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Once upon a time, there was a girl named Maud who adored stories. When she was fourteen years old, Maud wrote in her journal, "I love books. I hope when I grow up to be able to have lots of them." Not only did Maud grow up to own lots of books, she wrote twenty-four of them herself as L. M. Montgomery, the world-renowned author of Anne of Green Gables. For many years, not a great deal was known about Maud's personal life. Her childhood was spent with strict, undemonstrative grandparents, and her reflections on writing, her lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression, her "year of mad passion," and her difficult married life remained locked away, buried deep within her unpublished personal journals. Through this revealing and deeply moving biography, kindred spirits of all ages who, like Maud, never gave up "the substance of things hoped for" will be captivated anew by the words of this remarkable woman.… (more)
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Instead of consuming this book, I feel like this book consumed me. I fell into it and was wholeheartedly immersed in L. M. Montgomery’s life. Even while not reading it, I still felt as
L. M. Montgomery, or “Maud,” as she was called, is absolutely one of my favorite authors ever. I’ve read a good chunk of her works (and she was a prolific writer!), so to learn more about her experiences and what inspired her stories–especially those of Anne Shirley and Emily–was a lovely experience to begin with. It’s clear to see that Rosenberg loves Montgomery and her stories as well, because reading this as almost as close as reading a memoir, it was so filled with empathy and emotion. I felt like I was in a conversation with a friend, talking about another friend. It was a sort of: “Did you hear about Maud? She published a book!” kind of thing. I was joyous over Maud’s triumphs and saddened over how much loss and sadness she had within her life, but it’s a comfort to know that for all her struggles, she loved her writing, and those stories live on for us today thanks to her.
Rosenberg gives a comprehensive overview of Maud’s life, from early childhood to late adulthood. I love that she was able to include direct quotes from the personal journal of L. M. Montgomery, which added a great touch of personality and authenticity to situation. It’s nicely paced–I never felt as though too much or too little time was spent on one thing. I LOVED some of the humorous anecdotes told. L. M. Montgomery could be one funny lady.
What I most appreciated, however, was the frank discussion of mental illness. Both Montgomery and her husband seem to have had some forms of depression and anxiety, and I am so grateful to Rosenberg for tackling that head-on. The more we talk about these things, the more we share both the struggles and successes of people who live with this diseases, the more we normalize them and are able to seek help in managing them. It’s especially important for young people who might not know how to deal with what they’re feeling and what they may be experiencing to know that even those we look up to struggle with the same thing. I’m so glad this was included.
This biography is magical, truly. I felt completely transported reading it and it’s been one of my absolutely favorite reads this year. Every Montgomery fan will find something to love about it, and I’m so glad I was able to learn more about L. M. Montgomery’s life and experiences. Thank you so much to Liz Rosenberg for writing this and Candlewick Press for publishing this. It’s extraordinary.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.