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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
Rilla of Ingleside concludes the Anne of Green Gables series. It was a lovely experience to be absorbed in Prince Edward Island for the last couple months, and Rilla is a suitable bookend.
Many of the intervening books meandered, but I found this to have a strong focus. Rilla, the youngest of the Blythe children, is beautiful and self-absorbed at the start. She is falling in love as WWI begins. The war matures Rilla, and it plays a pivotal role in another plot point that stretches Rilla to think beyond herself. She acts as a foster mother for several years, when a mother dies in childbirth while her husband is overseas.
I savored this book, likely because of the clear focus instead of disjointed stories. There is heart to be found here, and the Blythe dog's loyalty is noteworthy.
I've reflected that I haven't often read books centered around WWI (I've found WWII tends to be more popular with modern literature), so it's interesting to note that in the past twelve months, I've read The Guns of August, Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance, and Rilla of Ingleside.
Many of the intervening books meandered, but I found this to have a strong focus. Rilla, the youngest of the Blythe children, is beautiful and self-absorbed at the start. She is falling in love as WWI begins. The war matures Rilla, and it plays a pivotal role in another plot point that stretches Rilla to think beyond herself. She acts as a foster mother for several years, when a mother dies in childbirth while her husband is overseas.
I savored this book, likely because of the clear focus instead of disjointed stories. There is heart to be found here, and the Blythe dog's loyalty is noteworthy.
I've reflected that I haven't often read books centered around WWI (I've found WWII tends to be more popular with modern literature), so it's interesting to note that in the past twelve months, I've read The Guns of August, Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance, and Rilla of Ingleside.
I am in tears right now. this was beautiful, maybe just speaking from sick delusion but I loved it.
Despite it being much darker than previous books, the beautiful writhing just makes it fit right in.
I love Rilla as a character, Walter has my heart and I loved that although it was their story, Gilbert and Anne still had their time in the spotlight. Walter’s letter is one of the nicest things I have read, I was bawling for a whole 10 minutes, it just makes me so sad even thinking about, he was so brave and it was so pointless :( Thanks a lot
the only thing I didn’t like was Susan and her cousin having crazy political debates anytime any news arrived that was boring
But otherwise I just adored this <33 it’s strange this series is actually done
Despite it being much darker than previous books, the beautiful writhing just makes it fit right in.
I love Rilla as a character, Walter has my heart and I loved that although it was their story, Gilbert and Anne still had their time in the spotlight. Walter’s letter is one of the nicest things I have read, I was bawling for a whole 10 minutes, it just makes me so sad even thinking about, he was so brave and it was so pointless :( Thanks a lot
the only thing I didn’t like was Susan and her cousin having crazy political debates anytime any news arrived that was boring
But otherwise I just adored this <33 it’s strange this series is actually done
This is the book that finally severed my relationship with Kevin Sullivan. When Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story premiered in the early 2000s, I was shocked to discover that Anne and Gilbert were suddenly time warped to WWI.
That's wrong. On so many levels.
WWI wasn't Anne's war, it was Rilla's, and Ken's, and Walter's, and that damn dog who turns me into a gushy mess every freaking time I read the last chapter. Rilla -- the youngest child of Anne and Gilbert -- is fifteen (see what I mean about the time warp??) and desperately in love with the boy next door. When the world around her crashes and she's forced to grow up quickly, her journey is just as enjoyable as her mother's was in the first three books. The difference is, this is a mature kind of love. Though I devoured the entire series as a seven year old, Rilla of Ingleside is the one that I've worn through with repeated readings as an adult. Simply put, it's perfection.
The fact that Kevin Sullivan clearly ignored the fact that this book was written at all is frustrating and, to a reader who considers this book one of the reasons she became a romance writer, downright cruel.
That's wrong. On so many levels.
WWI wasn't Anne's war, it was Rilla's, and Ken's, and Walter's, and that damn dog who turns me into a gushy mess every freaking time I read the last chapter. Rilla -- the youngest child of Anne and Gilbert -- is fifteen (see what I mean about the time warp??) and desperately in love with the boy next door. When the world around her crashes and she's forced to grow up quickly, her journey is just as enjoyable as her mother's was in the first three books. The difference is, this is a mature kind of love. Though I devoured the entire series as a seven year old, Rilla of Ingleside is the one that I've worn through with repeated readings as an adult. Simply put, it's perfection.
The fact that Kevin Sullivan clearly ignored the fact that this book was written at all is frustrating and, to a reader who considers this book one of the reasons she became a romance writer, downright cruel.
Rilla of Ingleside has been my favorite Anne book since the day I read it. I relate to Rilla far more than I do to Anne, and I love how she is not as 'perfect' a character as Anne is.
