What did I think? Well, for one, I don't know how many stars to give this book. I neither loved nor hated it. I did like some of the characters and their relationships, except in some instances of a young boy who felt unloved and an animal he loved, and he knew the animal loved him. I will never reread this, and I feel certain it is for an adult/more mature audience. I am still very interested in reading some more of L.M. Montgomery's works, but it may be better for me to stick to her young adult novels, such as The Blue Castle, which I love!

I cannot believe I didn't like this book the first time I read it. It's full of everything good in an L.M. Montgomery story, from humor to romance to judgmental families. ;) I really, really, REALLY like this book. <3

This is the first L.M. Montgomery book I have read that was less then wonderful. The beginning of the book seemed to take forever. There were so many characters strung together that it became a chore to sort them out. There was only a hint of the charm I usually find in her books and that was probably the biggest disappointment. However, this book highlighted more than usual Montgomery's knack for social commentary. I loved the bridging in generations of this book and the different perspectives on life which were juxtaposed to really enhance the contrast between those who saw the turn of the century and those who barely remember the first world war.

L.M. Montgomery was very very good at several things, and one of those was keeping a secret from her readers, building suspense until she finally decides to reveal all – which is always done in a satisfying manner. And she never does it better than in A Tangled Web – through the petty jealousies and deep passions and squabbles and allegiances of the tale of the Darks and the Penhallows runs one of the best tantalizers I've ever seen: why did Joscelyn leave Hugh the night of their wedding and refuse to ever return to him? I don’t know if the reality of what happened quite lives up to the anticipation – but it’s believable, in its way, and arranging for the situation to be resolved requires some excellent plotting. And the anticipation is delicious. I love the character Oswald Dark – what a being he is. Were I to indulge in fan-fiction about L.M.M., I think I’d center on him. But … there is a fly in the ointment, which I'd forgotten until I came to it - how could I forget that last line of the book? Avoid if possible. It’s an unnecessary stain on a lovely book, and a true sign that while a lot of things have changed for the worse since L.M.M. wrote, not everything has. Even given the ointment's fly, this is one of my favorites among L.M.M.'s books. Five stars despite that line.