The Emily series is a trilogy
of books written by L. M. Montgomery, comprising three novels: Emily
of New Moon, Emily Climbs and Emily's Quest. Of
L. M. Montgomery's novels, the Emily series is the most autobiographical. As
a struggling writer, Montgomery certainly based many of Emily's characteristics
and desires on her own.
One obvious comparison is Montgomery's
description of "the flash" she described experiencing in her
biography The Alpine Path and the inspiration derived from the
poem "The Fringed Gentian" which
both Montgomery and Emily kept close at hand:
"It has always seemed
to me, ever since early childhood, that, amid all the commonplaces of
life, I was very near to a kingdom of ideal beauty. Between it and me
hung only a thin veil. I could never draw it quite aside, but sometimes
a wind fluttered it and I caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond only
a glimpse but those glimpses have always made life worth while." -L.
M. Montgomery, The Alpine Path
"When I read that the
flash came, and I took a sheet of paper...and I wrote on it: I, Emily
Byrd Starr, do solemnly vow this day that I will climb the Alpine Path
and write my name on the scroll of fame."
- L. M. Montgomery, Emilyof New Moon
Emily was adapted into an Emily of New Moon television series, which aired from 1998-2000. In April 2007, an anime version of the Emily series, "Emily, Girl of the Wind" or "Kaze no Shoujo Emily" will air on NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) education TV.
For more on comparing Emily and Montgomery:
Reference: Ann S. Cowan. "Canadian Writers: Lucy Maud and Emily Byrd." L. M. Montgomery: An Assessment. Ed. John Robert Sorfleet. Guelph: Canadian Children's Press, 1976. pages 42-49.
Personal Comments:
The Emily series is my second favorite of Montgomery's series. Emily is an inspiring girl, although I don't always identify with her fully. She's a bit beyond my grasp in many ways because of this, which ends up making her a little enchanting. Though I've never experienced a "flash" like hers, though I do identify with her ambitions.
Overall, Emily is the most talented of the Montgomery heroines. Pat may be the saddest, Anne may be the most charming, but Emily definitely holds the talent. In fact, all of the main characters in the Emily series hold serious talent: Perry, Teddy, Ilse and Emily are quite a quartet, all 4 studying and achieving their goals in the end.
Also, these books are come of the darkest, and most heavily steeped in the supernatural, compared to Montgomery's other works. They are definitely worth reading.
Last Updated 03.08.07
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