ELSIE DINSMORE Complete Collection – 28 Timeless Children Classics in One Premium Edition: A Victorian Christian Family Saga in 28 Classic Volumes

by Martha Finley

This carefully crafted ebook: “ELSIE DINSMORE Complete Collection – 28 Timeless Children Classics in One Premium Edition” is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents:
Elsie Dinsmore
Elsie's Holidays at Roselands
Elsie's Girlhood
Elsie's Womanhood
Elsie's Motherhood
Elsie's Children
Elsie's Widowhood
Grandmother Elsie
Elsie's New Relations
Elsie at Nantucket
The Two Elsies
Elsie's Kith and Kin
Elsie's Friends at Woodburn
Christmas with Grandma Elsie
Elsie and the Raymonds
Elsie Yachting with the Raymonds
Elsie's Vacation
Elsie at Viamede
Elsie at Ion
Elsie at the World's Fair
Elsie's Journey on Inland Waters
Elsie at Home
Elsie on the Hudson
Elsie in the South
Elsie's Young Folks in Peace and War
Elsie's Winter Trip
Elsie and Her Loved Ones
Elsie and Her Namesakes
Elsie Dinsmore is a children's book series written by Martha Finley between 1867 and 1905. In the first book - After her mother's death, Elsie an 8 years-old child must come to terms with the world around her, her over-protective father and her firm belief in God. It is a moving story of a young girl's dilemma between her love for her father and her God…
Martha Finley (1828-1909) was a teacher and author of numerous works, the most well-known being the 28 volume Elsie Dinsmore series which was published over a span of 38 years.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Christian Fiction, Young Adult, Historical

6183 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2013

About the author

Martha Finley was a teacher and author of numerous works, the most well known being the 28 volume Elsie Dinsmore series which was published over a span of 38 years. Finley wrote many of her books under the pseudonym Martha Farquharson.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_F... or, http://marthafinley.wordpress.com/

Reviews

[Cori · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay.

This popped up in my feed and I gasped dramatically. I forgot about this series, and once I remembered them, I don't know how I forgot them. I haven't read these books in years and years. So if I misspeak, I apologize.

These books are often hailed with the following content: angelic little girl with a father who needs Jesus, so he can be rough around the edges (spoiler: he's really not). Elsie saves the day, all day, every day, by being a perfect little angel and making everyone around her want to love Jesus too.

Disclaimer: these books are old. Written in a very different time era. I recognize some of the cultural shift is a result of a very different wedge of time.

Second disclaimer: I'm also a Christian and love Jesus. Maybe that's why I'm so pissed about the garbage I'm about to list off. Get ready. *ah-ha-hem*

What I remember from reading them as a wee baby (or like...9 or 10):

1) Elsie meets her future husband at 7. Which isn't necessarily weird until you realize that her husband is her father's very adult friend, Mr. Travilla. Very uncomfortable. The entire series has some weird overtures that, while I don't believe were intended to give off pedophilia vibes, definitely succeed in that area.

2) Elsie's unbiblical view of being obedient made for a very confusing patch of my childhood. She accepted abuse because she wouldn't "tell tales" or communicate to anyone what was happening. I'm fuzzy on the details, but I recall her being, at minimum, verbally mistreated by a governess (or something) and, at most, physically mistreated (again, possibly by the governess and other children). She wouldn't tell anyone, or even defend herself, because she wouldn't gossip or disrespect her elders. Incredibly unhealthy to teach kids. But of course, the author would deus ex machina her way into someone finding out about the mistreatment so "dear, sweet Elsie" could be hailed as the pious, little hero she was not.

3) Elsie blubbered and wailed constantly. For all the gracious piety she showed by not "telling tales" on others, she made up for it by dramatically wailing and sobbing into her pink, lacey comforter. I also recall a vast amount of "beauty crying," glistening tears rolling silently down her brave face as she heroically accepts any mistreatment she is given. Pfffft.

4) The obsession with physical appearance by the author. Seriously. The PARAGRAPHS spent hailing Elsie's every given physical attribute were OBNOXIOUS. And I remember thinking, "If she really is such a sweet, pious girl, why does she spend paragraphs realizing how beautiful she is, but how it isn't Christianly to think about it." As an adult, I realize it's false humility. Essentially, she's Cinderella and her siblings are the ugly step-children, and all involved are very aware of their roles.

