Discussion 1 ~ Emily of New Moon Read-Along

Welcome to the first discussion of the Emily of New Moon read-along! ♥ Before we get started, if this is the first you've heard of the read-along, you can learn more about the schedule in this invitation post.

Today we're going to discuss chapters 1-10. If you've already read them, you can share your thoughts in the comments section or in your own post! (Feel free to use the image above, linking back to the Emily of New Moon read-along tag.) If you still need to catch up, you're welcome to check in whenever you're ready. :)

Hope you enjoy the discussion!

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Emily of New Moon: Chapters 1-10

Discussion format: your favorite quotes, general impressions, and five questions to answer for each week's reading

Favorite Quotes

• "Darkness and hobgoblins were nothing when you had plenty of company. But to be alone—ah, Emily shivered with the delicious horror of it!"

• "It had always seemed to Emily, ever since she could remember, that she was very, very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain; she could never draw the curtain aside—but sometimes, just for a moment, a wind fluttered it and then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond—only a glimpse—and heard a note of unearthly music."

• "Your mother thought Emily the prettiest name in the world,—it was quaint and arch and delightful, she said."

• "Everything we had was small except our love and our happiness."

• "One couldn't be afraid or bitter where love was—and love was everywhere." 

• "Nobody who was loved as much as he was could be a failure."

• "Books were Emily's friends wherever she found them."

General Impressions

I'm fairly certain this will be my first time reading through Emily of New Moon... (Unless I'm forgetting something!) I think it's felt familiar so far because I might have tried starting it when I got this copy and especially because I watched some of a mini-series based on this book with my uncle and grandparents when I was younger. (Not entirely sure how far we got through that!)

Anyway... ;)

Some elements remind me of Anne of Green Gables: the fact that Emily is orphaned, her love for nature and describing it through lovely words, and the way she feels different from everyone else. But Emily definitely seems to be her own character, and I appreciate her love for cats, her passion for writing, and her desire to honor her father's memory.

Her three new guardians are also quite different from Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert (from Anne of Green Gables), although Emily is still getting a mix of strict upbringing and secret kindness. I really hope Aunt Elizabeth softens and starts to see what a blessing she has in Emily. I love Aunt Laura and her gentle ways! And Cousin Jimmy... I do like the thoughtfulness and generosity he shows Emily, although I'm not sure what to think about the times a switch seems to flip and he frightens Emily with his intensity (not meanness, though, thank goodness!).

New Moon itself seems charming, if a bit dark with the stories it holds and the fact that they only use candlelight at night. I hope Emily will come to love the sound of the sea. :) And I'm eager to see how this place, with the nearby fairy path and Jimmy's beautiful garden and the property's dear quirks, becomes home to her.

Of course, there's also school and making "friends." The back cover description assures me there are more true friends to come on the scene, which gives me hope! It's not all that fun to read about how "children can be the most cruel creatures alive" (a quote from chapter 8). Ugh! Makes me think of Lord of the Flies by William Golding (thank goodness things aren't that bad in Emily's story...but still!), which is a book I had to read for school once upon a time that I really, really didn't like. But I guess all this serves as a reminder that we humans are sinful beings from birth and in desperate need of God's grace and mercy.

Chapter 10 ends with a sweet little poem and a promise of great big trouble to come...

Discussion Questions

Answer any or all five of these questions in the comments section or in your own blog post!

1. What did you think of Emily's life before her father passed away? What stood out to you as wonderful or sad?

2. Which of Emily's Murray relatives has made the greatest impression on you so far in either a positive or negative way? What is it that makes their character so striking?

3. Are you a cat person? What did you think of Emily's choice between Saucy Sal and Mike?

4. Are you a fan of poetry like Emily? If you enjoy reading it, do you prefer blank-verse or rhyming poetry? What's your favorite poem you've read or written?

5. What are your thoughts on Emily's school experience so far? If you could step in and make changes to the system, what might you do?

Join us next Sunday for our second discussion! 

(Chapters 11-17)