# Olive Stirling — The Blue Castle character guide

> Olive Stirling in The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Olive, Miss Olive Stirling, Miss Stirling

**First appearance:** 0001-ii

## Snapshot

Valancy's dazzling cousin, held up all her life as the paragon Valancy can never match, and never once bridesmaid to her.

## Who they are

Olive is beautiful, confident, and perpetually surrounded by beaus, engaged at last to the clever Cecil Price with a hope chest overflowing and a wedding-dress already chosen. Relatives have measured Valancy against her since childhood: why can't you hold yourself like Olive, speak like Olive, make an effort like Olive? She matters because she is the glittering standard of Stirling success, and the quiet fact that Valancy is not among her bridesmaids says everything about where Valancy stands.

## Relationships

### [Valancy Stirling](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/characters/valancy_stirling)

_family_

Olive Stirling is Valancy's beautiful, smug cousin who is favored by the family and represents everything Valancy is expected to be.

### [Valancy Stirling](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/characters/valancy_stirling)

_family_

Olive Stirling is Valancy's beautiful, smug cousin who is favored by the family and represents everything Valancy is expected to be.

### [Valancy Stirling](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/characters/valancy_stirling)

_family_

Olive Stirling is Valancy's beautiful, smug cousin who is favored by the family and represents everything Valancy is expected to be.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/i)

Valancy's beautiful and popular cousin, who represents everything Valancy lacks and whose diamond engagement ring is a painful reminder of Valancy's own romantic failure.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/ii)

Olive is briefly referenced as a contrast to Valancy, wearing her hair in a more modern style that Valancy envies but dares not adopt.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/iv)

Olive is mentioned as not needing flannel petticoats and having a more privileged life.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/viii)

Valancy recalls past injustices involving Olive, including being forced to apologize and being used as a foil.

### [The Silver Wedding Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/x)

Described as beautiful and successful, but Valancy perceives her as 'like a dewless morning' and lacking something.

### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xiii)

Sent to influence Valancy but leaves with flushed cheeks and angry eyes after Valancy's dismissive remarks.

### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xxi)

Sits grimly in the car, tries to persuade Valancy to return home, feels outraged by Valancy's behavior.

### [Cousin Georgiana's News](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xxvii)

Olive meets Valancy on the steps, condescending and envious of Valancy's new confidence and style.

### [The Wonder-Moments of Spring](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xxxiv)

Valancy contrasts her own beauty with Olive's, noting that Allan Tierney would never want to paint Olive, who 'keeps all her goods in the shopwindow.'

### [Chapter XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/chapters/xliv)

Olive writes a bitter letter to Cecil Bruce, expressing jealousy and resentment over Valancy's good fortune.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/characters/olive_stirling
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_blue_castle_se/characters