Over the years sixty members of the Dark family and sixty Penhallows have married one another--but not without their share of fighting and feuding....
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Apr 15, 2009
Abigail
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One of the few L.M. Montgomery titles that I did not read in my childhood, A Tangled Web was a double treat, in that it contained so many well-loved Montgomery "types," but was also wholly new to me. The simultaneous feeling of friendly familiarity and excited discovery that I experienced while reading it made it the ideal book in which to lose myself for a few wonderful hours.
Chronicling one year in the life of the interrelated Dark and Penhallow clans, whose many scandals More...
Chronicling one year in the life of the interrelated Dark and Penhallow clans, whose many scandals More...
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Apr 07, 2009
Chandra
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This is probably my tenth reading of this book - it might be (next to Anne of Green Gables) one of the books I've re-read the most times. So, I suppose it goes with out saying that I've always loved this and considered it the best of Montgomery's stand alone books, but after years away from her work I wondered if I would still enjoy it. The answer is an emphatic yes! For me this is one of Montgomery's most unique and grown up books. I feel like Montgomery is really on top of her game here -
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Jul 11, 2011
Tracey
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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 re
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Jan 25, 2010
Lizz
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Wendy Burton and I were talking LMM and how you could see how being known for Anne would be so frustrating and not an accurate portrayal of her full literary skills. We made a list of top LMM books and this one came out in the top three. Why?
1. Excellent descriptions of dresses and hair styles. A red dress you could crumple in your hand with a silver grape pattern paired with a jeweled headband of leaves on the horrible Nan who had great clothes but no ethics is just one great exampl More...
1. Excellent descriptions of dresses and hair styles. A red dress you could crumple in your hand with a silver grape pattern paired with a jeweled headband of leaves on the horrible Nan who had great clothes but no ethics is just one great exampl More...
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Jan 04, 2010
Katharine
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Since we just moved, I opened up several boxes of books that have been packed up for years. Seeing my old favorites always makes me want to reread them, and A Tangled Web was the first to catch my eye.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a die-hard LM Montgomery fan, but I admit some of her work is better than others. This is not her best, but it still has enough of her particular charm to be enjoyable reading.
Unlike LMM's better-known novels, A Tangled Web has an ensemble cas More...
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a die-hard LM Montgomery fan, but I admit some of her work is better than others. This is not her best, but it still has enough of her particular charm to be enjoyable reading.
Unlike LMM's better-known novels, A Tangled Web has an ensemble cas More...
Jun 05, 2009
Carrieuoregon
rated it: 
I was always an L.M. Montgomery fan. (who wasn't?) But I hadn't heard about this adult literature book until a few weeks ago. I read The Blue Castle during Wesley's wrist surgery and fell in love. I so rarely find a book that I can give heartfelt devotion to at this age. I naturally resolved to read the other book Lucy Maud wrote for adults. I definitely enjoyed my reading, but it didn't quite grab me the way the Castle did. It concerns the fates of a large cast of characters in one stunn
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Jun 26, 2009
Mari Anne
rated it:
This is the L.M. Montgomery book for adults I was hoping to read. Keep in mind it was first published in 1931... but it is daring and witty, sarcastic and sentimental. This clever story of the Dark and Penhallow clans, whose family trees are more like shrubs, is a fun romp with the skeletons in their closets. It's a behind the scenes look at the best and worst of human nature among the clan and it's entertaining from start (or almost) to the end (not quite). The first section of the first c
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Jan 14, 2012
Megan
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Having never heard of this book before, I was excited to read Montgomery's book she wrote "for adults" Apparently that meant giving free reign to her racism. Actually there were only two spots, since most of the book dealt with the entanglements of a large PEI Scottish clan, but they were hugely offensive to me. The last page of the book ends with a terrible racist joke. The speaker is an uncultured sailor and the n-word didn't have as bad a connotation in 1930s Canada as it does n
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Jan 11, 2011
Laura
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Overall a really good book. There were a ton of characters and you heard each of their stories- I would forget who some of them were when the story went back to them. This book was all based on what happens in a family clan when they all want the inheritance of the family jug. It is a tale of love- how a young woman sees love, how a widow, or an old maid sees and experiences love. L.M. Montgomery (author of Anne of Green Gables) uses such beautiful images of her Prince Edward Island midnight
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Jul 14, 2011
L.M. Montgomery is a genius. This isn't one of those books you can speed through, it's one where you slow your life down to fit the pace of the story. And then you giggle and sigh your way through it. In this story, two families have been intermarrying for decades and one of their Aunts dies, leaving a legendary vase up for grabs. Mingled with the intrigue of who will inherit the Dark Vase, there are break ups, reunions, quarrels, and reconsiliations. It's amazing to me how she is able to i
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Jan 12, 2009
Faith
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A Tangled Web is one of the LMM novels I bought on PEI. It is about the Dark and Penhallow -clan and The Jug that everyone wants to inherit. Aunt Becky, the owner of the jug, desides that the name of the one to inherit the jug will be publiced a year after her death, and during this year a lot of things happen in the clan.
