Book Review: The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery

Book review for The Blue Castle, an unexpected Canadian classic about finding yourself and learning who you truly want to be and what kind of life you want to have. A hilarious and heartwarming tale that is sure to skyrocket to your favourites list.

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249 pages / published January 1, 1926 / Goodreads: 4.29 (out of 5) / Amazon

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Book Review of The Blue Castle:

The Blue Castle was a very unexpected read for me. I had been home sick for a few days where all I could do was lay on the couch with my eyes closed, wishing for my headache to go away, so when I finally started to feel better and wanted to pick up a book, I hesitated when I was drawn to my classics shelves.

I had heard so many good things about The Blue Castle that I thought, “why not?” After I made it through the first few chapters, I was absolutely hooked. I loved Valancy and the whole premise of her story. She had a life that was monotonous and boring, and she lived with people she did not understand or necessarily love. She longed for the world written by her favourite nature writer, John Foster, and didn’t want to spend her days doing the same things over and over again in her cold home.

When she received news from the doctor that her life was going to change for the worse, Valancy decided then and there to shed her old life and start being the person she always wanted to be – someone who could speak their mind, do the things they love, not be stuck doing the same things day in and day out, and just feel free.

Of course, this is not taken well by her family, who do not know the reasons why Valancy has suddenly changed, and this ends up in hilarity. The dialogue that Montgomery writes is so funny and, honestly, one of the things that made me not want to put this book down. It felt like a book outside of its time, like something an author would write nowadays that took place in the 1920s.

If you can sit in silence with a person for half an hour and yet be entirely comfortable, you and that person can be friends. If you cannot, friends you’ll never be and you need not waste time in trying.

L. M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle

There was something so freeing in reading about Valancy and how she took her old life and turned it into something new and exciting. I loved seeing who stuck up for her and continued to love her versus those who thought she belonged in a hospital due to her sudden wild and crazy nature. It really was eye-opening to see how the people who were supposed to be her family and loved her were so quick to turn on her and deem her crazy.

When I first saw the cover for this book, it was a different one than shown in this post. The cover made it look like it was a love story, which is why I think I put off reading this for so long. There are definitely bits of romance in this story, but it’s so much more. This is a story of a girl who had the courage to step out of the norm and go against society and what she thought was proper. It’s the story of a girl who went against what was expected of her in search of who she truly is. I absolutely loved Valancy and her story and already wish I could experience reading this for the first time all over again. It truly was a wonderful reading experience.

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Would I Recommend The Blue Castle?

100 times YES. This book is one I should have read the instant it came into my hands. I never thought I would love it so much, which is bizarre since I love Anne of Green Gables. This is a book that will steal your heart, and you too will long for your own Blue Castle.

What do other readers think?

• Naomi at Consumed by Ink shares the 5 reasons she shouldn’t like The Blue Castle
• Read Michelle’s review over at That’s What She Read
• Read Lisa’s review of the audiobook for The Blue Castle over at Bookshelf Fantasies

Are you looking to read more by L. M. Montgomery? Here are some suggestions!

Read more of my book reviews:

• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
• Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
• A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

Have you read The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery? Do you enjoy classics? What are some of your favourites? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!