Rilla-my-Rilla

I just finished Rilla of Ingleside again.

Elisabeth, Naomi Bennet, Adellaide, (and whomever else has read it,) if you read this, please just sympathise with me for a moment.

This bit at the end of Rilla of Ingleside that describes Rilla's feelings perfectly describes my own while reading the last chapter:

"Emotion shook Rilla from head to foot. Joy--happiness--sorrow--fear--every passion that had wrung her heart in those four long years seemed to surge up in her sould for a moment as the deeps of being were stirred."

Yes. Yes, Rilla. That is how I felt whilst reading your book, such is the talent of L. M. Montgomery. 

I cried the whole time while reading the last chapter. It was Jem's homecoming that started it. Dog Monday--I was just smiling and laughing and sobbing silently. Then when Jem talks about Walter--more tears...

This book!!!

I don't know if there are words to properly describe how I feel about this book--except perhaps what I quoted already. 

I don't want to give any spoilers because seriously--I think everyone should read this book. You don't actually need to read the whole Anne series before, though it is the last book of that series. It works fine as a stand-alone, and in my opinion is the best of them all. 

I don't know if I could choose favourite parts--except that definitely the last chapter, the ending, is my favourite. As I said, I cried throughout it all--but they were mostly tears of joy. 

This book, admittedly, is sad. It's about World War I, so it has sadness connected with it. But I promise the sadness does not ruin it like sadness does in some books, and the ending is very happy. Tears of joy. I do not like books with sad endings. If it has sadness, it needs to end happily. And L. M. Montgomery did that very, very wonderfully.

(For anyone who doesn't know, L. M. Montgomery is my very favourite authouress ever.)

So. Have you read this book? If so, please feel with me. And I know you agree that it's a wonderful book, for anyone who has read it thinks so. If not: Go read it. (That is, if you enjoy such books as Anne of Green Gables or other L. M. Montgomery, or Little Women, or Jane Austen's books. If you like those old-fashioned books, I think you'll like this book.) It's--it's--indescribable. And in my opinion,

It is perfect.

Happy Valentine's Day! Favourite Couples from Literature

Valentine's Day...

To me that usually means a Valentine's Day "Tea" Party with a bunch of children and an excuse to make pink and red and heart-shaped food. The love part? Whatever. My only love life exists in reading the novels of L. M. Montgomery and Jane Austen. So for my Valentine's Day post, I'm going to present my favourite couples from literature--mostly Montgomery and Austen.

**Warning: This post will contain spoilers. Sorry.**
Note: The couples are not in order of favourite. I like them all almost equally-ish. 

"Love doesn't iver be dying, Patsy." Judy Plum, Mistress Pat, L. M. Montgomery

1. Polly Milton and Tom Shaw, An Old-Fashioned Girl 

I think these two are one of the most under-appreciated couples in literature. An Old-Fashioned Girl is such a marvelous book, yet so few people know it and love it. Polly and Tom--well, their relationship is really hard to describe in a word or anything like that. Read the book. 

2. Rilla Blythe and Kenneth Ford, Rilla of Ingleside, L. M. Montgomery

This is another under-appreciated couple. But such a sweet one. They are pretty young at the beginning of the book, but their love survives a whole WWI of separation. This book has such a sweet ending. It is probably my very favourite book ever except for being tied with Mistress Pat. Which brings me to...

3. Pat Gardiner and Hilary "Jingle" Gordon, Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat, L. M. Montgomery

Of all the literary heroes anyone ever wrote, Jingle is definitely the best (sorry Mr. Darcy, Gilbert, Mr. Rochester, whomever else...). The only problem is that too few people have read the Pat books so people don't know about him. Jingle is, I swear, perfect. I honestly cannot think of a single flaw. The only problem with Pat & Jingle's relationship is that Pat keeps putting Jingle in the "brother zone" even though he is so in love with her and never, ever gives up on her, ever, even though she dates a bunch of guys and even gets engaged. But in the end it all works out perfectly and ever-so-romantically. 

4. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Enough said? No, let me add one thing: Every time I read the book or watch the 1995 BBC Ministries (I've done each...3 times. I think.) I love it even more.  

5. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe

Of course I have to include this couple. Everyone knows Anne and Gilbert!  I love this one. Okay, by the way, in case anyone has seen Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel and not read Anne of the Island, Gilbert doesn't actually get engaged to Christine. That's a lie. Christine was already engaged and they both knew it. Gilbert never really looked at anyone except Anne. So yeah, another case of something L. M. Montgomery really likes to do. Gilbert loved Anne the whole time; Anne hated then friend-zoned him, then she realised she loved him the whole time. *Sigh* It's quite a lovely story, really. :)

6. Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, Persuasion, Jane Austen

Love, love LOVE Persuasion. I adore Captain Wentworth. I love the ending of Persuasion. Such a wonderful love story, at least in the end. :) 

7. Kilmeny Gordon and Eric Marshall, Kilmeny of the Orchard, L. M. Montgomery

Their story is such a sweet one, but not very well-known. This novel is actually quite different from L. M. Montgomery's others. It's a wonderful book. 

I know there are so many more wonderful couples in literature, but I had to choose favourites. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

*For a lesser known love story by L. M. Montgomery, see this Valentine's Day blog post from my other blog.