Blue castles

I like reading; growing up, it took up a good percentage of my day, and I seldom left the house without a book tucked under my arm.

I sometimes get asked for book recommendations, but to be quite honest, books I like and books I would recommend others to read rarely overlap.

One book that sticks in my mind as one of the most enjoyable ones, is a book by one of my favourite authors, L.M. Montgomery. While I liked the Anne series and loved the Emily series, The Blue Castle is a standalone book that captured my heart.

On our journey to the East Coast of Canada when I was around eleven years old, we stopped by many Anne of Green Gables sights in Prince Edward Island. I had been reading the Anne and Emily series since I was old enough to read, and I was excited to get my hands on some more books from the same author. I honestly asked my mom to buy every single one I came across, and came back with a proper stack of books that I quickly devoured during the remainder of our trip. I distinctly remember reading the Blue Castle late into the night, huddled around the lamp while the rest of my family slept. As I neared the conclusion, there was a strange feeling in my heart; it was a dull but persistent ache that made me feel like the world was changing as I sat here, reading.



I have no idea what it meant. But there was something in the story that really resonated with me, even though I did not exactly understand it. I despise giving and reading synopses, as stories rarely turn out as I envision when I read them. Yet, I understand their importance, and I will try my best to give a short one devoid of spoilers.

Valancy is an 'old maid', and her stale life seems to be set in stone. A letter makes her re-evaluate her life, and she is suddenly overcome with the desire to do and say the things she has always wanted to, and live her life for herself.

There is a lot of self-discovery in this book, and is beautifully set up. L.M. Montgomery has a wonderful knack for describing nature, and to this day, I still wish to live on my own island in Muskoka. This book was simply magic to me as I was growing up, and I never hesitate to read it again.