Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery is a piece of realistic fiction written in the 1900's. When Matthew Cuthbert, a kind but painfully shy old man, goes to the train station to pick up the orphan boy that he and his spinster sister Marilla want to adopt, he finds Anne instead! Anne "with an e" is a eleven year old orphan who has a giant imagination and always has something to say. She is terribly excited to go and live with Matthew and Marilla at Green Gables -- their beautiful and spacious house -- but when she gets there, she finds out that there was a mistake. Matthew and Marilla wanted to adopt an orphan boy, not a girl. Marilla is determined to send Anne back but Matthew becomes attached to her and can't bear the thought of sending her away. Finally, Marilla gives in and Anne becomes Anne of Green Gables. She is smart, sassy, funny, odd, naughty, dreamy, and never stops talking! Anne of Green Gables is about Anne's adventures in Avonlea and is a fascinating book.

     I really enjoyed this book and it was hard to put down. Anne as a character is really funny and her interactions with everyone else are absolutely hilarious. One problem that people reading this book might have is that, because it was written in 1908, it uses old language and mentions things from the time period that could be a little hard to understand. Also, it is set in Prince Edward Island, Canada, so it also discusses some old Canadian politics that were a little confusing. But it was a really good book and, besides just being about Anne's adventures growing up, it had some deep stuff too. Throughout the story, Anne struggles to come to terms with her looks and peer pressure. Anne's red hair is a great trial to her. She mentions several times how she would trade all her brains to be pretty and even tries to dye her hair once (with awful results and a pretty short haircut). Also, Anne really likes to be "popular". If puffed sleeves on dresses are "in", she wants them. If frills and bows are fashionable, then by all means, restock the wardrobe. I think that this made the book relatable because, even though it is a hundred years old, these problems are still problems in the teenage girl population.

     In a nutshell, I really enjoyed this book. It was really entertaining and I plan on reading on and finishing the series. I would recommend this book to everyone! A