Every Betsy-Tacy book is a mental sanctuary for me, but this one is probably my least favorite in the series. I definitely miss all the familiar supporting characters. However, it was interesting to read about how a single young woman would travel through Europe in 1914. Some of her experiences weren't that different from mine traveling in 2002 and 2003. Betsy is a heroine for all eras!

I really enjoyed Betsy’s jaunt across Europe. Missed Tacy and Tib!

Reread March 12, 2019

Read August 30, 2013

An old favorite, and the perfect comfort read for moving abroad. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t specifically tried to find a flat it Taviton Street just because of this book. There’s no one like Betsy Ray!

I don't know what to say, but I just love this series. I think I like the first 4 books they are the best but this one beats others when she is an adult. I learned more about islands I never heard of and I felt like i was right there with Betsy traveling. Yes I would have loved to have traveled with her we would have had so much fun. I liked too how she was in Europe just before WW1 started and then England. This was one of those books I didn't want to put down but I didn't want to finish either because it would end. But going to start the next one right away.

Back to Betsy, this is probably my least favourite out of the series but I still really enjoyed it so that's not saying too much.

Betsy in Europe is good fun, as a European I enjoyed all of her observations and thoughts as she wanders from country to country.

I didn't enjoy Betsy's flirtations with Mr. O'Farrell at all, but he was amusing. I also wasn't down with Marco and his rapid love, but that might be more of a me thing :D

But it is ultimately another satsifying peek into the life of Betsy and now only the final book is left!

This one is missing some of the tride and true Betsy characters we love and for that reason it was a little less sparkly for me. I just love the traditions and characterizations of the Ray family, so this adventure takes Betsy further away.

Although Betsy and the Great World sometimes feels a bit too much like reading someone’s travel diary for my liking, it’s also the first book that is truly different from its predecessors: for the first time, Betsy leaves the comfort of her Deep Valley home and isn’t surrounded by a crowd of adoring and supportive friends and family, and the result is her having to struggle to find her own way in a foreign land. Of course, given the series’ comfortable tone, Betsy’s troubles never last long but it was the first time I felt like the character really moved forward since Heaven to Betsy (if even that).

Easily the most effective part of the story for me was the beginning of World War I, but I also feel as though the book missed an opportunity here. Despite the enormity of the event, and Betsy being in London right as people began to panic, it never seemed as though Betsy processed the significance of what was happening, instead viewing it as she did all of the other tourist sights that she came across. Perhaps this, like the loving descriptions of all of the countries Betsy visits (many of which will be affected by World War I), is meant to be a bittersweet love letter to the time before the Great War and a sad look at how unaware everyone was of what was about to go down. But it also left things feeling rather odd at the end—a huge, history-changing development occurs, yet Betsy just sails home to America to have a romantic reunion with her high school sweetheart like the world is the same. Maybe the last book (which is set right after this one) will have more gravity, but I somewhat doubt it; then again, these books are clearly intended as comforting escapism so ruminating about them being anything much deeper than that might be somewhat pointless.

Delightful account of Betsy abroad in Europe in 1914.

I miss Tacy and Tib and Joe! But then, so does Betsy.

I first read this book when I was a teenager. I continue to be amazed that a young woman was allowed to travel alone through Europe during those times.

this was MY senior europe trip, crazy how this fictional one was better than the one i was actually supposed to be on and this trip ended with world war 1 starting LOL
no this was so slay
i will say it was a little off putting not being at home with everyone but it was a nice change of pace and i loved seeing all the places, venice was def the best
the boat was so glam, i need to go on a cruise or smn minus mistakenly flirting with a married middleaged man (i get it though he was irish)
yeah the whole war thing rly threw a curveball at the mood