"Further Chronicles of Avonlea" by L. M. Montgomery

Well, I just didn't like this collection as well as Chronicles of Avonlea.  There were fewer funny, cheerful stories, and more with unpleasant characters.  I did enjoy many of the stories, but not all of them.

My favorites were "Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat," "The Materializing of Cecil," "The Brother Who Failed," "The Return of Hester," and "Only a Common Fellow."  I especially loved "The Brother Who Failed" because it made me cry.  Which is odd, given that I didn't like this as well as the first volume because not as many stories made me laugh, but there it is anyway.

It was interesting how a theme of selfishness ran through so many of these stories.  Parents selfishly trying to stand in the way of a son or daughter's happiness.  Siblings stopping siblings from getting married.  Adults trying to selfishly control other adults, or children.  It was kind of a weird theme.

But Montgomery's writing is always a pleasant way to spend your time, even if sometimes she's more pleasant than others, and I'm not sorry to have read this collection.  It earns a place on my shelves because it had more stories I liked than disliked.

Particularly Good Bits:

When you have an unencumbered aunt with a fat bank account, it is just as well to keep on good terms with her ("Aunt Cynthia's Persian Cat," p. 2).

A man's heart -- aye, and a woman's too -- should be light in spring.  The spirit of resurrection is abrod, calling the life of the world out of its wintry grae, knocking with radiant fingers at the gates of its tomb.  It stirs in human hearts, and makes them glad with the old primal gladness they felt in childhood.  It quickens human souls, and brings them, if so they will, so close to God that they may clasp hands with Him.  It is a time of wonder and renewed life, and a great outward and inward rapture, as of a young angel softly clapping his hands for creation's joy ("The Dream-Child," p. 59).

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: PG overall, though one story ("The Education of Betty") had overtones of possible grooming, and another ("Tannis of the Flats") had characters with blatantly derogatory attitudes toward American Indians that were hard to read.

This is my 15th book read and reviewed for my 3rd Classics Club list, and my 6th book read from my own TBR shelves for #TheUnreadShelfProject2021.