Emily's Quest is the third book in L. M. Montgomery's trilogy about Emily of New Moon. It was first published in 1927.
Emily and her friends are now grown up. Emily stays at New Moon and writes more books, Teddy goes off to study art, Ilse and Perry go... somewhere (I really didn't like either of them in this book, so I didn't pay much attention to their scenes), and Dean Priest is still hanging around Emily. She falls in love with Teddy, but his apparent disinterest -- and an unfortunate accident -- leads to her becoming engaged to Dean. After she supernaturally saves Teddy's life (it's a long story) Emily breaks off her engagement and dedicates her time to writing while angsting over Teddy. And the charm of the first two novels is conspicuous by its absence.
Compared to L. M. Montgomery's other works, this book feels very unfinished. It reads less like a novel and more like a collection of scene outlines. Montgomery, usually an excellent and descriptive writer, plunges headlong into telling instead of showing, and it doesn't work too well.
Ilse, who started out a likable character, has now become a shallow, flighty brat who makes me want to break a slate over her head. Among other things, she gets engaged to a man she doesn't love, then abandons him literally minutes before the wedding to go and declare her love for the man she's mocked and derided for years.
Teddy never had much personality. Here he might as well be a piece of cardboard. And his mother is an absolute lunatic. We're supposed to feel sorry for her when she reveals her past. But that past includes poisoning her husband's dog and emotionally abusing her son for years, including keeping letters from him out of jealousy. I didn't shed any tears when Mrs. Kent finally dies. If only she'd died earlier. In the first book, for instance!
Perry made so little impression on me that I can't remember a single thing about him beyond his marriage to Ilse. Same goes for all Emily's other suitors -- except Dean, who's even more creepy than before. Any sympathy I felt for him disappeared the minute he admitted to lying about Emily's book.
Emily herself has become the Edwardian equivalent of an emo teen. Mopes around the house, angsts constantly, spends all her time feeling sorry for herself... What happened to the Emily of the first two books, who had some moments of depression but didn't spend an entire book going "woe is me"?
At least Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura and Cousin Jimmy are still recognisable. They provide some of the book's scarce comedy when they read the reviews of Emily's book. Cousin Jimmy's (paraphrased) line "I know what those words mean separately, but put together they don't make any sense" perfectly sums up many "professional" book reviews 😄
Even the writing is more choppy and vague than L. M. Montgomery's usually is. Reading it I get the feeling that for some reason she didn't have time to revise and edit it, and sent the publisher a first or second draft. It's still miles better than my first drafts, but nowhere near the quality of her other works.
Overall this book is a disappointment, and not a satisfactory end to the series 😔
Is it available online?: Yes, on Gutenberg.
Rating: 4/10.
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