Anne of Green Gables

[debbiebee]

Was anyone else totally hooked on the Anne of Green Gables books? I adored them and still do, and have actually read the whole series. I'm not blind to their faults - yes, they can be very sentimental, but they still had and have a special place in my heart, and I still cry at Matthew's death and think that if Heaven isn't a bit like Prince Edward island, I don't want to go there!

[zeldas_lullaby]

Oh yes, I used to read Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island when I was 9/10, out on our second-floor sunporch. I still remember that--I loved them.

Small problem--I got bogged down by the third or fourth one in the series--it was a series of letters written by Anne to back home, and I just couldn't push through it. (Was that Anne of the Island or Anne of Windy Poplars?)

Then, as an adult, I tried again, starting with Anne of Green Gables, but it read like a mirror image of the miniseries, so I knew everything that would happen!

DebbieDee, can you give me any advice as to how to get back into them, maybe at a later point in the series? I'd love to find out what happens in the later books, but I need a jumping in point that isn't a quote-by-quote of the two miniseries that starred Megan Follows. Please help!

-- 04 Mar 2015, 18:03 --

Oh, and another thing: I don't think that the sentimentality was a fault! I was upset about Matthew too...

[RussetDivinity]

I loved those books when I was younger. I didn't mind the letters at all, but then, I was something of a precocious kid and would devour any book set in front of me, regardless of how difficult it was. I don't think I cried at Matthew's death, but later on (I think it was the eighth book), a certain character died, and I started sobbing.

I'll have to find those books again and reread them sometime.

[Rachaelamb1]

Aww I wish I grew up reading the books but ended up just seeing the movies when I was a kid. I should read the books as most books are way better than the movies. Either way though, Anne Shirley has a special place in my heart.

[csimmons032]

I have never read them, but I have always wanted to. Someday I will get around to reading them.

[Beth Davids]

I loved the series till Anne got married. Then the focus seemed to go off of her to others, and there wasnt enough spice in the story to keep it alive. However, after she had lots of children, the spice came back. I thoroughly enjoyed the last two books!

[zeldas_lullaby]

Yeah, it's kinda like that with the Little House in the Big Woods books--some are great, others aren't.

[gali]

I loved the 3 first books in the series and think they are the best of it. I didn't read the rest.

[allwritemel1967]

I LOVE Anne of Green Gables - she reminds me of me! I read about 3 of the books - got them on my e-reader. I didn't know there was more to the story so I guess a trip to the book shop is in order ...

[nina53]

This is definitely a classic series...Lucy Maude. Montgomery wrote many wonderful stories. ..Anne of Green Gables being some of her best..I love the books and I love the movies they made...thought they did an excellent job in staying true to the texts..If you love these I highly recommend you try some of her short stories...love them!

[Wounderlandvisitor]

A series that every girl(and boy too) should read growing up. My single father read the first 5 books to me and my two older sisters. He always wanted us to have a female character that we could look up to, and we related to the wildness of Anne. It a great book to widen your vocabulary and get to grow up with the characters. Now I have of course gone back through and reread the books. I'm still completely in love with the whole series and can't wait to pass these books down.

[zeldas_lullaby]

That's a beautiful story, Wounderland. That's my kind of father!

[SLKing]

Anne of Green Gables brings back so many memories as a child.

[selenium_m]

I've read the first two books in the series and I'm persuing the third. It is interesting to contrast a main character in Anne of Green Gables with what teens and young adults are reading nowadays. Somehow the perspective of childhood innocence is being lost as we progress through the decades.

[Nicolnik]

These books are perfect for preteen girls and up. The books capture a time in the past that was adventurous yet innocent at the same time. I have the series in my classroom. It is a wonderful series that brings Anne from young girl into adulthood. The series always reminded me of the Little House on the Prairie series. I also loved the interaction between Anne and Gilbert.