~ 3.5 stars ~

It good and very charming per usual. I must admit it doesn't have the same type of magic as the first book, but it was uniquely special in its own way. It was great seeing Anne all grown up and mature, but still the same imaginative and caring person she always was. I am looking forward to the next book!

This isn't as good as the first, in my opinion. I was hoping for more interaction with Anne and Gilbert. Though they are both members of the Avonlea Village Improvement Society, the two of them actually do not have many scenes together since he teaches at a school that is further away and is only home on weekends (I think?) and during summer break.

The addition of the troublemaking orphan Davy to the story nearly ruined this book for me. He has a twin sister named Dora who is a total angel, but Anne plainly states (and Marilla feels the same way) that she loves Davy more. I didn't find him charming, adorable, funny, precious, etc. I wish I could erase his existence in these pages. I hated how Anne was around him: she would feel guilty for punishing his bad behavior and she would give in whenever he turned on the charm around her. Everything I loved about Anne would disappear when she's around this boy. You can't even argue that Anne prefers him because he was a troublemaker like she was when she was a child, because while Anne did get into crazy predicaments, she always had good intentions behind her actions. Davy does not. He makes mischief because he can, because he's bored. I hated how poor Dora would be ignored, but I guess that's really the author's fault since she didn't think of her as much of a character.

I still plan on reading at least the third book in the series, but I really, really hope Davy is nowhere to be found in it.

I've read Anne of Green Gables many times over the years (this one's my favorite Anne of Green Gables), but it's just now that I decided to continue with the series. I'm so glad I did, because I was really missing out!

In Book 2, Anne is now 16 yrs old and is a teacher at Avonlea School. Anne is still as cheerful and optimistic as ever, and isn't too old to get into all sorts of trouble. Lots of new characters were introduced in this book, but Matthew was terribly missed.

It was so nice to catch up with Anne again! I really enjoy Lucy Maud Montgomery's writing style and creativity. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

Cudowna. Świetnie się czyta i z każdą kolejną stroną widać jak Ania dorasta. Bardzie się cieszę z tego jak potoczyły się niektóre wątki.

"I’d like to add some beauty to life. 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."

I think my timing with this book was just perfect. I read this around the Thanksgiving holiday, and I believe not only is it a comforting piece, but also a wonderful reminder to be thankful for the small joys in life that make the heart sing. A stroll through the woods, picking flowers, spending time with old, dear friends, making new friends with those eccentrics that might otherwise go unnoticed, teaching a small child an important lesson, cooking a special meal for a guest, and remembering and honoring those that have passed from our lives – these are all things that Anne makes part of her daily life with exuberant delight and much grace. I wish there were more Annes in the world!

Anne of Avonlea is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. You likely will assume that these are re-reads for me. They are not! Somehow I missed the pleasure of reading the Anne books as a child or teen and read my very first one this past June. Well, I’m late to the party, but hopefully at least fashionably late – I’m sure Anne would somehow agree. In this book, we see Anne at the age of sixteen and just beginning her career as a teacher in Avonlea. She has grown and matured, but still carries that zest for life that makes her the person everyone loves so much. "Those who knew Anne best, felt, without realizing that they felt it, that her greatest attraction was the aura of possibility surrounding her… the power of future development that was in her. She seemed to walk in an atmosphere of things about to happen."

Anne and her friends decide to take on a new project, that of the Village Improvement Society. They are not exactly sure what this will entail, but they hope to make Avonlea an even better place to live. As Anne and company get out and about in the community, we make the acquaintance of a number of interesting new characters right along with them. Anne may not have thought it quite funny, but some of their little predicaments while fundraising managed to bring a smile to my face. Not everyone is on board with their ideas! Always the pragmatist, Mrs. Rachel Lynde can’t help offering her two cents on the endeavor: "What’s this I hear about your going to start up a Village Improvement Society, Anne?... you’ll get into no end of hot water if you do. Better leave it alone, Anne, that’s what. People don’t like being improved." I can’t say I disagree with Mrs. Lynde in this case! Some people are just not willing to make a change.

From the surly Mr. Harrison and his foul-mouthed parrot to the angelic Paul Irving to the quirky Miss Lavendar at Echo Lodge to the mischievous twin Davy, I delighted in sitting down with these folks for a short while and taking my mind off the holiday grind. If you haven’t read these before, I highly recommend them. They are not just for kids! I have the next three or four books in the series just waiting to be read. I will pull them out from time to time when I need to be reminded of the small pleasures in life, and savor them as they should be – much like my little stash of Dove dark chocolates. I don’t want to gobble them down all at once! 4.5 stars for Anne of Avonlea – naturally, I’m rounding up!

"After all, I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."

