Up a Road Slowly, Newbery Winner 1967

So... the original copy (my cover).

And three other incarnations:

Besides the amusing fact that she seems to be wearing three variations of the same outfit (an outfit I don't recall be mentioned in the book). I can't get over how similar they all are... they have a cheap romance look about them (especially that first one) or a Sweet Valley High sort of vibe. In any event they certainly don't look exceptionally exciting to me.

Well. This book had been giving me the stink-eye from my bookshelf for quite a while now. I bought this book as a discarded library book from my college and, frankly, I'm not sure that it saw much action in the years it was there (I know it had been there a while because it had a stamp inside with the college's address from a long time ago.) Anyhow I had once twice started this book before, but never made it much past the first chapter.
So yesterday I gritted my teeth and resolved to - Get. It. Done. It took way longer than I thought it would, I'm telling you. The title is no joke. I'm pretty sure that you only got slower as you got further up the road... and I'm certain the road kept getting longer. I usually cover distance in books more quickly, but for whatever reason I was plodding along.
After all is said and done I liked most of the characters in this book, the setting was wonderful (old houses for the win), and the dialogue struck mostly true. But my grievances are thus:
1. Why bother even having the character of the brother? I'm pretty sure nothing would have changed if Chris simply hadn't existed.
2. When is this book supposed to take place? Sometimes it felt like the late 1800s but - oh, wait - they have cars? and city-schools? In the end I think it was written as the present (1966) but heavily infused with the author's childhood.
3. What was with that ending line? Pretty sure it was meant to be loving and poignant but I ended up laughing out loud.
4. Too much time! Oh my gosh, the book covered Julie's life from seven to eighteen, in 192 pages! I've seen long timespans in novels before, but for some reason it just didn't play well here.

I do adore Aunt Cordelia, and as another literary teacher she plays the part well. The kids see her as a strict disciplinarian but I personally feel that we have a lot in common, she sets very high expectations, expects fairness, and is wholly consistent. She would probably be dismayed by my lack of grammar expertise. I do find it interesting that this isn't Irene Hunt's most-well-known or even best loved novel, seeing as it is the award-winner. Her most popular book is her first one: Across Five Aprils, it was her favorite from her works as well, so I think I'll have to give it a try.