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katiegilley's review against another edition
5.0
Can I go total fangirl on Anne now? I LOVED this book! This is my second time reading it - the first was in the summer of 2008 - and I don't remember loving it this much? But now I do. Now I'm totally here for it!
I am so jealous at Anne's ability to make and keep friends - especially in the days before social media. These people kept up with each other by WRITING LETTERS and they were all still the dearest of friends. We can still do that!
I wish I would have had a similar college experience as Anne - she lived in a lovely little cottage with women who were all so different than her yet still enjoyed each other's company and loved each other's quirks. They all worked so hard yet managed to appreciate nearly everything around them.
I loved each and every character, laughed out loud so many times, and totally adore Anne. I am so glad to be reading this series this year!!
I am so jealous at Anne's ability to make and keep friends - especially in the days before social media. These people kept up with each other by WRITING LETTERS and they were all still the dearest of friends. We can still do that!
I wish I would have had a similar college experience as Anne - she lived in a lovely little cottage with women who were all so different than her yet still enjoyed each other's company and loved each other's quirks. They all worked so hard yet managed to appreciate nearly everything around them.
I loved each and every character, laughed out loud so many times, and totally adore Anne. I am so glad to be reading this series this year!!
peachypqstry's review against another edition
5.0
Aaaaaaa, finally!!!
This was so good in every way possible.
I loved the setting and all of the descriptions.
The book was beautiful and the romance was fantastic.
5/5.
This was so good in every way possible.
I loved the setting and all of the descriptions.
The book was beautiful and the romance was fantastic.
5/5.
sophjoy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
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
5.0
maditowery's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sumayyaha's review against another edition
5.0
Rating - 5 Stars
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Could this be anymore perfect?
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Could this be anymore perfect?
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
When I was reading reviews for Anne of Avonlea there were quite a few people that were convinced that Anne of the Island and Anne of Windy Poplars were better than that one. Having been so disappointed by Anne of Avonlea I didn't have much hope. Now I can honestly say that at least where Anne of the Island is concerned that they were correct.
This book was a lot closer to Anne of Green Gables where the quality would dip in places but there were more good or decent stories that it overall was an enjoyable read. I was still bored sometimes - which I have made my peace with as an inescapable facet of this series - but not nearly as much as I was reading Anne of Avonlea.
This book chronicles Anne's 4 years at Redmond College as she endeavors to earn her BA. After her first year spent boarding, she rents a cottage in the city with her friends Priscilla, Stella and new character Philippa Gordon affectionately known as Phil. During breaks she returns to her beloved Avonlea.
In typical Lucy Maud Montgomery fashion, many of your favorite characters have been demoted as Anne moves onto the next phase in her life. If for some inexplicable reason you actually liked Davey then you would be disappointed to know that aside from a few instances he is not especially present in this book. The same goes for Mr. Harrison, Marilla, Mrs. Lynde, and a number of Anne’s childhood friends including Anne’s once beloved Diana. The detached writing style generally keeps me from getting attached to the characters, but it’s annoying on principle. Montgomery will introduce a character and lose interest within the same chapter. Writing an ensemble can be difficult, but why does she keep making new characters if it’s so hard to keep track of the ones she already has?
For instance, Philippa Gordon is all the rage in this book, but I’ve already read Windy Poplars and she is not mentioned once. (Yes, I am aware of Windy Poplars being the 7th written. No, that doesn’t excuse it)
Regardless, I surprisingly enjoyed this book immensely.
The sole reason for that is that I ship Gilbert x Anne to death and over half this book is dedicated to their romance. Gilbert is as in love with Anne as ever. Anne is annoyingly oblivious to her own feelings. I was hooked from the get go, driven by an almost primal need to see these two kids finally get together. And Montgomery honestly serves with this storyline. There’s mutual pining, angst, and melodrama for days. Both the characters even court other people. I am particular about romances in books. I have very high standards so I rarely actively ship a couple in a book. I typically vacillate between passive support to outright hatred. That all went totally out the window with Gilbert x Anne. I cannot possibly explain why considering how little a role he played in Anne of Avonlea; an absence that normally would have killed my interest. All the same I loved it.
