Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery

Synopsis:

This is a children’s fiction book about Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan girl adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. She was mistakenly sent to them; they had intended on adopting a boy to help them on their farm in Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Anne is very talkative and has a huge imagination.

Marilla is Matthew’s sister and has the primary responsibility of raising Anne and attempts to discipline Anne. She is more serious with her at first but grows to love Anne as her own daughter. Matthew is Marilla’s brother and instantly bonds with Anne. He spoils Anne with pretty clothes and fancy shoes and is the first person to show Anne unconditional love.

Diana Barry is Anne’s best friend and a kindred spirit and is admired by Anne by her beauty. She is a loyal friend to Anne. Gilbert Blythe is two years older than Anne and has a crush on her and becomes good friends with Anne.

At the end of the book, Anne is sixteen and is going to be a teacher at the Avonlea School. Gilbert gives up his teaching position there and gives it to Anne because he knows she wants to remain close to Marilla after Matthew died of a heart attack.

Review:

I enjoyed this book a great deal and loved the character of Anne and her imagination and optimism.

“Anne’s horizons had closed in since the night she had sat there after coming home from Queen’s; but if the path set before her feet was to be narrow she knew that flowers of quiet happiness would bloom along it. The joy of sincere work and worthy aspiration and congenial friendship were to be hers; nothing could rob her of her birthright of fancy or her ideal world of dreams. And there was always the bend in the road.”

“Kindred spirits are not as sparse as I used to think. It’s splendid to think that there are so many of them in the world.”

“It’s nicer to think pretty thoughts and keep them in one’s heart, like treasures. I don’t like to have them laughed at or wondered over.”

“That’s the worst of growing up, and I’m beginning to realize it. The things you wanted so much when you were a child don’t seem half so wonderful to you when you get them.”