Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Seal Books (1994), Edition: 45764th
Description
Classic Literature. Historical Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: The Happiest Summer of Her Life Her whole life, Jane had believed her father was dead. It was, therefore, quite a shock to receive an invitation to stay with him for the summer on Prince Edward Island. From their very first meeting, Jane falls in love with her charming father and his whimsical cottage on Lantern Hill. A whole summer of fun and adventure, meeting neighbors, and making friends�??far away from her grandmother's dreary house in the city. If only she could get her mother to come too. As Jane juggles her love and loyalty for both parents, she dares to dream...a dream that she and her parents could live together without Grandmother directing their lives�??of a house where they could all find home. What Readers Are Saying: "Out of the fantastic books Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote, Jane of Lantern Hill is my absolute favorite." "Jane of Lantern Hill is what one comes to expect from a novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery�??charming, gentle, and most decidedly hopeful." "This book is among L. M. Montgomery's best." "Spellbinding...I don't recommend picking it up unless you have time to read the entire bo… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member foggidawn
For most of her childhood, Jane Victoria Stuart believed that her father was dead. When she was eleven years old, she learned otherwise. For as long as she could remember, Jane had lived in Toronto with her lovely socialite mother and cold, repressive grandmother. Jane knows that her grandmother
On Prince Edward Island, Jane learns what it is to have friends, to be competent at something, and to be loved without the fear and restrictions that characterize her life in Toronto. Jane's dad welcomes her with open arms and an open heart. Together, they choose a little cottage on Lantern Hill to be their summer abode, and Jane delights in every aspect of housekeeping. She befriends all of the neighborhood children and learns new skills every delightful day, from cooking to gardening to swimming in the Gulf. She goes home a confident, independent young woman instead of the cowed child she has always been . . . and she can't help but wonder: what did go wrong with her parents' marriage all those years ago?
This is one of Montgomery's lesser-known works, but it remains one of my favorites. I love Jane's capable, down-to-earth nature, and I remember relishing her domestic conquests back when I first read the book at the age of nine or ten. And, though Jane is a child throughout the book (unlike many Montgomery titles, this spans only a couple of years, rather than the protagonist's entire girlhood), there are a lot of adult issues and concerns, not all of which are pleasantly resolved by the end of the book. It's a wonderfully complex story, and fans of Montgomery's other works should definitely seek it out.
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dislikes her, particularly the parts of her that seemed inherited from her father's side of the family. Jane, who has no memory of her father, hates him, too, because the memory of him seems to cause her beloved mother so much pain. Then, out of the blue, a letter arrives, demanding that Jane spend the summer with her father in Prince Edward Island. That summer is to change Jane's life forever.On Prince Edward Island, Jane learns what it is to have friends, to be competent at something, and to be loved without the fear and restrictions that characterize her life in Toronto. Jane's dad welcomes her with open arms and an open heart. Together, they choose a little cottage on Lantern Hill to be their summer abode, and Jane delights in every aspect of housekeeping. She befriends all of the neighborhood children and learns new skills every delightful day, from cooking to gardening to swimming in the Gulf. She goes home a confident, independent young woman instead of the cowed child she has always been . . . and she can't help but wonder: what did go wrong with her parents' marriage all those years ago?
This is one of Montgomery's lesser-known works, but it remains one of my favorites. I love Jane's capable, down-to-earth nature, and I remember relishing her domestic conquests back when I first read the book at the age of nine or ten. And, though Jane is a child throughout the book (unlike many Montgomery titles, this spans only a couple of years, rather than the protagonist's entire girlhood), there are a lot of adult issues and concerns, not all of which are pleasantly resolved by the end of the book. It's a wonderfully complex story, and fans of Montgomery's other works should definitely seek it out.
