The Blue Castle Discussion Post

[h_loquacious]

Hi guys!

Hope everybody's been having a good past few weeks!  Sorry this is a bit late.  I got distracted earlier today, and now LJ isn't letting me post anything, which is annoying.  Also, I spent an embarssingly long amount of time trying to find a picture of my copy of this book, only to decide that one doesn't exist on the internet that is

Comments

[h_loquacious]

1. Let’s start with Valancy herself. Do you find her a bit blah at the start? A bit irritating? She is a basically a complete doormat. It doesn’t bother me, but during this reread, I could see how it might not make her the most likeable heroine

[h_loquacious]

7. Do you think Cissy knew that Valancy loved Barney

[myr_soleil]

Haha, all of our answers are basically the same! I'd love to read more of your headcanon for Valancy and her father-in-law ;) I think it'd be interesting to know how Valancy managed to navigate the higher society after the end of the book...

Thanks for making the post, by the way! :)

[h_loquacious]

Heh. Actually, I am planning on writing Blue Castle fic for the femgenficathon (or whatever it's called). But not about that necessarily.

My headcanon involves Valancy spending a week at her father-in-law's, possibly because Barney has to go on some business trip and she's pregnant and doesn't want to stay alone. Also she knows her father-in-law is lonely and such. And she ends up cooking for him, and he shows her baby pictures of Barney. And he says he never had a daughter of his own to spoil, and she points out her father died when she was two. And then when Barney comes back a week later they're the best of friends, and Doc Redfern is about ready to buy her absolutely anything she asks for. Did I mention that it was all ridiculously fluffy? Because it is.

You're welcome for the post. Sorry it was a bit late-ish. I really do love this book, so it was no trouble at all.

[katayla]

1. Let’s start with Valancy herself. Do you find her a bit blah at the start? A bit irritating? She is a basically a complete doormat. It doesn’t bother me, but during this reread, I could see how it might not make her the most likeable heroine.

I like her! I can identify with her to a certain extent and it's kind of nice to see that kind of character, someone who has to learn to stand up for herself and sort learn it all on her own? She was responsible for her change.

2. Barney rushing over to rescue Valancy from the dance, and their resultant night in the woods, best thing ever?

Pretty awesome!

3. Do you like the romance between Valancy/Barney, or does it feel contrived and too perfect? (After all, not only is he her favourite author, but he’s conveniently a millionaire as well.)Valancy saying she was in love with him happened a little quickly for my tastes, but, overall, I really loved it! And, ha, it did all seem a bit convenient, but it's kind of nice from Barney's perspective, that she fell in love with him without

[myr_soleil]

I read your goodreads review where you said that you thought Valancy fell in love too quickly before my own reread, and I tried to pay attention to that - and yes, it happens quickly, but it's shown that Valancy thought him fascinating before, and plus, she never really had someone show her any kind of niceness before. So I totally got how it happened. Maybe it was more like a crush at first, but those can certainly happen quickly!

[katayla]

It's a common problem I have with books, so it might be one of those things where it's more me than the story. Your reasoning definitely makes sense, but I guess I wish we'd gotten to see more interaction between them early on. We're told they spend time together, but we don't get to see much of it until they're married.

[h_loquacious]

Although, it is kind of interesting that we really only get to see Valancy and Barney together after they're married. Since that's basically the opposite of all other books of this type.

[empressearwig]

1. I actually liked Valancy right from the start, because I get why she was the way she was. The trapped my circumstances thing usually resonates with me. She's no exception

[myr_soleil]

4. Really? Cousin Stickles seemed like one of the worst for me. Maybe it's the name, haha, and the fact that Valancy had to rub her back with some sort of medicine every night, ughhh. I felt like Little Elizabeth when she says "what right has the Woman to boss me around" - she's not Valancy's mother, she shouldn't be such a big & annoying part of her education ;) What made you like her?

[empressearwig]

I don't know, I actually thought that she was more worried about Valancy for Valancy's sake than for appearances sake, which is all that her mother was worried about her for. None of her relatives are that appealing, but idk. I hated her less than the rest of them.

[h_loquacious]

Cousin Stickles is one of the ones I'm on the fence about. I love how she never tells anyone about Valancy sliding down the banister, and she's definitely preferable to Mrs. Frederick. But she's also a bit whiny, and she's almost like an appendage of Mrs. Frederick's sometimes. I'd have liked her better if she'd shown more distinctive personality.

[spyglass_]

1. Let’s start with Valancy herself. Do you find her a bit blah at the start? A bit irritating? She is a basically a complete doormat. It doesn’t bother me, but during this reread, I could see how it might not make her the most likeable heroine.

I really liked Valancy. In a lot of ways, I felt like I understood her. Possibly it is that I have sympathy for my fellow doormats. Plus, she grows and learns and changes herself, which I liked a lot.

