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Anne of Green Gables #4
Anne of Windy Poplars
Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside--and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty--and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.
288 pages, School & Library Binding
First published June 28, 1936
About the author
L.M. Montgomery
1,757 books12.2k followersLucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author, best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.
Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.
Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,151 reviews
February 12, 2024
Not to be dramatic, but me not loving this book is the saddest worst thing that has ever happened to me or anyone, ever, in the history of the world.
Also the most surprising.
Yes, I may have an average rating of 2.95, and yes, I may be well used to being disappointed in life, and yes, maybe this is actually not a very sad or bad thing at all, let alone in the context of the history of human suffering.
But if I admitted that, I’d have to rewrite the opening of this review, and that, my dear, is never going to happen.
This really is a shock, though.
Anne of Windy Poplars is the fourth book in the Anne series, and I five starred the first three. ALL THREE! I have five starred about 25 books out of the hundreds I’ve read in the last three years, and three of them were Anne books.
And yet, I didn’t care for this much at all.
First off, the majority of it was epistolary, and made up of these heinously long boring dry letters that Anne wrote to her fiancé...whose name I am failing to think of. Garrett? Gilbert?
...Oh, no. I thought it couldn’t possibly be Gilbert due to the sheer awfulness of that name (sorry to any Gilberts out there, but the very sound of it is...bulbous), but it is.
Anyway, it’s mostly very boring letters. They don’t fit with Anne’s voice at ALL.
And to add insult to injury, instead of getting off to her usual misadventures and amusements, Anne spends the whole book running around and sticking her nose in people’s business and fixing their lives for them and all around being the kind of preachy unfun nightmare a past Anne would have abhorred and eventually charmed.
Horrible.
Also, I am sick of her meeting people and just bidding them adieu forever without feeling all that sad! She spent her whole childhood being best friends with Diana Barry, and now she hardly even speaks to her. She spends years living at Windy Poplars with the widows, and when she leaves she’s more happy than sad. Her college friends have disappeared. Her adopted younger siblings barely get a mention. I am SICK OF IT!!!
This had none of the whimsy, none of the love, none of the beautiful settings and none of the beautiful writing that I have come to expect.
Bottom line: Everything about this was simply a bummer.
------------
pre-review
life is full of disappointment.
review to come / 2 stars
------------
tbr review
thrilled to be reunited with my best friend (anne)
Also the most surprising.
Yes, I may have an average rating of 2.95, and yes, I may be well used to being disappointed in life, and yes, maybe this is actually not a very sad or bad thing at all, let alone in the context of the history of human suffering.
But if I admitted that, I’d have to rewrite the opening of this review, and that, my dear, is never going to happen.
This really is a shock, though.
Anne of Windy Poplars is the fourth book in the Anne series, and I five starred the first three. ALL THREE! I have five starred about 25 books out of the hundreds I’ve read in the last three years, and three of them were Anne books.
And yet, I didn’t care for this much at all.
First off, the majority of it was epistolary, and made up of these heinously long boring dry letters that Anne wrote to her fiancé...whose name I am failing to think of. Garrett? Gilbert?
...Oh, no. I thought it couldn’t possibly be Gilbert due to the sheer awfulness of that name (sorry to any Gilberts out there, but the very sound of it is...bulbous), but it is.
Anyway, it’s mostly very boring letters. They don’t fit with Anne’s voice at ALL.
And to add insult to injury, instead of getting off to her usual misadventures and amusements, Anne spends the whole book running around and sticking her nose in people’s business and fixing their lives for them and all around being the kind of preachy unfun nightmare a past Anne would have abhorred and eventually charmed.
Horrible.
Also, I am sick of her meeting people and just bidding them adieu forever without feeling all that sad! She spent her whole childhood being best friends with Diana Barry, and now she hardly even speaks to her. She spends years living at Windy Poplars with the widows, and when she leaves she’s more happy than sad. Her college friends have disappeared. Her adopted younger siblings barely get a mention. I am SICK OF IT!!!
This had none of the whimsy, none of the love, none of the beautiful settings and none of the beautiful writing that I have come to expect.
Bottom line: Everything about this was simply a bummer.
------------
pre-review
life is full of disappointment.
review to come / 2 stars
------------
tbr review
thrilled to be reunited with my best friend (anne)
December 10, 2020
Oh Anne, you wonderfully bold and beautiful gal
I can see why those letters are included - it's a way for the readers to remember that she's still very much in love with her fiance. Yet, I cannot say that I'm a fan of it. It's just so eye-rollingly over-the-top.
Holding with the pattern from the previous books:
--Anne meets and befriends a new grumpy person (who becomes a bosom friend).
--Anne interferes with someone else's love life (later realizing that things would've worked out without her influence).
--And Anne overcomes insurmountable challenges (with grace and poise).
Okay, okay...as much as I complain, I still enjoy these books.
She's still the wonderful Anne that I've grown to know and love.
I just hope that things pick up a bit...especially considering the lines like this:
Audiobook Comments
Narrated by Tara Ward - an excellent reader!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Life owes me something more than it has paid me and I’m going out to collect it…I just love seeing the woman Anne's grown into. She's finished college, runs her own little school and is in constant correspondence with her fiance, Gilbert.
“Gilbert, I'm afraid I'm scandalously in love with you.”For the first time, we have a bit of switching perspectives - Anne in third person throughout the novel and in first person as we read her letters to Gilbert.
I can see why those letters are included - it's a way for the readers to remember that she's still very much in love with her fiance. Yet, I cannot say that I'm a fan of it. It's just so eye-rollingly over-the-top.
Gilbert darling, don't let's ever be afraid of things. It's such dreadful slavery. Let's be daring and adventurous and expectant. Let's dance to meet life and all it can bring to us, even if it brings scads of trouble and typhoid and twins!We only see the one-sided gushing from her end and nothing from his perspective. Honestly, for half of the book, I thought that was supposed to be a sign that their relationship is in the slumps.
Holding with the pattern from the previous books:
--Anne meets and befriends a new grumpy person (who becomes a bosom friend).
--Anne interferes with someone else's love life (later realizing that things would've worked out without her influence).
--And Anne overcomes insurmountable challenges (with grace and poise).
Wouldn't it be a rather drab world if everybody was wise and sensible . . . and good? What would we find to talk aboutHonestly Anne, it's a bit drab considering this book 4 and we get the same exact plot from book 1.
Okay, okay...as much as I complain, I still enjoy these books.
She's still the wonderful Anne that I've grown to know and love.
I just hope that things pick up a bit...especially considering the lines like this:
Good night, belovedest. Your sleep will be sweet if there is any influences in the wishes of your own.Gag.
Audiobook Comments
Narrated by Tara Ward - an excellent reader!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
January 21, 2022
Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables #4), L.M. Montgomery
The novel features a series of letters Anne sends to her intended, Gilbert Blythe, who is completing medical school. Chronologically, the book is fourth in the series, but it was the seventh book written.
Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside--and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم سپتامبر سال2009میلادی
عنوان: آنی شرلی در ویندی پاپلرز- کتاب چهارم ؛ نویسنده: ال.ام مونتگمری؛ مترجم سارا قدیانی؛ تهران، قدیانی، سال1386؛ در456ص؛ شابک9789645365880؛ چاپ دوم سال1388؛ چاپ چهارم سال1390؛ چاپ ششم سال1392؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان کانادا - سده 20م
اینبار «آن شرلی» به خانه ای میرود، و به مدت سه سال در آنجا ساکن میشود؛ این کتاب به سه بخش: سال اول، سال دوم و سال سوم، تقسیم شده و «آنی» در این مدت، به «گیلبرت» که در حال گذراندن دوره ی پزشکی، در «ردموند» است نامه مینویسد، و این نامه ها همین کتاب هستند؛ و ...؛ اینکه «آن شرلی» زوجهایی را به هم، و دختری را به پدرش میرساند، و در کتاب زبان اصلی، نامه های عاشقانه، به «گیلبرت» مینویسد؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 29/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛30/10/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
The novel features a series of letters Anne sends to her intended, Gilbert Blythe, who is completing medical school. Chronologically, the book is fourth in the series, but it was the seventh book written.
Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside--and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم سپتامبر سال2009میلادی
عنوان: آنی شرلی در ویندی پاپلرز- کتاب چهارم ؛ نویسنده: ال.ام مونتگمری؛ مترجم سارا قدیانی؛ تهران، قدیانی، سال1386؛ در456ص؛ شابک9789645365880؛ چاپ دوم سال1388؛ چاپ چهارم سال1390؛ چاپ ششم سال1392؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان کانادا - سده 20م
اینبار «آن شرلی» به خانه ای میرود، و به مدت سه سال در آنجا ساکن میشود؛ این کتاب به سه بخش: سال اول، سال دوم و سال سوم، تقسیم شده و «آنی» در این مدت، به «گیلبرت» که در حال گذراندن دوره ی پزشکی، در «ردموند» است نامه مینویسد، و این نامه ها همین کتاب هستند؛ و ...؛ اینکه «آن شرلی» زوجهایی را به هم، و دختری را به پدرش میرساند، و در کتاب زبان اصلی، نامه های عاشقانه، به «گیلبرت» مینویسد؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 29/01/1400هجری خورشیدی؛30/10/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
September 15, 2024
2020: 5/5
2024: 4,5/5
2024: 4,5/5
February 25, 2024
Why I chose to read this book:
1. this past summer, I've reread the first three books of the Anne of Green Gables series: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. This book is the fourth in the series; and,
2. February 2024 is my "Classics" Month.
Praises:
1. now that Anne Shirley is employed as a high-school principal in Summerside, PEI, author L.M. Montgomery cleverly tells this particular story mostly through letters written by Anne to her fiancé, Gilbert. In them, Anne shares her introduction to a new cast of characters and a variety of entertaining situations she finds herself in;
2. speaking of which, this novel is quite the character-driven story. Coming from all walks of life, Anne encounters several local citizens, some who are quite nasty individuals! But true to fashion, Anne sees the good in these people and strives (successfully!) to win them over;
3. Montgomery skillfully has Anne act as a thoughtful listener, allowing these new characters to tell their own stories. At first, they may seem crochety, spiteful, even hateful, but like Anne, I couldn't help but grow to like them and even laugh over their foibles; and,
4. Montgomery 's descriptiveness of various settings through Anne's eyes sound like places I would love to visit!
Niggles:
I can't think of any!
Overall Thoughts:
Once again, Anne is truly a woman ahead of her time, both in relationship status and career aspirations.
I felt such hopefulness while reading this story! I highly recommend this book (and series) for fans of Anne Shirley and readers who appreciate wholesome stories.
1. this past summer, I've reread the first three books of the Anne of Green Gables series: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. This book is the fourth in the series; and,
2. February 2024 is my "Classics" Month.
Praises:
1. now that Anne Shirley is employed as a high-school principal in Summerside, PEI, author L.M. Montgomery cleverly tells this particular story mostly through letters written by Anne to her fiancé, Gilbert. In them, Anne shares her introduction to a new cast of characters and a variety of entertaining situations she finds herself in;
2. speaking of which, this novel is quite the character-driven story. Coming from all walks of life, Anne encounters several local citizens, some who are quite nasty individuals! But true to fashion, Anne sees the good in these people and strives (successfully!) to win them over;
3. Montgomery skillfully has Anne act as a thoughtful listener, allowing these new characters to tell their own stories. At first, they may seem crochety, spiteful, even hateful, but like Anne, I couldn't help but grow to like them and even laugh over their foibles; and,
4. Montgomery 's descriptiveness of various settings through Anne's eyes sound like places I would love to visit!
Niggles:
I can't think of any!
Overall Thoughts:
Once again, Anne is truly a woman ahead of her time, both in relationship status and career aspirations.
I felt such hopefulness while reading this story! I highly recommend this book (and series) for fans of Anne Shirley and readers who appreciate wholesome stories.
September 7, 2021
در جایی خواندم که لوسی ماد مونتگمری وقتی کودک بوده مادرش را بخاطر بیماری سل از دست داده؛ پدرش او را به پدربزرگ و مادربزرگش سپرده و اونها هم روابط خوبی با ماد نداشتند؛ بسیار سختگیر بودند و تمام کارهای ماد زیر ذرهبین بود. او کودکیش را با خواندن کتاب و نوشتن و دنیای خیالانگیزش سپری کرده و همینها باعث شده که با تقویت قوهی تخیلش به یک داستانپرداز تبدیل بشه. او در دفتر خاطراتش نوشته که هرگز از اسم لوسی خوشش نمیآمده و دوست داشته او را ماد صدا کنند بدون تلفظ حرف e!
July 12, 2024
"Nobody is ever too old to dream. And dreams never grow old."
I see by the reviews that a lot of Anne-fans are disappointed in this one. On this, my fourth reading, I must admit that I was, too. I think it is the lack of the "old familiar." Anne is away, serving as principal of a school in Summerside. Gilbert is far, far away, studying medicine. Other than letters, there is no repartee between the two. Avonlea, and her beloved residents, is only visited during the holidays and summer breaks.
There are plenty of new characters, however . . . almost too many. For Anne, there are too many Pringles, the "Royal Family" of Summerside. Resenting the fact that a relative was passed over for the job that went to Anne, the Pringles seem to have organized a cabal against her. She is snubbed socially as rumors about her spread, and a virus of disobedience pervades her classroom. Luckily, Anne happens on a secret that causes the entire family to do an about face.
Most of this book concerns the irrepressible Anne solving everyone's problems. And though she manages most of them pretty hilariously, it wears a bit thin by the end of the novel. Anne and Gilbert will be reunited in the next book, so hopefully, the old magic will be back again.
I see by the reviews that a lot of Anne-fans are disappointed in this one. On this, my fourth reading, I must admit that I was, too. I think it is the lack of the "old familiar." Anne is away, serving as principal of a school in Summerside. Gilbert is far, far away, studying medicine. Other than letters, there is no repartee between the two. Avonlea, and her beloved residents, is only visited during the holidays and summer breaks.
There are plenty of new characters, however . . . almost too many. For Anne, there are too many Pringles, the "Royal Family" of Summerside. Resenting the fact that a relative was passed over for the job that went to Anne, the Pringles seem to have organized a cabal against her. She is snubbed socially as rumors about her spread, and a virus of disobedience pervades her classroom. Luckily, Anne happens on a secret that causes the entire family to do an about face.