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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Nice! Jane is another imaginative child, but her imagination doesn't get in the way of her competence. Unlike the usual orphans, she has rather too much family - her parents are separated, by the efforts of her aunt and grandmother. I loved her settling in on the Island, and her household abilities
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(I want some of those recipes!). And a lovely happy ending - Irene misjudged, how good. Not a magnificent story, but highly enjoyable; it might be worth reading twice. Show Less
LibraryThing member raidergirl3
Jane of Lantern Hill has all the requisite characteristics of a Montgomery book - a lonely child, proud rich older character, misunderstandings and grudges held over a long time, and of course, some Prince Edward Island. I've read a lot of Montgomery but didn't remember this one, although I could
Jane Stuart is living in Toronto with her mother and grandmother, lonely and unhappy, although wise. When her father requests Jane for the summer on PEI, Jane is surprised and reluctant as she didn't even know he was alive. She falls under the spell of PEI in the summer which is exactly what happens here. I loved her delight with the environment and characters surrounding her as she threw herself into her new life. This changes Jane as she returns to Toronto and cannot be cowed by her grandmother as easily.
I loved Jane's appreciation of her simple life in PEI, keeping house and making friends, loving the ocean and the sky. Montgomery follows her tried and true storyline and of course, a *spoiler* happy ending. I enjoyed by time with Jane and the nature of PEI.
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predict a lot of the plot. Not that this was a problem - it's what I like about Montgomery's books.Jane Stuart is living in Toronto with her mother and grandmother, lonely and unhappy, although wise. When her father requests Jane for the summer on PEI, Jane is surprised and reluctant as she didn't even know he was alive. She falls under the spell of PEI in the summer which is exactly what happens here. I loved her delight with the environment and characters surrounding her as she threw herself into her new life. This changes Jane as she returns to Toronto and cannot be cowed by her grandmother as easily.
I loved Jane's appreciation of her simple life in PEI, keeping house and making friends, loving the ocean and the sky. Montgomery follows her tried and true storyline and of course, a *spoiler* happy ending. I enjoyed by time with Jane and the nature of PEI.
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LibraryThing member melwil_2006
Jane is an oddball, living at Number 60 Gay Street in Toronto with her flighty mother and her overbearing and controlling grandmother (along with a grim aunt and some servants). One day her father writes and asks that Jane be sent to Prince Edward Island for the summer. Jane discovers that her
This was a nice book, and I really liked Jane. She becomes a bright and interesting character, and I found her really likeable. It felt a little short at times - sometimes too concerned about nature and the setting, and not giving enough action or emotion. But it was a nice children's book, and more modern than a lot of L. M. Montgomery's.
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father is what Anne would call 'a kindred spirit', helps him find a house, and sets about housekeeping for the first time in her life. Here she grows into a person of her own, outside of the shadow of her grandmother.This was a nice book, and I really liked Jane. She becomes a bright and interesting character, and I found her really likeable. It felt a little short at times - sometimes too concerned about nature and the setting, and not giving enough action or emotion. But it was a nice children's book, and more modern than a lot of L. M. Montgomery's.
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LibraryThing member gribeaux
I love this book as much as I hate Anne of Green Gables.
This book is a social revelation-the 1930s upper class American/Canadian world was so immensely different to the modern one. This book is a bit of a romance, being a teenager's book, but is very well written, and has a very likeable heroine.
This book is a social revelation-the 1930s upper class American/Canadian world was so immensely different to the modern one. This book is a bit of a romance, being a teenager's book, but is very well written, and has a very likeable heroine.
LibraryThing member Mialro
I like Montgomery's books more for her writing style and settings, generally. This book was really sad for me, probably because I was expecting something sugary. Jane pretty much has an emotionally abusive childhood. I didn't really feel like much was resolved in the end. The villains' comeuppance
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wasn't satisfying enough, and there are still some unresolved issues between characters. Perhaps my expectations were too high. Show Less
LibraryThing member upstairsgirl
Even after twenty years, I still love to read this book. Jane is such a wonderful heroine, so determined to be herself and to be kind and resourceful in spite of the pressures from the adults in her life. Even as an adult I wish I had her ability to sense and understand what's really going on under
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the surface with the people around her. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sorrel
Jane of Lantern Hill is one of my old favourites. It’s fairly typical Montgomery, with similarities to the Anne and Emily books in themes and style, but with its own story and a different cast of characters. Jane lives rather unhappily with her mother and grandmother in mainland Canada until one
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day out of the blue her father asks for her to visit him on Prince Edward Island. At first she doesn’t want to leave her mother, but she finds a lot to love about the Island, the people she meets there, and the freedom she finds. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
Good historical fiction brings back to life the historical figures they portray. Queen Hereafter definitely qualifies as good historical fiction, as Ms. Fraser King brings Queen Margaret to life in this beautifully written tale of her life during the first few years of her reign. Crystal clear
Margaret is quite the character. Strong-willed, intelligent and yet extremely pious, the reader comes to understand her fears and doubts. Her exacting standards are understandable and yet add a level of realism to this revered saint. She is not as perfect as historians may lead one to believe, and Ms. Fraser King has no problems showcasing this. If anything, Margaret becomes human again under Ms. Fraser King's pen.
