Anne of the Island (Anne of Green Gables #3) by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of the Island (Anne of Green Gables #3) by L.M. Montgomery
Published November 1st 1983 (first published 1915)
Publisher: Bantam Books
Read Date: January 3rd 2019
Genre: Classic / YA / Fiction
Pages: 272
Stars: 5/5

New adventures lie ahead as Anne Shirley packs her bags, waves good-bye to childhood, and heads for Redmond College. With her old friend Prissy Grant waiting in the bustling city of Kingsport and her frivolous new friend Philippa Gordon at her side, Anne tucks her memories of rural Avonlea away and discovers life on her own terms, filled with surprises . . . including a marriage proposal from the worst fellow imaginable, the sale of her very first story, and a tragedy that teaches her a painful lesson. But tears turn to laughter when Anne and her friends move into an old cottage and an ornery black cat steals her heart. Little does Anne know that handsome Gilbert Blythe wants to win her heart, too. Suddenly Anne must decide whether she’s ready for love. 

Anne now grown up has left behind her innocent childhood and has entered the complexity of youth. 20-years-old, Anne is attending Redmond College in the bustling city of Kingsport. She has left behind her country life full of love- her beloved Avonlea, Green Gables, adorable twins, lovely Marilla, best friend Diana, and gossipy Mrs. Rachel – and is going to settle in city life for her college years. The settlement has been sad and homesick process but St. John’s Street and the monumental old St. John’s graveyard has risen her spirits. And her college life is going to be just as adventurous as it was in Avonlea.

What I loved most about Ms. Maud’s writing is, she brought all characters to life. Anne was as cheery and imaginative. She was wise, clever, emotional, sensitive, and sometimes idiotic (of course for turning down my beloved Blyth). I loved to read her thoughts. Her emotions touched my heart on leaving Avonlea, when she attended her sickly dying friend, when she found her house where she was born and when she was left confusing and loneliness near the end of the book. I loved the way she had developed from that wild little girl to wonderful sensible lady with BA in English.

Gilbert was such a gentleman in book. He was a great friend and person. Like whole Avonlea, I cannot see him with anyone but Anne. I loved the way he waited for Anne even after her merciless rejection.

Pricilla, Phillipa, Stella and Aunt Jemesina were the best in the book. Phillipa– new character and new friend of Anne was amusing to read. My heart lighted up on reading her initial description only. Her indecision towards everything in life including what to wear made me chuckle. She was hilarious and fabulous friend. She was truly beauty, brain and heart of gold. I so loved her. She sometimes eclipsed Anne in the book. Pricilla was Anne’s from Green Gable took more notice in this book than the previous ones. Like Anne, she was clever, imaginative and loyal friend. I loved her from the very beginning of the book and loved the way her friendship with Anne and other girls of Patty’s place developed. Aunt Jamesina was sweetest aunt, old in fashion and look but young at heart. Her wisdom and lively nature was great to read.

In this third installment Anne made new friends, found a grand house to rent with her chums on Millionaire Street, faced rejection of her first story and also earned from it that wounded her ethics, she got feisty cat who adore the ground she walked, attended 3 wedding and a dreadful funeral of her childhood friend.

I’m so in love with author’s writing. The flowery poetical writing describing wonderful and colorful characters, picturesque vivid description of Prince Edward Island, Green Gables, Kingsport, St. John’s graveyard and park. It was mesmerizing to picture characters and places of the book. In this book as well all the months has its own mood and nature and it awed me to read their description and how they created dramatic effect in the book. I lost the count of how many times and differently author has depicted all the months in year from Anne’s perspective in all three books.

There were many golden moments in book. Rusty cat and his fights with other cats, his love for Anne; Love story of Janet; Davy’s letters; Letter of Phil from Prospect Point; Averil’s Atonement; and climax of the book.

This book should be titled ‘Anne’s Refusal to all Proposals’. Seriously, she turned down 5 proposals in one book mercilessly. I admit some were horrible and humorous. But I’m glad she finally could separate reality of true love from her imagination. At last, her head started working in right direction. The proposal from the one she truly loved wasn’t that romantic as she had imagined and nor the hero looked like the one she sought after, but it brought back the charm and happiness she always has imagined.

The anticlimactic climax of looming death and that feeling of losing everything along with the one she loved turned toward very sweet and joyful end of the book.

Overall, it was lovely entertaining YA classic fiction with lively animated protagonist and characters, some hilarious and some sad moments that anyone can enjoy.

I don’t like mass market paperback, but the best thing about this collector’s edition I bought was, short autobiography of L.M.Montgomery and map of Prince Edward Island.

Author: L.M. Montgomery

Buy Link : Amazon.com / Amazon.in

Previous books i read in series-

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