Most of this book concerns the irrepressible Anne solving everyone's problems. And though she manages most of them pretty hilariously, it wears a bit thin by the end of the novel. Anne and Gilbert will be reunited in the next book, so hopefully, the old magic will be back again.
August 10, 2008
I loved this one. I think at the beginning I was a little skeptical, especially since Montgomery kept omitting the parts where Anne "had the right pen" to write love letters to Gilbert. I wanted to READ Anne's love letters!
But for all that, I loved the characters in this book. Rebecca Dew cracked me up, as did Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty, with their buttermilk secrets; Dusty Miller the cat; Katherine Brooke; Nora Nelson and Jim Wilcox; little Elizabeth; Cyrus Taylor (oh, but that was a hilarious episode!)...and all those old ladies with bizarre quirks, like Aunt Ernestine, Miss Minerva Tomgallon (too much Dickens, quoth Anne), Mrs. Gibson...and of course all the Pringles! It reminded me of Rock Ridge, the town in Blazing Saddles where everyone is called Johnson. I loved the chapter with the drama club, where Sophy steps in for Jen Pringle and saves the day. Also, wasn't it great how Anne accidentally blackmailed the whole Pringle clan? Tee hee.
And now it's on to Anne's House of Dreams--and more Gilbert Blythe! I missed him; actually, I missed all of the old crowd. Marilla, Rachel Lynde, Davy, Dora, Diana, Phil, even the Sloane-ish Charlie! I can't wait for Anne's wedding; I feel like everyone she's met in the last four books will make an appearance.
But for all that, I loved the characters in this book. Rebecca Dew cracked me up, as did Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty, with their buttermilk secrets; Dusty Miller the cat; Katherine Brooke; Nora Nelson and Jim Wilcox; little Elizabeth; Cyrus Taylor (oh, but that was a hilarious episode!)...and all those old ladies with bizarre quirks, like Aunt Ernestine, Miss Minerva Tomgallon (too much Dickens, quoth Anne), Mrs. Gibson...and of course all the Pringles! It reminded me of Rock Ridge, the town in Blazing Saddles where everyone is called Johnson. I loved the chapter with the drama club, where Sophy steps in for Jen Pringle and saves the day. Also, wasn't it great how Anne accidentally blackmailed the whole Pringle clan? Tee hee.
And now it's on to Anne's House of Dreams--and more Gilbert Blythe! I missed him; actually, I missed all of the old crowd. Marilla, Rachel Lynde, Davy, Dora, Diana, Phil, even the Sloane-ish Charlie! I can't wait for Anne's wedding; I feel like everyone she's met in the last four books will make an appearance.
February 4, 2016
Possibly 3.5/5 but idk yet.
I still really enjoyed this book because Anne is my FAVE, but I think the back and forth between her letters to Gilbert and third person narrative was a little bit much. I didn't really love that switch and I missed Gilbert throughout this book, though I understand why he wasn't in it!
I still love Anne as a character DEARLY and I will honestly love her forever. She is so kind and compassionate and lovely and just EVERYTHING.
I still really enjoyed this book because Anne is my FAVE, but I think the back and forth between her letters to Gilbert and third person narrative was a little bit much. I didn't really love that switch and I missed Gilbert throughout this book, though I understand why he wasn't in it!
I still love Anne as a character DEARLY and I will honestly love her forever. She is so kind and compassionate and lovely and just EVERYTHING.
August 9, 2018
I am pretty disappointed with this one. I mean, in comparison to the first three books in this series, this one was rather weak. Unfortunately, it just didn't keep me interested enough to thoroughly enjoy it, even if this series is reminiscent to my childhood.
The writing itself was lacking any kind of interesting description, the plot was confusing and pretty much all over the place and for me, telling the story through half written letters to Gilbert, really didn't work.
I do enjoy the Anne of green gables series, and I love Anne as a character, but this little book of stories, I see to being rather unnecessary and somewhat pointless. I mean, did I really need a book crammed with unlikeable asses?
I will finish this series despite my disappointment with this one.
The writing itself was lacking any kind of interesting description, the plot was confusing and pretty much all over the place and for me, telling the story through half written letters to Gilbert, really didn't work.
I do enjoy the Anne of green gables series, and I love Anne as a character, but this little book of stories, I see to being rather unnecessary and somewhat pointless. I mean, did I really need a book crammed with unlikeable asses?
I will finish this series despite my disappointment with this one.
October 20, 2008
In a word....disappointing. It was good enough to finish. but it took 2 or 3 weeks to get through. This is a good indication of my interest level, because really great books keep me up at night until I finish them. This one....not so much.
I didn't care for the style--half letters from Anne to Gilbert, and half third-person, with no good reason to switch back and forth between the two. There are a ton of new characters, but the sheer volume precludes any satisfying character development. Anne seems to be a miracle in the life of everyone she meets, which worked okay for a book or two, but now feels like a rehashing of the same old stories with different names attached. If it were a stand alone book, I would have liked it better, but as part of a series, it felt too redundant.
That is the worst of my criticism, though. There are some interesting stories, some very funny dialogue, and some endearing (if shallowly developed) characters.
I didn't care for the style--half letters from Anne to Gilbert, and half third-person, with no good reason to switch back and forth between the two. There are a ton of new characters, but the sheer volume precludes any satisfying character development. Anne seems to be a miracle in the life of everyone she meets, which worked okay for a book or two, but now feels like a rehashing of the same old stories with different names attached. If it were a stand alone book, I would have liked it better, but as part of a series, it felt too redundant.
That is the worst of my criticism, though. There are some interesting stories, some very funny dialogue, and some endearing (if shallowly developed) characters.
March 16, 2024
i’ve said this and i’ll say it again: i’d marry anne. we'd both have matching bridal dresses and "someone like you" by van morrison would definitely be playing. but would i also murder & impersonate her in a heartbeat? 100%. elizabeth, i’m coming for your life too, by the way. 8am tomorrow? would that work for you? its the polite kidnapping that really works.
so, if you didn't already read this, first of all, what was your childhood like? dark, i suppose. mine had elegance because of this book. i was the most poised seven year old you've ever seen. i drank tea and occasionally spit-balled gems like this one; "maman, will i get my milk from the goats at 3? oh, and do take me to strawberry island soon. i've just drawn a course to get there and gilberta the maid will be rowing the boat. farewell!". i'm dead serious. my mother has a video.
“windy poplars” follows anne's life after college and chronicles her adventures with her students. when anne decides to board with aunt kate, aunt chatty, and housekeeper; rebecca dew. they all live in a beautiful house called windy poplars. i'd like to take the time to mention anne's beautiful tower room. ugh, may have been the only reason i even read this book in the first place. anyways, anne boards with the aunts and teaches at summerside school.
i heavily enjoyed the subplots. many authors make them bland, or at least less interesting than the real story. but let me tell you, some of her students were more interesting than the main characters. of course not my darling 'lil anne, but still. and yes, anne and i are close like that. close enough that i gave her a rapper name. did you give her a rapper name? probably not. something to dwell on, i guess. moving on, i really wish novellas were more common at the time montgomery wrote this, i just would've adored to read about katherine brooke's life after “windy poplars”.
my favorites, aka daughters:
- katherine. her childhood and connection to anne after she started to warm up; she felt like an uncared for anne shirley who never had a marilla in her life to help steer her to shore.
