Book Review #7 - Emily of Deep Valley

Thoughts:

 *lets out a slow breath* Wow. Just... wow. I don't have words for how much I loved this book. It was truly beautiful.

I've always loved Maud Hart Lovelace's work. I'm an avid fan of her Betsy-Tacy series. But Emily of Deep Valley is truly her best one. It is exceptionally deep and profound about human emotions and struggles. I can really feel what Emily feels and relate to it. 

Not to mention that it takes place in 1912, which is one of my favorite time periods ever!

Author: Maud Hart Lovelace
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
Series: No. However it includes characters from the Betsy-Tacy series.
Time Period: 1912
Setting: Deep Valley, Minnesota

Summary: 

"Emily Webster, an orphan living with her grandfather, is not like the other girls her age in Deep Valley, Minnesota. After graduation, she longs to join the Crowd and go off to college – but she can't leave her grandfather alone at home. Resigning herself to a "lost winter," Emily nonetheless throws herself into a new program of study and a growing interest in the local Syrian community, and when she meets a handsome new teacher at the high school, Emily gains more than she ever dreamed possible."

(Summary is from the back of the book)

Main Characters: 

Emily Webster- about 18 

Writing Style: 

The writing style is beautiful. It's in third person from Emily's point of view. It's simple, with a taste of old-fashionedness. The descriptions are beautiful and satisfying.

Character Development: 

Oh goodness. The character development was amazing. Emily grows and changes so much through the story. She discovers what is truly important in life and learns to be herself. She struggles with loneliness and slight depression throughout the story, but in the end she's thriving.

Plot Development: 

As a whole, the plot was developed quite well. However, the beginning of the book felt slower. It takes a bit to get into the story. After that, it is a beautiful, intriguing, and deep plot. The very end seemed a bit rushed, like the author was trying to get the whole ending in a few chapters. Given that the rest of the book moved slower, at a more relaxed pace, I think it would have worked better to stretch out the ending a bit more. 

Oh, but the ending was so perfect. All of it was perfect, despite a bit of slowness.

Theme of the Book: 

sacrifice, finding yourself, love, staying true to who you are
Spiritual Content: 

Mentions of God, mentions of Christians/Christianity
 Positive Content: 

Emily learns to stand up for herself, Emily helps children in need, true friendship, true Biblical love, sacrifice, standing up for those in need

Warnings: 

None 
Age Rating: 

12+ 
Pre Teens:

Young Teens:

Older Teens:

Personal Rating: