NOTE: At one time, I wouldn't have reviewed such an old volume on my blog, since it would have been difficult for the average reader to get their hands on. But in recent years, great strides have been made by generous sites such as Project Gutenberg and even Amazon to bring these old treasures back to life as free e-books. So if you're inspired to carry on with these charming tales of Katy Carr's siblings, they are easy to find and cost nothing!
MY THOUGHTS:
Some readers think this series is a trilogy that ends with What Katy Did Next, but in fact there are two more to round it off. I always knew about Clover, because there was an old copy owned by my mother in the bookshelf when I was little. But I remembered few details from my last read, which was way back in my childhood, and enjoyed this re-read more than ever. It's a simple story, but quite compelling.
It's refreshing to have the attention turned to another member of the Carr family, especially when it's loyal and generous Clover, who always rejoiced in Katy's good fortune without a twinge of envy, even when that meant missing out on long trips to Europe herself. After Katy's startlingly simple wedding, Clover's story begins. The youngest Carr sibling, Phil, takes on a significant role too.
Seventeen-year-old Phil has a worrisome cough which bothers his dad, because tuberculosis is rife in their time and place. So Dr Carr decides to send Phil to St. Helen's, a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, to regain his health. And because he can't pack up his medical practice and go too, Clover is appointed as Phil's guardian. Settling down in a faraway state which has a uncivilised reputation and trying to convince a stubborn teenage male to take it easy are equally daunting prospects for Clover, but she resolves to tackle them by taking one day at a time.
Then there's the Mrs Watson factor. Anxious Dr Carr unintentionally complicates things further by connecting the pair of them with an elderly lady who he hopes may be able to lend a wise helping hand from time to time. But Mrs Watson turns out to be a helpless, talkative airhead who makes Clover's job far harder. She provides some excellent comic relief, and making Clover exasperated with her meddling father is just the start.
Guess who else has settled down on a nearby ranch sixteen miles out of town? It's cheeky, henpecked cousin Clarence Page from What Katy Did at School, who has now grown up and become very good looking. He's living with a British friend, the equally attractive but more refined Geoff Templestowe. And there's also a third guy in the wings named Thurber Wade, a rich young local. These are regarded by new friends as three 'Clover leaves', any of whom she might pluck if she pleases.
I loved the descriptions of the setting and environment. Colorado has never been on my bucket list of places to visit before, but now I want to go there to experience that bracing, restorative air, stunning mountain views and bright flowers. One of the book's main themes is how travellers from the eastern states are usually overwhelmed by the stunning beauty, and surprised by the mod cons in the cities and towns, as they all expect something wild and untamed. Clover and Phil are no exception. It's always a pleasure for me to slow down with a pastoral novel, so I'd rate this book high just for its beautiful sense of place.
There are spoilers below this line, as I want to discuss Clover's three romantic options. So if you want to be totally surprised as the story unfolds, read no further.
Poor Clarence shows up really well. In a way, it would have been sweet if Clover had fallen for the scrappy young cousin who took her good influence on board so long ago, but Susan Coolidge had other plans for both of them. I'm glad in retrospect that his proposal was rejected, because this gives Clarence's character a chance to shine. He leaves Laurie from Little Women far behind when it comes to taking no for an answer with dignity and thoughtfulness. I liked this boy all along, and respect him even more now. I applaud Clarence's mature decision to make no ripples for the new lovebirds Clover and Geoff, because they're his closest friends, and jeopardising his relationships with them would be plain stupid. Way to go, Clarence!
Thurber Wade is not a main character, and seems to serve three purposes. He brings the feelings of the other two rivals to the surface. He enables some lovely expeditions to explore more of the beauty of Colorado, which the other two guys simply couldn't afford. And he makes the 3-leaf Clover analogy possible. But Thurber Wade never had a chance. We all knew that.
No surprise really, it's Geoff Templestowe! Coolidge has given us a delicately written romance here, but it was always clear that he was going to be the guy. And on the whole, Clover's attraction to him is based on his character rather than his looks, which is what we'd expect from her. One of my favourite reflections of hers is this. 'I wonder what makes him so different from other people. He never says fine flourishing things like Thurber Wade, or abrupt, rather rude things like Clarence, or inconsiderate things like Phil, or satirical, funny things like the doctor. But he's always doing something kind.'
Well, potential spouses do have a way of being on their best behaviour. And they usually follow up by letting a few annoyances slip through the cracks once they become actual husbands.
We'll see what comes to light in In the High Valley.
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