Anne of Green Gables - Review

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, # 1)

By: LM Montgomery

Published: first published 1908

320 pages

Genre: Classics, YA, Historical Fiction,

Source: Audiobook Sync Free Download

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Goodreads description--Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.

Anne of Green Gables is a reminder straight to my childhood. I remember my mom had the first five books of the series. I tried to read Anne of Green Gables once as a child, but I just couldn’t get into it. I did, however, love the movies starring Megan Follows (who also plays Queen Catherine on Reign). My sister and I still quote the movies back and forth to each other periodically. So when Sync Audiobooks offered Anne of Green Gables as a free download this past summer, I swooped it up.

Colleen Winton did a great job narrating the audiobook. She was so enthusiastic during Anne’s parts. It was great because I was enthralled by Anne and exhausted by her at the same time—which is I think the exact reaction that LM Montgomery was going for. As an adult, I can see how Anne might have gotten on my nerves had I not been as attached to her as I was in childhood. What I didn’t think much about in childhood was the optimism and positivity that Anne has. Of course, she often finds herself in the “depths of despair.” Marilla observed that Anne feels her highs and low so intensely, but even with the hand she’s been dealt, she’s mostly able to appreciate the most simple and basic things in life that really make her an adorable character—one I dare you to try to not fall in love with.

I can’t help but remark about how perfectly the cast of the movies were. Marilla, Matthew, and Anne especially. Marilla is so stubborn. She refuses to admit how fond she is of Anne for a really long time and seeks to make a moral lesson out of almost everything—she kind of reminds me of myself. Matthew is perfect. He’s so quiet, but he just loves Anne from that first ride home with her. And he spoils her and showers her with such quiet affection. It’s beautiful.

I absolutely loved Anne’s relationship (or lack thereof) with Gilbert. Of course, I already know how that ends, but it was even better to see how LM Montgomery worked this in the story. How Anne was so mad at him that she wanted to refuse to acknowledge him, but she’d slip up and mention him (not completely) in relation to their school rivalry. Pretty brilliant.

I’m sure that I’ve not said (nor will I say) anything that hasn’t already been said about Anne of Green Gables, but I just had to weigh in since this has been on my TBR list since I was a child. And if nothing else, listening to this book on audio has sparked my desire to go back and re-watch the old movies. I even put them on my Christmas Wish List. Anne of Green Gables gets 5 Stars from me. Have you read Anne of Green Gables? What did you think? Let me know!