Status
Available
Call number
Call number
FIC FIS
Collection
Description
"Fourteen-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery -- Maud to her friends -- has a dream: to go to college and become a writer, just like her idol, Louisa May Alcott. But living with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island, she worries that this dream will never come true. Her grandfather has strong opinions about a woman's place in the world, and they do not include spending good money on college. Luckily, she has a teacher to believe in her, and good friends to support her, including Nate, the Baptist minister's stepson and the smartest boy in the class. If only he weren't a Baptist; her Presbyterian grandparents would never approve. Then again, Maud isn't sure she wants to settle down with a boy -- her dreams of being a writer are much more important. But life changes for Maud when she goes out West to live with her father and his new wife and daughter. Her new home offers her another chance at love, as well as attending school, but tensions increase as Maud discovers her stepmother's plans for her, which threaten Maud's future -- and her happiness forever."--… (more)
Genres
Publication
Penguin Teen (2018), Edition: Reprint, 400 pages
Original publication date
2017-04-25
Original language
English
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Before she wrote the Anne books and so many others beloved by generations of readers, Lucy Maud Montgomery was a sensitive, motherless teenager being shunted from one relative's home to another. Along the way, she forms attachments of various kinds. She longs for praise from her strict
This reads like Montgomery pastiche, though it lacks some of the charm of the original. Fishbane is obviously familiar with Montgomery's works, as well as having done the necessary research into the author's life, but her prose does not quite sparkle with Montgomery's wit. Also there's the problem with basing a novel, even loosely, on the life of a real person: events generally don't fall neatly into place. The ending of the story is not particularly satisfactory, though it hints at the events that will follow in Maud's life. All in all, I'd recommend this only to readers who are fascinated by the lives of their favorite authors, and count Montgomery among that list.
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grandparents, for love from her absent father, and for the chance to continue her education and eventually become a writer.This reads like Montgomery pastiche, though it lacks some of the charm of the original. Fishbane is obviously familiar with Montgomery's works, as well as having done the necessary research into the author's life, but her prose does not quite sparkle with Montgomery's wit. Also there's the problem with basing a novel, even loosely, on the life of a real person: events generally don't fall neatly into place. The ending of the story is not particularly satisfactory, though it hints at the events that will follow in Maud's life. All in all, I'd recommend this only to readers who are fascinated by the lives of their favorite authors, and count Montgomery among that list.
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LibraryThing member curioussquared
In this novel inspired by the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, 14-year-old Maud lives with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island, goes to school, and dreams of going to college and becoming a writer. Throughout the novel, we follow her as she grows, through her first love, through moving to rural
I won this in the Early Reviewers program. I think I might not have been the target audience -- I like the Anne books, but I'm not a superfan, and that colored my opinion of this book, I think. The first half of the book honestly just feels like Anne of Green Gables rehashed -- Maud goes to school, gets into fights with some of the students, gets into trouble at home, etc. I have read a few novels by Michaela MacColl that are inspired by the early lives of famous authors, but MacColl usually creates her own original story out of the factual base, and I think that's what I was expecting here -- but this book just didn't seem very inspired and stayed maybe a little too close to the source material for a work of fiction. Maud was also pretty annoying in the younger years. As the book progresses and she gets older and moves to Saskatchewan, I found myself my drawn in by the story and enjoying it more. 3 stars, recommended more for Montgomery superfans.
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Saskatchewan with her father and stepmother, and through her return to the island, as she learns more about herself and her ambitions along the way.I won this in the Early Reviewers program. I think I might not have been the target audience -- I like the Anne books, but I'm not a superfan, and that colored my opinion of this book, I think. The first half of the book honestly just feels like Anne of Green Gables rehashed -- Maud goes to school, gets into fights with some of the students, gets into trouble at home, etc. I have read a few novels by Michaela MacColl that are inspired by the early lives of famous authors, but MacColl usually creates her own original story out of the factual base, and I think that's what I was expecting here -- but this book just didn't seem very inspired and stayed maybe a little too close to the source material for a work of fiction. Maud was also pretty annoying in the younger years. As the book progresses and she gets older and moves to Saskatchewan, I found myself my drawn in by the story and enjoying it more. 3 stars, recommended more for Montgomery superfans.
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LibraryThing member rdg301library
Maud is a historical fiction / biographical novel about Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gables series. It focuses on her late teen years, 1889-1892, when Maud, as she was called, was 14 to 17 years old. The book is aimed at readers of about the same age.
Maud was mostly raised
This book started out rather slowly, and Maud was rather annoying as a 14-year-old. She matures, though, and the book gets better. I never read any of Montgomery's books as a child, but now I am inspired to do so.
© Amanda Pape - 2018
[This paperback book was sent to me by the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for a review. It will be added to my university's curriculum collection, used by future teachers.]
Maud was mostly raised
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by her maternal grandparents, as her mother died when she was 21 months old, and her father later married a woman who didn't care for Maud. Her grandparents were quite strict and not especially demonstrative. One can see, from reading this novel, how Maud might have come up with the character of orphan Anne Shirley. Author Melanie Fishbane includes an afterword, describing her sources and research, and changes she made to Maud's real story. Her website includes an educator's guide and other support resources for the book.This book started out rather slowly, and Maud was rather annoying as a 14-year-old. She matures, though, and the book gets better. I never read any of Montgomery's books as a child, but now I am inspired to do so.
© Amanda Pape - 2018
[This paperback book was sent to me by the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program in exchange for a review. It will be added to my university's curriculum collection, used by future teachers.]
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LibraryThing member olegalCA
Engaging story of L.M. Montgomery's teen years - the author used her journals to full effect. The real Maud seemed to be more emotional than this Maud but well-worth the read.
LibraryThing member ang709
This was a bittersweet novel about Lucy Maud Montgomery's life between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. It didn't pull me in immediately since at first I found Maud quite childish, but as she grew and matured, as she fought to find her place and life and reached for more than what was considered
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Montgomery's own writings.
Thank you to the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for the copy of this book.
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a woman's lot in her day, I found myself getting invested in her story. I also felt quite sympathetically toward her as it became clear that, even though she wasn't technically an orphan, she understood the loneliness that the orphans in her stories felt.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Montgomery's own writings.
Thank you to the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for the copy of this book.
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LibraryThing member LissaJ
I found this Young Adult fictional account of the young adulthood of L.M. Montgomery to be a pleasant, quick read. I'm not very familiar with Canadian geography so this was a nice (if light) historical read. I felt the author did her research on the author and I liked the section at the end that
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details what actually happened to some of the characters in the book. I do think that some of the side characters were not adequately fleshed out and some were forced into a villain role when the truth was probably more nuanced. Otherwise, I mostly enjoyed this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through the LibraryThings Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarian1204
Anne Of Green Gables was my absolute favorite book from the moment I first read it. It was the first book I ever ordered, in those days way before Amazon.
Reading about the author in this book was a different experience. I liked the setting as it moved from Prince Edward Island west. I felt the
I feel it is definitely a young adult book, very well written and researched. A book for the Anne scholars.
I think this book belongs with that new generation of Anne readers. I left Anne those many years ago, movies, TV series aside , that is where I want my Anne to be, in those memories of the sheer joy I had when first finding and reading the book.
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.
Reading about the author in this book was a different experience. I liked the setting as it moved from Prince Edward Island west. I felt the
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obvious similarities between Maud and Anne. I felt the experiences that shaped Maud also shaped Anne.I feel it is definitely a young adult book, very well written and researched. A book for the Anne scholars.
I think this book belongs with that new generation of Anne readers. I left Anne those many years ago, movies, TV series aside , that is where I want my Anne to be, in those memories of the sheer joy I had when first finding and reading the book.
Read as an ARC from LibraryThing.
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LibraryThing member Bitter_Grace
Like every Canadian girl since 1908, I fell in love with a plucky young orphan named Anne Shirley the moment I started reading the classic children’s book, Anne of Green Gables. I wish I could say the same about Maud, a well-researched but somewhat stiff novel about Anne’s creator. Melanie
I think it’s a decent read for Montgomery fans, as you learn about Maud’s complicated family life, witness her first forays into literature, and meet the real-life individuals who may have inspired characters like Gilbert Blythe and Diana Barry. However, if you’re looking for a wonderful book to inspire a young reader, you’d do better putting a copy of the perennially enjoyable Anne of Green Gables into their hands.
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Fishbane clearly did a lot of research about the teenager who would become the beloved author L.M. Montgomery, as well as the time and places in which she lived. I appreciated learning a bit more about Maud’s early life, but as a character in this novel I found that she lacked the charm and vivacity of her greatest creation. It seemed like she took a full third of the book agonizing over whether to hold a boy’s hand or wear her hair up rather than down. These may have been salacious issues in the 1890s, but I find it hard to believe that Maud’s inner turmoil will resonate with today’s teens. Maud’s mischief and her multiple romances simply fall a bit flat in this telling. I think it’s a decent read for Montgomery fans, as you learn about Maud’s complicated family life, witness her first forays into literature, and meet the real-life individuals who may have inspired characters like Gilbert Blythe and Diana Barry. However, if you’re looking for a wonderful book to inspire a young reader, you’d do better putting a copy of the perennially enjoyable Anne of Green Gables into their hands.
