From the Bookshelf of Retro Reads…

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)

L.M. Montgomery

Start date: October 5, 2018

Finish date: October 30, 2018

Discussion: Retro Children & YA Books

Discussion leader: Hana

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Retro Children & YA Books

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What Members Thought

Oct 30, 2020 Jenn Estepp rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kidlit, comfort-food, color-me-classic, lit-wall, pandemic-and-aftermath, better-together

It wouldn't be accurate to say that I love this more now than I did as a child - I don't think that would be possible, given how much it meant to me then - but I love it in a different way now. Also, pretty sure I didn't tear up every other chapter back then, but maybe. In any case, it's wonderful. I'm so glad I finally revisited it and I can't wait to read through the rest of the series. Which, I'm relatively certain I didn't actually finish, because I'm fickle and got distracted by Emily. It's ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 20, 2021 CLM rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: friendship, small-town, series, 19th-century, childrensbooks, orphans, canada

Set in the early 1870s, this is the timeless story of orphaned Anne Shirley, who yearns for a family and stability and finds them with the Cuthbert siblings in a small town in Prince Edward Island.

My mother gave me my first copy the summer after sixth grade. I had crashed my bicycle on the way to the library and was recuperating in pain on the couch. I am assuming I forgot my woes when I was transported to PEI! My love for L.M. Montgomery's books has endured these many years since.

http://perfect ...more

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Apr 10, 2010 Kate rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, j, classics

It is always nice to revisit an old friend. I used to reread all of Anne every summer - but lately I've been neglecting her, and I was glad that a student suggested her again.

What struck me most on this read was the intense morality and focus on making choices that make the world better, which I think has been missing from my reading lately. I don't know if I'd like these books if I was first reading them as an adult, but Anne speaks to me now of all the times I've read the books before, and all ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 29, 2017 Shan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kids, classic

What can I say about this? I read it several times as a kid, first time probably when I was in fourth or fifth grade, last time probably when I was in college. I loved it then, enough that I bought it in a beautiful illustrated Folio Society edition when they reprinted it in 2004, but I didn't get around to reading it till the publicity about the new Netflix series reminded me.

It's still wonderful. As an adult, I paid more attention to Anne's pre-Green Gables life than I did as a kid, when liter ...more

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Oct 08, 2018 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a beautiful and fun book - now I’m dying to read Anne’s further adventures! I read this book with the Goodreads Retro Reads group as our first children’s book, but I will definitely revisit this author on my own.

Anne is such a delightful character- at first I was afraid it would be too much of a “children’s book” to hold my attention, and Anne would be too Pollyanna-like; but her adventures and mishaps and the beautiful writing captivated me right away. Like Huckleberry Finn and A Tree Gro What a beautiful and fun book - now I’m dying to read Anne’s further adventures! I read this book with the Goodreads Retro Reads group as our first children’s book, but I will definitely revisit this author on my own.

Anne is such a delightful character- at first I was afraid it would be too much of a “children’s book” to hold my attention, and Anne would be too Pollyanna-like; but her adventures and mishaps and the beautiful writing captivated me right away. Like Huckleberry Finn and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, two other books I’ve read this year, also supposedly aimed at younger readers but now viewed as classics, this book is written at a level adult readers can appreciate. The language, characters and Anne’s mature observations are very satisfying and timeless, and I can see why this book, along with “Brooklyn” are on PBS’ Great American Reads list.

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, the brother and sister who live on a Prince Edward Island farm and try to adopt a boy orphan to help on the farm and get lively, sensitive, red-haired Anne Shirley instead, are great characters. Matthew is shy and hard-working and clearly adores Anne’s lively and imaginative chatter from the beginning, while Marilla strongly feels the responsibility to raise Anne as a strong, responsible young woman; she loves Anne dearly, but has a hard time expressing it, afraid of being over-indulgent. How she keeps a straight face with Anne’s imaginative hijinx and melodramatic prattle is beyond me! But they are such great characters, along with other Avonlea friends, children and adults alike, who add so much humor and warmth to Anne’s life!

The Cuthberts at first decide to send Anne back to the orphanage (well, Marilla does), but when a home with a rather mean-spirited woman is the alternative, sensible yet soft-hearted Marilla decides instead to give Anne a home at Green Gables. The book covers the next four years of Anne’s adventures, and it is a delightful journey, highly recommended for readers and dreamers of any age! I loved it, and am already looking forward to rereading this wonderful story, and Montgomery’s other books about Anne. ...more

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Mar 01, 2017 Karen rated it really liked it

A re-read for me. I never did finish this series ( I think I only read through the 4th book). Anyway, I wanted to see if I still liked the Anne books better than the Emily books. I think the answer is yes.

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