own. Was it with Georgette Heyer? I honestly don't know.

Susan wrote: "...(just a bit 'twee' for me). I did enjoy the Canadianness of it ..."

Yes. Twee is the word:)

And speaking of Canadianness, the book I borrowed from my library is part of a series called "Voyageur Classics: Books that Explore Canada". As such, it has a lovely introduction setting The Blue Castle within the context of Montgomery's life.

Apparently, she had at one point fallen deeply in love with a local farmer but decided against marrying him because of their differences in class and background. She was also raised by two very conservative grandparents, and I imagine she was advised against the match by her relatives. She ended up marrying a minister, and their marriage was a difficult one. She wrote The Blue Castle in the midst of a very troubled time when her husband was suffering mental health issues and she was in the position of having to hold everything together.

Context is everything, isn't it? The Blue Castle is a simple story, but perhaps it was a small symbolic rebellion against Montgomery's own circumstance. The book itself may have been her own Blue Castle.

Susan wrote: "Jan - I had a similar experience to you. It does improve in the latter stages. As I commented above - a sweet book (just a bit 'twee' for me). I did enjoy the Canadianness of it - I was actually bo..."

Yes, I think 'twee' is fair. GTK it improves. I still plan to finish it before the month is out :)

Olivia wrote: "I was expecting a little more of the romance earlier on in the book as well. Now I'm wondering when exactly romance as a genre came into its own. Was it with Georgette Heyer? I honestly don't know."

Interestingly, there's very little explicit romance in many of Heyer's books. The romance is usually understated and often implied rather than shown. A kiss on the last page, then the curtain falls. Some of her books were a little more openly romantic e.g. Venetia, but many are more madcap adventures (with a HEA) than anything else.

Re your background info on Montgomery, very interesting context for the book. Makes you think. Yes, perhaps it was indeed her own 'blue castle'.

I went on a girls trip this weekend so didn't get to read much. I am up to chapter 12. I am finding it depressing but also interesting. However, I wouldn't be convinced this is a romance if it wasn't our BOTM.

Olivia wrote: "Susan wrote: "...(just a bit 'twee' for me). I did enjoy the Canadianness of it ..."

Yes. Twee is the word:)

And speaking of Canadianness, the book I borrowed from my library is part of a series..."

Thanks Olivia - that background information is so interesting. I suspect you are right and this may in fact be her own blue castle.

I finished. This was actually my first L.M. Montgomery book. I enjoyed it as a coming of age Historical fiction, but I felt there was too little romance to call it HR. There was no love from both parties until the last chapter.

I finished and gave it three stars. The first half was quite uncomfortable reading IMO, with Valancy's selfish and bullying family. Ugh. But thanks to the comments here I pushed on and yes, it did improve in the later part of the book. There were some plot twists, and the HEA was quite sweet (if a little 'twee', as Susan said).

So I read two of the BOTMs this month, and read the third one (The Bachelor List) earlier in the year. Wow. A successful BOTM month for me this time around. Let's see what November holds.......

Jan wrote: "I finished and gave it three stars. The first half was quite uncomfortable reading IMO, with Valancy's selfish and bullying family. Ugh. But thanks to the comments here I pushed on and yes, it did ..."

Well done Jan. I also read all three BOTMs -none were outstanding but all enjoyable for different reasons. Onwards to November...

I ended up really enjoying this, I really loved the old worldliness of it and the way the environment was described and how beautiful the scenes were depicted - it felt like a dreamland. I enjoyed Barney and Valancy's developing friendship and romance. I agree with some of the above comments, the first part of the book was a bit tedious and Valancy's family were awful to the point of cringe in some parts. I found Valancy's character very endearing, I loved how she went to help Cissy and found that part of the story very moving. I also loved how she found her grit and decided her life would be different. Overall I loved the way the book was written and the way the story played out - it was clever and very moving.