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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I read this book as part of the Reread Challenge 2015. You can also find my thoughts over at my blog, What Kim Read Next.
Once you start reading about Anne Shirley, you cannot stop. I was originally going to reread the books three books a month, but I've kind of put aside all my other reading so I can finish rereading the series. I can't help it - Anne Shirley is a delight, and getting to spend so much time with her and Gilbert is lovely and their relationship makes my heart melt.
I first read Anne's House of Dreams when I was in year seven or eight and on an Anne of Green Gables kick. Up until that point, the only books in the series that I had read were Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Windy Willows, so realising that I actually had access to the entire series (!!!) was highly exciting for twelve-year-old Kim. As to be expected when there's twelve years between your first read and your first reread, there were lots of little details that I'd forgotten, so it was fun going back and discovering the inhabitants of Four Winds again. But there were lots of things that I remembered. The main one, for some reason, was that there's a little brook in the corner of Anne & Gilbert's back yard. But it was also hard to forget that Anne almost died giving birth to their first child, and that their baby girl lived only a day. I remembered Miss Cornelia Bryant, if only because she is essentially Mrs Rachel Lynde with the catch phrase, "believe me." I remembered Leslie Moore, because it is near impossible to forget her tragic story.
This book is a little sadder than the other Anne books. Aside from Matthew, it's the first time Anne has experienced real tragedy, real loss and it affects Anne permanently. It's the first time that she can really relate to somebody who's had real tragedy in their lives.
This book is also a treasure to read: it's Anne and Gilbert's story. The first four books belong to Anne: the people she meets, the lives she touches, her growth as a character. The last three books focus on their children, and Anne and Gilbert become secondary characters. But this book - this is their book. Their relationship is the real focus of this book, and it is gorgeous. Everything from their wedding to their first disagreement to the loss of their first baby is catalogued, and it is watching how the pair react to these moments that show how much they love one another. A lot of people say that Anne gave up her dreams of being a famous author in order to become Gilbert's wife, to which I will respond with this quote:
In other words: I think Anne found something that she wanted to be more than an author - she wanted to be a wife and mother, and she willingly made a choice to give up writing. There was nothing stopping her from continuing writing - Gilbert at one point suggests that she write Captain Jim's life story, which makes me think that he would've been quite happy for Anne to continue writing. I just don't think Anne, talented as she was, felt the pull of it the way Emily Starr did.
This book contains a lot of shippy moments, so people who adore the pairing of Anne/Gilbert (as I do) or read books primarily for the romance will adore it. However, there are so many interesting characters enriching Anne and Gilbert's lives - Leslie Moore, Owen Ford, Captain Jim, Cornelia Bryant - that people who read Montgomery's work for the character studies will love it also.
Anne's House of Dreams is one of my favourites of the series along with Anne of Green Gables and Anne of the Island, and know that it'll be one that I pull out and read or even skim just because I want to revisit it, rather than just rereading because it is part of the series.
Once you start reading about Anne Shirley, you cannot stop. I was originally going to reread the books three books a month, but I've kind of put aside all my other reading so I can finish rereading the series. I can't help it - Anne Shirley is a delight, and getting to spend so much time with her and Gilbert is lovely and their relationship makes my heart melt.
I first read Anne's House of Dreams when I was in year seven or eight and on an Anne of Green Gables kick. Up until that point, the only books in the series that I had read were Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Windy Willows, so realising that I actually had access to the entire series (!!!) was highly exciting for twelve-year-old Kim. As to be expected when there's twelve years between your first read and your first reread, there were lots of little details that I'd forgotten, so it was fun going back and discovering the inhabitants of Four Winds again. But there were lots of things that I remembered. The main one, for some reason, was that there's a little brook in the corner of Anne & Gilbert's back yard. But it was also hard to forget that Anne almost died giving birth to their first child, and that their baby girl lived only a day. I remembered Miss Cornelia Bryant, if only because she is essentially Mrs Rachel Lynde with the catch phrase, "believe me." I remembered Leslie Moore, because it is near impossible to forget her tragic story.
This book is a little sadder than the other Anne books. Aside from Matthew, it's the first time Anne has experienced real tragedy, real loss and it affects Anne permanently. It's the first time that she can really relate to somebody who's had real tragedy in their lives.
