A Tangled Web

Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, justly famous for her Anne of Green Gables series, wrote two novels in her career that were explicitly intended for adults. A Tangled Web centers around a community consisting mainly of two families, the Penhallows and the Darks whose collective lives are thrown into chaos by the dying wish of matriarch Aunt Becky Dark. For several generations everyone in the Penhallow family has married someone in the Dark family. Now Aunt Becky, the eccentric old matriarch of the clan, has bequeathed her prized possession: a legendary heirloom jug. But the name of the jugs new owner will not be revealed for one year. This is a charming book set in Lucy Maud Montgomerys beloved Prince Edward Island. Its colorful characters, descriptive scenery and interesting plot that employs a mixture of humor, pathos and sweet sentiment make for a comfortable read that leaves behind a pleasant sense of satisfaction at its close.