I received a free digital copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love Anne of Green Gables. I read the entire series by the time I was in 4th grade and could not get enough. I read them over and over, to the point that my cherished childhood copies are all but losing their covers, spines broken as I revisited my favorite parts repeatedly. This series nearly defined my childhood. In elementary school by best friend Amy and I would play Anne of Green Gables at recess; I as Anne and she as Diana. We never tired of this, though we never could get any of the boys to be Gilbert, unfortunately.
This book looks specifically at two of Montgomery's Island scrapbooks that she kept from 1893 through 1910. I had no idea these existed and I found them to be utterly fascinating. This time period is especially important because that is when she was creating Anne with an E, and seeing where her inspiration came from is simply lovely; I'm not sure how else to describe it. I found myself lingering for long minutes on each page, trying to take in everything, looking for every last glimpse of Anne I could catch.
I appreciated that the author kept her own commentary to a minimum and let much of the material within these pages speak for itself. She explained what needed explaining and left it at that. Montgomery carefully chose the items she lovingly placed into her scrapbooks and that care will be obvious to all who love Montgomery and her works so much. The vibe is so wholly Anne, it is breathtaking.
My only issue is not even an issue at all, not really. This book is not meant to be read digitally. The PDF was fine, but this is a book one must absolutely have a physical copy of to truly appreciate all that it offers. To be able to page through the book slowly, to read all the inscriptions, notes, letters, and such, that is the purpose of this one and something I intend to do.
This is a must-have for any fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Highly recommended.
Loved your story of playing Anne of Green Gables with your friend!
ReplyDeleteOne of my most favorite childhood memories!
DeleteI have not read Anne of Green Gables but this sounds like a delightful book for fans of her work. I love that this series was so important to you growing up.
ReplyDeleteIt is so wonderful, and over 100 years after it was written it is still a series I love dearly. The first book will always be my favorite <3
Delete