- nora nelson. never have i wanted to hug a character more. the constant comparisons of her and her beautiful soon-to-be-wed sister made me want to sob & thank god my parents weren't fiends who valued looks over integrity.
- dovie. yes, i'm a sucker for romance and the strong women that come along with it, thank you very much. dovie is girly, she's strong, and she's timid. it's so refreshing to read about a girl who's so truly proud of being who she is. what i didn't like was that they constantly referred to her as plump yet beautiful. no thanks, but i decided to look over it for the moment because the book itself is already very forward, and there were certain stupid stereotypes at the time when it was written.
- and...elizabeth. who couldn't love elizabeth? a smart, mini-cinderella, perfectly beautiful little 8-year old? an undernourished anne shirley if you ask me. (i compare everyone to anne because she is my definition of god)
elizabeth is lonely and never cared for by her stone cold aunt, until anne comes along and goes down, instead of rebecca dew, to give her her daily glass of milk.
little beth dreams of 'tomorrow', a land where her father spends time with her. cries. naturally, anne helps elizabeth design 'tomorrow', and then...stuff happens. i think this is a spoiler free review. ok, something good happens and you have to read the book to find out.
side note: i loved how elizabeth had different names for herself based on her mood, it was so adorable. i totally want to do this with my name, but except for dir-dir, an unfortunate nickname i adopted, i can't think of anything else.
“windy poplars” is the perfect pick-me-up and unrealistic yet simply beautiful read for any occasion. read it or you will miss out on the true meaning of a book. or if you're that kind of person, i dare you to.
so, if you didn't already read this, first of all, what was your childhood like? dark, i suppose. mine had elegance because of this book. i was the most poised seven year old you've ever seen. i drank tea and occasionally spit-balled gems like this one; "maman, will i get my milk from the goats at 3? oh, and do take me to strawberry island soon. i've just drawn a course to get there and gilberta the maid will be rowing the boat. farewell!". i'm dead serious. my mother has a video.
“windy poplars” follows anne's life after college and chronicles her adventures with her students. when anne decides to board with aunt kate, aunt chatty, and housekeeper; rebecca dew. they all live in a beautiful house called windy poplars. i'd like to take the time to mention anne's beautiful tower room. ugh, may have been the only reason i even read this book in the first place. anyways, anne boards with the aunts and teaches at summerside school.
i heavily enjoyed the subplots. many authors make them bland, or at least less interesting than the real story. but let me tell you, some of her students were more interesting than the main characters. of course not my darling 'lil anne, but still. and yes, anne and i are close like that. close enough that i gave her a rapper name. did you give her a rapper name? probably not. something to dwell on, i guess. moving on, i really wish novellas were more common at the time montgomery wrote this, i just would've adored to read about katherine brooke's life after “windy poplars”.
my favorites, aka daughters:
- katherine. her childhood and connection to anne after she started to warm up; she felt like an uncared for anne shirley who never had a marilla in her life to help steer her to shore.
- nora nelson. never have i wanted to hug a character more. the constant comparisons of her and her beautiful soon-to-be-wed sister made me want to sob & thank god my parents weren't fiends who valued looks over integrity.
- dovie. yes, i'm a sucker for romance and the strong women that come along with it, thank you very much. dovie is girly, she's strong, and she's timid. it's so refreshing to read about a girl who's so truly proud of being who she is. what i didn't like was that they constantly referred to her as plump yet beautiful. no thanks, but i decided to look over it for the moment because the book itself is already very forward, and there were certain stupid stereotypes at the time when it was written.
- and...elizabeth. who couldn't love elizabeth? a smart, mini-cinderella, perfectly beautiful little 8-year old? an undernourished anne shirley if you ask me. (i compare everyone to anne because she is my definition of god)
elizabeth is lonely and never cared for by her stone cold aunt, until anne comes along and goes down, instead of rebecca dew, to give her her daily glass of milk.
little beth dreams of 'tomorrow', a land where her father spends time with her. cries. naturally, anne helps elizabeth design 'tomorrow', and then...stuff happens. i think this is a spoiler free review. ok, something good happens and you have to read the book to find out.
side note: i loved how elizabeth had different names for herself based on her mood, it was so adorable. i totally want to do this with my name, but except for dir-dir, an unfortunate nickname i adopted, i can't think of anything else.
“windy poplars” is the perfect pick-me-up and unrealistic yet simply beautiful read for any occasion. read it or you will miss out on the true meaning of a book. or if you're that kind of person, i dare you to.
March 26, 2024
5+ stars (7/10 hearts). I never know just how to write a review of the Anne books, because they are so good and I love them so much. This one I go back and forth about how much I love it… sometime it’s something of a drag because I’ve read it so often, other times it’s delightful. Such is the reader’s life…
Here we have a sudden shift from the old familiar friends and dwells upon completely new folk. It’s very nice to see all these new people... little Elizabeth and the widows and Rebecca Dew and Katherine and Lewis and... just all of them! They’re all so real and humorous and beautiful and living.
There’s so much humanity and story in here! The other Anne books have more plot and arc, but this one is really a collection of stories of dozens of people, and I love that portrait of the world. It’s endlessly fascinating and it teaches so many good lessons. Just like all the books, I don’t agree with everything, but it’s beautiful and humorous and just so good. <33
Content: Some mild language; a mention that a girl will never be able to find a husband if it gets out that she was found with a man at 2 o’clock in the morning. There’s nothing at all inappropriate about how that happened; I can’t tell more because of spoilers! Recommended age: 14+
A Favourite Quote: “One can always find something lovely to look at or listen to,” said Anne.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...last night we had a silver thaw and today the sun shone. My maple grove was a place of unimaginable splendours. Even the commonplaces had been made lovely. Every bit of wire fencing was a wonder of crystal lace.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘The quality of mercy is not strained,’” giggled Sally[.]
“Don't quote the Bible flippantly,” rebuked Aunt Mouser. “You must excuse her, Miss Shirley. She just ain't used to getting married.”
Here we have a sudden shift from the old familiar friends and dwells upon completely new folk. It’s very nice to see all these new people... little Elizabeth and the widows and Rebecca Dew and Katherine and Lewis and... just all of them! They’re all so real and humorous and beautiful and living.
There’s so much humanity and story in here! The other Anne books have more plot and arc, but this one is really a collection of stories of dozens of people, and I love that portrait of the world. It’s endlessly fascinating and it teaches so many good lessons. Just like all the books, I don’t agree with everything, but it’s beautiful and humorous and just so good. <33
Content: Some mild language; a mention that a girl will never be able to find a husband if it gets out that she was found with a man at 2 o’clock in the morning. There’s nothing at all inappropriate about how that happened; I can’t tell more because of spoilers! Recommended age: 14+
A Favourite Quote: “One can always find something lovely to look at or listen to,” said Anne.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...last night we had a silver thaw and today the sun shone. My maple grove was a place of unimaginable splendours. Even the commonplaces had been made lovely. Every bit of wire fencing was a wonder of crystal lace.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘The quality of mercy is not strained,’” giggled Sally[.]
