The Fragrance of Sweet-Grass: L.M. Montgomery's Heroines and the Pursuit of Romance

By Elizabeth Rollins Epperly

Book Overview

Focusing on Montgomery's memorable heroines, Epperly demonstrates that Montgomery deserves a place in the literary canon not just as the creator of Anne of Green Gables but as an artist in her chosen profession.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1442626534
• ISBN13: 9781442626539
• Release Date: April 2014
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.8" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Responding to the Fragrance of Sweet Grass

"The Fragrance of Sweet Grass: L.M. Montgomery's Heroines and the Pursuit of Romance" by Elizabeth Rollins Epperly exposes many insights about Montgomery's literary works. Most interestingly, Epperly connects home, self-awareness, and romance. Home is where you discover yourself. Not until this discovery can the heroine go beyond herself to recognize her male counterpart. The heroine establishes herself so she can find a hero equally self-aware. Epperly makes the point that although Montgomery subverts convention by having self-aware, independent women not marry until later in life, they do marry and thus conform to convention. Therefore, Epperly suggests that in the 1990s we may not see Montgomery as a feminist. However, I believe she is wrong. Montgomery is a feminist because her heroines are stongly aware of what they can do. Montgomery gives them choices of career, family, or both. Epperly gives an excellent analysis of Montgomery's work, although I do not agree with everything she posits. The book is thoughtful and interesting, providing insights for further investigation.