Customer Reviews

A Tangled Web

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

LMM's gift for portraying people's hopes and dreams and shortcomings in a sympathetic fashion shines in this novel. Among her most unique stories in format, it chooses to follow the fates of an entire clan for a year, alternately "peeping in" on the thoughts of first one person and then another. In most of her novels we see everyone through the lens of the main character: here we see each of them as they see themselves.

The characters' actions and decisions are shadowed by either their own, or their loved ones' desire to win possession of a coveted family jug. And although there is only one jug, the impetus to change and improve their lives results in nearly everyone being happy at the end of the story. LMM is as usual able to evoke both the comical and the noble side of her characters, all the while telling a good story.

In feel and in setting this novel is very typical of LMM's work; the delightful characters and small-town politics will be familiar to anybody who loves her writing. It stands out from her other works because of the multiplicity of characters and storylines.

Over the years this has become one of my favourite LMM novels. I would especially recommend it to any adults reading her books for the first time.

When I need to be cheered up, I re-read the first two chapters of this book and end up reading the whole book over, enthralled by one or another of the stories. The web may be tangled, but who cares when it's so fun? Montgomery's trademark moments - the ones you keep reading the Anne or Emily series for - pop up all the time, and as usual you keep kicking yourself for forgetting that her characters aren't real. Poignant, mysterious, romantic, Avonleaish, and VERY funny - watch out for the Sams, Uncle Pippen, Peter P., and of course Drowned John (I'd buy the book just to read the explanation of that name!)

This book along with Blue Castle is tied for my favorite L.M. Montgomery book. The old aunt is hilarious. Other characters are original and generally sympathetic. Everyone will be able to say "I have a relative just like that". Overall, a sweet, romantic, humorous book with a happy ending.

A Tangled Web is the perfect title for this story, which criss-crosses through the lives of several main characters. It can be a little hard to get your bearings through the opening chapters, which introduce many characters, but it's a very enjoyable story once you're into it, and one I've personally read several times.

The main thread of the story is that Aunt Becky died, leaving a highly-prized family heirloom to... who? She leaves her will with a trusted member of her clan but refuses to say what criteria will be used to choose who will inherit it. As a result, many members of her clan change things about their lives they knew she wouldn't like, and many interesting events take place as a result.

There are love stories a-plenty, of course

Those familiar with L. M. Montgomery's style, characters and plot devices will recognise many of them in this story - lovers splitting up over a trifle, bitter grudges held for years, clan loyalties and rivalries. There's a lot of her characteristic humour and charm.

This book is sweet, romantic and incredibly well-written, but it is not one of LM's best. She threw too many characters in one story, so you are apt to get the mixed up. I am a big fan of LM's Valancy, Emily, Anne and Pat(Not to mention Rilla)

A Tangled Web was an amusing story with some funny and touching sub-plots. I give the book a less than perfect rating because of the overemphasis on outward appearance, because I greatly disliked one of the main characters Gay, and because the book ended with a racial slur.

There was a lot of romance, love and infatuation throughout, and almost all of it was based on looks. Even the characters who were supposed to be admirable fell in love almost completely because they found another character beautiful or handsome. Often they would fall out of love because they realized that someone they had a long time infatuation with was no longer physically attractive.

One of the characters that we were supposed to find endearing was a girl named Gay. Honestly I found her selfish rival Nan to be a hundred times more alive and interesting. Gay spends the entire story swooning about a boy who isn't worth her time and then suddenly falls in love with the right man. What I wonder is why "the right man" ever fell in love with such an immature and overdramatic child in the first place, except that she was beautiful.

My last complaint was with the last paragraph of the story. It uses a very offensive racial slur (which was no where else used in the book), and while I understand that was the way that people of that place and time spoke, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

The various family tales in here were intriguing to read about, and I especially liked the character of the old aunt who started this whole mess ;)

This is definetly L. M. Montgomery's best book. Intricate and beautifully written, it is the only one besides The Blue Castle that is mostly written for adults. The characters are vivid and realistic, and the plot is certainly tangled. If you look at the part where Aunt Becky bequeaths all of her items (excepting the jug, which plays the major role), then you will have a good example of a tangled web. Read and love!

I love the way there were a bunch of stories woven into one book. Peter & Donna, the Sams, (the plot of that story was in "Along the Shore")Hugh & Joscelyn, and all the others. This book was Montgomery at her best!

I absolutely love Montgomery. She has that spcial style that makes her so dear to our hearts besides being one of those wholesome feel good authors. I have read many,many of her books and this one is one of my favorites. It has so much "scope for imagination". I especailly love reading about Gay and Noel and Roger. This is a remarkable book.