“Don't quote the Bible flippantly,” rebuked Aunt Mouser. “You must excuse her, Miss Shirley. She just ain't used to getting married.”
May 13, 2021
This is a classic middle grade, and this is the 4th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. Some of this book is written as letters. I love the letters parts. I did really like this book, but I have to say I loved Anne of Green Gables so much more then this book. Some of the characters in this book I do not think is very developed. (*)
September 1, 2022
کتابی که پر از نامه باشه ولی باز هم جذبهی خاصی داشته باشه، گلیست از گلهای بهشت! 🌹👍💝
June 24, 2021
3.5 rounded to 4
Anne Shirley is once again away from Avonlea. Now that she's completed her B.A. at Redmond College, she lives at Windy Poplars and is the principal at Summerside High School. This story covers her three-year stay in Summerside away from Gilbert Blythe, who's a medical student at Redmond College.
A lot of the story is told in letters from Anne to Gilbert during this three-year period. That was an interesting change from the storytelling style in the first three books. I did, however, miss actual interactions between Anne and Gilbert. I wish at least a letter or two from Gilbert to Anne had been included in the book.
Since Anne moved to Summerside by herself, none of the main characters from the previous books (Marilla, Rachel Lynde, Diana) play much of a role in this story. I missed them, but enjoyed some of the new characters Anne met. With her wit and optimistic disposition, Anne overcame the obstacles she faced at Summerside and changed the lives of many there.
"One can always find something lovely to look at or listen to." said Anne
Anne Shirley is once again away from Avonlea. Now that she's completed her B.A. at Redmond College, she lives at Windy Poplars and is the principal at Summerside High School. This story covers her three-year stay in Summerside away from Gilbert Blythe, who's a medical student at Redmond College.
A lot of the story is told in letters from Anne to Gilbert during this three-year period. That was an interesting change from the storytelling style in the first three books. I did, however, miss actual interactions between Anne and Gilbert. I wish at least a letter or two from Gilbert to Anne had been included in the book.
Since Anne moved to Summerside by herself, none of the main characters from the previous books (Marilla, Rachel Lynde, Diana) play much of a role in this story. I missed them, but enjoyed some of the new characters Anne met. With her wit and optimistic disposition, Anne overcame the obstacles she faced at Summerside and changed the lives of many there.
"One can always find something lovely to look at or listen to." said Anne
Read
October 10, 2024Reread for a reading vlog: https://youtu.be/Z-1p0hIp-Ng (watch for both a spoiler free and spoiler filled review of each of the eight books in the series - spoilers are all clearly marked and easily skipped!)
Written review to come ❤️
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Written review to come ❤️
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
August 8, 2021
من جای نویسنده بودم
اسم این جلد رو میزاشتم گرین گیبلز درمانی : ))
هر کی میرفت متحول برمیگشت😁
میخام در خانه ی رویاها رو همین الان شروع کنم*-*
یکی از قشنگترین تابستون هامو با این مجموعه ساختم قطعا 💓🌸
اسم این جلد رو میزاشتم گرین گیبلز درمانی : ))
هر کی میرفت متحول برمیگشت😁
میخام در خانه ی رویاها رو همین الان شروع کنم*-*
یکی از قشنگترین تابستون هامو با این مجموعه ساختم قطعا 💓🌸
February 4, 2020
Now while Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Windy Poplars is considered the fourth of the Anne of Green Gables stories according to the timeline of Anne Shirley's life (and describes with both meticulously descriptive detail and often very much delightful, sometimes even wickedly hilarious humour her three years teaching at a girl's academy in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, whilst her fiancé Gilbert Blythe is studying to be a doctor), Anne of Windy Poplars is actually the second to last novel of the series if one looks at its publication date of 1936 (with only the sixth story of Anne's life, with only Anne of Ingleside coming later, being published in 1939). And whereas I as an older adult reader now do indeed very much consider Anne of Windy Poplars as one of my absolute and all-time personal favourite stories about Anne Shirley, I also have to admit that this appreciation and intensely passionate enjoyment has in fact come rather slowly and only after I learned to enjoy (to love) epistolary novels (for in fact, when I first read Anne of Windy Poplars as a teenager, I actually found the novel's letter-based style of textual presentation both annoying and distracting, something that I of course now no longer feel AT ALL, but something that definitely very much lessened my reading enjoyment and pleasure in 1983, when I first read or rather tried to read Anne of Windy Poplars).
As such, while I do very much and highly recommend Anne of Windy Poplars, I do feel that I must leave the necessary caveat that Anne of Windy Poplars is definitely and basically for much of the novel an account of a multitude of diversely episodic letters narrated by Anne Shirley about her various experiences teaching and living in Summerside, written by her to her fiancé, to Gilbert Blythe (who really never does make all that much of a physical appearance in Anne of Windy Poplars except briefly during the Christmas in Avonlea episode, but who is always and nevertheless at least in my opinion omnipresent in Anne of Windy Poplars as the hypothetical reader, as the recipient of Anne's letters, something that I now do absolutely love and find very if not even extremely attractive, but also something that I know many readers have in particular faulted and found majorly annoying with regard to Anne of Windy Poplars).
And indeed, even sixteen year old I (my age in 1983, during my first perusal of Anne of Windy Poplars) was at first rather a bit annoyed at Gilbert's physical absence from the the actual happenings, from most of the actual stories of Anne of Windy Poplars, although truth be told, when I reread Anne of Windy Poplars as a university student (and later) and after I had become majorly enamoured of letter-based and themed novels, Gilbert Blythe's very absence actually made Anne of Windy Poplars increasingly a personal favourite for me (since now I could in my own mind imagine Gilbert reading and enjoying Anne's letters to him without actually having to read all that much about him, for indeed and in fact, I have only really started enjoying how L.M. Montgomery narratively depicts and describes especially Gilbert Blythe as a literary character once Anne and he get married, during and after Anne's House of Dreams, and not actually having to read all that much if anything about him in Anne of Windy Poplars but being able to freely use my imagination to think and depict in my mind's eye Gilbert Blythe reading, laughing and perhaps at times even crying over Anne Shirley's descriptive and full of details and interesting tidbits letters to him, that really and truly has started to lastingly cement Anne of Windy Poplars as one of my treasured favourite Anne of Green Gables series offerings).
As such, while I do very much and highly recommend Anne of Windy Poplars, I do feel that I must leave the necessary caveat that Anne of Windy Poplars is definitely and basically for much of the novel an account of a multitude of diversely episodic letters narrated by Anne Shirley about her various experiences teaching and living in Summerside, written by her to her fiancé, to Gilbert Blythe (who really never does make all that much of a physical appearance in Anne of Windy Poplars except briefly during the Christmas in Avonlea episode, but who is always and nevertheless at least in my opinion omnipresent in Anne of Windy Poplars as the hypothetical reader, as the recipient of Anne's letters, something that I now do absolutely love and find very if not even extremely attractive, but also something that I know many readers have in particular faulted and found majorly annoying with regard to Anne of Windy Poplars).