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LibraryThing member amyghilton
Fans of the Anne of Green Gables series will be delighted and entertained by this story based on the life of author Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The story focuses on Maud's life with her grandparents on the beautiful Prince Edward Island. After being shuffled around between relatives after her father
I found the story a bit slow, but I thought the writing was well done and it really takes readers back to a time where life was simpler and time with family and friends was treasured above other things.
Fans of the Avonlea television series might also enjoy this book.
The story focuses on Maud's life with her grandparents on the beautiful Prince Edward Island. After being shuffled around between relatives after her father
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remarries, she finds comfort in her writing.I found the story a bit slow, but I thought the writing was well done and it really takes readers back to a time where life was simpler and time with family and friends was treasured above other things.
Fans of the Avonlea television series might also enjoy this book.
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LibraryThing member Beammey
What an amazingly well written and engaging book! As I'm not from Canada, it took me some time to read Anne of Green Gables, though it had been a book I knew existed for much of my life. This look into the author was perfect. What a lady. I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars. I thoroughly
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enjoyed it. Show Less
LibraryThing member bucketofrhymes
I received a free copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program — thank you!
A must-read for anyone who loves L.M. Montgomery’s books. This is beautifully-written, beautifully described, and infused with everything that I adored about the Anne of Green Gables books.
A must-read for anyone who loves L.M. Montgomery’s books. This is beautifully-written, beautifully described, and infused with everything that I adored about the Anne of Green Gables books.
LibraryThing member aliterarylion
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review
I don't even know where to start. I was eager to read this book after discovering my love for Anne of Green Gables a few years ago. Montgomery wrote such sweet and endearing characters that were transcendent more than 100 years after
I connected to Maud and my heart broke for her. She faced so many obstacles and didn't receive proper love from her family but made dear friends wherever she went. This book made me an emotional wreck, but it was beautifully written. I'm so blessed to have read such a lovely fictional biography from someone who clearly understands the style of the subject. It was flawlessly interwoven with history as well as the prose of the LMM's own writing style. This was impeccable and I highly recommend for kindred spirits of Anne Shirley.
I don't even know where to start. I was eager to read this book after discovering my love for Anne of Green Gables a few years ago. Montgomery wrote such sweet and endearing characters that were transcendent more than 100 years after
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they were originally published. Maud is a fictionalized biography of the author who created the darling creatures from Prince Edward Island. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way the author perfectly captured the essence of a LMM novel. The tenderness was palpable and it made me incredibly emotional. I was close to tears nearly every chapter but no actual tears were shed. I believe what made me so invested what because I knew these events actually transpired, more or less. The author included biographies, diary entries, and research at the end of the book. LMM had a sad life and couldn't possess the same happiness her fictional characters experienced.I connected to Maud and my heart broke for her. She faced so many obstacles and didn't receive proper love from her family but made dear friends wherever she went. This book made me an emotional wreck, but it was beautifully written. I'm so blessed to have read such a lovely fictional biography from someone who clearly understands the style of the subject. It was flawlessly interwoven with history as well as the prose of the LMM's own writing style. This was impeccable and I highly recommend for kindred spirits of Anne Shirley.
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LibraryThing member deslivres5
Welp, this one was almost a DNF, but I try really, really hard to always finish a book.
I picked this one back up after about 14 months of only getting through the first half.
It is a fictionalized, well-researched take on the teenaged years of one of my favorite authors, L.M. Montgomery.
Looking
The second half of the book was quicker for me to get through. Finished the second half in less than a day. Light (happiness?) at the end of the tunnel for poor Maudie and her friends? The epilogue chapters and bibliography make for interesting reading as well.
I picked this one back up after about 14 months of only getting through the first half.
It is a fictionalized, well-researched take on the teenaged years of one of my favorite authors, L.M. Montgomery.
Looking
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back, I *think* I waited so long to finish it because it was just too tinged with sadness, seeing how some of L. M. Montgomery's life experiences weren't quite so far off from those of Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon, two of her beloved characters. The plight of girls/women in Montgomery's time and what limited aspirations they could hold dear was excruciating to read.The second half of the book was quicker for me to get through. Finished the second half in less than a day. Light (happiness?) at the end of the tunnel for poor Maudie and her friends? The epilogue chapters and bibliography make for interesting reading as well.
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ISBN
0143191268 / 9780143191261