The plot involving Eva was a nice addition but rather unnecessary to the story. It does more to highlight the messy political situation that was to be the heart of English/Scottish relations for centuries to come than further along Margaret's story. If anything, Queen Hereafter shines more as a history lesson than as an actual novel. This becomes especially true when one reads the Author's Note about how well-documented Queen Margaret's life was and how little Ms. Fraser King had to imagine.
Queen Hereafter is a welcome addition to the historical fiction genre, as it moves away from Tudor history and focuses on even earlier English/Scottish relations. The accuracy and care Ms. Fraser King uses to paint a picture of early Scottish royal life enhances an already charming story, one that is fodder for fairy tales. The growing love between Margaret and Malcolm is endearing, as is their battle of wills. Fun and funny, Queen Hereafter is a treat for any historical fiction lover.
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descriptions and an attention to detail that in no way detracts from the story, the reader becomes immersed into life in eleventh century Scotland. One can clearly visualize life in the castle, trips overland, and the minutiae of castle living, which only heightens the enjoyment of the story.Margaret is quite the character. Strong-willed, intelligent and yet extremely pious, the reader comes to understand her fears and doubts. Her exacting standards are understandable and yet add a level of realism to this revered saint. She is not as perfect as historians may lead one to believe, and Ms. Fraser King has no problems showcasing this. If anything, Margaret becomes human again under Ms. Fraser King's pen.
The plot involving Eva was a nice addition but rather unnecessary to the story. It does more to highlight the messy political situation that was to be the heart of English/Scottish relations for centuries to come than further along Margaret's story. If anything, Queen Hereafter shines more as a history lesson than as an actual novel. This becomes especially true when one reads the Author's Note about how well-documented Queen Margaret's life was and how little Ms. Fraser King had to imagine.
Queen Hereafter is a welcome addition to the historical fiction genre, as it moves away from Tudor history and focuses on even earlier English/Scottish relations. The accuracy and care Ms. Fraser King uses to paint a picture of early Scottish royal life enhances an already charming story, one that is fodder for fairy tales. The growing love between Margaret and Malcolm is endearing, as is their battle of wills. Fun and funny, Queen Hereafter is a treat for any historical fiction lover.
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
There are those who feel that L.M. Montgomery, author of such beloved classics as Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon, is too old-fashioned an author to appeal to today's young readers. I myself have always believed that while her work may belong, stylistically speaking, to the genre of
While not one of Montgomery's most popular or well-known novels, Jane of Lantern Hill nevertheless addresses itself to a topic familiar to most children today: the trauma and stress caused by the separation of parents. It is the story of Jane Victoria Stuart, an unhappy young girl who lives with her overbearing and malicious grandmother, and kind but ineffectual mother in Toronto, who goes to spend the summer with her estranged father on Prince Edward Island. Here, at magical Lantern Hill, Jane is finally free to be herself, whether that involves cooking and keeping house, or playing freely with the neighbor children.
Reread this past March for the Kindred Spirits group to which I belong, Jane of Lantern Hill is an engaging story with an appealing heroine. Although I cannot say that it is one of my favorite Montgomery stories, or that it has the emotional power of titles like Anne of Green Gables or The Blue Castle, it is still an enjoyable little book, well worth the time of any reader with a taste for sentimental fiction. L.M. Montgomery fans, in particular, will want to track this one down...