And indeed, even sixteen year old I (my age in 1983, during my first perusal of Anne of Windy Poplars) was at first rather a bit annoyed at Gilbert's physical absence from the the actual happenings, from most of the actual stories of Anne of Windy Poplars, although truth be told, when I reread Anne of Windy Poplars as a university student (and later) and after I had become majorly enamoured of letter-based and themed novels, Gilbert Blythe's very absence actually made Anne of Windy Poplars increasingly a personal favourite for me (since now I could in my own mind imagine Gilbert reading and enjoying Anne's letters to him without actually having to read all that much about him, for indeed and in fact, I have only really started enjoying how L.M. Montgomery narratively depicts and describes especially Gilbert Blythe as a literary character once Anne and he get married, during and after Anne's House of Dreams, and not actually having to read all that much if anything about him in Anne of Windy Poplars but being able to freely use my imagination to think and depict in my mind's eye Gilbert Blythe reading, laughing and perhaps at times even crying over Anne Shirley's descriptive and full of details and interesting tidbits letters to him, that really and truly has started to lastingly cement Anne of Windy Poplars as one of my treasured favourite Anne of Green Gables series offerings).
July 24, 2023
Kocham Anię, as you know. Jest to cudowna seria, w której z wielką chęcią się zatracam. Moje comfort place. Ania to moja przyjaciółka.
October 22, 2021
When I read the 3rd book in the Anne of green gables series I said that I hoped to get to this soon. It took me almost a year but better late then never I guess. While this is either my least favorite in the series or I've been away from the series to long. I still loved the cozy and humble reading experience. I couldn't stand the Netflix series but in these books I absolutely adore Anne.
May 8, 2023
There really is something about Anne Shirley -- even when the book had its predictable moments, when L.M. Montgomery returns to the various situations and character types that she perhaps overuses a bit, Anne shines through and makes the reading experience absolutely lovely. Although it's not just Anne -- the author does have a magical way with language. I know if I tried to replicate it I would just sound silly, a pale imitation, but her beautiful descriptions of houses, places, people and thoughts are captivating and soothing to read.
With the exception of Hazel Marr, and perhaps the nightmarish twins that Anne babysits, I found the annoying characters were mostly amusing and disappeared before they had time to irritate me too much. I loved the Aunts and Rebecca Dew --- and thankfully, since Anne was so devoted to her, I loved Elizabeth Grayson. I especially liked how, although her dreamy aspect felt similar to Anne as a young girl, she was her own interesting character. The conclusion of the book and Anne's time with Elizabeth is what raised the book for me and outweighed the less dazzling aspects.
I liked Anne's letters to Gilbert, but I must admit I preferred it when things returned to the third person. Anne's writing was lovely, but somehow didn't have the same flair, which might sound odd since they were of course written by the same person! But I felt more connected when things moved away from the letters. Rather disloyally I didn't miss Gilbert, but I think that is because I know in future times he will feature more often, so I enjoyed these last years with Anne Shirley before she becomes Anne Blythe.
This was a buddy read with Carolyn, Leeanne and Shirin -- I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussion so far and look forward to expanding on things more now that we have all finished the book!
With the exception of Hazel Marr, and perhaps the nightmarish twins that Anne babysits, I found the annoying characters were mostly amusing and disappeared before they had time to irritate me too much. I loved the Aunts and Rebecca Dew --- and thankfully, since Anne was so devoted to her, I loved Elizabeth Grayson. I especially liked how, although her dreamy aspect felt similar to Anne as a young girl, she was her own interesting character. The conclusion of the book and Anne's time with Elizabeth is what raised the book for me and outweighed the less dazzling aspects.
I liked Anne's letters to Gilbert, but I must admit I preferred it when things returned to the third person. Anne's writing was lovely, but somehow didn't have the same flair, which might sound odd since they were of course written by the same person! But I felt more connected when things moved away from the letters. Rather disloyally I didn't miss Gilbert, but I think that is because I know in future times he will feature more often, so I enjoyed these last years with Anne Shirley before she becomes Anne Blythe.
This was a buddy read with Carolyn, Leeanne and Shirin -- I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussion so far and look forward to expanding on things more now that we have all finished the book!
August 29, 2023
Full (mini) review now posted!
I have a soft spot for epistolary novels. I love getting someone’s innermost thoughts in their own words. This book was a hybrid, half epistolary and half regular novel. But it’s all Anne Shirley in all of her glory, enjoying a new home and profession and conglomeration of interesting neighbors. If I had to choose one word to describe this novel, that would would be shenanigans. Seriously, Anne gets into so many uncomfortable, hilarious situations, and witnesses her neighbors getting into even more. While there were a couple of sadder scenes, for the most part this novel is light and fluffy and undoubtedly funny. While not always viewed as a legitimate installment of the Green Gables series (some Kindle collections provide only six installments instead of eight), I think this installment is worthy of its place in the series, and shouldn’t be missed.
I have a soft spot for epistolary novels. I love getting someone’s innermost thoughts in their own words. This book was a hybrid, half epistolary and half regular novel. But it’s all Anne Shirley in all of her glory, enjoying a new home and profession and conglomeration of interesting neighbors. If I had to choose one word to describe this novel, that would would be shenanigans. Seriously, Anne gets into so many uncomfortable, hilarious situations, and witnesses her neighbors getting into even more. While there were a couple of sadder scenes, for the most part this novel is light and fluffy and undoubtedly funny. While not always viewed as a legitimate installment of the Green Gables series (some Kindle collections provide only six installments instead of eight), I think this installment is worthy of its place in the series, and shouldn’t be missed.
July 19, 2020
"Oh, it's good … good … good to be home again!"
Once again I was pleasantly surprised by L. M. Montgomery, who it seems never fails to make it interesting irrespective of the circumstances. The different approach of narration using letters from Anne to Gilbert was a nice bit of change.
Almost all the characters were new this time around, and with very little reference to happenings at Green Gables. But all new characters were fascinating. And, though emotional, glad to have found a happy ending to this chapter of Anne's life.
"I'm glad I don't live in Yesterday … that Tomorrow is still a friend."
"Life is good … good!"
Once again I was pleasantly surprised by L. M. Montgomery, who it seems never fails to make it interesting irrespective of the circumstances. The different approach of narration using letters from Anne to Gilbert was a nice bit of change.
Almost all the characters were new this time around, and with very little reference to happenings at Green Gables. But all new characters were fascinating. And, though emotional, glad to have found a happy ending to this chapter of Anne's life.
"I'm glad I don't live in Yesterday … that Tomorrow is still a friend."
"Life is good … good!"
December 22, 2021
Fourth in the Anne of Green Gables series and I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the others.
Anne is now in her early twenties, engaged and away from home and Gilbert. Anne is teaching for three years and this book is 80% letters to her family and Gilbert. Some parts of the letters are omitted for privacy reasons which is an interesting concept for fictional characters.
I am looking forward to the next book though when Anne is back where she belongs.
Anne is now in her early twenties, engaged and away from home and Gilbert. Anne is teaching for three years and this book is 80% letters to her family and Gilbert. Some parts of the letters are omitted for privacy reasons which is an interesting concept for fictional characters.
I am looking forward to the next book though when Anne is back where she belongs.
