Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt is a lovely and thoughtful coming-of-age story about a young female writer. Though not strictly autobiographical, the novel brims with emotional authenticity and bears notable similarities between Hunt’s life and the lives of her characters. Like her protagonist Julie Trelling, Hunt grew up in the rural Midwest. Julie’s Aunt Cordelia, a strong and nurturing figure, mirrors Hunt’s own experiences as a schoolteacher before her retirement in 1961. As I read, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hunt had poured much of herself into both Julie and Cordelia, crafting characters that felt deeply personal and vivid.
When the story opens, seven-year-old Julie Trelling is considering what is about to become of her in the wake of her dear mother’s death. Her loving father is deeply grieved and ill-equipped to handle Julie and her ten-year-old brother, Chris. The extended family decides to keep Julie’s teen sister, Laura, with their father and to send the younger children to live with spinster school teacher Aunt Cordelia in the country.
In Aunt Cordelia’s country home, the children find their aunt to be strict and formal, both at home and in the classroom. Cordelia insists on calling them “Christopher” and “Julia,” signaling her formal ways. Yet, under her watchful and loving care, Julie and Chris both grow and flourish.
Aunt Cordelia’s past is marked by a poignant romance with a brilliant young man, Dr. Jonathan Eltwing. Their lives pulled them in different directions, and they never married. As Julie enters her teen years, Jonathan returns to town with a gravely ill wife who ultimately passes away. His renewed friendship with Cordelia allows him to see the parallels between Julie and her aunt in both appearance and personality. Though Julie resists the comparison at first, she eventually embraces it, feeling proud to share in her aunt’s strength and character.
The story delves into everyday themes that define classic literature for young girls. Despite being set in the indistinct 1950s or 60s, it evokes the timeless quality of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s and Gene Stratton-Porter’s works. In a different way, it also brings to mind the family dynamics found in Sterling North’s Rascal.
As Julie matures, her sister Laura marries and has a child, leaving Julie both happy for her sister and heartbroken by the sense of being left behind. While Julie is in high school, her father marries a city schoolteacher named Alicia. While Julie and Alicia quickly become friends, Julie notes that her father and stepmother are more like “weekend parents.” After some turmoil, Julie remains in Aunt Cordelia’s home, commuting to town for school.
Julie’s high school years are marked by romance with Brett Kingsman. She fancies herself in love. Her family, however, sees Brett’s flaws and grows concerned. When Brett ultimately betrays Julie’s trust, her heart breaks. But, like any good story of this kind, Julie’s story ends extremely well.
Up a Road Slowly is a lovely, ordinary, and delightful story—a perfect gift for a young lady seeking a thoughtful and heartwarming read.