Dear EnemyJean Webster
So, at some point in August, I hit a mini-slump, and I thought: Self! You fool! You've been saving Dear Enemy for just such an occasion! Don't you remember the quickness that was Daddy-Long-Legs?!?
Alas, my love for Dear Enemy was not quite as great as my love for its predecessor. That's not to say this wasn't a good novel: it was nice, it was quaint, and it even made me long to work in an orphanage, if you can believe that, so long as one could enjoy the beautiful English countryside and a nice spot of tea. But something was still missing.
Dear Enemy is the "sequel" (of sorts) to the aforementioned Daddy-Long-Legs. Also an epistolary novel, Dear Enemy's letters are written not by Judy Abbott, but by her friend, Sallie McBride. It seems Judy has tricked ol'Sallie into being a temporary superintendent of the orphanage where Judy grew up. That slippery Judy, though, never seems to find a permanent replacement, and Sallie is left to deal with all sorts of troubles -- including the "Enemy," the orphanage's doctor.
Ultimately, Dear Enemy was a neat, somewhat predictable little novel that was charming and entertaining -- just not as charming and entertaining as its predecessor.
In a nutshell: Fans of Daddy-Long-Legs will enjoy Dear Enemy, but n00bs should start with the DLL.
Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars
FTCBS: same ol' copy as before, since these two be one
Alas, my love for Dear Enemy was not quite as great as my love for its predecessor. That's not to say this wasn't a good novel: it was nice, it was quaint, and it even made me long to work in an orphanage, if you can believe that, so long as one could enjoy the beautiful English countryside and a nice spot of tea. But something was still missing.
Dear Enemy is the "sequel" (of sorts) to the aforementioned Daddy-Long-Legs. Also an epistolary novel, Dear Enemy's letters are written not by Judy Abbott, but by her friend, Sallie McBride. It seems Judy has tricked ol'Sallie into being a temporary superintendent of the orphanage where Judy grew up. That slippery Judy, though, never seems to find a permanent replacement, and Sallie is left to deal with all sorts of troubles -- including the "Enemy," the orphanage's doctor.
Ultimately, Dear Enemy was a neat, somewhat predictable little novel that was charming and entertaining -- just not as charming and entertaining as its predecessor.
In a nutshell: Fans of Daddy-Long-Legs will enjoy Dear Enemy, but n00bs should start with the DLL.
Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars
FTCBS: same ol' copy as before, since these two be one
3 comments:
I've heard a LOT of people say that in comparison to Daddy Long Legs, neither of which I've read as of yet. But I plan to, someday...
I've got that exact edition sitting on my shelf and I haven't gotten round to reading it yet. I think I might just make that my next read.
I discover a new book that is worthy of reading every day. Thanks for increasing my TBR
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