March 8, 2023
Cada uno de estos libros es una caricia al alma. Las historias de Ana son lindas, inocentes y pasajeras. Y disfruto mucho ver cómo el personaje crece y sin embargo no pierde su carácter y carisma de siempre.
En este cuarto volumen Ana debe mudarse a la casita de álamos ventosos durante tres años para poder dar clases en el instituto Summerside. Mientras tanto se comunica con Gilbert mediante cartas, contándole las novedades y anécdotas de su día a día.
Lo disfruté muchísimo, muy lindo de leer, me sacó varias sonrisas y me encantó encontrarme nuevamente con Ana.
Súper recomedado! ✨💕
Yo leyendo Ana la de tejas verdes: 🥺🥰🥺😊🤭
En este cuarto volumen Ana debe mudarse a la casita de álamos ventosos durante tres años para poder dar clases en el instituto Summerside. Mientras tanto se comunica con Gilbert mediante cartas, contándole las novedades y anécdotas de su día a día.
Lo disfruté muchísimo, muy lindo de leer, me sacó varias sonrisas y me encantó encontrarme nuevamente con Ana.
Súper recomedado! ✨💕
Yo leyendo Ana la de tejas verdes: 🥺🥰🥺😊🤭
June 22, 2018
I finished it.
-- The writing was... lacking description quite a few times. It also was all over the place. I didn't see much need for the formatting of telling stories through the letters. I didn't like that too much.
-- It was rather pointless... I love the Anne books and will finish the series, of course, but this was like a little book of stories I really didn't care about. There were a ton of characters. 90% of them were totals jerks so I was speed-reading most of the time.
Overall, I didn't enjoy myself but at least it is over. I can't wait to see the next book.
-- The writing was... lacking description quite a few times. It also was all over the place. I didn't see much need for the formatting of telling stories through the letters. I didn't like that too much.
-- It was rather pointless... I love the Anne books and will finish the series, of course, but this was like a little book of stories I really didn't care about. There were a ton of characters. 90% of them were totals jerks so I was speed-reading most of the time.
Overall, I didn't enjoy myself but at least it is over. I can't wait to see the next book.
February 22, 2017
~4.5 stars~
I wasn’t too sure about how I would like this book once I realized that most of it was just Anne’s letters to Gilbert—But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy it! It could definitely be a little slow in some areas, and I don’t think it is in any way my favorite out of the series as a whole, but I am still glad I decided to continue on with this beautiful series that L.M. Montgomery has created ^_^ I am looking forward to reading the fifth book really soon because of (It is only kinda a spoiler since most people already know this anyways :P But just thought I would hide it just in case xD...)
Sorry, I know this wasn't that detailed of a review, but it is the best I can do at the moment :P
I wasn’t too sure about how I would like this book once I realized that most of it was just Anne’s letters to Gilbert—But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy it! It could definitely be a little slow in some areas, and I don’t think it is in any way my favorite out of the series as a whole, but I am still glad I decided to continue on with this beautiful series that L.M. Montgomery has created ^_^ I am looking forward to reading the fifth book really soon because of (It is only kinda a spoiler since most people already know this anyways :P But just thought I would hide it just in case xD...)
Sorry, I know this wasn't that detailed of a review, but it is the best I can do at the moment :P
May 2, 2023
Niestety przyłączam się do głosów oceniających ten tom najsłabiej (przynajmniej do tej pory). Niezbyt podobała mi się również jednostronna forma epistolarna - aż prosiło się o jakiś Gilbertowy znak życia.
October 11, 2018
4.5 stars!
I. LOVE. THESE. BOOKS. Are they perfect? No. Are they very much enjoyable nevertheless? YES!
Things I liked:
I really loved Anne’s newfound maturity in this book. She’s still the young, imaginative, energetic, loving, enthusiastic Anne we know and love, but the life lessons she learned in the previous book have settled in and I really liked how grounded she was, and how secure in her engagement to Gilbert. Unlike in the previous book, there was never a time when I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her, which was very nice, indeed.
I’ll also add that I once again found Anne’s kindness an inspiration. Some might call Anne a meddler, and yes, sometimes she does meddle and experiences the consequences. However, there are also times when she goes out of her way to be kind and care for individuals she barely even knows. She looks at even the grouchiest, bitterest, meanest people and tries to find something likable about them, and find a way to help them stop being so bitter and grouchy and see the beauty of the world. I can’t help but think, what if we all did that? Instead of returning cruelty with cruelty, what if we looked at even the worst people with love and showed that love to them despite their hatred toward us? The world would be a much better place.
Little Elizabeth. I said in one of my updates that had things not worked out for little Elizabeth, I would have thrown the book at the wall, and I meant it! But things worked out with such sweet perfection, I just couldn’t help crying a bit out of happiness for that wonderful, dear, sweet, little girl.
The widows and Rebecca Dew. So quirky, so lovable. And that letter Rebecca Dew gave Anne at the end. <3
The storylines of many other characters, too numerous to list here. It was wonderful seeing those characters who were willing to grow and change.
The ending. Montgomery seems to have a special knack for endings. They’re always so satisfying, so wistful, so touching, so…so…superb. I always find my eyes welling up (in a good way) and wanting to hug the book (and actually hugging the book), and this one was no different. Just…GAH! I LOVED IT. <3333
Oh, and while I can’t necessarily say that I *like* this, I have to give Montgomery credit for being masterful at getting me emotionally attached to characters very easily. I don’t think I can give details lest I spoil a plot point for anyone who hasn’t read this book yet, but there was one character who was barely around for, like, two pages, but Montgomery still made me cry over the individual when something happened a little later.
Things I didn’t like:
Uh…Not much? I mean, just like in any Anne book, you’ve got some pretty ridiculous/silly characters, some of which are more annoying than others, but I don’t think I outright hated anyone or anything that happened. Probably the most annoying characters, for me, had to be the twins, Gerald and Geraldine. Having recently watched a certain movie about a certain magical nanny, I kept thinking through their whole little segment of story, “The person you need is Nanny McPhee.” :P There was also a young lady named Hazel who I found annoying because she was so melodramatic about EVERYTHING, and, after specifically asking Anne to do something, came back and chastised Anne for doing that exact thing, turning things around so it was like the whole thing was Anne’s idea, not hers, and that Anne had been trying to steal her man. I really, Really, REALLY wanted to throw the book at that girl’s head. :P
There was also one little section of the book where I skipped a few pages simply because what was being talked about wasn’t relevant to anything. I want to be clear that what was being talked about didn’t bother me on a moral level or anything like that, it was just…Well, if you’ve read the Anne books, you know that sometimes Montgomery allowed the characters to go off on little tangents. Sometimes these tangents had relevance to the story, and sometimes it’s just silliness spewing from Montgomery’s imagination that added color to the story if nothing else. I usually don’t mind these little tangents, and read them relevant or not, but in this case it just went on too long. Anne and a local woman were walking through the town graveyard while the woman gave Anne the stories of many of the people buried in the graveyard. Out of 6 pages-worth of these mini-stories, I think only two or three of them were referenced later on in the book, so really, it was about 4 pages too much information. While it’s nice that Montgomery had such a fertile imagination that she could come up with mini-histories for so many people and communities and make them all unique, there are times I wish I could tell her that it’s okay to leave some of it out.