I think L.M. Montgomery captured the sum of themes and ideas that were introduced in the other books. Anne’s imagination is brought to fulfillment in her son Walter, her love for life is fulfilled in Rilla. This book is brilliant because Montgomery’s readers would’ve just gone through the same things Rilla did. In writing a war novel, she likely brought back ideals and virtues they’d learned during WW1. Important dates brought readers back to what they were doing then, when they heard those life-changing pieces of news.
Montgomery discusses how the little things shape us through focusing on ordinary, day-to-day events. It also tackles subjects such as grief, war, and why love for creativity is so important. I think the book shows that simply living an ordinary life can be beautiful, and we don’t always have to have big dreams or plans.
Some of my favorite passages from the series are from this book, on the pages featured in this post. Walter tells Rilla about a vision he has for the future- a world that’s secure for everyone. The dreamers, workers, poets, writers, they’re all secured by fighting off the Aryan ideals of the time. He tells Rilla of the Idea that they are fighting for and urges her to continue fighting for it on the home front, with her children, friends, anyone she comes in contact with.
I don’t think that you have to have read the rest of the Anne books to read this, but I do think it’s a lovely conclusion to Montgomery’s most famous body of work.
I think L.M. Montgomery captured the sum of themes and ideas that were introduced in the other books. Anne’s imagination is brought to fulfillment in her son Walter, her love for life is fulfilled in Rilla. This book is brilliant because Montgomery’s readers would’ve just gone through the same things Rilla did. In writing a war novel, she likely brought back ideals and virtues they’d learned during WW1. Important dates brought readers back to what they were doing then, when they heard those life-changing pieces of news.
Montgomery discusses how the little things shape us through focusing on ordinary, day-to-day events. It also tackles subjects such as grief, war, and why love for creativity is so important. I think the book shows that simply living an ordinary life can be beautiful, and we don’t always have to have big dreams or plans.
Some of my favorite passages from the series are from this book, on the pages featured in this post. Walter tells Rilla about a vision he has for the future- a world that’s secure for everyone. The dreamers, workers, poets, writers, they’re all secured by fighting off the Aryan ideals of the time. He tells Rilla of the Idea that they are fighting for and urges her to continue fighting for it on the home front, with her children, friends, anyone she comes in contact with.
I don’t think that you have to have read the rest of the Anne books to read this, but I do think it’s a lovely conclusion to Montgomery’s most famous body of work.
I am of the opinion that the last three books in the AoGG series should be their own spin-off, considering there is very little of Anne in them at all. This last installment features Anne's youngest child, Rilla, and her coming-of-age during World War 1. Montgomery does a wonderful job of showing Rilla's character growth through the four years of the war, and you believe she matures into a responsible, caring young woman. As usual, there's way too much of obstinate Susan (the housekeeper/nanny) and not enough of Anne and Gilbert. Children Nan and Di are merely footnotes in the story, as they are away at school for the whole novel. Shirley plays a bit of a larger part, as does Walter. The novel really focuses on the goings on in coastal Canada during the war, and what it was like to hinge on news, deal with rations, raise bonds and make do all while the men were away at the European front. It's a part of history that's rarely written about in fiction, so I'm glad Montgomery chose to shine a light on it. What's interesting to me is there wasn't a single mention of the Spanish flu, which actually killed many more soldiers than bullets and bombs did. I'm not sure if this was an intentional omission or not.
All in all, this Gables installment is much darker and deals with more heartbreak and real world issues than any of the others. It was an interesting note to end the series on, but at the same time, brings a hint of reality to the stories. The world was never the same again after the Great War, and this last book bridges that gap nicely.
This series has a way of making you nostalgic as you finish, so you want to go back and start from the beginning again! I really enjoyed my time reading all of them.
All in all, this Gables installment is much darker and deals with more heartbreak and real world issues than any of the others. It was an interesting note to end the series on, but at the same time, brings a hint of reality to the stories. The world was never the same again after the Great War, and this last book bridges that gap nicely.
This series has a way of making you nostalgic as you finish, so you want to go back and start from the beginning again! I really enjoyed my time reading all of them.
“Yeth”.
I am heart-broken and delighted at the same time. This book was such a beautiful closure for the Anne books. I loved Rilla, loved the story, and I’m sad it doesn’t continue! I love Anne and her family, and will forever keep these books close to my heart ❤️
I am heart-broken and delighted at the same time. This book was such a beautiful closure for the Anne books. I loved Rilla, loved the story, and I’m sad it doesn’t continue! I love Anne and her family, and will forever keep these books close to my heart ❤️
This book made me so sad. It was very different from all the other Anne books I've read which are full of optimism in darkness. This has that, too, but in a very subdued realistic way compared to the other books. I can't give it five stars because I was so sad but it is a Montgomery classic, and I loved reading every second of it!
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes