{Book Review} Elsie Dinsmore Series by Martha Finley

I wrote this review several years ago and posted it on my old blog. I'm still amazed that I made it through this series. Hope you enjoy this tongue-in-cheek book review!

Yes, I did it! I completed the 28 book series in about a year and a half. I received the first book as a Christmas present, and though we girls had read the first few books in the series, I decided to start again. We own the first thirteen books, so I didn’t really think I’d actually read through all 28 of them. But as I got deeper and deeper into the series, I was determined to finish. =)

I don’t want to sound derogative in this review – I really did enjoy reading through these books (or else I wouldn’t have completed the series!)

So, my overall summery of the Elsie Dinsmore series – the first two books are the best. By “best” I mean they probably the most interesting, thought out, clear and concise, and original out of the series. Martha Finley originally published the first two books, but her readers begged for more, so began the series. Elsie grows up, tragically falls in love and breaks her heart, then later falls in love with Edward Travilla, marries and has children. The children grow up and begin to marry. In the later part of the series, Martha F. focuses mostly on Elsie’s second oldest daughter - Violet’s family – her husband’s three children (Max, Lulu, and Gracie). The last books follow these three children as they grow up, later marry, and have children.

Some of the early books are pretty good – with interesting and new stories, but as they go on, the books are repetitive. The last at least 15 books have huge chunks of historical accounts told the younger children by either Grandma Elsie or Captain Raymond (some books have more, some have less). And everything is pretty predictable. It’s getting colder, they plan their winter “vacation” – Viamede, Florida or Nantucket – and sail their on Captain Raymond’s (Violet’s husband) yacht “The Dolphin”. On the trip, one of the adults is usually telling history stories. When the weather warms, the party leaves their winter home, and is home for a couple months. Then it’s too hot, so they prepare their summer trip up north (travelling in Captain Raymond’s yacht and everyone listening to history stories.) Many things that start out as interesting turn cliché – like ventriloquists. Yeah, they’re a novelty. Until you have three of them always “making fun” for the young children.

One thing that was a little weird – the affection between father and daughter. The daughters (first Elsie, then later Lulu and Grace Raymond) worship their fathers and always tell them that they “could never leave papa for a husband!” The physical affection is a little bit too much – a number of passages that Elsie’s father kissing his grown daughter passionately on her ruby lips. When Elsie loses her husband, her father steps in and almost takes the place of a husband, which is just weird. Though these scenes could be interpreted differently, I’m understanding Martha Finley intended them to show a sweet, innocent affection between father and daughter.

Okay, now that I’ve said all that negative stuff, I should say something positive. I mean seriously, after reading the above, you probably won’t be thinking, “wow, these sound like such good books! I should read them!”

I really enjoyed reading the first maybe ten books - they were interesting, with time passing relatively quickly and new and interesting stories. I think my favorite parts in the entire series were with Edward and Zoe (Elsie’s son and daughter-in-law). Edward married a fifteen-year-old girl the just before her father died. She was young – and spoiled – so it made for a nice change. They go through many marital spats – at one point Zoe tries to run away. There are several books mostly about them, but then they rest forgotten except for a quick mention now and then. I also enjoyed the change when Violet and Caption Raymond marry. The Caption has three young children – two sweet, obliging children, and one with a violent and stubborn temper. The Caption works with his daughter, helping her overcome her fault (but even this gets repetitive…whoops, this is the positive section!). And of course it’s interesting as Lulu, or Lucilla, grows up, falls in love, marries, and has a child but these changes are so slow and span seven or eight books.

The romantic parts are always interesting – some you totally saw coming. Others were a nice surprise. Martha Finley likes for her close characters to inter marry, making interesting family relations. Let me explain – Elsie Dinsmore’s daughter, Violet, married Captain Raymond. The Captain had three children. His oldest daughter married Elsie Dinsmore’s cousin. Then, the second oldest daughter married Elsie Dinsmore’s son…or her step mother’s brother. And the oldest son married Elsie Dinsmore’s daughter’s husband’s niece. (That was confusing!) Of course, when there are no ready and single characters to be had, the author brings in another and the reader is left in no doubt that this new character will be the next bride or groom.

Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts on the series. Have any of you read these books? What did you think?

Note: All 28 of these books are available online as free downloads.