The Blue Castle facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | L. M. Montgomery |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Romance novel |
| Publisher | McClelland and Stewart (Canada) Frederick A. Stokes (US) |
|
Publication date
|
1926 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 310 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-553-28051-1 (1992 mass market paperback edition), ISBN: 1-55002-666-6 (2007 trade paperback edition) |
| OCLC | 19674972 |
The Blue Castle is a 1926 novel written by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. She is also famous for her book Anne of Green Gables (1908).
The story takes place in the 1920s. It is set in a made-up town called Deerwood. This town is in the Muskoka area of Ontario, Canada. Deerwood is based on a real place called Bala, which Montgomery visited in 1922.
This novel is one of the few books L.M. Montgomery wrote for adults. It is also the only one not set in Prince Edward Island. The book has become very popular since it was printed again in 1990. It has even been turned into a play twice. A Polish musical was made in 1982. Then, in 1992, a Canadian play was created called The Blue Castle: A Musical Love Story.
The Story of Valancy Stirling
Valancy Stirling is a young woman who is twenty-nine years old. She lives with her demanding mother and a family who loves to gossip. They treat Valancy like a child and often make her feel unhappy. Valancy often escapes her sad life by imagining things. She dreams of her own "Blue Castle." She also finds comfort in books by her favorite author, John Foster. He writes about the beauty of nature.
One day, Valancy gets some very serious news about her health. She decides to keep it a secret from her family. At the same time, she realizes she has never truly been happy. So, she decides to change her life completely. She starts by telling her family exactly what she thinks. This makes her family believe that Valancy has suddenly lost her mind.
Valancy decides to leave her mother's house. She takes a job as a housekeeper for her friend, Cissy Gay. Cissy is very ill. Valancy and Cissy knew each other when they were children. But Cissy was later avoided by society. This was because of her father, Roaring Abel, who was known for his wild behavior. Valancy and Cissy become good friends again. Valancy enjoys earning her own money. She spends it on things her family would not approve of. For example, she buys a bright, colorful dress.
Valancy also starts spending time with Barney Snaith. He often visits Roaring Abel and Cissy. But the people in town think Barney is a mysterious person. They believe he might be involved in bad things.
Just before she passes away, Cissy tells Valancy about a man she loved. He offered to marry her when she was going to have a baby. But she said no because she knew he didn't love her anymore. Her baby brought her joy, but she was heartbroken when the baby died.
After Cissy passes away, Valancy's family expects her to come home. They say they will forgive her recent actions. Valancy agrees not to stay with Roaring Abel. But she has no plans to move back home. Instead, she surprises everyone by proposing to Barney. She tells him she is very ill and wants to enjoy her last days. She also tells him she has fallen in love with him. But she says she doesn't expect him to feel the same way. Barney agrees to marry her. They have a quiet wedding the next day. Valancy's family is shocked. They are horrified that she married such a mysterious man. They decide to stop talking to her.
Barney takes Valancy to his home on a wooded island. It is on a lake called Mistawis. Valancy soon realizes this island is just like the "Blue Castle" she used to imagine. They get along very well. However, Barney tells her never to go into one room in the house. He calls it "Bluebeard's Chamber." Barney and Valancy have wonderful talks. They take long walks on the island. Valancy often shares quotes from John Foster's books with him. They celebrate Christmas, and he gives her a beautiful pearl necklace.
As the year she was told she had to live is almost over, Valancy has a scary accident. Her shoe gets stuck in a train track. A train is coming fast. Barney saves her just in time. He risks his own life to do it. After the shock, Valancy realizes something strange. She should have died because the doctor told her any sudden shock would kill her. Barney is also very shaken. He realizes he has fallen in love with Valancy. But he still believes she will soon die from her heart condition. Instead of telling Valancy how he feels, he goes into the woods to think. Valancy thinks he has left her. She believes he married her out of pity and now feels trapped.
Valancy goes back to the doctor. The doctor realizes he made a big mistake. He sent Valancy a letter with a diagnosis meant for a different person, a Miss Sterling. That person had a serious heart condition. Valancy's own health problem was never serious at all!
When Valancy arrives home from the doctor, Barney is still away. She finds a man waiting near their house. He is dressed very brightly. He introduces himself as Dr. Redfern, Barney's father. He is a very rich man who invented many famous medicines. Dr. Redfern explains that Barney left home years ago without a word. His father couldn't find him until Barney took a lot of money from his bank account. This money was to buy Valancy's necklace. That's how his father found him. Barney's father wants him to come back home. Barney is the only family he has.
Valancy thinks Barney believes she tricked him into marriage. So, she decides to leave him. She plans to go back to her mother's house so Barney can be free. While looking for a pencil to write Barney a note, she goes into his secret room. There, she makes an amazing discovery. Barney is actually John Foster, the author of her favorite books! She writes the note. She explains the doctor's mistake about her health. She also asks for a divorce. She leaves the pearl necklace behind.
Valancy returns home. She tells her family that Barney is a very rich man. He is the son of the famous Dr. Redfern. And he is also the well-known writer, John Foster. Barney's wealth instantly makes her family forget any bad feelings they had about him. They are now determined that Barney and Valancy must stay together.
Barney finds Valancy's note. He rushes to her mother's house to see Valancy. He asks her to come back. At first, she says no. She still thinks he is only asking her out of pity. But then he gets upset with her. He thinks she is refusing him because she is ashamed of his father's medicine business. Valancy then realizes that he truly loves her. She agrees to come back to him. Barney tells Valancy how much he has grown to love her. He explains that he truly wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The book ends with Valancy and Barney getting ready to travel the world. Their home on Barney's island, Valancy's "own Blue Castle," will be waiting for them when they return.
Characters
- Valancy Stirling (also called "Doss" by her family)
- Barney Snaith (whose real name is Bernard Redfern)
- Mrs. Frederick Stirling, Valancy's mother
- Cousin Stickles, a family member who lives with Valancy and her mother
- Cousin Olive, a cousin Valancy's age who is the family's favorite
- Cousin Georgiana
- Uncle Benjamin
- Aunt and Uncle Wellington
- Dr. Trent, the doctor who made a mistake about Valancy's health
- Cissy Gay, a childhood friend of Valancy's
- Roaring Abel, Cissy Gay's unusual father
- Dr. Stalling, the reverend of the Stirlings' church
- Mr. Towers, the pastor of Valancy's church
- Edward Beck, an older man who asks Valancy to marry him
- Ethel Traverse, a woman Barney had liked before
- Dr. Redfern, Barney's rich father
