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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Had all the usual cute shenanigans expected from an Anne book but since this book meant three years without much of Gilbert I will dock a star bc I love that man
So I learned while reading this that Maud wrote this one in 1936, long after most of the others, and had originally titled it Anne of Windy Willows but had to change it because of The Wind in the Willows. It was published as the original in the UK along with some “gore and terrifying content” that was cut and I NEED TO READ THAT VERSION. It’s got a different feel than the first three, as much of it is epistolary, Anne in first-person writing of her adventures to Gilbert. Again, we learn nothing of Gilbert’s life except that he spent a summer working on the railroad out west. We actually don’t see or hear much of any of the old Avonlea or college gang, and I felt like they were left behind... we only hear in passing that Diana has a little baby girl - I think? It was one sentence so it’s hard to remember. We had a deluge of new characters, some just popping up at a chapter’s start with no introduction. This book has no shortage of crotchety, disagreeable, gossipy old women; every other chapter has Anne dealing with either one of them or a young couple on the cusp of marriage, OR someone being controlled and manipulated in some way by another. Anne of course saves the day in multiple cases and dispenses advice regularly. I’m really not selling this book, dang it. I still had a few giggly moments - the awkward dinner table scene with “deaf” Mr. Taylor!!!! And of course, Anne is still wonderful Anne, although growing up so responsibly.
A story line that caused my heart to ache a bit was little Elizabeth living under the heavy thumb(s) of her grandmother and “the Woman”. They are oppressive and her greatest wish is for her father to come and save her. In the biography I read of the life of L.M. Montgomery, she had the same experience, as her mother died when she was a baby and she lived most of her childhood with her stern grandparents as her father was off making a new life for himself.
A story line that caused my heart to ache a bit was little Elizabeth living under the heavy thumb(s) of her grandmother and “the Woman”. They are oppressive and her greatest wish is for her father to come and save her. In the biography I read of the life of L.M. Montgomery, she had the same experience, as her mother died when she was a baby and she lived most of her childhood with her stern grandparents as her father was off making a new life for himself.
I likely would have enjoyed this book (and continued on with the series) had I read it back in 2019 like I intended to. But after a lackluster re-read of the first 3 books this year in anticipation for finally getting to this book, I'm just not having a great time with this book.
I could probably finish it in a few days if I really wanted to, but I don't want to bring this book with me into the new year, nor do I have the same interest in continuing the series like I once did. 2022 is going to be the year where Anne and I finally part ways (and also the year where I can finally give the gorgeous watercolour box set that I have to a friend that adores the series).
I could probably finish it in a few days if I really wanted to, but I don't want to bring this book with me into the new year, nor do I have the same interest in continuing the series like I once did. 2022 is going to be the year where Anne and I finally part ways (and also the year where I can finally give the gorgeous watercolour box set that I have to a friend that adores the series).
I first read an abridged version Windy Poplars from a bookshelf at cottage my family had rented when I was a preteen. I remembered loving it, but now that more than two decades have past, I wonder a bit what I found so lovely about it.
Anne is too mature now to get up to her usual mishaps and shenanigans, making the usual mix of humor and tension in this series sorely absent from this tome. Instead, she spends most of her time meddling in the lives of other characters and solving all their problems. While the characters introduced are all funny caricatures of country town people, Anne's new role as the Mary Sue is a bit unexciting. Each few chapters close out on a set of characters, so once their situations are solved by Anne, they just live happily ever after and aren't really mentioned again. Regarding the story of little Elizabeth, which is the one piece that is followed up throughout the novel, I found the final solution kind of vague and unsatisfying.
The characters readers loved in previous installments are barely mentioned in this novel. Diana, Gilbert and Marilla are all mostly absent, and each short visit to Green Gables is focused on Summerside characters who are visiting.
As usual, Montgomery's love for the natural world is the best part of her writing. You can smell and see the change of seasons, making this read beautiful if a bit dull.
Anne is too mature now to get up to her usual mishaps and shenanigans, making the usual mix of humor and tension in this series sorely absent from this tome. Instead, she spends most of her time meddling in the lives of other characters and solving all their problems. While the characters introduced are all funny caricatures of country town people, Anne's new role as the Mary Sue is a bit unexciting. Each few chapters close out on a set of characters, so once their situations are solved by Anne, they just live happily ever after and aren't really mentioned again. Regarding the story of little Elizabeth, which is the one piece that is followed up throughout the novel, I found the final solution kind of vague and unsatisfying.
The characters readers loved in previous installments are barely mentioned in this novel. Diana, Gilbert and Marilla are all mostly absent, and each short visit to Green Gables is focused on Summerside characters who are visiting.
As usual, Montgomery's love for the natural world is the best part of her writing. You can smell and see the change of seasons, making this read beautiful if a bit dull.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Tahle série přímo křičí podzim. Po delší době jsem se dokopala k dalšímu dílu, který byl skvělý. Anna mě jako hlavní hrdinka strašně baví, chtěla bych si s ní někdy zajít na kávu. V knize mi trochu chyběl Gilbert, který tady měl hodně málo prostoru (ale v dalším díle to vypadá na víc). Celkově to bylo asi slabší než předchozí díly, ale stejně moc užité.
Unfortunately this book was my least favorite of the series so far. I found it odd that this book was mostly written via letters that Anne writes to Gilbert.
I was so happy that they finally found each other in the last book only for this to have ZERO interactions between the two outside of her letters? I wanted to see their relationship grow and flourish and we got NOTHING.
Many of the storylines in this book were all the same with just different characters. Anne in no way needed to meddle into so many peoples lives, while I’m glad her meddling made people happy (in the end) it was just so monotonous.
I did enjoy the widows and Rebecca and Elizabeth immensely. However, I feel the author tends to create the same characters each book and just puts a different name on them. Elizabeth is basically Paul. Seems like lazy writing this go round.
Was it still enjoyable? Yes. But I hope the next books do better and we see less of Anne meddling.
I was so happy that they finally found each other in the last book only for this to have ZERO interactions between the two outside of her letters? I wanted to see their relationship grow and flourish and we got NOTHING.
Many of the storylines in this book were all the same with just different characters. Anne in no way needed to meddle into so many peoples lives, while I’m glad her meddling made people happy (in the end) it was just so monotonous.
I did enjoy the widows and Rebecca and Elizabeth immensely. However, I feel the author tends to create the same characters each book and just puts a different name on them. Elizabeth is basically Paul. Seems like lazy writing this go round.
Was it still enjoyable? Yes. But I hope the next books do better and we see less of Anne meddling.