One other thing is that I would have liked Gilbert to have had a bigger role in this story, or at least some dialog, but I guess that is what it is, and I’m sure we’ll get more from him in later books when he and Anne are together again
Other than those minor gripes, though, there wasn’t anything I truly disliked about this book. It still isn’t quite as perfectly wonderful in my mind as the very first book, but I liked it better than book three, and even book two. As such, I’m giving it 4.5.
Content advisory for those who want to know:
No swearing.
No sexual content.
Violence: Anne reads a very old journal at one point that reveals that a certain individual (who has long been deceased by the time Anne reads the journal), apparently once committed an act of cannibalism. The journal simply states the context in which it happened, nothing is described graphically, and everyone who knows about it thinks it disgusting and shameful.
There is also a family in the Summerside community who is supposedly cursed, and many of its members are said to have died tragically. Again, nothing is described graphically, we simply hear that Uncle so-and-so fell and hit his head. Aunt whats-her-name had a stroke and died in that very chair, etc.
There is also a non-violent death of a character who, while not present for very long, is still likable, as it seems that Montgomery couldn’t write a book where someone doesn’t die and make you cry. *sigh*
Worldviews: L. M. Montgomery was clearly a Bible-reading and believing Christian given how many biblical references and biblically-based morals she sprinkled into these stories. The stories are also set in a time when it was expected that most decent, upstanding, members of society went to church, and church is mentioned from time to time, as is prayer. However, just like in real life, not everyone in the book who goes to church or “goes through the motions” of trying to act Christian actually is a believer in Christ, or behaves like true followers and lovers of Jesus should. At the same time, there are many characters who, it is clear, truly are believers and, while no human being is portraited as perfect, do try to behave as they should.
Heaven is also mentioned a few times.
I. LOVE. THESE. BOOKS. Are they perfect? No. Are they very much enjoyable nevertheless? YES!
Things I liked:
I really loved Anne’s newfound maturity in this book. She’s still the young, imaginative, energetic, loving, enthusiastic Anne we know and love, but the life lessons she learned in the previous book have settled in and I really liked how grounded she was, and how secure in her engagement to Gilbert. Unlike in the previous book, there was never a time when I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her, which was very nice, indeed.
I’ll also add that I once again found Anne’s kindness an inspiration. Some might call Anne a meddler, and yes, sometimes she does meddle and experiences the consequences. However, there are also times when she goes out of her way to be kind and care for individuals she barely even knows. She looks at even the grouchiest, bitterest, meanest people and tries to find something likable about them, and find a way to help them stop being so bitter and grouchy and see the beauty of the world. I can’t help but think, what if we all did that? Instead of returning cruelty with cruelty, what if we looked at even the worst people with love and showed that love to them despite their hatred toward us? The world would be a much better place.
Little Elizabeth. I said in one of my updates that had things not worked out for little Elizabeth, I would have thrown the book at the wall, and I meant it! But things worked out with such sweet perfection, I just couldn’t help crying a bit out of happiness for that wonderful, dear, sweet, little girl.
The widows and Rebecca Dew. So quirky, so lovable. And that letter Rebecca Dew gave Anne at the end. <3
The storylines of many other characters, too numerous to list here. It was wonderful seeing those characters who were willing to grow and change.
The ending. Montgomery seems to have a special knack for endings. They’re always so satisfying, so wistful, so touching, so…so…superb. I always find my eyes welling up (in a good way) and wanting to hug the book (and actually hugging the book), and this one was no different. Just…GAH! I LOVED IT. <3333
Oh, and while I can’t necessarily say that I *like* this, I have to give Montgomery credit for being masterful at getting me emotionally attached to characters very easily. I don’t think I can give details lest I spoil a plot point for anyone who hasn’t read this book yet, but there was one character who was barely around for, like, two pages, but Montgomery still made me cry over the individual when something happened a little later.
Things I didn’t like:
Uh…Not much? I mean, just like in any Anne book, you’ve got some pretty ridiculous/silly characters, some of which are more annoying than others, but I don’t think I outright hated anyone or anything that happened. Probably the most annoying characters, for me, had to be the twins, Gerald and Geraldine. Having recently watched a certain movie about a certain magical nanny, I kept thinking through their whole little segment of story, “The person you need is Nanny McPhee.” :P There was also a young lady named Hazel who I found annoying because she was so melodramatic about EVERYTHING, and, after specifically asking Anne to do something, came back and chastised Anne for doing that exact thing, turning things around so it was like the whole thing was Anne’s idea, not hers, and that Anne had been trying to steal her man. I really, Really, REALLY wanted to throw the book at that girl’s head. :P
There was also one little section of the book where I skipped a few pages simply because what was being talked about wasn’t relevant to anything. I want to be clear that what was being talked about didn’t bother me on a moral level or anything like that, it was just…Well, if you’ve read the Anne books, you know that sometimes Montgomery allowed the characters to go off on little tangents. Sometimes these tangents had relevance to the story, and sometimes it’s just silliness spewing from Montgomery’s imagination that added color to the story if nothing else. I usually don’t mind these little tangents, and read them relevant or not, but in this case it just went on too long. Anne and a local woman were walking through the town graveyard while the woman gave Anne the stories of many of the people buried in the graveyard. Out of 6 pages-worth of these mini-stories, I think only two or three of them were referenced later on in the book, so really, it was about 4 pages too much information. While it’s nice that Montgomery had such a fertile imagination that she could come up with mini-histories for so many people and communities and make them all unique, there are times I wish I could tell her that it’s okay to leave some of it out.
One other thing is that I would have liked Gilbert to have had a bigger role in this story, or at least some dialog, but I guess that is what it is, and I’m sure we’ll get more from him in later books when he and Anne are together again
Other than those minor gripes, though, there wasn’t anything I truly disliked about this book. It still isn’t quite as perfectly wonderful in my mind as the very first book, but I liked it better than book three, and even book two. As such, I’m giving it 4.5.
Content advisory for those who want to know:
No swearing.
No sexual content.
Violence: Anne reads a very old journal at one point that reveals that a certain individual (who has long been deceased by the time Anne reads the journal), apparently once committed an act of cannibalism. The journal simply states the context in which it happened, nothing is described graphically, and everyone who knows about it thinks it disgusting and shameful.
There is also a family in the Summerside community who is supposedly cursed, and many of its members are said to have died tragically. Again, nothing is described graphically, we simply hear that Uncle so-and-so fell and hit his head. Aunt whats-her-name had a stroke and died in that very chair, etc.
There is also a non-violent death of a character who, while not present for very long, is still likable, as it seems that Montgomery couldn’t write a book where someone doesn’t die and make you cry. *sigh*
Worldviews: L. M. Montgomery was clearly a Bible-reading and believing Christian given how many biblical references and biblically-based morals she sprinkled into these stories. The stories are also set in a time when it was expected that most decent, upstanding, members of society went to church, and church is mentioned from time to time, as is prayer. However, just like in real life, not everyone in the book who goes to church or “goes through the motions” of trying to act Christian actually is a believer in Christ, or behaves like true followers and lovers of Jesus should. At the same time, there are many characters who, it is clear, truly are believers and, while no human being is portraited as perfect, do try to behave as they should.
Heaven is also mentioned a few times.
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