This book title sounds deceptively like L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon, but thank all the mercies that it really isn't. I'll now proceed with the review.

Synopsis: Emily Webster, an orphan living with her grandfather, is not like the other girls her age in Deep Valley, Minnesota. The gulf between Emily and her classmates widens even more when they graduate from Deep Valley High School in 1912. Emily longs to go off to college with everyone else, but she can't leave her grandfather.
Emily resigns herself to facing a "lost winter," but soon decides to stop feeling sorry for herself. And with a new program of study, a growing interest in the Syrian community, and handsome new teacher at the high school to fill her days, Emily gains more than she ever dreamed...

Plot: Since this book is set in one of my favorite time periods, it already had a bit of push going for it. I love the early nineteen-hundreds and think that not enough good books are written during those golden years.

Emily of Deep Valley is charming. A sweet story that is appropriate for any age. The sort of book I wish girls nowadays were reading instead of cheap, badly-written fantasies or silly romances that contain nothing but fluff and inappropriate topics.

It's a simple story. It hasn't really got a plot, per say. It's just a sweet, wholesome narrative of an ordinary girl. It's also a very good advertisement for stay-at-home daughterhood.

The first part of the book is bittersweet and slightly frustrating. Emily is blue because she can't go to college with her friends and about a certain indifferent young jerk who she somehow adores.

It gets better when Emily decides to improve herself, stops pining over worthless boys, and starts to live - even though she can't go to college.

And then, a certain someone also walks into her life and Emily finds out that perhaps living in Deep Valley isn't so bad.

You also discover that she's not as dull as she first may seem.

Characters: This is rather tough, since Emily is pretty much the monopolizer of the book. I got a little frustrated with her at times because she was so in love with this young man who wasn't worth her time. I wanted to shake her, but thankfully she was sensible enough to shake herself.
Although she does a lot of good, charitable work, Emily doesn't come across as a goody-two-shoes. She lives enough for herself that it's not annoying that she's so good. Besides that, not every man in the county is madly in love with her, so it makes things easier to swallow when you hit the end.

I liked Emily's Grandpa Webster. He was funny and eccentric and just forgetful enough to be a dear.

Annette, I hope, will have grow out of herself by the time she graduates - though I think she's getting the raw end of the deal when it comes to fiancees.

Don is frustrating because I got so sick of being told how handsome he was and how much Emily adored him. He was such a cad. But he was used for contrast, so I suppose it's all well and good in the end.

And then there's Jed - but I won't spoil the story.

Likes: I love wholesome old books that are reminiscent of those bygone days where everything was simpler and wasn't so messed up, so I loved Emily of Deep Valley because that's what it is. True, it doesn't have a flashy cover or a twisting, turning plot, but it's got a good, solid story that's worth reading just because it's for girls who are growing up and trying to understand what to look for in life.

The romance was sweet and - though I disapprove of kisses before marriage - I realize that it does make a good story, so I overlook it when done in chaste and brief ways.

Dislikes: The first few chapters are rather hard to get in to. It starts out with Emily being depressed over her lot in life and pining for a romance that you, the reader, don't want to come true. But I am only saying that because I need something to put in this category and if you can get through the first few chapters of any book, you ought to be able to make it through the start of Emily's story.

Conclusion: If you like old-fashioned stories like L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series or Francis Burnett's A Little Princess, Lousia May Alcott books or even Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, I'm sure you'll love Emily of Deep Valley. So instead of picking up the pulp fiction and fantasies this summer, why don't you consider a wholesome trip to the past, where the girls are real and the romance is sweet and you can put it down with a sigh and realize that this is how life can be.

Emily loves school and learning and she dreams of going to college like all of her friends. But she and her grandfather are alone in the world and she can't think of leaving him behind; so she stays in the town of her upbringing. Depression and loneliness take their toll on her spirits, and she "keeps learning as an antidote to her pain." Her attitude gives her the chance to find a new community that appreciates her.