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sentimental girls' fiction so popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it is - emotionally and thematically - as relevant today as it ever was. The search for home and family, the struggle for a sense of belonging, is something that contemporary readers will recognize, though they have never set eyes on Prince Edward Island.While not one of Montgomery's most popular or well-known novels, Jane of Lantern Hill nevertheless addresses itself to a topic familiar to most children today: the trauma and stress caused by the separation of parents. It is the story of Jane Victoria Stuart, an unhappy young girl who lives with her overbearing and malicious grandmother, and kind but ineffectual mother in Toronto, who goes to spend the summer with her estranged father on Prince Edward Island. Here, at magical Lantern Hill, Jane is finally free to be herself, whether that involves cooking and keeping house, or playing freely with the neighbor children.
Reread this past March for the Kindred Spirits group to which I belong, Jane of Lantern Hill is an engaging story with an appealing heroine. Although I cannot say that it is one of my favorite Montgomery stories, or that it has the emotional power of titles like Anne of Green Gables or The Blue Castle, it is still an enjoyable little book, well worth the time of any reader with a taste for sentimental fiction. L.M. Montgomery fans, in particular, will want to track this one down...
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LibraryThing member rainbowdarling
Jane of Lantern Hill is a charming story, full of the delight and mirth that I have come to expect from Montgomery heroines. She is young and the story doesn't follow her into adulthood, but I was not left with the feeling of anticipation as I have been with some of Montgomery's other books with
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childhood heroines. Jane's gumption and determination make her an admirable character, one fit to be a role model for any young girl who might find herself in an environment perhaps not wholly encouraging. I count Jane of Lantern Hill among my favorite L. M. Montgomery novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member fuzzi
What a charming, delightful, and satisfying read this was!
Jane Victoria lives with her mother and grandmother in the city. Grandmother takes pleasure in making Jane's life miserable, and manipulating everyone else's. However, when a letter arrives from Jane's father, demanding his daughter's
I liked Jane, very much, and how the author developed the story and characters. Recommended.
Jane Victoria lives with her mother and grandmother in the city. Grandmother takes pleasure in making Jane's life miserable, and manipulating everyone else's. However, when a letter arrives from Jane's father, demanding his daughter's
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presence in Prince Edward Island for the summer, no one is more scared and horrified than Jane. She was sure her father was dead, and has only heard how horrible he was to her as a baby. Dutifully, she goes...and discovers that she has only begun to live, and grow.I liked Jane, very much, and how the author developed the story and characters. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
Another charming story from L.M. Montgomery set, mostly, in Prince Edward Island. Jane lives at Lantern Hill in the summer time with her father but in the winter she lives in Toronto and is called Victoria. She loves Lantern Hill but Toronto is not much fun. Jane really wants to live in P.E.I. all
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year round. This is the story of how she accomplishes that Show Less
LibraryThing member jwyss
I received a free copy of Jane of Lantern Hill in exchange for an honest review.
I usually love reading books set in Canada, especially ones set in cities I have lived in and know. There are parts of this story I enjoyed such as classist grandmother and the description of her unwelcoming home in
However, there are parts that are so outdated that the story left me feeling flat. The verb ‘jew’ was used i.e. her father did not jew down the price of the cottage. Unlike the classism, this term was not unpacked for the reader. Also, I found the ending a bit too ‘Disney’. Everything worked out beautifully and they lived happily ever after. For those reasons, I would not recommend it to younger readers.
I usually love reading books set in Canada, especially ones set in cities I have lived in and know. There are parts of this story I enjoyed such as classist grandmother and the description of her unwelcoming home in
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Toronto. And, the parts where Jane finds out more about herself while living on PEI for the summer – barefoot and free. However, there are parts that are so outdated that the story left me feeling flat. The verb ‘jew’ was used i.e. her father did not jew down the price of the cottage. Unlike the classism, this term was not unpacked for the reader. Also, I found the ending a bit too ‘Disney’. Everything worked out beautifully and they lived happily ever after. For those reasons, I would not recommend it to younger readers.
