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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Of course, this is fanfic and I'm always fascinated by how differently two people can read the same things. But my viewpoint of Marilla is completely affected by Colleen Dewhurst - she seems the epitome. I'm not sure I would have written the same story in consideration of Marilla's mysterious past in Montgomery's series.
All said and done I wish my Anne books weren't in boxes because this book has left me wishing to read them all over again.
All said and done I wish my Anne books weren't in boxes because this book has left me wishing to read them all over again.
Oh my goodness, this book was so fun. I was seriously skeptical when I heard it was coming out, wondering who could do justice to the beloved writings of LMM that so beautifully enriched my childhood. It turns out that Sarah McCoy was just the woman for the job. It was so fun to see her introduce the characters, setting, and props of Avonlea before they met Anne. There were times that Marilla seemed not quite herself, but I didn’t mind as I realize that characters evolve over time. It was beautiful and tragic and lovely and fun. Highly recommend to all lovers of Anne.
My overall opinion is that this is great as a standalone work. Because it's attached to the Anne universe, I had preconceptions about each of the characters, and when McCoy's painting of them didn't meld seamlessly with my own, I got disgruntled. Still an interesting addition to Avonlea, and I love that the town keeps expanding into contemporary literature; I was just hoping for a little more continuity with the original texts.
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An interesting take on Marilla Cuthbert's life as a young women in Avonlea prior to - and leading up to - Anne's arrival at Green Gables. I'm often a bit leery of these kinds of books when they are not sanctioned or written by the author of the original source material (in this case, the late L.M. Montgomery, so - of course - this would be impossible), but I was curious when I saw this at the library and decided to take a chance on it. McCoy does a decent job - you can tell she is a fan, and she certainly did some research and literally walked in Montgomery's footsteps while writing this (she visited Prince Edward Island and talked to Montgomery's relatives and such). Most importantly, she builds the story off of Marilla's casual comment to Anne in "Anne of Green Gables" that John Blythe (Gilbert's father) used to "be a beau"; a lot of this book centers around Marilla's budding relationship with John Blythe, and their subsequent rift. It is in this relationship part where McCoy makes some creative choices that had me cringe a little - the writing turns borderline romance novel in parts, describing Marilla and John's coming together at points in detail that would no doubt have made L.M. Montgomery blush a little. But overall, it's a good imaginative read and "what if" into Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert's earlier lives - with the insertion of some important political and historical details of the time, including the migration of escaping American slaves to the north. I couldn't help but picture a young Colleen Dewhurst (who played Marilla in the excellent PBS miniseries) in my mind as I read this, which was, indeed, lovely.
The idea was well-intended, and parts were very sweet. The beginning was the best. But it was not faithful to the characters in the original books. This Marilla would not have been the Marilla in Anne of Green Gables.
As I told my own bosom friend, this book was “gently enjoyable.” McCoy’s Marilla isn’t the one in my imagination, but reading the book was a lovely mind-visit to Avonlea and certainly put me in the mood to re-read the Anne books.
This is the story of Marilla Cuthbert, who along with her brother, Matthew, adopted orphan Anne Shirley in the classic Anne of Green Gables book by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This fictional account is very much in the spirit of the Anne series, and serves as sort of a prequel. The book begins with middle-aged Marilla and Matthew contemplating adopting an orphan to help them on their farm, then reverts to cover Marilla's life at age 13-15, then again in her late 30s. We learn about Green Gables, Marilla's parents, farm life, women's choices, and Marilla's character development. There is a visit from her independent Aunt Izzy, her friendship with Rachel White (later Lynde), and romance with John Blythe (father of Gilbert) that is alluded to in the Anne book. The book also covers the politics of the period and the underground railroad of American slaves that operated in Canada. Marilla is a compelling character with her strong family ties, faith, and love for her home in Avonlea. This book will be a treat for anyone who enjoyed the Anne series or watched the PBS movies with Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla. It makes me want to re-read the original book.
I wanted to love this book so badly, but I only liked it.