She loves it so much she can't bear the thought of leaving. Even if it means she'll be an old maid, though she could have virtually any man she wants. Seriously, she turns down at least 5 marriage proposals that I can remember! Who has that many marriage proposals?!
{Spoiler Alert!} In the end, Montgomery has to burn down the old home in order to force Mistress Pat to finally marry the love of her life and move to the other side of the country.
Mistress Pat is ... escapist fiction. It was a good choice to read while on vacation but it's not a book I want to re-read any time soon. Mainly because Pat annoyed the heck out of me. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being sentimental about a house, as you'll see in a minute, but to refuse 5 (or was it 6 - I lost track after awhile) marriage proposals because you love a house is taking things a bit far.
Part of me really does understand Pat's love of Silver Bush. I have a similar ancestral home, lovingly called "The Farm."
Early in their marriage my maternal grandparents bought the land and house just up the hill from my grandpa's ancestral home. My mom lived her entire childhood there. As a child I visited my grandparents at The Farm and knew every nook and cranny of their small home, 2 barns, 2 chicken houses and "the bottoms" (a valley behind the house).
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| I sat on a porch swing in the same spot with my grandpa! |
After my grandparents died my mom inherited the house and part of the farmland. Today she and my dad live in the 60+ year old house.
Back in July my family took a road trip to Arkansas and visited The Farm. For me the house is filled with memories of too-large Christmas trees, a kitchen drawer full of candy, and cut-throat canasta games between the grown-ups after my brother and I went to bed. Everywhere I look there are precious memories.
I'm glad I read Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery. It's not a book I'm going to say you MUST read but it's a fun book if you have extra time on your hands.
Do you identify with Pat's love for her home? Does you have an ancestral home, too?
8 comments:
;D HAHAHAHA! I think you might be one of the few people I can handle making fun of Montgomery. sigh. When you are not...um...as big a fan and you still read it, I know you are a friend. I almost feel as if I should swap you one Beth Moore for one Montgomery or something. ;)
LOL! I tried to stay positive! Didn't you like how I took a book review and made it about something totally different. :) I should warn you that I have a review of Magic for Marigold coming up next week and it's not much better. I'm also half way through The Story Girl. The fact that I haven't picked it up in over a week is telling. I'm going to push through it and finish because I HATE to not finish a book. But I expect the review to be similar to the 1st two.
As for the Beth Moore - Montgomery swap... I think we're at Montgomery 7.5, Moore 1. I suggest you start with her David book. When you finish that one I can suggest another. :D
I love book reviews turned personal!
Thanks, Annette! My favorite reviews include the reviewers reaction to the book. While I appreciate hearing what the book is about, I also like to hear how the book made the reviewer feel or what it made her think about.
Oh, I was generous in my review of Mistress Pat:
http://www.hopeisthewordblog.com/2010/01/18/mistress-pat-by-l-m-montgomery/
But I was NOT generous towards Kilmeny of the Orchard:
http://www.hopeisthewordblog.com/2011/01/26/kilmeny-of-the-orchard-by-l-m-montgomery/
Ain't this fun?
:-)
Loved your reviews, Amy. Especially the one of Kilmeny!
I've never read Mistress Pat, but I think I hate her already. Six marriage proposals and she'd rather have a house?
This learning-contentment-by-fire single renter is decidedly *not* impressed.
I did enjoy your review, though.
Thanks, bekahcubed. Maybe it was more own personal dating history that made this book seem over the top. Contentment is tough, no matter what season of life you are in!
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