"In the twilight Anne sauntered down to the Dryad's Bubble and saw Gilbert Blythe coming down through the dusky Haunted Wood. She had a sudden realization that Gilbert was a schoolboy no longer. And how manly he looked—the tall, frank-faced fellow, with the clear, straightforward eyes and the broad shoulders. Anne thought Gilbert was a very handsome lad, even though he didn't look at all like her ideal man. She and Diana had long ago decided what kind of a man they admired and their tastes seemed exactly similar. He must be very tall and distinguished looking, with melancholy, inscrutable eyes, and a melting, sympathetic voice. There was nothing either melancholy or inscrutable in Gilbert's physiognomy, but of course that didn't matter in friendship!

Gilbert stretched himself out on the ferns beside the Bubble and looked approvingly at Anne. If Gilbert had been asked to describe his ideal woman the description would have answered point for point to Anne, even to those seven tiny freckles whose obnoxious presence still continued to vex her soul. Gilbert was as yet little more than a boy; but a boy has his dreams as have others, and in Gilbert's future there was always a girl with big, limpid gray eyes, and a face as fine and delicate as a flower. He had made up his mind, also, that his future must be worthy of its goddess. Even in quiet Avonlea there were temptations to be met and faced. White Sands youth were a rather "fast" set, and Gilbert was popular wherever he went. But he meant to keep himself worthy of Anne's friendship and perhaps some distant day her love; and he watched over word and thought and deed as jealously as if her clear eyes were to pass in judgment on it. She held over him the unconscious influence that every girl, whose ideals are high and pure, wields over her friends; an influence which would endure as long as she was faithful to those ideals and which she would as certainly lose if she were ever false to them. In Gilbert's eyes Anne's greatest charm was the fact that she never stooped to the petty practices of so many of the Avonlea girls—the small jealousies, the little deceits and rivalries, the palpable bids for favor. Anne held herself apart from all this, not consciously or of design, but simply because anything of the sort was utterly foreign to her transparent, impulsive nature, crystal clear in its motives and aspirations."

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps. . . perhaps. . .love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath."

...oh, Gilbert Blythe...<3

The book Anne of Green Gables I really liked and I had hoped this second book would be better or a continue of the feelings I had. I just couldn't get into it. It was too slow and simple at times. It might just have been me, but I wished I liked it more. There for only 3 points and hoping that book 3 would be nicer.

When I was younger, my mother and I would watch reruns of Dennis the Menace. Truth be told, the only enjoyment I got out of these sessions was spending time with my mother. You see, Dennis was, to me, exactly what the title proclaims him to be: a menace. Since I was very young I've had a strong aversion to any one who causes trouble for others or keeps getting into scrapes, be they intentional or not.
As anyone who's read Anne's first installment can imagine, this made it a bit difficult for me to take to her character.
In Anne of Green Gables, Anne is rather rash and even careless in her decision making. But boy has she grown up now! I didn't think Montgomery would make young Anne grow so fast, rather I thought her character would take several installments just to reach age sixteen. Gladly, this isn't the case.

In Anne of Avonlea, Anne starts off at the age of half-past sixteen; and the book ends two years later. I must admit she's won my admiration from here on out. Anne is the sort of girl who makes you think they invented the word "spitfire" as a means to describe her alone, and coupled with her copious amount of enthusiasm and optimism, I dare say it is nearly impossible for one to not fall for her eventually!
And in the second part of her story, we see Anne strungle with her new position as schoolma'am at the Avonlea school. To top this off, she must aid Marilla in the caring of two children whom Marilla has chosen to adopt: the naughty but adorable Davy, and the prim and and slightly-dull Dora.
Sprinkle on mulitple new acquaintances, several furnerals, two engagements, a wedding . . . and you've got an awfully busy two years for our dear Anne.

This series is clearly something I'd have missed out on had Jo not spoken so highly of it through her lovely reviews, so thank you, Jo. I find myself slowly but surely warming to the characters and their world more with each chapter. And of course, as with all classics, the writing is stunning.

n  "A September day on Prince Edward Island hills; a crisp wind blowing up over the sand dunes from the sea; a long red road, winding through fields and woods, now looping itself about a corner of thick-set spruces, now threading a plantation of young maples with great feathery sheets of ferns beneath them, now dipping down into a 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 road; two girls behind him, full to the lips with the simple, priceless joy of youth and life."n

Naturally, this sort of passage always stirs up some envy in my blood; I can't help but wish I could write like that.
Although I suppose there is some comfort --- and, for other reasons, sadness --- in knowing that practically no one writes this way anymore.

