8 Delightful Reads: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
A warm, honest, and slightly tea-stained review. If you’ve ever thought, “I just need a book-friend who will make me laugh without demanding any emotional heavy lifting,”… then please meet Emma M. Lion.
Her journals feel like curling up with a clever, slightly eccentric friend whose life is always one pothole away from disaster, yet who carries on with dignity, humor and more than a few, not chosen relatives.
This review covers all eight volumes of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion—the whimsy, the wit and the warmth.
Who is Emma M. Lion?
Emma is an orphaned gentlewoman living in Victorian-era London with more self-awareness than propriety. Her journals (beautifully written by Beth Brower) blend humor, social satire, cozy mystery and absolutely delightful dialogue. I honestly had so many laugh-out-loud moments as I read this series and as I fell in love with St. Crispian’s quintessential characters as well as the occupants of Emma’s beloved Lapis Lazuli House.
Emma has arrived back in London in the year 1883, after several years away caring for an infirm cousin. Emma steps off the train, smack in the middle of the amusing unpredictability of St. Crispian, a quirky London neighbourhood. She lets out Lapis Lazuli Minor to a mysterious gentleman who becomes part of the tapestry that makes up the lives of what are sure to become some of your favorite characters.
About the Journals
This series of volumes are a collection of clean books with, apart from the odd kiss here and there, no spicy bits (unless Emma leaving the house without a chaperone counts as such) making them perfect for you to enjoy along with your teens. Brower’s books have been likened to a potpourri of Jane Austen, L. M. Montgomery, and P. G. Wodehouse, replete with biscuits and British charm.
Some of my favorite scenes involve some of the least likeable characters in the book. Brower has a way of bringing humour into the most dreaded encounters of Emma’s days as she interacts with her eccentric cousin Archibald and her formidable Aunt Eugenia. The slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian complete a stellar cast.
An interesting aspect to the series is that while it is very easy to read and thoroughly entertaining, it is also deeply inspiring if you love classic literature but somehow haven’t found your way to making time for them. If you are not yet personally acquainted with Jane Eyre, Shakespeare or the poetry of Wordsworth or Whitman, all I can say is, “Well!” (Emma’s word, not mine). Emma’s intended library has suffered a great misfortune so it is through the pages of her journals that you will not only share in Emma’s daily exploits but you will also delight along with her as she gradually grows her beloved library once again.
– emma m. lion, volume 7
“I meant to say, “You appear to be busy.”
I meant to say, “Good morning.”
I said, “You appear to be morning.”
Tragic. My perception of self includes a belief in general capability. In that moment, I was questioning said belief.”
Be inspired to read along with Emma and her pursuit of a studious life, as you also pursue the education you may never have had. I do hope you may also be tempted to start your own Emma M. Lion bookclub with which to enjoy not only Emma’s journals and a cup of tea or two, but also some lovely classics, accompanied by dear friends and wonderful memories made.
It took me until about two thirds of the way through the first book to really get into the story but by the end of the first volume, I was hooked. This is the shortest volume in the series at just 107 pages. The books gradually increase in length with the eighth volume coming in at 339 pages.
All 8 volumes are also now available on audio book. Bringing Emma’s voice to life, the series is narrated by the delightful Genevieve Gaunt.
Emma’s Library
Every book in THE PERSONAL LIBRARY of EMMA M. LION
As It Currently Stands
Volume 1
- The Complete Works of Shakespeare by William Shakespeare (Illustrated By Declan Lion)
- The Holy Bible
Volume 2
Volume 1 Library +
- Shakespeare’s Comedies, in Full
Volume 3
Volume 2 Library +
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- Latin Phrases for the Unrepentant by Barclay Stafford
- Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Meaning of Flowers
Volume 4
Volume 3 Library +
- A second copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Volume 5
Volume 4 Library +
- Vermilion and the Flaming Sword
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Plutarch’s Lives by Plutarch
- Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
- Ireland: Myth, Legend, and History, by Alistair T. Moddle and Jonathan L. Kirk
- Dictionary of the English Language A-J by Dr. Samuel Johnson (The entire K section is missing)
Volume 6
Volume 5 Library +
- Mixing in Society by The Right Hon. Countess of *******
Volume 7
Volume 6 Library +
- Dictionary of the English Language L-Z by Dr. Samuel Johnson
Volume 8
Volume 7 Library +
- The Ferns of Great Britain, and Their Allies: The Club Mosses, Pepperworts, and Horsetails by Anne Pratt
- British Ferns and Their Allies: An Abridgment of The “Popular History of British Ferns” and Comprising the Ferns, Club-Mosses, Pepperworts, & Horsetails by Thomas Moore
- The poetry of William Wordsworth by William Wordsworth
How many Emma M. Lion journals will there be?
There is much speculation as to where the life of Emma will lead and how many Emma M. Lion volumes there will be. Here is the word on the street from author, Beth Brower herself:
As you know by now, a volume covers two months, and so, for example, the second season will have 6 volumes. As will the third. And possibly the fourth. There are arcs for individual volumes, there are arcs for seasons, and the arc of the over all story. It is important for the readers to note, therefore, that there is A LOT of room for ups and downs, ins and outs. I hope you enjoy the journey—it will most certainly be one.
Any cautions to be aware of?
There are mentions of a resident ghost in the neighborhood as well as several uses of the term “alchemy”. Beth Brower treats these elements as literary whimsy, not an invitation to the occult so personally I do not have a problem with this. There are several meanings of the word “alchemy” and I believe Brower uses this term in place of “chemistry”, as in when there is a natural bond between people or in the words of Anne of Green Gables, a kindred spirit. This is the golden age of friendship for Emma, a welcome beacon of hope as she navigates life under the constant threat of Aunt Eugenia.
I see the ghost as just a silly part of the story, probably my least favourite aspect of the storyline, but it may be used to foreshadow something later in the series? We will have to see.
There are several instances of overimbibing resulting in drunkenness. I do not believe this is overplayed in an offensive way, merely descriptive of characters and their part in the narrative at that time. However, this may be an undesirable aspect for some. Again, this may be a foreshadow of darker things to come in later volumes? I do very much hope that Beth Brower will keep these books “clean” as they are a rare gem in the minefield of depraved modern literature. We will have to wait and see where the tapestry of Emma’s life leads.
Why I recommend this series
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion feel like a warm scone for the soul. You will find a world full of laughter, joy, hope, belonging and a reminder that ordinary faithfulness matters. They will leave you longing for something that has mostly been lost in twenty-first century living – slow days, reconnecting with nature, literature, art and all things beautiful, a community that has one another’s backs as well as deep connections.
Emma is a delight, and these journals are balm for those who long for the quiet, the whimsical and the beautiful.
– William Wordsworth
“That every day
should leave some part
Free for a sabbath
of the heart”
(Quoted by hawkes, volume 8)
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