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spyglass_ in reading_lmm

Discussion Post - Emily Climbs

Aug 21, 2011 17:47

Hey everyone! Sorry this is going up late. My weekend has not gone as expected. ANYWAY, I hope everyone has been enjoying Emily of New Moon as much as Anne of Green Gables. This is actually my first time reading Emily, so I'm really glad I had this community to motivate me!

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book: emily climbs

Comments 35

myr_soleil August 21 2011, 22:17:04 UTC

1. What did you think of book overall compared to Emily of New Moon? Did you like it more or less?
I think I liked both about the same - I like the Shrewbury setting less (Aunt Ruth, ugh) but there's a bit of lovering and that's certainly nice. I like Emily herself better too - I liked her as a child but it's good to see her maturing.

2. Did you think the bargain Emily had to make with Aunt Elizabeth in order to go to school was fair? Would you have been able to make a similar promise if you were in Emily's shoes?
Well, just asking for no more writing straight-up was ridiculous, but I kind of liked the bargain! Like Mr Carpenter said, it actually ended up helping her writing. And she was still able to relieve her emotions in her journal. I certainly don't have Emily's urge to write, though, so maybe I just underestimate the sacrifice it was!

3. What about the new setting and living with Aunt Ruth? Did you miss New Moon, or were Emily's trips home enough for you? What did you think of Aunt Ruth in general, now that we got to see her ( ... )

myr_soleil August 21 2011, 22:17:16 UTC

7. Which moments from this book stand out to you as favorites? For those of you who are rereading this, have your favorite moments changed any?
Oh, it's still the church and the house-in-the-winter-storm where they share a look. Man, I am a hopeless romantic. I love the story of the woman who spanked the king, though, and the little boy Emily finds, too (the whole canvassing bit is fun)! And I hate the Chu-Chin mix-up, it triggers my second-hand embarrassment in a big way.

8. What did you think about Emily turning down the job with Miss Royal and staying in New Moon? Did you want her to go, or were you glad that she stayed?
Wow, I have no idea what would have happened to her in New York. It seems like she just would not fit in there in a thousand years. It felt ridiculous that she would even consider it! And it would have felt like cheating a bit, somehow...

Thanks very much for making the post, by the way :D

spyglass_ August 21 2011, 22:35:45 UTC

I know nothing about what people think of these books, but it makes me sad to think that lots of people don't like Teddy. I really do, although he's definitely not perfect.

Cousin Jimmy is my favorite of the Murrays! Although I really have grown to love Aunt Elizabeth.

empressearwig August 21 2011, 22:44:23 UTC

I feel like the third book is mostly to blame for why people don't like Teddy and there I find it harder to argue with them. Because in this book he really doesn't do anything wrong. I mean, he's a teenage boy with an extremely controlling mother who likes a girl. If we're going to disqualify all characters on those factors there are no likable characters in all of fiction.

The woman who spanked the king! I love that story, too. I can't believe I forgot to mention it.

Thread 13

empressearwig August 21 2011, 22:30:36 UTC

1. What did you think of book overall compared to Emily of New Moon? Did you like it more or less?

I like this one so much more. I don't know, it's weird, I know that Anne/Emily start at about the same age, but Emily of New Moon feels so much younger to me. Maybe because despite her own tragedy she's more sheltered than Anne? Maybe that's it. But I like this one better.

2. Did you think the bargain Emily had to make with Aunt Elizabeth in order to go to school was fair? Would you have been able to make a similar promise if you were in Emily's shoes?

Well, I had to promise to apply for an appointment to a military academy that I did not want in order for my father to agree to help me with college which I did and then he didn't do, so on the whole, I'd say Emily's bargain was pretty fair. Harsh, maybe, but fair.

3. What about the new setting and living with Aunt Ruth? Did you miss New Moon, or were Emily's trips home enough for you? What did you think of Aunt Ruth in general, now that we got to see her up close?I'm really glad I ( ... )

myr_soleil August 21 2011, 22:35:30 UTC

Scene in the house FOR THE WIN! I love everything - Teddy selling dreams and Ilse being sick and then drunk - poor dear! - and I don't know, the storm setting is just so great. :D

empressearwig August 21 2011, 22:41:27 UTC

It is the BEST scene. And even though Teddy does stuff in the next book that pisses me off, all I have to do is think about that scene and I am completely back on board. Trapped by convenient circumstances is almost always a goldmine and it definitely is here.

spyglass_ August 21 2011, 22:43:48 UTC

I really liked Emily of New Moon, but I think I liked this one a lot more too. I couldn't tell if it was because I'm only reading them for the first time now or not, though. It could very well just be my own preferences.

I enjoy that both you and myr_soleil both answered #7 with the scene I had in mind when I thought it out, LOL.

