Anne of Green Gables: 07/24/11

My first introduction to Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery was a beat up paperback with cover art from the TV series. I found the book when walking to my grandmother's house from high school. I felt sorry for an orphaned book about an orphaned girl. I figured it was a sign that I should read the book.

I re-read the battered book and the other books in the series through college and on to graduate school when I was newly married. Then I put the books aside and got on with my life. That was until 2010 when Nanowrimo was rolling around again. I decided to work my way through the book as inspiration for my own novel in a month.

I wanted to re-read my old battered copy (yes, I still have it) but it was in storage. So instead I downloaded a scanned copy from the 1908 edition and read it on my computer.

In the almost twenty years since I last read Anne of Green Gables I had of course forgotten details and misremembered others.

I still remembered the basics: Martha and Matthew wanting a boy to help around the farm. Instead of a boy, they get Anne and can't decide what to do with her. I remembered Gilbert Blythe and his pranks on her early on.

What surprised me most about the re-read was the novel's episodic nature. After a couple introductory chapters in which the major players are surprised, the book settles into relating a bunch of different scrapes Anne gets into.

The next thing that surprised me was just how much Anne babbles. I remember her talking a lot but the first third of the book is mostly her monologs. My goodness does she babble!

This third read through Anne of Green Gables was my most critical in that I was trying to see how it was put together and what made it tick. In the past I was reading it first for curiosity and the second time to revisit with Anne. My taste in books has evolved somewhat over the years but I'm still glad I re-read it.

Four stars.

Comments (10)

Comment #1: Monday, July, 25, 2011 at 02:14:34

carol

Great re-read choice.
I would have this on my re-read list from childhood books

have a great week

Comment #2: Monday, July 25, 2011 at 21:54:21

Pussreboots

I have a few more re-reads planned.

Comment #3: Monday, July, 25, 2011 at 13:39:26

Bookworm1858

I love Anne-she's just the kind of girl I would have wanted to be friends with when I was ten. Hopefully I'll have a chance to read the rest of the books soon.

Comment #4: Monday, July 25, 2011 at 21:57:33

Pussreboots

I'm not sure I would have wanted a friend like Anne when I was ten but I did enjoy reading about her adventures.

Comment #5: Monday, July, 25, 2011 at 13:56:45

Tif

I just read this book for the first time last year, so it was interesting to hear your thoughts on a re-read this time. I have to wonder how my thoughts of it would change if I had read it in my younger years!

Comment #6: Monday, July 25, 2011 at 22:01:35

Pussreboots

I don't know ˜ good question.

Comment #7: Tuesday, July, 26, 2011 at 17:01:21

Carin S.

I just read this for the first time a couple of months ago (I know!) and just read the 2nd book last weekend (review will go up Saturday) and the episodic thing is the one thing I don't really like. I think if I met Anne as a person the babbling thing would drive me crazy, but in print it's fine becuase I don't have to keep reading, it's my choice, I can take a break. And it is so true to the character. I'm so glad I finally picked this series up! Better late than never, right?

Comment #8: Friday, July 29, 2011 at 15:15:20

Pussreboots

When I re-read Anne of Green Gables the last time, I could only do a chapter a night. I've gotten a lot less tolerant to its episodic nature. I don't remember it bothering me at all as a teen.

Comment #9: Saturday, July, 30, 2011 at 09:05:37

Barbara H.

I didn't discover Anne until the PBS reproduction of the movies when I was a young adult. I've reread the series once or twice since then, and I have gotten a bit more critical each time. I do love her spirit, though.

Comment #10: Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 23:09:30

Pussreboots

I can't recall which I saw first, the book or the series. They were nearly simulataneous events for me.