for The Mystery of Shirley Blythe3/11/2020 c15 
47oz diva
My favourite part was the way Shirley curls his hand around the blanket like his half brother, that's a lovely detail which places him securely within the family.
Good on you Susan, come home early why don't you and upset the apple cart, still she takes things in her stride. I guess she just loves the Doctor doesn't she and is willing to swallow any tall story to keep the peace.
47oz divaMy favourite part was the way Shirley curls his hand around the blanket like his half brother, that's a lovely detail which places him securely within the family.
Good on you Susan, come home early why don't you and upset the apple cart, still she takes things in her stride. I guess she just loves the Doctor doesn't she and is willing to swallow any tall story to keep the peace.
3/11/2020 c12 oz diva
Adoptions here and adoptions there. Rilla is a bit clueless isn't she. I did like 'he's your brother just as Marilla is my mother.' no two ways about it.
Adoptions here and adoptions there. Rilla is a bit clueless isn't she. I did like 'he's your brother just as Marilla is my mother.' no two ways about it.
3/11/2020 c10 oz diva
I really liked that you started this with Gilbert's refusal before we even knew what he's saying no to.
Interesting to see Anne's self reflection, we see so little of that in canon and interesting that despite her ill treatment at the hands of her 'carers' she was still better off than the children who stayed in the orphanage all the time.
Great that it was only when Anne called Gilbert Gilbo that he actually heard her.
I really liked that you started this with Gilbert's refusal before we even knew what he's saying no to.
Interesting to see Anne's self reflection, we see so little of that in canon and interesting that despite her ill treatment at the hands of her 'carers' she was still better off than the children who stayed in the orphanage all the time.
Great that it was only when Anne called Gilbert Gilbo that he actually heard her.
3/11/2020 c6 oz diva
Anne must have been really really out of it not to know which year Shirley was born. But it does make sense of the whole dilemma at the beginning I guess and as we know mathematics was never her strong point.
The army point was a good bit of foreshadowing.
Anne must have been really really out of it not to know which year Shirley was born. But it does make sense of the whole dilemma at the beginning I guess and as we know mathematics was never her strong point.
The army point was a good bit of foreshadowing.
3/11/2020 c5 oz diva
Susan's cousin might have to get that ankle amputated or at least take more care. Still it's a useful device to get rid of her as needed I guess. It's good to see the scene from her point of view and again her not mentioning the details was well done because in not mentioning it in detail you did, if that makes sense.
And aha the plot thickens...
Susan's cousin might have to get that ankle amputated or at least take more care. Still it's a useful device to get rid of her as needed I guess. It's good to see the scene from her point of view and again her not mentioning the details was well done because in not mentioning it in detail you did, if that makes sense.
And aha the plot thickens...
3/11/2020 c4 oz diva
I love the scene here, which you so cleverly describe by telling rather than showing. I also like that he barely mentioned anything about the difficult labour, which is right and proper given the audience, but which tells us all we need to know as readers.
I love the scene here, which you so cleverly describe by telling rather than showing. I also like that he barely mentioned anything about the difficult labour, which is right and proper given the audience, but which tells us all we need to know as readers.
3/11/2020 c3 oz diva
For someone half forgotten most of the time, Shirley certainly gets a good spread laid on for his birthdays.
For someone half forgotten most of the time, Shirley certainly gets a good spread laid on for his birthdays.
3/11/2020 c2 oz diva
I love how recipes continue even after you have gone and so it is here with Marilla's plum puffs, still a family favourite long after she has departed.
In one quick paragraph you note all the character beats and it's fun to see them out in the snow together.
I love how recipes continue even after you have gone and so it is here with Marilla's plum puffs, still a family favourite long after she has departed.
In one quick paragraph you note all the character beats and it's fun to see them out in the snow together.
3/11/2020 c1 oz diva
This is so amusing to me. You've captured Maud's ego, Jack's embarrassment, the logistical challenges of book publishing deadlines and marketing and also trains that need to be caught then there's the nightmare that is nit-picking fans. Who could be so anal as to worry about such a minor character? Maud is right and um several people known to me need to get a life. ;)
This is so amusing to me. You've captured Maud's ego, Jack's embarrassment, the logistical challenges of book publishing deadlines and marketing and also trains that need to be caught then there's the nightmare that is nit-picking fans. Who could be so anal as to worry about such a minor character? Maud is right and um several people known to me need to get a life. ;)
2/29/2020 c16 Guest
This was very clever and meta. My favourite was the third one with Shirley being adopted and Rilla not even getting that Anne was adopted too! The fourth one...no. Gilbert would never in a trillion years cheat on Anne! But it's a good example of how small towns turn a blind eye when they want to. Like how catholic families used to turn up with an extra member after one of the daughters had been away visiting relatives for nine months.
This was very clever and meta. My favourite was the third one with Shirley being adopted and Rilla not even getting that Anne was adopted too! The fourth one...no. Gilbert would never in a trillion years cheat on Anne! But it's a good example of how small towns turn a blind eye when they want to. Like how catholic families used to turn up with an extra member after one of the daughters had been away visiting relatives for nine months.
2/25/2020 c16 14elizasky
Aha! Anne was never really ill! Now there's a thought.
I particularly enjoyed your excellent use of the elusive Mrs. Blythe, whose ambiguous existence and eccentric visiting habits are put to such meaningful use by Miss Cornelia. Who, by the way, is perfect here. I fully expect her word to be unassailable. You're spot-on that she would know when people were making important visits and just exactly how to shape public opinion with a few carefully chosen observations.