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LibraryThing member leoithne
Jane seemed too perfect with some flaws thrown in so she wouldn't be too perfect. I didn't care about most of the characters at all, really.
I enjoyed that Jane lives in an emotionally abusive household and learned to stand up for herself. The plot has a fair bit of focus on that as well as the
And this didn't have the same style of writing I have come to expect from Montgomery, I think.
Overall it's an enjoyable read, and I think great just for a relaxing summer read, but I don't think it was as good as the Anne or Emily books.
I also noticed some errors in the text (in this edition at least)
Pg. 89: Missed period ''...delighter her Everything''
Pg. 118: ''Snow beam'' instead of ''Snowbeam''
Pg. 138: ''neve'' instead of ''never''
Pg. 160: ''For away'' instead of ''far away''
Pg. 276: ''Shed'' instead of ''she'd''
I enjoyed that Jane lives in an emotionally abusive household and learned to stand up for herself. The plot has a fair bit of focus on that as well as the
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whole ''mystery'' of her parents' split. And this didn't have the same style of writing I have come to expect from Montgomery, I think.
Overall it's an enjoyable read, and I think great just for a relaxing summer read, but I don't think it was as good as the Anne or Emily books.
I also noticed some errors in the text (in this edition at least)
Pg. 89: Missed period ''...delighter her Everything''
Pg. 118: ''Snow beam'' instead of ''Snowbeam''
Pg. 138: ''neve'' instead of ''never''
Pg. 160: ''For away'' instead of ''far away''
Pg. 276: ''Shed'' instead of ''she'd''
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
3.5 stars
Jane has been living in Toronto with her rich grandmother and her mother as long as she can remember. She doesn’t even realize her father is still alive and living on Prince Edward Island, until a letter comes asking if she can stay with him for a summer. Her (hateful!) grandmother hates
I enjoyed this! LM Montgomery’s books are pretty simple, and the end was tied up with a nice bow, but I still enjoyed it, overall.
Jane has been living in Toronto with her rich grandmother and her mother as long as she can remember. She doesn’t even realize her father is still alive and living on Prince Edward Island, until a letter comes asking if she can stay with him for a summer. Her (hateful!) grandmother hates
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Jane’s father, and all Jane knows is to hate him, and she doesn’t want to go. But, when she meets her dad, she is pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this! LM Montgomery’s books are pretty simple, and the end was tied up with a nice bow, but I still enjoyed it, overall.
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LibraryThing member MickyFine
Eleven-year-old Jane Stuart has had a rather gloomy childhood growing up with her beloved but distant mother and her cruel grandmother in her grandmother's massive and grim house on Gay Street in Toronto. Shortly after learning that her father isn't dead but only estranged from her mother, Jane
While there's nothing earth-shattering or surprising in this simple tale, I absolutely adored it from start to finish. Montgomery's prose is as evocative as ever, beautifully conjuring the experiences of living in the country on PEI. While Jane reads a bit old for her age and some of her skills come a bit easy, it's also rewarding to see her grow as a person. Utterly charming, Jane has now taken second place after Anne Shirley has my favourite of Montgomery's creations.
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receives an invitation to spend the summer with him on Prince Edward Island. While Jane desperately doesn't want to leave her mother, when she arrives in PEI she discovers how different her life can be and she begins to dream of a life where can be Jane of Lantern Hill all year round.While there's nothing earth-shattering or surprising in this simple tale, I absolutely adored it from start to finish. Montgomery's prose is as evocative as ever, beautifully conjuring the experiences of living in the country on PEI. While Jane reads a bit old for her age and some of her skills come a bit easy, it's also rewarding to see her grow as a person. Utterly charming, Jane has now taken second place after Anne Shirley has my favourite of Montgomery's creations.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
In the archetypical way, it is the child who sees clearly the truth and somehow, through grace or love, brings everything right. There are the requisite raptures over nature that make up a typical Montgomery novel, as well as familiar characters. But Jane is truly a lovely child.
