Rebellion flared up in her soul as the dark hours passed by — not because she had no future but because she had no past.
Valancy has spent all her life following the expectations of her judgmental family: suppressing all negative opinions and emotions, avoiding any “improper” activities or pursuits, and putting up with endless teasing about her “old maid” status. Her only reprieve is the “Blue Castle” she visits in her daydreams. When she gets the news that she has a terminal heart condition and has less than a year to live, she decides that it’s time to enjoy her life. She scandalizes her family members with her honest opinions, takes a job (the horror!) as a housekeeper to the town drunk, and gets to know the mysterious Barney Snaith, who may or may not be a criminal on the run. As she shakes off the fear that has previously governed her life, she find that her “Blue Castle” is more attainable than she dreamed.
The Blue Castle is by L. M. Montgomery, the creator of Anne of Green Gables, and it is impossible to read this book without drawing a comparison to the (mis)adventures of Anne Shirley. The Blue Castle has all of the dreaminess and whimsy of the Anne books, but deals with more mature themes. The writing also feels more sophisticated, probably because it was written later in Montgomery’s career. Valancy shares Anne’s romantic ideals, but she feels like a more grounded, sensible protagonist (this might be because we meet her as a 29 year-old rather than as a preteen).
Overall, this was a really sweet romance with an uplifting message. The ending felt predictable, though that might be due to the 99 years of romance novels that have followed it. Even though I was pretty sure how it would end, it was satisfying to watch it all play out. Valancy makes a charming, relatable protagonist, and Barney is the intellectual “bad boy” of my dreams. I would highly recommend this to any fans of Montgomery’s other work.