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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Without it's connection to Anne, I would rate this four stars, but because it's a prequel of sorts, I was left a little letdown.
I loved some aspects. The feel of the book stayed true to the original Anne series. It is slower paced, focuses on the relationships between the characters, and had a lot of childhood whimsy type moments. I loved all the nods to the original series (like Marilla's brooch) and really loved many of the characters that we know from the original series (especially Matthew). It was also really fun seeing Matthew and Marilla's parents. And despite the fact that I knew how it would end, I was really invested in the plot and romance.
My main issue was in what I saw as deviations from Marilla's original character. I would have liked her character, if she wasn't supposed to be the Marilla we know and love. There were a few little things that felt off to me, but I'll just focus on the main thing: Marilla as an abolitionist. I loved young Marilla and felt she was exactly how Marilla would have been as a child. Then she got involved in politics? I'm not even sure why this was added to the book. For added suspense? I felt it was unnecessary and would have personally liked the book a lot more if those sections had been entirely taken out. They felt superfluous to the plot and made it hard for me to see the character we were reading about becoming the Marilla we meet in Anne of Green Gables.
Overall, I enjoyed it and it was fun to have more from Avonlea, but I didn't love the direction they took Marilla's character.
I loved some aspects. The feel of the book stayed true to the original Anne series. It is slower paced, focuses on the relationships between the characters, and had a lot of childhood whimsy type moments. I loved all the nods to the original series (like Marilla's brooch) and really loved many of the characters that we know from the original series (especially Matthew). It was also really fun seeing Matthew and Marilla's parents. And despite the fact that I knew how it would end, I was really invested in the plot and romance.
My main issue was in what I saw as deviations from Marilla's original character. I would have liked her character, if she wasn't supposed to be the Marilla we know and love. There were a few little things that felt off to me, but I'll just focus on the main thing: Marilla as an abolitionist. I loved young Marilla and felt she was exactly how Marilla would have been as a child. Then she got involved in politics? I'm not even sure why this was added to the book. For added suspense? I felt it was unnecessary and would have personally liked the book a lot more if those sections had been entirely taken out. They felt superfluous to the plot and made it hard for me to see the character we were reading about becoming the Marilla we meet in Anne of Green Gables.
Overall, I enjoyed it and it was fun to have more from Avonlea, but I didn't love the direction they took Marilla's character.
So so good. Sarah McCoy took me to Green Gables, but in the eyes of Marilla.
I adored this story much more than I thought I would and am even more happy that I loved it so! Giving more background to Marilla Cuthbert’s origins, it’s an independent story all on its own that doesn’t derive or derail the beloved story of Anne’s. It’s a much different and unique one that differs from our spunky red head.
As it seems to be the trend to suddenly have prequels to beloved stories, I was nervous about this addition to my beloved Green Gables. Marilla was always a character who was just there and even though she could be stubborn, she still loved Anne deeply. This novel (or audiobook from my experience), doesn’t take away from the magic of the Gables, but rather will remind you of how much you love the little community of Avonlea.
As it seems to be the trend to suddenly have prequels to beloved stories, I was nervous about this addition to my beloved Green Gables. Marilla was always a character who was just there and even though she could be stubborn, she still loved Anne deeply. This novel (or audiobook from my experience), doesn’t take away from the magic of the Gables, but rather will remind you of how much you love the little community of Avonlea.
I was so afraid to read this since the Anne of Green Gables series is so dear to me, but the author did a wonderful job with this prequel. I thought she stayed true to the characters of the original works while adding on some meaningful side plots that still made sense. Marilla's story arc showed a lot of growth and motivation for the way she raised Anne, and I loved John Blythe and Aunt Izzy's characters as well. I was glad to see that the author didn't make Marilla and John's romance a carbon copy of Anne and Gilbert's. There were some similarities in personality traits and sweetness, but I didn't feel like they were the exact same person. I'd definitely recommend it to other fans of Avonlea!
I just love anything that has to do with my Anne of Green Gables and Prince Edward Island. If you love either, you will love Marilla’s story, which is told with such reverence for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Avonlea.
Full disclosure I have never read [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615094578l/8127._SY75_.jpg|3464264] so I wasn't sure what I was about to read. I found this book fascinating regarding Canada's position on slavery while the United States battled themselves over it. I would like to say that now I will read [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615094578l/8127._SY75_.jpg|3464264] but my reading list is too long to commit to that..maybe I will find the movie.
Just as sweet as you’d want. A tear jerker. Completely endearing.
I wasn’t that impressed with the obvious (lazy?) parallels to Anne’s story, and I wasn’t quite sure how this warm and sensitive Marilla morphs into the coldish, standoffish woman she is by the time Anne joins their family, but I’ll forgive that because I enjoyed it so much. To be honest, it doesn’t quite feel like it’s the same Marilla (or Matthew or Rachel) as in the AOGG series, but I was over it by the end. I’ll be interested to hear other opinions from my bookclub.
I wasn’t that impressed with the obvious (lazy?) parallels to Anne’s story, and I wasn’t quite sure how this warm and sensitive Marilla morphs into the coldish, standoffish woman she is by the time Anne joins their family, but I’ll forgive that because I enjoyed it so much. To be honest, it doesn’t quite feel like it’s the same Marilla (or Matthew or Rachel) as in the AOGG series, but I was over it by the end. I’ll be interested to hear other opinions from my bookclub.
I don't do much "fan fiction'- but I would not qualify this as such. It is Marialla's beautiful, imagined back story, and I thought it was fantastically done. Not too forces, and that characters we know and love from "Anne" were true to themselves- no easy feat. This book pleased me in every way. (and no, I'm not related to the author)
This was a lovely homage to one of my favorite literary characters. While some liberties were taken, I felt this was true to the spirit of the AoGG series. This was a pleasant and easy read for me. Definitely recommend!