LibraryThing member Chrisbookarama
Jane Stuart, or Victoria as she is called, lives with her mother and grandmother in an old mansion in an old part of Toronto. Though her mother loves her the same can't be said for Grandmother who has a hate-on for Jane. Grandmother has no room in her heart for anyone other than her daughter; she
Quite by accident, Jane learns that her father is alive and living on Prince Edward Island. When he sends for her, Jane is devastated. She can't imagine being away from her mother and living with a stranger for a whole summer, even though she'll be away from Grandmother. Jane is surprised to find that her father is a warmhearted man with a big imagination. They buy a house in Lantern Hill and Jane set about making their house a home, the home she always imagined she would have. Jane makes friends with the neighbours and gains a reputation for being able to do anything. When she returns to Toronto, Grandmother learns that Jane is a force to be reckoned with and things will never be the same again.
What an excellent little book Jane of Lantern Hill is! In a way, it reminded me of The Secret Garden. A precocious little girl moves away from the place she has always lived, meets new people and tries new things becoming a better person by the end of the book. The difference is Jane is lovable right from the beginning. She has loyalty to her mother even though the woman is completely spineless. Jane becomes so wise and strong, much wiser than the adults. And that Grandmother...yikes! Icy cold nasty lady. I kept imagining the step-mother in Cinderella.
The differences between her life in Toronto and Prince Edward Island are so completely opposed that I wondered if this was a comment on Montgomery's own life. At the time this was written, Lucy Maude was near the end of her life. She had been married to a minister with mental problems not to mention her own depression. The weight of keeping up appearances must have been smothering, much like Jane's life with Grandmother. She must have had fond memories of herself as a young woman in PEI. Jane is set free to be herself on the island. The island is as much a character as Jane is.
Although Montgomery's writing is prone to unbelievable coincidences and unlikely situations, it's full of quirky characters and sparks of insight that even adults can appreciate like the following:
Jane, the most awful as well as the most beautiful things in the world can be said in three words or less… I love you…he is gone…he is come…she is dead…too late…and life is illumined or ruined.
Though Montgomery is known for Anne Shirley and her adventures, I hope readers will give Jane Stuart a chance.
Highly recommended though difficult to get if you don't live in Canada.
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keeps tight rein on her. Jane and her mother walk on eggshells in fear of Grandmother's wrath.Quite by accident, Jane learns that her father is alive and living on Prince Edward Island. When he sends for her, Jane is devastated. She can't imagine being away from her mother and living with a stranger for a whole summer, even though she'll be away from Grandmother. Jane is surprised to find that her father is a warmhearted man with a big imagination. They buy a house in Lantern Hill and Jane set about making their house a home, the home she always imagined she would have. Jane makes friends with the neighbours and gains a reputation for being able to do anything. When she returns to Toronto, Grandmother learns that Jane is a force to be reckoned with and things will never be the same again.
What an excellent little book Jane of Lantern Hill is! In a way, it reminded me of The Secret Garden. A precocious little girl moves away from the place she has always lived, meets new people and tries new things becoming a better person by the end of the book. The difference is Jane is lovable right from the beginning. She has loyalty to her mother even though the woman is completely spineless. Jane becomes so wise and strong, much wiser than the adults. And that Grandmother...yikes! Icy cold nasty lady. I kept imagining the step-mother in Cinderella.
The differences between her life in Toronto and Prince Edward Island are so completely opposed that I wondered if this was a comment on Montgomery's own life. At the time this was written, Lucy Maude was near the end of her life. She had been married to a minister with mental problems not to mention her own depression. The weight of keeping up appearances must have been smothering, much like Jane's life with Grandmother. She must have had fond memories of herself as a young woman in PEI. Jane is set free to be herself on the island. The island is as much a character as Jane is.
Although Montgomery's writing is prone to unbelievable coincidences and unlikely situations, it's full of quirky characters and sparks of insight that even adults can appreciate like the following:
Jane, the most awful as well as the most beautiful things in the world can be said in three words or less… I love you…he is gone…he is come…she is dead…too late…and life is illumined or ruined.
Though Montgomery is known for Anne Shirley and her adventures, I hope readers will give Jane Stuart a chance.
Highly recommended though difficult to get if you don't live in Canada.
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Subjects
Original publication date
1937