Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery

[Cordilow]

This post refers to the novel (there is at least one movie, but I can't say I've seen it).

I had no idea that this book was public domain until I saw it on Librivox.org—so, I was curious and figured I'd try it out. I had heard interesting things about it, and how it affected people.

Anyway, I listened to it. Karen Savage does an exceedingly fine job at narrating, by the way, although there are several other free recordings to choose from besides hers.

Anyway, the book surprised me. I wasn't expecting it to be at all about a seemingly unusual, Canadian, orphan girl, come to Prince Edward Island—a girl with an imagination, who extols the virtue of having and using it. She seems a very happy person, except when she's drastically concerned about things she wants that have obstacles and such. She seems quite a passionate person about what she believes is true, and about what she makes up, much of the time.

Anne's character develops quite a lot throughout the book (and continues in future books), and it does cover quite a bit of time. She becomes more refined as time passes, and learns from her mistakes.

Anyway, it's well worth the read, although I don't know that I would recommend it to everyone. Anne's ways and ideals may be far too much for some people (especially the realistic, practical sorts that don't value imagination or don't like the ways in which she uses hers). I can only imagine the reaction of some people reading it at certain points.

A lot of things happen in this book. It's not a one-track story, I'd say, although the majority seems to focus on interesting things that happen with Anne as she gets older—but several of the themes are developed upon in later books, and virtually everyone Anne meets is important in some way (whether in this book or not).

My main qualm with Anne, though, is that she often labels people as not having any imagination. What she means by that precisely, I suppose, is a mystery: i.e. whether she means they really do have none at all, or if it's more of a whimsical expression not meant to be labeling beyond the minute, or what.

She goes to school, and is competitive academically (although her motivation should be noted). Eventually, she wants to teach, and then maybe more.

Anyway, it's a good book. I recommend it.

[Cordilow]

If you didn't check the subject, this post is about Anne of Avonlea (the sequel to Anne of Green Gables), and Anne of the Island (the third in the series), by Lucy Maud Montgomery. You may be surprised, as I was, to find that Anne of Green Gables continues into many other books.

The second and third books are also public domain, and the same narrator I mentioned before has done recordings for them, as well:
• http://librivox.org/anne-of-avonlea-by-lucy-maud-montgomery-2/
• http://librivox.org/anne-of-the-island-by-lucy-maud-montgomery-2/

Reading these books may help the reader to understand certain types of people more. I've known at least one person of the sort knowingly (and probably a lot more unknowingly). You'll probably know the sort I mean if you read the books and have known one, but Anne seems to be of that sort (more so in the second than the first, more so in the third than second).

Anne is more sophisticated in these books. They always said she used words too big for her age in the first book, and though she supposedly stopped, I don't know that I noticed much of a difference. The first book was probably more entertaining, but the next ones have different sorts of value. You learn a lot of things in them.

Anne starts a committee to improve her town. She continues her schooling. Anne helps a lot of people with their problems (particularly concerning relationships). She makes more friends (several times). She gets in and out of more scrapes. Romantic issues are resolved.

You'll want to be sure to remember all the people Anne meets. They all have ways of coming up again until they die, if ever they do (some do die, of course).

These books are all very dramatic, but beautifully done, so as not to be depressing, overly stressful or tiresome. If you can't handle this kind of drama—well, you'll know. It's a little different from the drama in the first book (which was mostly the playful or frustrated drama of a child).

Anyway, I'm curious about the next book. The next one (in order of Anne's age from youngest to oldest) is not public domain; that is Anne of Windy Poplars—so it may be a while before I read it. The next one that was written, however (Anne's House of Dreams), is public domain. I imagine one could read the public domain one first, seeing as back in the day it was in that order. Some of the other future ones also are and are not public domain, interestingly.