While nothing specifically happened in any of the books (that I can remember) which would cause me to warn people away from them, I'm going to warn parents away from letting their young children read them. If for no other reason than creating a belief that victimization is something to be praised. Also, it will confuse the crap out of young kids who love Jesus and think many of Elsie's horribly, unbiblical, dysfunctional, codependent attributes are traits to be emulated. Nope. Don't do it.

Instead, maybe wait until they're a little older, read through them together, and discuss what is actually biblical, and what's human trash thrown in the mix. Because let's be honest, I love Jesus but I know a lot of churches that can give Him a bad name with their garbage. Might be a good learning tool in that regard.

"Hey kids. This is a bunch of arrogant, judgmental, dangerous crap. And if you ever find a 'church' that believes this? Run. It may be a cult in sheep's clothing."

I'd rate this series a PG.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books gave me my love for reading as a child, and my love for the 18th century.

[Kelley Pegelow · Rating 1 out of 5]

These books teach horrible lessons, like how to be a doormat and how to develop Stockholm Syndrome for abusers. It begins in the antebellum South, although the author pretty much knew nothing about the South. Also, it's racist as all get-out. I understand that part of that is the time period in which it was written, but to insist that the slaves are all dumb as bricks and actually say things like, "I tinks it's berry good my bressed chile read de Bible." I'm not exaggerating.

It's not even worth struggling through it to glean information about the time period. Don't let your little girls read this unless you're grooming them for abuse.

[Grace Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! This series as a child. Elsie is the perfect most lovable and understandable character. Excellent for any young girl especially who is warm hearted and perfect for young christian girls wanting great entertainment with great morals. Even reading as an adult it is very well written with excellent characters.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good literature! Very good for early teenage girls. Elsie is so perfect, it tends to be a little unbelievable at times, but they are very well written; the language is very descriptive and elegant.

[rachel ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

i read these books when i was… what, seven, eight? & i never could put my finger on what exactly was so wrong with them— i definitely reread them enough to be mildly engaged with the plotlines, at least.

main two things:

• elsie isn’t human. she’s not. she’s perfect and pretty and absolutely, constantly without sin. & that’s not the definition of a christian. christians mess up and grow and learn. elsie stays this saccharine little princess forever.

• the normalization of domestic abuse. oh my word. i think i remember her dad being unreasonably harsh, but reflecting back on it now, it was abuse. physical, verbal, emotional abuse. and it’s passed off as “okay” because it “contributes to elsie’s character arc” (which, by the way, is nonexistent) and “contrasts her with the non-believing characters around her” (there’s a contrast, all right, but it’s not a realistic, well-written, or okay one.)

• oh, yeah, the whole pedo thing. in case anyone was confused, that’s actually Not an okay plotline to a) involve a very young character in AND THEN pass it off as OKAY b) market this to children. little girls, actually.

• blatantly racist, specifically involving dialect and the characterization of elsie’s black nurse. elsie informs a black child that “he won’t be [black] in heaven” and says that she needs to have patience with the “naturally slow” black slaves. WOW.

the other thing i remember about the series is elsie crying. constantly. that must’ve been a lot for it to stick out to me so much. 🙈

someone else wrote a review that said something to the effect of, “there’s a line between showing respect & accepting abuse”. and i think that’s exactly what this series fails to recognize.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Readers beware, this series is not kid-friendly or Christian in any way. Even when I was a 13 year old reading these, I was aware that something was wrong and gross with these books. It teaches little girls that they should be happy to endure abuse in the name of Jesus. It also teaches that grooming by much older men is good and normal. Hear me out: parents need to read these books first themselves before letting their children.

The relationship between Elsie and her guardian is predatory and inappropriate—this man meets Elsie when she is 7 and he is 24, adopts Elsie as a child (father figure, unequal power dynamics, grooming), has a 17 year age gap with her… and then marries her when she comes of age?! He even calls her pretty as a very young child; similarly, her father says creepy things to her. It’s gross and pedophilic, if you don’t believe me, read it yourself.

Additionally, Elsie is horribly neglected, and physically and emotionally abused as a child… and there are passages encouraging her to struggle through it because that’s what “Christians are called to do, as Jesus did.”

