Beyond the Blue Mountains

by L.T. Meade

An allegory, modelled on Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress, in which four children journey to rejoin their parents.

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1893

About the author

Mrs. L.T. Meade (Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Toulmin Smith), was a prolific children's author of Anglo Irish extraction. Born in 1844, Meade was the eldest daughter of a Protestant clergyman, whose church was in County Cork. Moving from Ireland to London as a young woman, after the death of her mother, she studied in the Reading Room of the British Museum in preparation for her intended career as a writer, before marrying Alfred Toulmin Smith in September 1879.

The author of close to 300 books, Meade wrote in many genres, but is best known for her girls' school stories. She was one of the editors of the girls' magazine, Atalanta from 1887-93, and was active in women's issues. She died in 1914.

Reviews

[Jade Mobberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I picked up from the thrift store to display as decor because I loved the cover, but I started reading it and got invested pretty quick 😅 From what I can find about this book online, my copy was published somewhere in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. I went straight into this without looking up anything about the plot or genre (there is no blurb printed on my copy), so I took the storyline quite literally, for the first half of the book at least. Here’s what it was about: Four young kids get a letter from “the king” telling them to start hiking across the blue mountains near their house, to meet their mother and father who had already moved there. Two of the kids leave first thing that morning because they’re excited and want to see their parents, the other two sleep in and go later. Along the way they meet lots of strange, magical, and scary creatures that either help them or try to hurt them. The first few chapters I was like, why did the parents just leave them?? And why would the kids not all go together? It just seemed strange. Then about half way, I kind of figured that this probably wasn’t about them literally hiking over the mountain to see their parents. After looking this book up, I found out it’s actually an allegory for a spiritual journey to some sort of heaven and it was based on the book “Pilgrim’s Process”. I’m not religious but I found this entertaining in terms of the overall journey and loved seeing all the characters they met on the way. I think I would’ve loved this as a kid, there’s no mention of religion at all so it just seems like a fun adventure book tbh. It’s obviously very outdated, there were a few parts that made me uncomfortable, outdated words, etc. It was originally written in 1890 I think so that makes sense. “Four children who set off, at the invitation of the King, to join their parents in the land beyond the Blue Mountains. On the way they meet various characters, both good and bad, such as Mrs. Discipline and her father Mr. Penalty, Fungus the Ferryman, Mrs. Steadfast, Mrs. Modesty and Charity the guide. An allegorical tale reminiscent of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.”

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy belonged to my grandfather, it was one of his favourite childhood reads and I first read it when I was about 10. I have read it a few times since and as an adult am slightly unhappy with the religious tone although it didn't worry me as a child. A Victorian tale from a prolific author, well written but very dated.