Sadly, Scenario #3 does leave open the possibility that neither Anne nor Gilbert was ever really able to treat Shirley entirely the same as the other children. That puts a melancholy spin on his canon separate-ness. The other two scenarios address the issue by assuring us that Anne and Gilbert don't really forget Shirley or treat him any differently, but this scenario digs into the text in a different way, explaining why it is the way it is, rather than fixing it. That's a valuable path to take as well.
Overall, I wanted to say thanks for writing this! I've had a very enjoyable evening reading it. I'm so glad that you got it down on "paper" and shared it with us all. I hope all is well with you and that you will carry on writing more stories!
14elizaskyAha! Anne was never really ill! Now there's a thought.
I particularly enjoyed your excellent use of the elusive Mrs. Blythe, whose ambiguous existence and eccentric visiting habits are put to such meaningful use by Miss Cornelia. Who, by the way, is perfect here. I fully expect her word to be unassailable. You're spot-on that she would know when people were making important visits and just exactly how to shape public opinion with a few carefully chosen observations.
Sadly, Scenario #3 does leave open the possibility that neither Anne nor Gilbert was ever really able to treat Shirley entirely the same as the other children. That puts a melancholy spin on his canon separate-ness. The other two scenarios address the issue by assuring us that Anne and Gilbert don't really forget Shirley or treat him any differently, but this scenario digs into the text in a different way, explaining why it is the way it is, rather than fixing it. That's a valuable path to take as well.
Overall, I wanted to say thanks for writing this! I've had a very enjoyable evening reading it. I'm so glad that you got it down on "paper" and shared it with us all. I hope all is well with you and that you will carry on writing more stories!
2/25/2020 c15 elizasky
Inconvenient Susan! Loved that entrance.
I was wondering whether they might try to pass Shirley and Rilla off as twins, but that was before Susan appeared. I suppose they will now test the idea that if you tell people something enough times, they'll believe it eventually.
This scenario is also reminding me of the story in Anne of Ingleside with Nan thinking that she is really Cassie Thomas. Nice to see everyone being equally plucky and brave in another "how-old-is-that-baby-again?" scenario. Let's see if having a bona fide Shirley-Blythe name helps smooth away questions about Shirley's sudden appearance.
I also appreciate that you are just letting the circumstances of "the night of the storm" stay vague. There is an undercurrent of menace there that does not put Gilbert in a very good light, especially since Marguerite was so determined to put this whole part of her life behind her. The ambiguity is disturbing, but the writing is effective. You very efficiently convey that Anne has known about the "possibility" for a while and that Gilbert is deeply ashamed of whatever he did. I like that this can be read several different ways, some of them more dire than others.
Inconvenient Susan! Loved that entrance.
I was wondering whether they might try to pass Shirley and Rilla off as twins, but that was before Susan appeared. I suppose they will now test the idea that if you tell people something enough times, they'll believe it eventually.
This scenario is also reminding me of the story in Anne of Ingleside with Nan thinking that she is really Cassie Thomas. Nice to see everyone being equally plucky and brave in another "how-old-is-that-baby-again?" scenario. Let's see if having a bona fide Shirley-Blythe name helps smooth away questions about Shirley's sudden appearance.
I also appreciate that you are just letting the circumstances of "the night of the storm" stay vague. There is an undercurrent of menace there that does not put Gilbert in a very good light, especially since Marguerite was so determined to put this whole part of her life behind her. The ambiguity is disturbing, but the writing is effective. You very efficiently convey that Anne has known about the "possibility" for a while and that Gilbert is deeply ashamed of whatever he did. I like that this can be read several different ways, some of them more dire than others.
2/25/2020 c14 elizasky
This was so uncomfortable! Maurice's righteous anger had me worried for a moment that the reason that he was there was that Marguerite had died and he was ready to come to blows with Gilbert. I was very glad to learn that she is well and headed to Nova Scotia for a new start, if that is what she wants.
Anne's quiet control of this situation actually reminded me a bit of Rilla, confronting a ridiculous, unexpected situation and just getting through it by gritting her teeth and making shit up on the fly. The way she deploys tea and sugar like battle defenses is a marvel. She does a really good job a defusing the situation when Gilbert has brought a soggy noodle to a fencing match.
The through-line with Gog and Magog is great — I love how Anne looks to them for reassurance when she really does need an ally. It hearkens back to the days of her imaginary friends, filling the world around her with helpful beings when things are not going well. I also liked the phrase "all the loathing since creation."
This was so uncomfortable! Maurice's righteous anger had me worried for a moment that the reason that he was there was that Marguerite had died and he was ready to come to blows with Gilbert. I was very glad to learn that she is well and headed to Nova Scotia for a new start, if that is what she wants.
Anne's quiet control of this situation actually reminded me a bit of Rilla, confronting a ridiculous, unexpected situation and just getting through it by gritting her teeth and making shit up on the fly. The way she deploys tea and sugar like battle defenses is a marvel. She does a really good job a defusing the situation when Gilbert has brought a soggy noodle to a fencing match.
The through-line with Gog and Magog is great — I love how Anne looks to them for reassurance when she really does need an ally. It hearkens back to the days of her imaginary friends, filling the world around her with helpful beings when things are not going well. I also liked the phrase "all the loathing since creation."