Customer Reviews

The History of Emily Montague (New Canadian Library)

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The History of Emily Monatgue is not the best novel written in the Eighteenth Century. It's not the worst, either. The story line is what you would expect; girl meets boy, they fall in love, but a combination of family issues and financial problems keep the lovers from getting married. Compared to most novels of the the era, the plot lines are thin and feel contrived, character development is limited, and there is a little too much "sensibility" throughout the whole novel.

However, it does have some strengths. Brooke had an excellent talent for description. You feel the winter chill, the warmth of the fires, and the mist blowing off the ocean. Brooke also had a clean and flowing writing style, especially for this period. Consequently, the reader gets an excellent picture of colonial Canada in general, and Quebec in particular. She skillfully describes interactions between English and French colonials and even has a scene or two involving aboriginal people. If Fodor or Baedecker where hiring at the time, she could have been their best travel writer.

If you like novels from this period, you will like Emily Monatague. I doubt it will replace your favorite, but the interesting setting makes it worth the effort.

As a genealogist, I am always looking for social histories that add to the descriptions of daily life, customs, costumes, and thoughts of my 17th and 18th century ancestors. This is one of those books. Emily/Frances reflect the spirit of the time as first-hand observers to life in New France.