Aunt Becky seams to me to be a very vice woman, whereas the younger people are real fools. It's all about relationships and stubbornes and stupidnes. The web is ve More...
Aunt Becky seams to me to be a very vice woman, whereas the younger people are real fools. It's all about relationships and stubbornes and stupidnes. The web is ve More...
Aug 22, 2011
Amberle
rated it:
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
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Aug 11, 2011
Elinor
rated it:
I really love this book, which is a big accomplishment on LMM's part because it doesn't have much of the fancies and imaginings that I love in her other books.
All the 'damning' does get a little old-it's almost like LMM was trying to show that she could write something 'realistic' and 'grown-up'- but it doesn't interfere with my delight in the story, nor does the racism of the Sams. It's without doubt one of my favorite LMMs.
The thing I like most about A Tangled Web is that More...
All the 'damning' does get a little old-it's almost like LMM was trying to show that she could write something 'realistic' and 'grown-up'- but it doesn't interfere with my delight in the story, nor does the racism of the Sams. It's without doubt one of my favorite LMMs.
The thing I like most about A Tangled Web is that More...
Nov 16, 2010
Caroline
rated it:
L.M. Montgomery usual milieu was the young-girl-grows-up-story, but she occasionally crafted a story aimed toward the more adult end of the spectrum. The Blue Castle, for one, which is a wonderful story.
A Tangled Web is another. First published in 1931, it follows a large cast of characters, all belonging the extended Dark and Penhallow clans as they speculate on who will inherit the "old Dark jug" from dying Aunt Emily.
We particularly pursue half dozen or so of th More...
A Tangled Web is another. First published in 1931, it follows a large cast of characters, all belonging the extended Dark and Penhallow clans as they speculate on who will inherit the "old Dark jug" from dying Aunt Emily.
We particularly pursue half dozen or so of th More...
Aug 17, 2008
Tracey
rated it:
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 re
More...
Apr 09, 2008
Paige
rated it:
I've probably read this book more times than any other. I'm talking 12 or 15 times between the ages of 13 and 15. It's the story of a "clan" in Canada (of course), made up of the Darks and the Penhallows. It used to be that the Darks and Pehnhallows would only marry each other, but now it's a little more like no one else will marry a Dark but a Penhallow and vice versa. The story centers around a hallowed family heirloom, a cracked and ugly ceramic jug, and the decision of the clan mat
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Mar 04, 2009
Megan
rated it:
Some of the characters and story lines will be familiar to readers who have read collected short stories and other works, but Tangled Web is a charming compilation of what Montgomery did so well - small town, large family life closely observed. Most of her familiar characters are there - the old maid with hidden depths, the bitter, witty old woman, the "confirmed bachelor," the lovers, the heartless, shallow, cruel girl.
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Aug 05, 2010
Cheree
rated it:
Initially the book was a bit confusing to follow. It begins with Aunt Becky calling her family together to discuss her will and impending death. The family is actually composed of two families, the Darks and the Penhallows. On the small island of Prince Edward Island, the two clans have intermarried to create one massive clan with plenty of drama.
Read complete review here.
Read complete review here.