Although I still can't bring myself to give this a higher rating than the one you'll read momentarily, I assure all who read this that I'm enjoying myself very much while following Anne through her journeys in life. I'll be sure to read Anne of the Island soon. 3.5 stars

One thing I really like about the Anne of Green Gables series is the characters, of course! ^_^ You grow to love all of them, old and new ones alike! :) As for some of the new, I liked Paul Irving, one of Anne’s students at the Avonlea school. He was such a sweet and kind little boy! I also enjoyed Davy’s character. He was one of the twins that Anne and Marilla took in after their mother had died. He was such a trip :P Davy was always getting into trouble or caught eating the jam preserves Marilla had made…he just was a fun character to read about and always made me laugh, although he was pretty mischievous too! One other new characters I really liked was Miss Lavender Lewis! We didn’t see her I think until either the middle or close to the end of the book I am pretty sure. It was entertaining when we got to see the conversations she had with Anne when she would visit Miss Lavender :)

Of course, I still love all of the old characters from the first book too!! Anne, Gilbert, Diana, Mrs. Lynde, and Marilla are all of my favorites! I was kind of sad that there wasn’t a whole lot of Gilbert in this book :/ There was barely any at all except for random times when a character would mention his name…I don’t remember there being many scenes where he actually talked though :( I did really like the ending and I thought it was sweet ^_^ This wasn’t my favorite out of the two I’ve read, but I still enjoyed it and I thought it got more interesting once you knew all of the characters better like Paul and Davy :) I am sure I will like the next book more though because I think I know what happens in it ;) That’s all I am going to say about that lol

تصمیم ندارم که جلدهای بعدی رو بخونم. خداحافظ اَن که احتمالا به دانشگاه میری و در آستانه‌ی تجربه‌ی عشقی، خداحافظ دایانا که در مسیر ازدواجی و خداحافظ خانم لوندر دل‌نشین دل‌شکسته که از قلعه‌ی طلسم‌شده خارج شدی.
شیرین بود. گرچه به اندازه‌ی جلد اول خیال‌پردازانه نبود و کوچیک‌تر دوسش داشتم، اما تجلی بلوغ که بود، الهام‌بخش که بود.

+شاید بقیه‌ش رو هم خوندم. بستگی به الهامات حضرت کتابیل داره.

الحياة مستمرة في المرتفعات الخضراء، بلغت آن السادسة عشر وأصبحت مستعدة لممارسة مهنة التدريس في مدرسة آفونلي.
في أجواء مختلفة تتدرج فيها الفصول وألوان الطبيعة، تحرز آن شيرلي تقدمًا سلسًا في قلوب طلابها الصغار، وفي قلوب سكان جزيرة الملك إدوارد عامة..
أما أنا، فلم أستطع المكوث هنا أكثر، في عالم الواقع الرمادي، حزمت حقيبة أحلامي بعد أن ملأتها بالكتب وبضع قبعات صوفية ومعطف من الجوخ الثقيل، انتظرت الوقت الذي نام فيه الجميع، وقفزت داخل الكتاب، إلى المرتفعات الخضراء، لم ألاقي صعوبة تُذكر في إيجاد منزل آل كوثبرت، المنزل الذي تطل منه فتاة صهباء نحيلة، بسبع أو ثمان نقاط فاتحة من النمش مرسومة على أنفها الصغير الدقيق.
العزيزة آن كم كبرت الآن، وكم خريف مضى منذ التقينا أول مرة في الجزء الأول من حكايتك، حين تعرفت عليك دون أن أعرفك، وقد تشيدت بيننا صداقة وثيقة، أدركت حينها، وأنا أنظر من خلال نافذتك الصغيرة أنّي أريد البقاء أكثر من أي شيء آخر، على التلال الخضراء، بين أشجار الزان والبتولا والتنوب، بينما تهبط الغيوم على قمم الجبال تعانق رؤوس أشجار الصنوبر المدببة، وتعانق قلبي.
ها أنا عدت مجددًا، وإذ بي أجد فتاة ناضجة تخبئ خلف هدوء المعلمة قصصًا خيالية وفيرة، وتنسدل على كتفيها خصلات بنية ملساء تحتفي بعبور الريح من خلالها.. سأدلف دون أن يراني أحد، أتذوق فطيرة برقوق ومربى الخوخ، أجلس على أريكة في الصالون مع كتابي وكوب الكابتشينو وقبعتي الصوفية والمعطف الشتوي، أستمع لأحاديث آن، ونراقب سوية ندف الثلج عبر النافذة، _فالفصول تحتشد جميعها في عالم الخيال وما على القارئ سوى استحضار الفصل الذي يريد_
تحضّر ماريلا المائدة خلال ذلك، تشعل الموقد وتغلي الشاي، ثم تدلف ديانا والسيدة ليند إلى المرتفعات، وبعد أن أستمع بسعادة لا توصف إلى أخبار آفونلي كما تنقلها السيدة راشيل، وأنهي كوب الشاي الدافئ، وأسلم على ديانا الجميلة، أعود مجددا إلى الواقع، وقد قطفت زهرة أضاليا صفراء عن رصيف الحلم، في طريق العودة من الخيال إلى الحقيقة.

أحداث هذه الرواية دافئة هادئة حلوة مثل قضمة من شطيرة بالعسل، زكية الرائحة مثل ورد البنفسج، ناعمة فضية مؤتلقة مثل يوم مشمس تغمر شمسه كل زاوية ثلجية على الأرض فتذيبها كما تذيب آن البؤس من قلب حزين.