This book is also a treasure to read: it's Anne and Gilbert's story. The first four books belong to Anne: the people she meets, the lives she touches, her growth as a character. The last three books focus on their children, and Anne and Gilbert become secondary characters. But this book - this is their book. Their relationship is the real focus of this book, and it is gorgeous. Everything from their wedding to their first disagreement to the loss of their first baby is catalogued, and it is watching how the pair react to these moments that show how much they love one another. A lot of people say that Anne gave up her dreams of being a famous author in order to become Gilbert's wife, to which I will respond with this quote:
"And some people might think that a Redmond B.A., whom editors were beginning to honour, was 'wasted' as the wife of a struggling country doctor in the rural community of Four Winds." [...] "Gilbert, that's mean - 'pisen mean, just like all the men,' as Miss Cornelia says... You know I'd rather be your wife in our house of dreams and fulfillment than a queen in a palace.
In other words: I think Anne found something that she wanted to be more than an author - she wanted to be a wife and mother, and she willingly made a choice to give up writing. There was nothing stopping her from continuing writing - Gilbert at one point suggests that she write Captain Jim's life story, which makes me think that he would've been quite happy for Anne to continue writing. I just don't think Anne, talented as she was, felt the pull of it the way Emily Starr did.
This book contains a lot of shippy moments, so people who adore the pairing of Anne/Gilbert (as I do) or read books primarily for the romance will adore it. However, there are so many interesting characters enriching Anne and Gilbert's lives - Leslie Moore, Owen Ford, Captain Jim, Cornelia Bryant - that people who read Montgomery's work for the character studies will love it also.
Anne's House of Dreams is one of my favourites of the series along with Anne of Green Gables and Anne of the Island, and know that it'll be one that I pull out and read or even skim just because I want to revisit it, rather than just rereading because it is part of the series.
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
Absolutely wonderful. My Anne has finally had all her romantic dreams come true and I love it. I really enjoyed the side characters and their stories in this one as well. And I like that Gilbert finally has some lines and and an inkling of personality, which has been mostly missing since book one. Still I would have liked to see more of him.
"The thought that it may stop hurting sometimes hurts me worse than all else."
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
• heartfelt and warm
• it’s satisfying to see Anne “all grown up”
• evocative sense of the sea, for those who love coastal settings
Howevers:
• I miss the humour of the earliest books in the series.
Lines I underlined:
“I’d like to add some beauty to life.”
“Our library isn’t very extensive, but every book is a friend.”
• it’s satisfying to see Anne “all grown up”
• evocative sense of the sea, for those who love coastal settings
Howevers:
• I miss the humour of the earliest books in the series.
Lines I underlined:
“I’d like to add some beauty to life.”
“Our library isn’t very extensive, but every book is a friend.”
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This books definitely feels a lot more mature than the previous titles in the series. We follow Anne and Gilbert in their first years as married, and we're seeing some darker themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Splendid. LMM’s usual prose and romantic writing style that takes you into the world of imagination. I got my Anne books from my grandmother who bought them whenever she found them but I never read this one.
Today is my last night in PEI and I bought and read this book here in my loft room by the soft glow of a small lamp. This book filled in all of the gaps between Windy Poplars and Anne of Ingleside in a beautiful, if at times sad, way. I do wish we saw more of Marilla though.
All in all a wonderfully enchanting book. I delighted in finding out that Anne’s favourite roses were the pink ones because they are mine as well. And I am thrilled to know where Jem got his name from!! What a dear kindred spirit I found in the Captain.
SPOILERS
.
.
I believe Lucy Maud Montgomery would have loved the nice reviews of her book, but I think that for her, writing the book was enough. Just like it was for Captain Jim.
Today is my last night in PEI and I bought and read this book here in my loft room by the soft glow of a small lamp. This book filled in all of the gaps between Windy Poplars and Anne of Ingleside in a beautiful, if at times sad, way. I do wish we saw more of Marilla though.
All in all a wonderfully enchanting book. I delighted in finding out that Anne’s favourite roses were the pink ones because they are mine as well. And I am thrilled to know where Jem got his name from!! What a dear kindred spirit I found in the Captain.
SPOILERS
.
.
I believe Lucy Maud Montgomery would have loved the nice reviews of her book, but I think that for her, writing the book was enough. Just like it was for Captain Jim.
Anne of Green Gables is back, in what is apparently the 5th book of the series although this particular compendium only contained three. (Perhaps numbers 3 & 4 were just too dull to include.) She has married Gilbert Blythe, of course, and seems scant on her own wacky adventures--although they have moved to a new town on the Island and so have a whole new crew of Wacky Neighbors.
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
such a lovely and magic book...