Review: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
by Jenners • 05/27/2009 • 4 Stars, A Titles, Classics, Fiction, M Authors, Young Adult • 20 Comments
Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
There are many versions out there. I read mine on my Kindle
Book Specs: 304 pages
Book Category: Fiction, Children (but really, for everyone!)
Story Overview
On Prince Edward Island in the little town of Avonlea, brother and sister Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert decide to adopt a young boy to help out around their farm. Both are getting older and know they’ll need some help to keep the farm going. They send word to a local woman who is going to the orphanage to bring them home an 11-year-old boy. But when Matthew goes to the train station to pick up the boy, he is surprised to find a young girl — Anne Shirley.
Shy and tongue-tied around others, Matthew reluctantly agrees to take Anne home until the mix-up can be sorted out. But on the ride home, Anne charms Matthew with her imagination, vivacity and view of the world. By the time they reach the Cuthbert house at Green Gables, he is convinced he wants Anne to stay with them. His sister, Marilla, is not so sure — but after a few days — she too falls under Anne’s spell and the little orphan girl finds a home in Green Gables.
The book focuses on Anne’s coming of age at Green Gables — her problems with her flaming red hair, her big imagination, her dreaminess and the various escapades and problems caused by all of these aspects of her personality. She finds a “bosom friend” in her neighbor Diana and flourishes at the local school — except for her long-standing rivalry with Gilbert Blythe (who dared to call her “Carrots” one time.) The book follows Anne until her entry into the Queen’s school and eventual return home to Green Gables.
My Thoughts
What can I say? This book was so charming and delightful! I cannot imagine a reader who would not fall in love with Anne — it is no surprise that all of Avonlea falls under her spell! I know this is considered a children’s book, and I wish I had read it when I was Anne’s age — I know I would have just adored her and modeled myself after her!
The writing is just delightful, and Anne’s frequent monologues are just so charming. She is the type of person who is so full of life, zest and (most of all) IMAGINATION that you feel yourself drawn to her — just like Matthew and Marilla. I love that she hates her red hair and freckles, frets about not having puffs on her sleeves, and daydreams while she is supposed to be doing chores. Anne is so relatable and down-to-earth that even a modern day girl could relate to her. After all, what tween girl doesn’t fret about the physical attributes that make them different, wish for clothes of the latest fashion and spend inordinate amount of times daydreaming?
The other charm of the book was Anne’s love of nature and her constant ecstasy at the beauty around her. I’ve never been to Prince Edward Island (located in Canada) but the descriptions in the book make it sound like an idyllic and enchanted place. (Of course, Anne could make anything sound amazing and better than life.)
Special Surprise Visit By Anne Herself
Oh Jenners! What lovely things you’ve written about me. I wish that we could be bosom friends forever. Of course, Diana is my dearest bosom friend and I couldn’t possibly have more than one but I am ever so good at being friends and I would love us to be special friends. I was ever so happy about what you wrote about me! Do you remember when you were a young girl about my age and you were always daydreaming and making up names for yourself? For an entire summer, you thought of yourself as the Princess Felicity, which is just a wonderful and charming name to be sure. You pretended that you were a secret princess and no one knew your true lineage. It was just so dreadful that you had to do chores around the house that were beneath your royal heritage. Didn’t your mother realize that a princess lived under her roof? I think that all terrible circumstances can be overcome with a little imagination. It is the people who don’t have imagination that suffer the most I think. Well, I’ve got to be going back to Avonlea … the Lake of Shining Waters is looking delightfully refreshing today and I think I shall go for a short swim. I’ll take the path through Lover’s Lane and Violet Vale to get there. Avonlea in the spring is just divine! Come and visit me often and send your readers too — I would love to be their special friends as well.
My Final Recommendation
Anne of Green Gables definitely deserves its place as a classic of children’s literature. I am so glad I took the time to read it, and I would recommend it unreservedly to a reader looking for a charming and delightful book that hearkens back to a simpler time and space. And if you have a young girl in your life with literary tendencies, I think this would make a wonderful gift! I wish I’d gotten it when I was young!
I saw there are other books in the series. Has anyone ever read them? Are they worth reading? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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hello
Just saying hello while I read through the posts
hopefully this is just what im looking for, looks like i have a lot to read.
Jenners,
You are so wonderfully inventive. I love that Anne came to visit! This was a good book. I read it and Anne of Avonlea. I had the whole box set but never did get through it.
Hi Jenners!
I saw the myfreecopyright protection logo and thought it was such a great idea that I tried to sign up. I have been waiting for my e-mail to continue verification for several hours. Did you have a problem with that?
Yayayaya! This makes me so happy that you finally got this one! Isn’t depths of despair your new favorite saying now!? I say it all the time and I think it annoys Padfoot to no end. I love to read that book outside in the spring time under trees, it makes it so much more real. Glad you loved it as much as I did!
one of my favorite books, yes the rest are worth reading they follow Anne as she grows up and marries and has her own family.
Lovely visit from Anne, so sweet.
You should absolutely keep reading. The whole series is good – and once you’ve met Anne, don’t you have to know what happens to her?? =)
I agree, in your *spare* time you should definitely read the others. They are really good. They take her all the way to adulthood. There is even one or two maybe with her children. I think. I would have to check. I have them somewhere. I loved these when I was younger. My copies are tattered and worn.
Oh wow, how lucky you are that Anne stopped by to visit, I’m very jealous. I always wanted Anne to be my bosom friend as well, but alas, we know that Diana will always outweigh us in her heart.
I spent many an hour pretending to be Anne as a child. LOVe all 8 (is it?) of these books.
I am Anne’s biggest fan–or one of them, anyway. I haven’t make the pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island…yet.
You absolutely MUST read the rest of the series. Not all of the sequels are as good as the original, but I particularly liked “Anne of the Island” and “Anne’s House of Dreams.”
And how delightful that Anne paid a visit! Please tell her she’s always welcome to visit my blog.
Love that Anne came to visit her new special buddy! Sounds like a charming story. I wish that I had the chance to read this too when I was young. It’s never too late for a lovely book like this one! I look forward to sharing Anne’s adventures with my daughter some day.
I’m glad you liked it! Definitely one of my favorites! You should rent the movie starring Megan Follows. It’s just as charming!
Read the rest of the series, and absolutely loved it. This, ‘The Secret Garden’ and ‘Little Princess’ were amidst my favorite childhood classics.
Oh, and all the other books are great as well and chronicle her life through adulthood. Love them all.
One of my all time favorites.
I might be the last person on earth who has never read this book. Guess I should add it to my ever expanding list.
Great post and how lucky you were to have Anne visit! I read all of the books in the Anne of Green Gables series, saw the movies and bought the box set for my oldest daughter when she was much younger. Strangely, neither daughter enjoyed the stories as much as I did
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I’m totally jealous that Anne came to visit you. I read this book for the first time a few years ago and I was totally enchanted.
Super post! How lucky to have Anne come to visit.