Forget sprawling epics for a minute. Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1909 to 1922 is a collection of snapshots. There’s no overarching plot. Instead, you get over fifty brief visits into the lives of people on Canada’s Prince Edward Island and beyond. We step into parlor conversations, witness private struggles on dusty country roads, and share in small, personal triumphs.

The Story

There isn't one story—there are dozens. A young teacher braves a snowstorm to reach her lonely schoolhouse. Two sisters, long estranged by a silly argument, find a funny path back to each other. A busybody gets a hilarious and humbling comeuppance. A war bride waits, her hope thinning with each passing day. Montgomery had a gift for finding the turning point in a seemingly ordinary day. The conflict is usually internal: a battle against pride, fear, loneliness, or regret. The settings are cozy—kitchens, gardens, village halls—but the emotions within them are vast and real.

Why You Should Read It

I love this collection because it shows Montgomery’s range. Yes, you get her signature charm and descriptions of nature so vivid you can smell the apple blossoms. But you also see her darker, more pragmatic side. She understood longing and the quiet sacrifices women made. Her characters aren’t always likable, but they are deeply human. Reading these is like sitting with a wise, witty friend who notices all the little details of life everyone else misses. She finds humor in gossip and poetry in a rainy afternoon. The stories are short, making them perfect for a before-bed read, but they stick with you. They’re small doses of beauty, heartache, and warmth.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for anyone who loves character-driven stories and needs a palette cleanser between heavier novels. It’s a must for Montgomery fans who want to see beyond Anne Shirley. If you appreciate authors like Alice Munro or Elizabeth Gaskell, who find the extraordinary in the ordinary, you’ll feel right at home here. It’s also ideal for short story lovers and anyone who believes that a great tale doesn’t need 300 pages—sometimes all it needs is ten, written by a master.