Lucy Maud Montgomery- Anne of Green Gables series

I promised that a review of the Anne of Green Gables series would appear on the blog eventually, and here we are! If for some reason you have not had the chance to read about the shenanigans Anne Shirley gets over the course of her life, I’m here to convince you to do so! 

Anne Shirley is a dreamer. Her vivid imagination has helped her through many hardships, but even she couldn’t imagine that two middle-aged siblings, Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, would adopt her. While it turns out there was a mistake and they actually requested a boy, Anne manages to capture their hearts and Green Gables becomes her home. From then on, it’s a journey full of hilarious mishaps, even as she enters into adulthood, earns a degree and starts her own family. 

Anne is often defined by her tendency to drift off to imagine things. This leads her into a lot of trouble, even as she becomes an adult. However, she is also hard-working, kind, friendly and intelligent. Her love of the written word, particularly poetry translates into a romantic disposition and a writing talent of her own. She is talkative (some would be inclined to say that she never stops talking) and a little vain, fixating on how unpleasant she finds her own appearance. Over the course of the series, she consciously works to improve and minimise these flaws. In the first couple of books, she consciously divulges her progress to Marilla, leading to many hilarious scenes.

I could write pages upon pages about the plethora of quirky, loveable characters across the entire series, but I’m here to write a review, not a novella, so you will be saved from reading all that! Suffice to say, Anne’s friends and family, including Marilla, Matthew, Diana and Gilbert are just as memorable as she is.

I always loved that even though conceptualised in the 1900s, Anne was a feminist, with a strong belief that women could do anything. Despite the fact many people in her life thought she was going too far by working towards a bachelors degree at Redmond, she was fuelled by her own ambition and belief her loved ones had in her. Coupled with her personality, this makes her a great role model for young girls. I’m speaking from experience here, as I have looked up to her in my childhood a lot. 

There isn’t much to be said about the pacing of these books, as the chapters are largely episodic, resembling an anthology series. Instead, I think the focus should be shifted to the language used. Much like Anne’s imagination, the descriptions of nature are vivid and beautiful, almost poetic. This is very fitting for our protagonist, and doesn’t change until the end of the series.

I mentioned there is no shortage of comedic dialogue and situational comedy in the Anne of Green Gables series, with the protagonist herself always at the centre of all the trouble. However, this is not to say it is void of heartbreak or sincerity. There are hardships to be overcome and bonds to be made, always with that Shirley flair. 

The adventures of Anne Shirley are close to my heart, and while my opinion may be subjective, I hope I was able to sway at least some of you to pick up this series!

Rating: 10/10