2. Barney rushing over to rescue Valancy from the dance, and their resultant night in the woods, best thing ever?

I loved that scene. Loved it.

3. Do you like the romance between Valancy/Barney, or does it feel contrived and too perfect? (After all, not only is he her favourite author, but he’s conveniently a millionaire as well.)I don't know if it's different for me because this is the first time I read it, but I did see basically all of it coming. But at the same time, it didn't seem to be any more contrived or perfect than most of the couples in Anne did (this isn't meant to be a

[spyglass_]

9. Do you think everybody has a Blue Castle?

I know I had one of sorts (not a castle exactly, but a comforting place/scenario), that changed with me as I changed, for a very, very long time. I suspect most people have something along those lines.

10. “People who wanted to be alone, so Mrs. Frederick Stirling and Cousin Stickles believed, could only want to be alone for some sinister purpose.” Any truth to this?

Maybe on occasion, but not as a general rule. I love being alone and I need that time to myself. It's nothing sinister, even though so many people think it's weird.

11. Would you want to live in a cabin in the Muskokas all alone, even if it was with the person you loved?

A cabin in the Muskokas seems like someplace I'd love to visit for a few weeks, but not live there permanently. As much as I like my space and my alone time, I'm also a city girl through and through. I'm glad it makes Barney and Valancy happy though.

12. What do you think of Doc Redfern? Will Valancy and Barney still be happy with their millions?I

[h_loquacious]

I don't know if it's different for me because this is the first time I read it, but I did see basically all of it coming.

I don't think I saw it all coming (though I first read this book over a decade ago, so it's hard to remember). I know I wasn't at all surprised. I also wasn't really looking for it.

And, Hee. I'm amused that we dislike the exact same Stirlings.

[katayla]

I don't know if it's different for me because this is the first time I read it, but I did see basically all of it coming.

SAME. Partially I blame it on just reading The Blythes are Quoted, which used similar tropes.

But, yeah, it didn't really bug me. I was expecting a fluffy love story, so it fit.

[myr_soleil]

1.  Let’s start with Valancy herself.  Do you find her a bit blah at the start?  A bit irritating?  She is a basically a complete doormat.  It doesn’t bother me, but during this reread, I could see how it might not make her the most likeable heroine.
Oh no, I love her. She doesn't stay a doormat for long, and the narrative makes it clear that whatever spirit she had has been broken by her family. Plus, what a redemption she gets, so soon! I think my favorite "rebellious" thing of hers is saying true happiness is sneezing whenever you feel like it, haha. As someone with a lot of allergies, it struck a chord ;)

2.  Barney rushing over to rescue Valancy from the dance, and their resultant night in the woods, best thing ever?
Eh, I'm not the biggest fan of ladies needing to be rescued, but that was certainly nice of him. I like that he's established as a good guy, despite all the stories. But I love the night after that, they seem to have such fun, and it's great that they get to know each other a bit.

3.  Do you like the romance

[myr_soleil]

8.  This is one of the books that makes me realize how much I love LMM’s narration.  One of my favourite lines of this whole books is, “There was a convenient gate-post hard by.  Cousin Georgiana took firm hold of it.”  Just because it makes me laugh each and every time.  I don’t know why.  Do you have any particular favourites.
This book is just so funny, especially the early rebellious period of Valancy! I mentioned the sneezing line, and also "Why don't you hunt up some new riddles if riddle you must?" And I love the final twists - I genuinely saw none of them coming the first times, yet there are enough hints that it's not completely out of nowhere. I think it's a very well-constructed book.

9.  Do you think everybody has a Blue Castle?
I know I do! I guess it's not necessary for happy people (although at the end Valancy's castle was a real place too). But then we always strive for better. Mine is a place I wouldn't exactly like to be in, but it's sure fun to think about before falling asleep.

10.  “People who wanted to be alone

[h_loquacious]

I love rebelious Valancy too! When she arbitrarily states that she's going to the other church, just because it's the other one.

And I agree about the neccessity of Internet access, and the books. I'm not huge on tons of social interaction, but I would want some...

[h_loquacious]

Oh no, I love her. She doesn't stay a doormat for long, and the narrative makes it clear that whatever spirit she had has been broken by her family.

Oh, I love her too. I tried not to make my questions too squee-y. Because Valancy is my very favouritest.

Eh, I'm not the biggest fan of ladies needing to be rescued, but that was certainly nice of him.

True. But given the time period, and the fact that it was a one-time thing, I'm okay with it. I do love the scene of them sitting in the broken-down car in near-silence.

And I really hate Olive - she has no funny-ness to redeem her.

I don't really hate Olive. She intrigues me. She could go either way in my head. I think the problem with the Stirlings is that absolutely none of them have a sense of humour, which is problematic.