Release:June 12th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: Netgalley
Find it at: Amazon, Audible, B&N, GoodReads __
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An affecting biography of the author of Anne of Green Gables is the first for young readers to include revelations about her last days and to encompass the complexity of a brilliant and sometimes troubled life.
Once upon a time, Maud, the girl adored stories. When she was fourteen years old, Maud wrote in her journal, “I love books. I hope when I grow up to be able to have lots of them.” Not only did Maud grow up to own lots of books, she wrote twenty-four of them herself as L. M. Montgomery, the world-renowned author of Anne of Green Gables. For many years, not many people knew about Maud’s personal life.
Her grandparents were strict, undemonstrative when she was a child. Her reflections on writing, her lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression, her “year of mad passion,” and her difficult married life remained locked away, buried deep within her unpublished personal journals. This is a revealing and deeply moving biography, kindred spirits of all ages like Maud. And this remarkable woman captivated anew through her words and never gave up “the substance of things hoped for” .
About the Author:
Lizbeth Meg Rosenberg is an American poet, novelist, children’s book author and book reviewer. She is currently a professor of English at Binghamton University, and in previous years has taught at Colgate University, Sarah Lawrence College, Hamilton College, Bennington College, and Hollins College.
House of Dreams Review:
Anne of Green Gables is one of my all-time favorite series, but I had minimal knowledge about L. M. Montgomery, the author behind the books. “House of Dreams” was fascinating because it opened my eyes to the author’s life, and I found it to be a gripping biography.
The author did an excellent job of highlighting the details of Montgomery’s life. In some ways, we see so many similarities between Maud and Anne. Both of them had a zest for life and wanted to learn as much as they could. She was forward-thinking in that era where she tried to reject the concept of marriage to pursue her education. However, as Maud got older and famous, we see how inevitable tragedies impacted her. I loved reading about Maud’s childhood days with the Macneill family on Prince Edward Island and her love for Cavendish.
Moreover, it was interesting to see how Maud’s perspective of life and relationships changed between Nate and Ewan. I mainly found her relationship with Ewan very interesting because of their contrasting personalities. Another one of my favorite moments is how she was inspired to write Anne of Green Gables by being inspired by events from her life and how she reacted to the fame. Another surprising fact which I was not aware of was the lawsuit between Maud and Page publishing. It was really fascinating with the various situations that Maud endured over her career.
Moreover, the black and white illustrations by Julie Morstad are breathtaking and compliment the story beautifully. I thought it gave the book a charming and sophisticated touch.
Overall, “House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery” is a beautiful biography of one of my favorite authors.