Jul 22, 2009
Michelle
rated it:
I have been saving this book for ten years! It was the very last L.M. Montgomery book I had to read (I have all the others) and as she passed away many years ago I have been putting it off knowing I will never get another chance to read one of her books again. (So silly I know!) Anyway, this was classic L.M. Montgomery. Lots of fun characters doing crazy things and then gossiping about it to anyone who will listen. Loved it!
Nov 21, 2008
Christina
rated it:
This is probably my all-time favorite book by LM Montgomery. The characters are admittedly a little predictable, but I am always impressed with her ability to describe them so vividly in just a few words. They are distinct. You can usually read her description and think of someone you know that is just like that!
If you're going to read the book for the first time, I would recommend keeping a quick list of who is who right from the beginning. The whole point is that the jug affect More...
If you're going to read the book for the first time, I would recommend keeping a quick list of who is who right from the beginning. The whole point is that the jug affect More...
Dec 16, 2009
k8lane
rated it:
A dated but wonderful book -- a friend and I attempted to adapt it as for the musical stage in college. The comedy and tragedy within a huge extended family comes to a head when the matriarchal figure, Aunt Becky, decides that she's lived long enough and plans to leave one of them a valuable heirloom (but who will it be?). As they all wrangle for her notice, their individual stories play out. There is love, betrayal, absurdity, offense, scandal, style, sweetness, craziness... everything you can
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Mar 23, 2009
Melissa
rated it:
If you ever wanted to follow the multiple entanglements that life forces us to make, this is the book to read. Emotions run high in two families that often intermarried. What causes such contention and frustration and general change? A pot. That is all. But in more than one case, it is more than enough. I loved this book. It is what I would deem a MUST-READ!
Aug 30, 2010
Jill
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I just love l.m. montgomery. Her books are the best books for comfort reading. There was nothing really new or special about this one, but I did especially love Roger. The last sentence in the book seemed quite out of place and very shocking by today's standards, and I could have done without it. But other than that I loved it and I'm so sad it's over.
Mar 03, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
I was laughing out loud the whole way through. Montgomery has the ability to show everyone's warts and moles, but you still can't help find each character endearing in their own quirky way. I loved every line except the last one. The final sentence was just racist and irrelevant in my opinion. But other than that a fun read.
Jul 10, 2011
Grace
rated it:
Another story that I have enjoyed and read it multiple times. I enjoyed all the characters and personalities that L.M. Montgomery put into them. I really enjoyed the "Uncle" in the story as I felt as he added character to the story. The one story, that's inside the main story, I enjoyed was about the main two "lovebirds". ;)
Jul 23, 2011
Heidi
rated it:
I love L.M. Montgomery, but this book was challenging for me. The main problem is there are SO many characters ~ it is very challenging to keep them all straight in your head. Once they all get sorted through it is a classic Montgomery read, but it takes more effort than her books should take!
May 03, 2009
Tara
rated it:
Read for book club this month, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are many different subplots that weave together so beautifully. L.M. Montgomery was an incredible writer. I love how she makes this little tiny island so appealing that most of her characters have no desire to ever leave.
Oct 18, 2011
Adrienne
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I am beginning to think Montgomery just might be on my top 10 list of favorite authors. I immediately am drawn into her books through the wonder of her words. (Obviously, I am no wonder with words!) I love the funny, distinct, uniquely fascinating characters she created in this book. The crazy family all of us feel we might have, exaggerated ten-fold. I love it. I wouldn't say this is one where you "weep with the characters" because all of them have their eccentricities you have t
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Jun 13, 2010
JocelynRose
rated it:
Definitely my favorite Montgomery book. It is chock full of sparkling humor, tense action, and Mrs. Montgomery's usual gossipy characters. The romance is sweet and fresh and you'll fall in love with the characters. If you like Anne of Green Gables, this book is even better.
Jan 10, 2009
Laura
rated it:
This was definately an interesting book. Lots to "characters" to try and keep sorted out. When I read books like this one, with an extended family/clan involved I wonder if there are/were people really like this. NOt my favorite of hers but an okay read. I would recommend the Blue Castle if you want to explore more of L.M. Montgomery's books-I loved it!