Things actually happen in this book for me to have opinions and feelings on. Anne kind of leads her love interest Roy on for like 2 years. I have thoughts on that. Anne helps a spinster finally secure a marriage proposal. I have thoughts on that. It's like finally events are going on that create an actual narrative. How refreshing it was to have the book constructed in a more clear cut way. Usually its aimless, disconnected short stories. This book was still that too, it's just there were situations that managed to inspire emotions in me other than passive acceptance.
That being said all the usual problems are present.
The misogyny is still raging on with a weird double standard twist. Philippa Gordon is a complete flirt. She has multiple beaus, can’t make up her mind about anything, and for all her protests that the two guys ‘understand’, is selfishly leading on two suitors back in her hometown. Yet, she somehow is excused from Anne’s normally supercilious judgment. Ruby Gillis, however, spent TWO books being demonized for acting the same way without even stringing anybody along. Anne even says at the beginning that Philippa just ‘is different’ from Ruby somehow. Can you tell me what the tangible difference is Anne other than you happen to like Philippa more?
Also Ruby Gillis straight up dies? She was so disreputable it must have killed her, I guess. Which hurt my heart because I have always had a bit of fondness for this character (one of the very, very few of Anne’s school chums I kept track of) since she was basically slut-shamed at like 12 years old for having a healthy interest in boys. Her unloading on Anne all her fears right before she passed cut me real deep.
Lucky for Philippa she did the right thing by falling in love with one beau - a pastor no less - rather than continuing to shop around so she’s safe from the respectability disease.
There is way less social convention in this book compared to Anne of Avonlea. Don’t celebrate too soon though. It was still totally noticeable as most of this series is dedicated to inconsequential community protocols. It was only less noticeable than before. Make of that what you will.
It can also be quite boring as all Anne of Green Gables books are in some form. It's a rotating cast who you may or may not care about too which makes it even harder to maintain interest sometimes. I liked Matthew more than Marilla so even she, a carryover from the first book, isn't all that appealing to see. And it make me mad that Anne abandons Diana her supposedly bosom friend for life. Anne unilaterally decides Diana must be too mature for her now as an engaged then married woman. So she essentially severs the relationship. It would have been nice to get Diana's opinions on certain matters since she could have really helped Anne now that she has a different perspective. Especially since Diana is intended to be Anne's closest friend. Who else knew her well enough to offer proper advice?
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the animal abuse. There are three major instances. Davey is established to pick on the cats on the farm directly leading to the death of at least one. As per usual, it’s presented as ‘boys will be boys’ behavior. When the girls move into Patty’s Place a stray cat latches onto Anne. The girls don’t want to keep it because the cat likes to fight and their live-in maid/chaperone/Stella’s aunt who is arriving soon has two cats. The girls decide to chloroform the cat to put him out of his misery - thankfully it doesn’t work and Anne cannot bear to try again so the cat moves in with them permanently. Why couldn’t they just take the poor cat to an animal shelter or ask around to see if someone wanted him? Later on Anne hears through the rumor pipeline Gilbert is about to be engaged? ( I’m pretty sure this was it or she finds out he is now courting someone. I can’t remember. Either way she was upset) She proceeds to box the aforementioned adopted cats’ ears as a way of releasing her anger.
I can excuse Davey as much as I hate him. He’s a kid enabled by all the adults around him. I do not understand why the other two instances were included. It certainly doesn’t add anything meaningful to the story. Does Montgomery just low-key hate cats?
Like I said before I’ve already read Windy Poplars so I clearly would read the next book based on this one. If you’re this far in then you know the status quo so you kind of know what to expect. If you’re into Gilbert x Anne as much as I am, don’t mind waiting for it to happen, and are comfortable with how Montgomery writes this series then I say full steam ahead.