I love how Emily is portrayed as a born sociologist without the author ever saying so; but her observations make it clear. I also love the themes of community building, caring for the elderly. Emily cares for herself AND continues to lovingly care for her grandfather by finding healthy sources of joy (shared and individual) right where she is. She has a talent for nurturing those who might otherwise be left out, partially bc she has experienced it. She even stays informed politically. She's just a lovely, strong character without being a loud, brash modern "heroine."

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OH.

Favourite of Favourites! This is my favourite MHL. It just is is.

(I could almost end this review here, but I'm not going to.)

I started it, and Don was introduced, and I was all, "Who is this FOOL? Go away!"

And he took ever so long to do that. At first I had this horrible feeling that I was going to have to try to like him, but then HURRAH, not so much. Annette can have him. (P.S. this is the second book I have read where Annette is the popular cousin who snags the foolish, stupid boy away from her quieter cousin - good ridance. Interesting, yes? Particularly since the authors were roughly contemporary.)

I love Mr. Wakeman, and how he was introduced, and then she meets him at Mrs. Fowler's again. I am, however, heartily ashamed of myself for not realizing in advance that he was Mr. Jed. I love the Syrian boys, and how that comes about. Although, it was predictable, it's still lovely. I knew she'd end up teaching English in her house by the time the book was through. I love the Wrestling Club, I love her grandfather, he's charming and lovely. I love their traditions.

The Little Syria subplot was a long time coming, given that the author sowed the seeds in Betsy, Tacy and Tib. I guess this book was to be expected. Speaking of which, I love how Alice introduces Emily to the older crowd (parenthetically, Alice so needs her own book. I am intrigued). Love the return of Tib, Betsy (Ray's shoe store will always be Ray's) and Tacy, and the focus on Betsy's hair. I loved seeing them all, Fred and Cab, and the teachers, just everyone.

Oh, the teachers. I may be overly fond of the Deep Valley High school faculty. I love Miss Fowler in particular. HEE. And her matchmaking schemes. I apparently have a thing when it comes to the teachers shipping couples in this book. Because the teachers so obviously shipped Jed/Emily.

Which, Mr. Jed. He is so lovely and charming and perfect. He always regretted that he never got to hear her debate... He brings her daffodils. He likes to talk to her. It's all so sweet and lovely.

And I love Emily's growth, and how she talks to Betsy about it because they both had 'lost years.' (Although, is Betsy everyone's de facto confidante in these books?) The first section of this book, when she's all depressed about feeling left behind and also feeling like she doesn't quite fit in anywhere is very genuine. It's very well done.

So, to sum up, I love it all.

It was one of the highest honors in my writing life to be asked to write the foreword for this new edition. I adore EMILY and always will.

This was my introduction to Lovelace’s writing, and what an introduction it was! We follow Emily through her ‘lost winter,’ as she comes to terms with being left at home caring for her grandfather whilst all her peers have gone off to college.

Emily is such a wonderful protagonist. This is a storyline which could have been all sweetness and froth, but to which hidden, rooted depths are revealed by Emily’s rounded, serious, relatable character.

‘Restfully quiet’ and often shy and awkward around her peers, she’s nonetheless an excellent debater. Emily displays something I don’t often see writers exploring: the ways in which we can tap into a deep well of confidence in some scenarios yet be completely unable to draw from it in others.

At times battling depression, an enemy against which she ‘couldn’t seem to find a gun with which to fight,’ Emily is someone who feels life deeply, who cares about living it honourably and well. It’s a joy to see her ‘muster her wits’ and stand in her own defence. I care for her deeply, just as I care for that fragile part of myself which I see represented in her.

There are winters of loneliness, of uncertainty, of hopelessness in all of our lives. This book looks them full in the face and acknowledges them. It also reminds us that we will pull through, and there are things we can do to help ourselves when life begins to get us down. Loneliness can be fought with acts of kindness, uncertainty with taking charge of our choices, hopelessness tackled in seemingly small steps, like putting up our hair and starting dance classes.

I know I will draw strength from this story for the rest of my life. 5 stars

2024 Review
Loved this re-read, even more than the first time! Lovelace is so wise and kind to dear Emily. I love watching her growth and how choosing the right friendships yields her a sweeter life than wanting what she can't have. While I love the Betsy books, I don't relate to Betsy as much as Emily, and I admire how Lovelace could get into Emily's head.

In the Betsy series, Lovelace skips writing about a challenging time in Betsy's life, when Betsy leaves college for a period due to illness. Though (as far as I can tell) Lovelace never wrote about that period in depth for her autobiographical Betsy, it feels like she was working some of that out with Emily. The message is, if you're feeling like life is passing you by, "Muster your wits; stand in your own defence" and make the best of your life. That's worth hearing at any stage of life!

The side characters were sweeter and lovelier than I recalled. Lovelace is just so good at fleshing out the whole town of Deep Valley. I really enjoyed this re-read--it was so gentle and heartfelt yet asked challenging questions and gave worthy answers.

2020 Review
A lovely, unusual addition to the Deep Valley world of Maud Hart Lovelace. Emily is a different character from the outgoing Carney, Winona, and Betsy. She's introverted, a bit socially anxious, and unsure where she fits in the world after graduating high school. I appreciate Lovelace's deep (but not dark) look at her depression, fearfulness, and sense of duty vs. self. Emily learns to spend her time on worthwhile things instead of pining for what she can't have. She learns a lot about herself, too, as she goes through an infatuation with an unpleasant man, culminating in a satisfying rejection. I can't think of many other young adult books that deal with a "gap year" in this way, and I really enjoyed it.

There were a few undesirable elements. The treatment of the Syrian population is mostly good, but the focus on "Americanization" could be discomfiting for some readers. In Emily's usage, "Americanization" refers to training in the English language and learning about the US for citizenship purposes. She embraces their culture and welcomes their traditions, while trying to help the Syrians she knows make a more comfortable life in the US. Emily speaks heartily against anti-immigration views, which is lovely. Jed, a character from the South, is described as a "rebel at heart." No Confederate or Lost Cause views are expressed, except for a brief conversation about how Jed's grandfather fought for the Confederacy. This part made me a bit uncomfortable given the time period, right before the second rise of the KKK. Yet, I find this element to be a result of the "Decoration Day" rewriting of the Civil War, where veterans of both sides were given equal respect for their sacrifices, despite the disparities of the two armies. Both of these quibbles are minor and should yield fruitful discussion with older readers who understand this period of American history.

[2020 Review]: It felt very appropriate to revisit Emily in these current climes--someone who, I think, captures the isolation and loneliness and loss. Still one of the books that feels too familiar and too close.

[2014 Review]: There are some books that just matter to you, you know? You finish them and feel gutted and raw and exposed and maybe a bit bitter that you've spent so much time without that book in your life.

I've read all of the Betsy-Tacy books now, and I've loved them whole-heartedly. But I've never connected with Betsy or Winona or Carnie. I never fully engaged with their easiness, the way they always had a "Crowd", the way they fit in. I was an Emily, yearning and wanting and always a little apart.

And I haven't encountered a lot of books that capture that loneliness so well. That sense of isolation and "lost years" and hurt. That lowness, and the spiraling, and sense of spinning wheels and waiting. But Emily of Deep Valley does, I think.

She read avidly, indiscriminately, using them as an antidote for the pain in her heart. But they didn't help much. There was no one to talk them over with.

My copy is all marked up already. There are just so many good passages to quote and to feel.

She felt lonely and deserted and futile. "A mood like this has to be fought. it's like an enemy with a gun," she told herself. But she couldn't seem to find a gun with which to fight.

Reread 2/7/18:
I like it even more, if that is possible! It's just such a good book. Also, it's a message I needed just now - "Muster your wits!"

