Anne's a romantic through and through—she loves reading the poetry of Romanticism by writers like Tennyson, and her relationship with nature is both spiritual and loving. But when set against the realism of day-to-day life and the no-nonsense mindset of all the other townsfolk of Avonlea… poof: you've got comedy. Marilla and Matthew and most people in town are the straight men to Anne's clown, and their dry responses to Anne's fanciful speeches provide the hilarity of this novel.
But of course, this story isn't just a comedy. It's mainly the story of how Anne grows up. I may meet someone who seems a kindred spirit, but lack the time or, let's be honest, sheer boldness to approach them and seek to build a friendship.
We see Anne seek and build relationships not only upon her arrival in Avonlea, but during her time at Queens. One reasons I re-read this book was because two friends recommended it for it's fluency in writing dialogue. Unlike Little Women, which I attempted to read for the writing, this book did not disappoint. The dialogue sounds exactly like each character would sound and it flows smoothly from narration to dialogue and back. In fact, I'm baffled that Little Women routinely makes top lists while Anne of Green Gables is nowhere to be found on the lists of must-read classics.
Unlike the Little Women characters who are archetypes rather than three dimensional characters, Anne is a bold a female character who refuses to be categorized. That's exactly why I love her and love this book. This story has such a special place in my heart. Utterly delightful from start to finish! Now, please excuse me - I'm going to go finish up my little cry. She's stubborn and makes mistakes, but she also has a huge imagination and sees the world as beautiful and full of possibilities.
I loved this SO much and I'm sad I never read it before! I love all the characters and the plot, and it's really fun to see Anne grow up through this book. The writing is also really really lovely. I can't wait to read the sequels and follow Anne's story! This has made it up to my favorite books of all time list, that's for sure. That was me with this book. Which is all well and good until it comes down to reviewing it. This is just too damn good.
In my defense: look HOW pretty. I love Anne so much. I love Green Gables. Not much to see. Its windows looked east and west; through the west one, looking out on the back yard, came a flood of mellow June sunlight; but the east one, whence you got a glimpse of the bloom white cherry trees in the left orchard and nodding, slender birches down in the hollow by the brook, was greened over by a tangle of vines.
Here sat Marilla Cuthbert, when she sat at all, always slightly distrustful of sunshine, which seemed to her too dancing and irresponsible a thing for a world which was meant to be taken seriously; and here she sat now, knitting, and the table behind her was laid for supper. Rachel, before she had fairly closed the door, had taken mental note of everything that was on that table.
There were three plates laid, so that Marilla must be expecting some one home with Matthew to tea; but the dishes were every-day dishes and there was only crab apple preserves and one kind of cake, so that the expected company could not be any particular company.
Rachel was getting fairly dizzy with this unusual mystery about quiet, unmysterious Green Gables. How are all your folks? Rachel, in spite of—or perhaps because of—their dissimilarity. Marilla was a tall, thin woman, with angles and without curves; her dark hair showed some gray streaks and was always twisted up in a hard little knot behind with two wire hairpins stuck aggressively through it. She looked like a woman of narrow experience and rigid conscience, which she was; but there was a saving something about her mouth which, if it had been ever so slightly developed, might have been considered indicative of a sense of humor.
She had expected Mrs. Rachel could not have been more astonished. She was actually stricken dumb for five seconds. It was unsupposable that Marilla was making fun of her, but Mrs. Rachel was almost forced to suppose it. Rachel felt that she had received a severe mental jolt. She thought in exclamation points.
A boy! Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of all people adopting a boy! From an orphan asylum! Well, the world was certainly turning upside down! She would be surprised at nothing after this! This had been done without her advice being asked, and must perforce be disapproved. Alexander Spencer was up here one day before Christmas and she said she was going to get a little girl from the asylum over in Hopetown in the spring.
Her cousin lives there and Mrs. Spencer has visited her and knows all about it. So Matthew and I have talked it over off and on ever since. His heart troubles him a good deal. But Anne gets her dream dress, and her red hair even, eventually, goes auburn, just as she wished it would.
She also — and this is almost revolutionary — thinks everyone has a right to joy. My life is richer for it. Marilla starts out stern, tart and repressed, her body all angles, her hair all pins, her experience narrow, her conscience rigid.
Anne makes her laugh, challenges her assumptions and just loves her. Marilla mellows, and once her heart is open it stays open. She even adopts two more orphans.
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