The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
“If you can sit in silence with a person for half an hour and yet be entirely comfortable, you and that person can be friends. If you cannot, friends you'll never be and you need not waste time in trying.”
The story is about a young woman who grew up in Canada during the 1900s. At 29 years old, she is considered an old maid by the standards of the time because she is unmarried. Her family is terrible, always caught up in their dramas and worried about what others think of them. They impose insane rules on themselves that they believe to be proper.
Valance is an outcast in her family due to her plain looks and unmarried status. While her family isn't abusive, they constantly remind her of her mistakes and perceived shortcomings. She's miserable and afraid of her family members, unable to live life in the manner she desires.
However, everything changes when she visits a doctor due to chest pains. She learns that she has a year to live, and this news gives her the freedom to do and say whatever she wants. Her family is shocked as she defies them, and their reactions are quite amusing.
This book is about overcoming fears and being true to oneself, and it carries an essential message. The writing is well done, and the characters are interesting and well-drawn. The story starts slowly with detailed descriptions of Valancy's family, but it's so well written that the reader can feel her suffocation. The pace picks up, and the story becomes more exciting as it progresses with unexpected twists and turns.
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