The Blue Caslte by L.M. Montgomery

Book: The Blue Castle

Author: L.M. Montgomery

Rating: 5 out of 5 dust piles

First Paragraph: If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling's whole life would have been entirely different. She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington's engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal. But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

Review: I just finished reading this book and am still sniffling. The link to the book takes you to an online version of it. I loved the characters - all of the Stirlings even. I kept thinking about the secrets in this book. Things each character hid, things they did because it was expected (like the Stirlings, whether or not they did it), about fate (dear old Dr. Trent's letter) and doing something real.

Is there such a thing as fate? Was Barney's life fated to him as soon as his father had a dream that changed everything he had known? The possible chance of overhearing one little conversation that sent him off to explore the world until he settled in Valancy's life? Was it fate that mixed up Dr. Trent's letters? Would Valancy have died if she stayed as she was, a lifeless lump, hacked away until there was nothing left? Like forests, animals, and even rose bushes, are we not eternally struggling for life? Or does the frivolousness of life help us twitter away the hours, helping us forget that we too are mortal?