Magic for Marigold in Never too Late to Read Classics

May 12, 2019 Manybooks rated it liked it

Shelves: imagination, l-m-montgomery, families, childrens-literature, book-reviews

Although L.M. Montgomery's 1925 Magic for Marigold has most definitely been a delightful and relaxing way to spend a few reading hours, I do have to admit that the episodic nature of the novel and that far far too often one chapter does not necessarily smoothly move and transfer into the next has kind of taken at least some of the shine off of my potential reading pleasure (and in particular since quite a few of the Magic for Marigold anecdotes and stories have not really felt all that engaging Although L.M. Montgomery's 1925 Magic for Marigold has most definitely been a delightful and relaxing way to spend a few reading hours, I do have to admit that the episodic nature of the novel and that far far too often one chapter does not necessarily smoothly move and transfer into the next has kind of taken at least some of the shine off of my potential reading pleasure (and in particular since quite a few of the Magic for Marigold anecdotes and stories have not really felt all that engaging to and for me on a personal reading expectation level in and of themselves, which is kind of ironic since Marigold always wants her world to be interesting and entertaining).

And while I have indeed found L.M. Montgomery's descriptions of the Lesley clan enlightening with regard to time, place and the importance of family traditions as well as often also being humorous and sometimes even laugh-out-loud hilarious, I have definitely enjoyed the first part of Magic for Marigold (with Old Grandmother and yes especially that very first chapter where the entire family is debating and discussing what the new Lesley infant should be called) considerably more than what happens to the Lesley family and to Marigold herself after Old Grandmother's death (with Marigold's continuous jealousy of her late father's equally deceased first wife feeling rather personally uncomfortable, and I certainly do have my issues with how often Young Grandmother tries to "cure" Marigold of her invisible friend Sylvia, not to mention that Marigold's mother generally and far too regularly and easily refuses to interfere when Young Grandmother is overreacting and wielding a rather heavy-duty and problematic amount of supposedly necessary discipline and generally first and foremost just because Marigold is rather imaginative and fanciful and has imaginary, invisible playmates).

Still, I have found Magic for Marigold a for the most part sweet and readable little tale and while of course and naturally not as dear to my heart as either the Anne of Green Gables, the Emily of New Moon and The Story Girl series or as stand-alone novel Jane of Lantern Hill, I do consider Magic for Marigold basically delightful and very much enjoyably readable (generally a four star reading experience, but lowered to a high three stars since I have definitely and personally found the ending of Magic for Marigold a wee bit abrupt and hanging in mid air so to speak and yes I do kind of think that the book title of Magic for Marigold might be a trifle misleading as most of the episodes described by L.M. Montgomery except perhaps the parts about Marigold's imaginary friend Silvia do not really involve any kind of actual or bona fide magic, are simply short little anecdotes about the Lesley family and Marigold's childhood as a member of said family). ...more

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