We constantly read passages where she refers to herself as wicked and prays for forgiveness, even though she is the least wicked person in the books and is constantly victimized. This is so damaging and false, and teaches Christian children that they must endure suffering and abuse silently to be a good Christian: NOT true. This can lead to children remaining silent about abusers in their lives!
There is no good morals that can be gotten from a child reading these books.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel fondly towards these books because, as a 9-12 year old, I was a voracious reader without enough new material. The Elsie series inspired in me a love of books and a love of the nineteenth-century for which I will ever be grateful. But I no longer look at this series through rose-tinted glasses; I do recognize its many flaws. To some extent, I always have - even my first time reading this series I saw Elsie's absolute perfection and complete submission as unhealthy. She's a very passive character (not always a bad thing) but she takes Biblical principles to a level which I don't believe they were intended to be. Accepting abuse without question or complaint is wrong and perhaps Elsie's one and only flaw. Therefore I can't give these books a blanket recommendation. (And honestly - unfortunately - many younger readers of my generation don't like this style of quaint, old-fashioned literature.)

Also, I have over 90 notes and even more highlights on the kindle version of this series. Little me was weird.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series growing up... I have actually thought about re-reading them recently.

[Jacqie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually only read books 1-12 because that is all we own. I oughta go to the library and read the rest! I read the first 12, like 5 times or something. My favorites are the 3rd and 4th books - Elsie's Girlhood and Elsie's Womanhood. My lil sis is reading them now.

[Kellyn Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful books, really! I would read them again and again, despite their imperfections. :) See my full review here. :)

[Alita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like many reviewers, I first picked up this series when I was around eight or nine years old. I never made it farther than maybe the fourth book? I'd always read them during my summer vacation at my aunt's house, and that was all I could get through in the few weeks I was there.

As an adult, I decided to go back and reread the entire thing. All 28 volumes. These are seriously disturbing. I'm not a Christian by any means, but I grew up in the church, and the ideals these books push are harmful at best and possibly deadly at worst. Little girls -- according to Martha Finley -- should be attached at the hip to their fathers for as long as their father is alive. They should defer to their dads even as adult women if their husband dies -- at least, that's what Elsie Dinsmore does.

And can we talk about the amount of child grooming that goes on here? So many of the female children in this series grow up to marry men WAY older than them, but it's all okay because "time seems to have stood still for them" or some such nonsense. Elsie's case is especially egregious. Edward Travilla knew her since she was a whole-ass child (think eight years old) and he MARRIES her?? There is nothing Christian about that.

The further we get into the series, the worse it becomes. At one point, one of the female characters, Grace, marries her brother-in-law. They aren't technically blood-related but, dude. What the hell. That's completely unacceptable, especially because the BIL in question was already an adult when she joined the family as a child. Seriously uncomfortable.

None of this is to mention the rampant racism (inexcusable; I understand this was written in different times but the dialect the people of color are given is horrendous), child abuse (Lucilla is whipped as a child and thanks her father for it, no, I am not kidding), sexism, and just about every other -ism you could throw in there.

The only good I could glean from this was that it provided a frankly fascinating look into how people, particularly Christians, of that time period thought about and viewed things.

Absolute garbage.

[Judy Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am entering this as read, but as it is part of a lengthy series, I have not read all of the books it contains, but wanted to comment on them, nevertheless. I think over time, in between reading other things, I most likely will read them all. The books were written between 1867 and 1905, and there are 28 of them. They, therefore, reflect the moral tone of that time and are written from an extremely conservative Christian point of view. Elsie's Father's attitude towards her fascinated and repelled me. He demands unquestioning obedience and is quite relentless.

I was astounded, shocked and appalled at one particular part in the books where, when salvation is discussed with an African Amercian; she is told that in Heaven, she will no longer be a "Negro." I could scarcely believe my eyes. I can only guess that that was the prevailing attitude among some at that point in history.

Elsie is a delicate, plaintive and winsome character. Although at times, too good to be true, or indeed, genuinely authentic. The author, though, may be trying to reflect her ideal of girl and womanhood of the times.

The books do give the reader a view into the mindset of some in that day and age.

[Kaylin Worthington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely series about a girl who reflected Christ's love! Even after enduring the abuse of her teenage uncles, she still begged her always-absent father not to punish them for what they had done. She learned to forgive them, her father, and through her quiet humility, kindness, and absolute forgiveness, she led many of them to Christ. Reading this as a child, I hated how they treated her, and thought about how I would have gotten revenge; this girl, however, is and always has been the example of what I would like to be.