Original Read August 2016:

I'm not sure whether I like Betsy and Joe or this book better. I honestly can't decide. :)

Anyway, the early 1900s (Edwardian) is my favorite era due to the Betsy-Tacy series ... and I suppose it has a certain charm of its own, too. This is just the best book ever and if you haven't read it, read it, and if you have read it, read it again! And again! And again! :D

Read the review here.

~Kellyn Roth, Reveries Reviews

This is a little different from the usual Lovelace books. Some of the Betsy-Tacy characters, as well as their younger brothers and sisters, are in here. However, Emily is a different kind of girl. She is not the popular, boy-crazy type that we're used to encountering in the Betsy-Tacy books. I'm not knocking those girls, they had their challenges and are fun to get to know. Emily is just different. She's shy. She's awkward. She's sort of plain, but pretty in a girl-next-door way. She's constantly overlooked. Her girlfriends like her, but don't expect her to participate in dances and boy-girl parties, as no boy has been interested in her. They are even shocked when she actually finally does get a date. It's a casual date, with a Guy Friend instead of a legit Boyfriend, but she gets the invitation nevertheless. These things get Emily down at first, and she has a very difficult transition from schoolgirl to grown-up when she graduates from high school. Her friends are nearly all off to college and she can't go. She feels adrift and alone. I remember similar feelings at about that time in my life.
Emily is resilient, though. After moping for awhile, she catches a line in a sermon in church. It was a sermon that she had been daydreaming her way through, but a line caught her attention. "Muster your wits in defense of yourself." She perks up and thinks, "That is what I should be doing!" She immediately tunes out the rest of the sermon while she begins to plan what she will do to muster her wits.
She embarks on a self-improvement plan, partly because she thinks she could use a little spiffing up, but also to keep herself busy. She shops for more fashionable clothes, she puts up her hair instead of the old braid, she starts wearing her mother's jewelry. She also takes music and dance lessons, and begins a book club with a former teacher, the town librarian, and some of her former classmates who also stayed at home, as well as some girls from earlier graduating classes.
In addition to these deliberate changes in her life, she finds herself becoming involved in helping members of the Syrian community in town. She befriends two Syrian boys and discovers that they don't have many American friends. The American boys are not particularly friendly to the Syrian ones, so she starts a Boy's Club to get the kids from the two communities together. In the process, she discovers that the Syrian mothers hardly speak any English, so she starts English classes in her own home. Before long, there are too many students, so she approaches the school to try to set up formal classes. With some enthusiastic support from friends and former teachers, she convinces the reluctant School Board President to apply for federal funds and start a real ESL program at the school.
She's so busy, she barely notices that she has become much more attractive and noticeable. As in most other Betsy-Tacy book, Emily crushes on the Wrong Boy at first, but as her maturity grows, she discovers that this crush of hers is actually not a very nice guy. Meanwhile, the right guy has been there in her life for months as a helper and enthusiastic advocate in her ESL efforts.
A Betsy-Tacy book has to have a happy ending, so Emily gets her proposal at last.

3.5 stars.

Delightful coming-of-age story of Emily who stays behind taking care of her grandfather while everyone else around her goes to college. It is a quiet book but carries a strong, important message as Emily finds solace in her quietness and realises that she can build the life she wants with her own circumstances. Emily is such a relatable and sympathetic character and it was such a joy to see her finding her place in the world despite not going to college like everyone else did. After this I definitely have the craving for reading more Lovelace as I really enjoyed this!

4.5 stars! The more I think about this story, the more I love it. I don't typically read love stories, but this one was just the right type-- where the relationship is the cherry on top of the beautiful and delicious cake the heroine has built for herself. Emily did indeed "muster her wits," and I found her situation relatable and inspiring. This is the type of romance I would want to have, one where we are "looking outward together in the same direction" as Saint-Exupery puts it. Perfect to read around Valentine's Day!
PS I wish Emily could go do a speech for Trump and change his mind about immigration.

This book makes me want to put my hair up in a psyche knot and coach Syrians in ESL.