Jane of Lantern Hill [Mass Market Paperback]

L.M. Montgomery (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1989

Set in Toronto and on Prince Edward Island early in the 20th century, this is the story of a young girl's dream. When Jane Stuart finds that the father she believed to be dead is in fact still alive, she longs to reunite her long-divided family. By the author of the "Anne of Green Gables" series.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

For as long as she could remember, Jane Stuart and her mother lived with her grandmother in a dreary mansion in Toronto. Jane always believed her father was dead--until she accidentally learned he was alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane spends the summer at his cottage on Lantern Hill, doing all the wonderful things Grandmother deems unladylike, she dares to dream that there could be such a house back in Toronto...a house where she, Mother, and Father could live together without Grandmother directing their lives--a house that could be called home. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Clifton, Prince Edward Island, in 1874. Educated at Prince Edward College, Charlottetown, and Dalhousie University, she embarked on a career in teaching. From 1898 until 1911 she took care of her maternal grandmother in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, and during this time wrote many poems and stories for Canadian and American magazines.

Montgomery’s first novel, Anne of Green Gables, met with immediate critical and popular acclaim, and its success, both national and international, led to seven sequels. More autobiographical than the books about Anne is the trilogy of novels about another Island orphan, Emily Starr.

In 1911 Montgomery married the Rev. Ewan Macdonald, a Presbyterian clergyman, and they lived in Ontario, where he was the pastor of parishes in Leaskdale and, later, in Norval. They retired to Toronto in 1936.

Lucy Maud Montgomery died in Toronto in 1942. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Starfire (January 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055328049X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553280494
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,948 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lucy Maude Montgomery (1874-1942) was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, the setting for Anne of Green Gables. She left to attend college, but returned to Prince Edward Island to teach. In 1911, she married the Reverend Ewan MacDonald. Anne of Green Gables, the first in a series of "Anne" books by Montgomery, was published in 1908 to immediate success and continues to be a perennial favorite.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of her best, May 25, 2000

By 

Sanchia D. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jane of Lantern Hill (Hardcover)

When I first read this book, I had in fact never even heard of it before. On completing it I was surprised at this. Jane is probably one of Montgomery's most rounded characters, actually expressing the anguish that was only hinted at in other characters in other books.The tragedy of the lonely child trapped with her weak, unhappy mother and her bitter, dictatorial grandmother deals skilfully with the theme of divorce and seperation, and was probably considered revolutionary in its day.Jane's pain is very real as are the numerous lovable characters that populate this book.It might be considered dated and old fashioned today but a truly insightful and sensitive reader will sympathize with Jane and rejoice at her happiness.A beautiful and poignant book, that would set many readers thinking.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LMM's most down to earth heroine, August 7, 2004

By 

Makiko Itoh "maki to all" (Earth) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane of Lantern Hill (Paperback)

I read this in my early teens, after I had read most of the LMM books (the Anne series, the Emily series, etc.) I loved them all, especially the Emily series, but Jane of Lantern Hill is my favorite of them all. Jane Stuart is not, as many of LMM's other heroines are, obsessed with the idea of being a writer, storyteller, etc. There is no potential boyfriend/husband lurking in the story either. This book is more about the how understanding and love can transform an introverted, unhappy child into a confident, intelligent girl (the story ends when Jane is about age 14.) In that sense she's really one of the most understandable and likeable of LMM's heroines. She is also very modern. You can easily imagine her growing up to become a successful career woman, something you can't really say for many of LMM's other heroines, other than the at-home and time-flexible occupation of writing. If I had an early-teen daughter I would buy this book for her, especially if she has any self-confidence issues.

This is also one of the few books that deals with the subject of divorce or the separation of parents from the perspective of the child in an intelligent way. Given the time that it was written, divorce was a horrible taboo, and the resolution of the story is a bit unrealistic perhaps. That's the only quibble I have with the book.

Incidentally there was a television movie based on this book, by the same people who did the excellent Anne of Green Gables series (at least, the first two parts of that series were excellent). Don't bother with the Jane movie if you love the book..it only vaguely resembles it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Work!, December 14, 2003

By 

"smithie2" (Springfliend, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jane of Lantern Hill (Mass Market Paperback)

As someone who spent many hours alone as a child, I found I could really relate to this book. I first discovered it when I was eleven or twelve. I loved reading about how Jane'e grandmother dominated her and made her feel out of place and about how people at school regarded Jane, because I was treated in the same way. If you've ever been pushed around as a child, or as an adult, read this book. I'm 21 and have been forced to grow up rather quickly in my life, still I enjoy this wonderful novel. I thought the character of the mother could have been more developed, otherwise it was absolutely a stunning work of art. Go SUPERIOR JANE! I can also relate to the way Montgomery portrays Jane's dad, and Jane's relationship with her dad. It's interesting how when Jane sees her father's picture in a magazine, even though she does not know it is him she cuts it out and keeps it, and it is heart-breaking how her grandmother takes it away from her. It is touching how Jane helps her poor orphaned friend and neighbor, and her grandmother's disdain for this makes one exceedingly angry. I also thought Jane's mother did not defend her daughter enough. Montgomery's own father made himself scarce to her when she was young, moving out West and remarrying. Montgomery seems to have never gotten over this, so when she describes characters like Emily's father, and Jane's father, she does a wonderful job of speaking of how intimate they are with their daughters. As a child of divorce I loved reading of how Jane played a role in getting her parents back together. .......