Anne of Green Gables | Review

I first read Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables as a young girl and then again in a Women's Literature course in University. As a youngster, I enjoyed relating to the adventures and mishaps of Anne (with and "e") and her bosom-buddy Diana, while as an adult I came to appreciate this coming of age story in many new ways.

The story begins with a nosy-neighbour's need to know why Matthew Cuthbert is taking his carriage into town in the afternoon wearing his best suit. Montgomery's ability to weave words and develop characters is immediately evident. Busy-body, Mrs. Rachel Lynde, soon finds out that brother and sister, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, are adopting an orphan boy to help out on their farm (Green Gables). After a series of mishaps, the Cuthberts end up with the spunky red-headed orphan, Anne Shirley.

The plot follows Anne's misadventures in the small town of Avonlea where her imagination runs wild and her mischievous ways often lead her into trouble. As both a young and adult reader, it was easy to relate to Anne as I saw some of myself in her. Some of her adventures include: playing with friends, accidentally getting her friend Diana drunk, and in an attempt to change her hair colour, dyeing her hair green then hiding under the covers in a fit of utter embarrassment.

This novel is comedic and heart-warming. I recommend it to young girls and older alike.

Enjoy!

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I give this book a rating of 10/10 and here's why:

Text: The imagery is magical and the style paired with the level of vocabulary makes this novel accessible both younger and older readers.

Dialogue: The speech is realistic and brilliantly linked to each character's personality.

Plot: The protagonist constantly encounters problems, but is able to overcome them and grow as a result.
Characters: Montgomery creates deep, interesting characters who are, from start to finish,  characters so easy to love (especially Matthew Cuthbert) or dislike.