Anne of Avonlea | L.M. Montgomery

Welcome back everyone! I am writing this directly after posting the last review- I read this book, Anne of Avonlea, in three days... the three days it took to write the Urchin of the Riding Stars review. I haven't read a book that fast in a LONG time. Anne of Green Gables fans, I am officially one of you!! If the first book didn't do it, the second fully converted me. But I get ahead of myself. Let's dive in- taking it from the top.

{This review is 100% spoiler-free}

Anne Shirley has bloomed into a young woman, and although much has changed, two things certainly have not- her vibrant red hair and the lively imagination that fills her days with joy and gets her into vexing, but always amusing, situations. In this new stage of life she learns important lessons, finds herself in an assortment of scrapes, meets new kindred spirits, watches love bloom in those around her, and, perhaps, feels stirrings of the foreign emotion in her own heart as well.

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I devoured this from beginning to end, liking it much better than the first. I don't know if I can attribute that to Anne being my age, and thus the childish aspects are lessened, or if I was simply in a better mindset to be reading L.M. Montgomery. Either way, This book is a joy through and through. ♡

One of my favorite things about Anne of Avonlea and L.M. Montgomery in general, are the beautiful, flowery descriptions. It scratches every itch in my brain when I read a whole paragraph dedicated to the vibrant, peaceful landscape in and around Green Gables. The visions range from large, dappled shadows and golden spring days, to little pink flowers and gleaming dewdrops. I wish with all my heart that I could spend a day in Avonlea and the surrounding area, for if they are anything like the author describes them, I would likely plant myself right down among the flowers and trees and never leave.

But it isn't just the flora and fauna of Avonlea that charms me- it's the people, too. I so enjoyed getting to meet the new characters and loved every single one of them. Ms. Lavender is my particular favorite of the new acquaintance- although it is hard to choose among them. Every single character has such personality and are so developed and realistic, but just unrealistic enough to provide the characteristic Anne of Green Gables charm.

Now, when one finishes an Anne of Green Gables book and is asked, "What was it about?", one can't necessarily say what the book was about except Anne's life and her various experiences- there is little overarching adventure, romance, or mystery plot throughout. Now, that sounds boring in theory, so why are these books so widely loved and addicting when the "classic structure" isn't there? I remember my friend and I talking about this a few months ago. She said the reason is because, instead of the book having the classic plot {exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution}, each chapter has a little adventure in itself. This kind of blew my mind because it really is true. What is the main "narrative" of Anne of Avonlea? There isn't a specific moment the whole book works up to. Overall one gets to see Anne grow through her individual life experiences. It truly feels as though one is experiencing real life alongside Anne, but instead of being bored, we take peace in her rambles through nature, laugh over the predicaments she gets herself into, and skip alongside her and her friends. L.M. Montgomery truly was a wonderful writer. Not many authors could pen such a gentle book while keeping it entertaining and worthwhile, but she perfected the art.

I laughed, stayed up far past my bedtime, sighed, and enjoyed every word in this beautiful book. It makes me long for summer- but Anne always encourages me to appreciate the season I am in and find the beauty in a simple life.

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~Some little quotes~

"But an August afternoon, with blue hazes scarfing the harvest slopes, little winds whispering elfishly in the poplars, and a dancing splendor of red poppies outflaming against the dark coppice of young firs in a corner of the cherry orchard, was fitter for dreams than dead languages"

"A September day on Prince Edward island hills; a crisp wind blowing up over the sand dunes from the woods from the sea; a long red road, winding through fields and woods, now looping itself around a corner of thick set spruces, now threading a plantation of young maples with great feather sheets of ferns beneath them, now dipping down into the hollow where a brook flashed out of the woods and into them again, now basking in open sunshine between ribbons of goldenrod and smoke-blue asters; air athrill with the pipings of myriads of crickets, those glad little pensioners of the summer hills; a plump brown pony ambling along the roads; two girls behind him, full to the lips with the simple, priceless joy of youth and life."

"'I was just trying to write out some of my thoughts, as professor Hamilton advised me, but I couldn't get them to please me. They seem so stiff and foolish directly they're written down on white paper with black ink, fancies are like shadows... you can't cage them, they're such wayward, dancing things. But perhaps I'll learn the secret some day if I keep on trying.'"

"'I'd like to add some beauty to life,' said Anne dreamily. "I don't exactly want to make people know more... though I know that is the noblest ambition... but I'd love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me... to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn't been born.'"

Now some in my acquaintance don't like these charming, long, and detailed paragraphs, but I find them relaxing and beautiful. They make me slow my reading and pay attention, and then I am in the mindset to apply that attention to aspects of my own life; aspects I usually take for granted in the rush from the house to the car, or in the blistering heat of midday, when I am sweating buckets trying to water my flowers with a flimsy watering can. This season I want to be content and observant, thanking the Lord for every day I have, and seeing the beauty in the little things, all thanks to Anne.

So now the question: Does Anne of Avonlea get a spot in my Most Excellent Library?

The answer is, yes! This amusing and entertaining novel will be proudly displayed next to my favorites.

Let me know: Have you read any Anne of Green Gables? If so, what did you think? Do you enjoy the flowery descriptions?

Thank you for reading and see you next time!

Content Warnings for Anne of Avonlea {mild, unspecific spoilers}

Romance and sensuality

~Two characters fall in love, get engaged. One is married.

Language

~A pet bird has a tendency to squawk colorful language at anyone and everyone. No words are specified, and everyone has tried to break the annoying bird of his habit.

Drinking, drugs, and smoking

~A character smokes a pipe

Other

~In a brief scene, Native Americans are called "injuns"

~A man has been living apart from his wife for many years- in the end all is reconciled between them.