[Julia at Lit Aflame · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read the whole series myself, and when I was younger my mom read the first books out loud to my brothers and I. It's a wonderful book for all ages to enjoy, a healthy read for sure! Although I do find the characters rather unrealistic, this book and it's series is one of the rare ones out there which actually teaches the Bible and encourages children to have a closer walk with the Savior.

[Becca Lui · Rating 1 out of 5]

okay this series was entertaining as a child but now that i am older i am looking back with disgust, plain and simple. like her dad beat her and neglected her and she held out for him because of stockholm?? i guess i didn't even realize the fact that she married a guy that was the same age as her dad??? like i know that things were different in this time period but there is simply no excuse. also the slavery???? hello? martha finley what were you on.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the books! I have read the 1st series which is up to book 12. The 1st 4 books are really sad and I cried a lot while reading it. But once you get passed it everything is pretty good. Even though I still would cry at least once while reading each book. Martha Finley is a amazing writer! I definitely recommend this series!

[Mikayla Zimmermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!!! Have read it over and over. She makes you want to be more like her in her self- sacrificing manner. She is almost angelic. You will fall in love with her and applaud her every move. You will be crying one minute and amazed the next.

[Elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a really good series, but Elsie was unhumanly angelic, so it's a little unbelievable

[Caitlin Connell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this series when I was a teenager. I enjoyed the series then but there are a lot of books!

[ems · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read these obsessively growing up ... a lot of the reasons why they're controversial today completely escaped me then. don't give to your daughters, please.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful Christian series that inspires girls to shape their lives into Christ's mould.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this series! Very good

[Alyssa Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series as a kid. This series is what got me to fall in love with reading.

[Emma H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I give this whole series a one star. Here are my reasons:
1)Elsie is a perfect little angel. That's not all. She apparently grew up in a bad, cruel, mistreating family, and found Jesus, sticking to all the ten commandments even though she is surrounded by mean and tormenting people. This is unrealistic and might make insecure children feel like they have to live up to this. Also, she had her own ideas that she held as biblical truths, such as you should never play music or anything of the sort on Sunday. When told to play by her father, poor little Elsie could not because it went against her beliefs. So her father tells her to sit there till she plays. Of course, the room got stuffy and she fell over, hurting her head, which causes her father to say it was all his fault. (Later, of course, her father separates her from him because again she wouldn't do something on the sabbath, and despite the way he treats her, it almost kills her and then he is converted.) She also thinks it is good to let people abuse her and never tell anyone, heroically paving the way for those children who are abusing her to continue doing so, since they never get any punishment.

2)These books are SO racist. I get that they were written when slavery was still acceptable, but it's really just sickening. Quoting from Elsie's own mouth: "Some amount of patience with the natural slowness of the negro is necessary" and even worse, when teaching a bible lesson to the slave children, here is a conversation between Elsie and a slave boy about the Lord: "Does he lub niggahs, missus?" queried one grinning little wooly head. "Yes, if they love him: and they won't be negroes in heaven." "White folks, missus? Oh, dat nice! Guess I go dar, ef dey let me in." Even through their inhumane treatment as slaves, (although Elsie didn't approve of whipping) they still apparently immediately loved her, likening her to an angel.

3) She marries her father's friend, who is 16 years older than her. Surprising as this is, there's more. When Elsie is only about eleven, he says, "Oh that I were ten years younger, or you ten years older. That is not sweet. It's weird.

I could say so much more about these books, but I would just advise anyone to examine them thoroughly before giving them to their children.

[Margaret Fraleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book. Maxie has joined the navy and started his training.

The Captain and his family were summonsed to Vi's mother's
residence, as she was sick and needed surgery.

The group enjoyed some time on the Captain's vessel and when
it was decided that when Vi's mother was able to travel, the family
went to their home in the south for the winter months.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another favorite childhood book series

[Esther Penner]

I want whats the value of a book that has been printed 1878 the first edition no copyright no date of publication

[Abigail Kanaly · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMGOODNESS!! Totally forgot about these books but wow these books were some of the books that helped me fall in love with reading when I was little. 4.5 stars I would recommend to any young girl

[Faye Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this series of books as a child and dearly loved them. In many ways, Elsie influenced the person I became. A re-read of the series finds them a bit dull by today's standards, but still promote a set of morals and character that are rare and refreshing.