Thread 6

spyglass_ August 21 2011, 23:14:54 UTC

I should probably answer my own questions, y/y? ;)

1. What did you think of book overall compared to Emily of New Moon? Did you like it more or less?

I really liked Emily of New Moon, but I liked this one even more. I loved seeing Emily more grown up, and I definitely appreciated the lack of spelling errors in her writing as she got older (that sounds shallow, but it's true, that did bug me a little in Emily of New Moon).

2. Did you think the bargain Emily had to make with Aunt Elizabeth in order to go to school was fair? Would you have been able to make a similar promise if you were in Emily's shoes?

I think the original demand from Aunt Elizabeth was too much, but I like the compromise they came to. And in the end, it definitely helped Emily with her writing, so I think it was for the best. Plus, there are certainly worse bargains she could have made.

3. What about the new setting and living with Aunt Ruth? Did you miss New Moon, or were Emily's trips home enough for you? What did you think of Aunt Ruth in general, now that we ( ... )

empressearwig August 21 2011, 23:39:53 UTC

I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU NERVOUS, I'M SORRY.

I really like that scene with Emily and Cousin Jimmy when she gets locked out, too. I am always a fan of scenes where people talk.

spyglass_ August 22 2011, 00:34:29 UTC

I FORGIVE YOU. I am just inherently nervous about how shipping-related things turn out. IT IS IN MY NATURE.

I looooove that scene! Definitely an easy favorite. I love the entire visual of them with the doughnuts, and how she says it's hard to be as angry because of them. IDK, IT WAS JUST SWEET. How he kind of let her come to her own realizations. I love them together!

beth_shulman August 22 2011, 02:34:09 UTC

I am always a fan of scenes where people talk.

THIS. Communication = always a good thing.

Thread 6

katayla August 21 2011, 23:51:46 UTC

1. What did you think of book overall compared to Emily of New Moon? Did you like it more or less?

Ha, I just told beth_shulman that I think it was my least favorite as a kid, but I like them all about the same now. I do kind of miss New Moon though.

2. Did you think the bargain Emily had to make with Aunt Elizabeth in order to go to school was fair? Would you have been able to make a similar promise if you were in Emily's shoes?

I'm not sure? I mean, it's weird to even imagine because I take my education so for granted (Emily's grandmother's would be ashamed of me!). I think I could probably do it? Of course, I neglect my writing horribly anyway.

3. What about the new setting and living with Aunt Ruth? Did you miss New Moon, or were Emily's trips home enough for you? What did you think of Aunt Ruth in general, now that we got to see her up close?Hee, well, I already said I missed New Moon. But I guess I did like getting to know Aunt Ruth better. I liked seeing her stick up with Emily at times, though she certainly was pretty frustrating. I ( ... )

empressearwig August 22 2011, 00:03:15 UTC

I do love that everyone's favorite scene is the one in the old John house. And I won't apologize for making you think of Dean as creepier than you did before. I see that as doing the work of angels.

katayla August 22 2011, 00:04:55 UTC

ME TOO. I know Teddy/Emily isn't super-beloved, so I'm glad we're all board at least with that scene. :D

Heh. I guess I can normally ignore the creepy Dean stuff better? But perhaps it's something I really shouldn't ignore.

empressearwig August 22 2011, 00:17:19 UTC

Yeah, same. And I do love them like crazy, but I sometimes wonder how much of it is that I read them as a kid? I see the problems more as an adult, even if they don't make me not love them.

I don't know how you ever ignored it in the first place, lol. Creepy Dean is creepy.

Thread 7

h_loquacious August 29 2011, 03:02:20 UTC

This is me catching up ( ... )

spyglass_ August 30 2011, 05:03:44 UTC

It's interesting that this is your least favorite because I think it's actually my favorite. Possibly I think the third one is the best in terms of writing (I do prefer the non-diary narrative, it took me FOREVER to get into Windy Poplars), but it was so difficult on other levels (mostly the continued missed opportunities for Emily and Teddy and I JUST WANTED THEM TO TALK TO EACH OTHER!) I do agree that them being a little bit shy and unsure with each other is painfully accurate, and really rather endearing to me in this book.

I loooove that scene in the church with Teddy and the crazy guy. I actually was completely fascinated by the crazy guy. I wanted to know about him before he lost his wife and went crazy.

I'm glad you are catching up!

h_loquacious August 31 2011, 05:49:47 UTC

Perhaps it's not only the diary thing, just because I LOVE Windy Poplars. I do. I don't know why. I just, for some reason that book appeals to me. It's not my favourite, but I really enjoy it. More than most people do I suspect. So clearly the diary thing can work for me. Perhaps it's just that Emily Climbs has always seemed so transitional to me. I've always read all three in rapid succession, and even this time around I read Emily Climbs and Emily's Quest in a day and a half. So books two and three in particular feel like one continuous narrative in my head. And Emily Climbs suffers as a book as a result. Because it always feels so unifinished. And I'm always left with this uneasy feeling that things aren't going to go as they should. And all the shenanigans in book 3 supports that feeling. EVERY TIME. I mean, yeah, things end up fine in the end, but there's a bunch of GRR in the middle ( ... )