Susan M. (susyclemens) reviewed The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery: Vol. 2, 1910-1921 on + 158 more book reviews
I've actually read Vol. I and Vol. II, but this review will mostly concern Vol. II.
What these diaries revealed to me is the emotionally unbalanced nature and other character flaws of this author. I'm actually kind of sorry that I read these diaries, because the author reveals herself to be a fairly selfish person. In Vol. I, her groans and moans in the early 1900's about taking care of her aged grandmother were increasingly hard to take. But nothing beats L.M.'s absolute repugnance; her stated dislike, for her husband, during his nervous breakdown(s). Although she did her "duty" to these close relatives, these diaries reveal her absolute distaste for illness (emotional or physical) or lack of control of any kind in other people. Yet, she allows herself to wallow in her years-long grief over the sudden death of her dearest woman friend, Frede. (And frankly, I wondered if there wasn't something else - perhaps suppressed lesbianism - in her feelings.)
She also displays vanity. On her 45th birthday, she says no one would take her for more than 30. Hmmm. People's physical appearances always meant a great deal to her - too much.
While I sympathized with her up to a point, L.M.'s life was not so awful, or such drudgery and agony, that I could continuously feel sympathy for her. Her life, aside from the emotional distress of experiencing her husband's nervous breakdowns, was materially comfortable and she had her beloved sons. She increased every emotional upset by reacting to it in a "why me" way, and this is reflected in her journals. It was disconcerting to find out, through this author's own thoughts and words, her unpleasant character flaws.
What these diaries revealed to me is the emotionally unbalanced nature and other character flaws of this author. I'm actually kind of sorry that I read these diaries, because the author reveals herself to be a fairly selfish person. In Vol. I, her groans and moans in the early 1900's about taking care of her aged grandmother were increasingly hard to take. But nothing beats L.M.'s absolute repugnance; her stated dislike, for her husband, during his nervous breakdown(s). Although she did her "duty" to these close relatives, these diaries reveal her absolute distaste for illness (emotional or physical) or lack of control of any kind in other people. Yet, she allows herself to wallow in her years-long grief over the sudden death of her dearest woman friend, Frede. (And frankly, I wondered if there wasn't something else - perhaps suppressed lesbianism - in her feelings.)
She also displays vanity. On her 45th birthday, she says no one would take her for more than 30. Hmmm. People's physical appearances always meant a great deal to her - too much.
While I sympathized with her up to a point, L.M.'s life was not so awful, or such drudgery and agony, that I could continuously feel sympathy for her. Her life, aside from the emotional distress of experiencing her husband's nervous breakdowns, was materially comfortable and she had her beloved sons. She increased every emotional upset by reacting to it in a "why me" way, and this is reflected in her journals. It was disconcerting to find out, through this author's own thoughts and words, her unpleasant character flaws.
