For my review of each book of the series, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...

First and second books are the best. The others are sweet but not as good as the first couple.

Possibly the best series of all time. Truly charming and heartwarming, especially the scene where "Gilbert and Anne are embracing on the bridge" (for further enjoyment this can also be seen in the movie, especially if you are helping with the KVIE Channel 6 fundraiser).

Seriously though, if you enjoyed the movies (with the exception of the third movie which was horrible; I spit on it), I urge you to read these books. There is so much detail and other wonderful characters, like the twins Davey and Dora. And if you are wondering what REALLY happened to Anne as she grew up (since you KNOW that heinous third film could not have gotten it right), read these immediately and be satisfied.

When I originally wrote this review, I had basically one goodreads friend and no readers and so much of this review is an inside joke. Now that so many people are appreciating my “spitting on that horrible last joke of a movie”, I feel I should explain. One night, long ago, before the invention of DVR’s, my best friend was spending the night and we were watching Anne of Avonlea on TV. It was during one of those television drives for viewer support and every so often, they stopped the movie to ask for more money. But our love of Anne was great and we endured the periodic sales pitch until the very end, which as you know if you’ve seen the movie, is a shot of Gilbert and Anne finally, FINALLY, kissing on that lovely bridge. Well, we sighed in bliss as very naïve and romantic 15 years old are wont to do and then, the show cut back to the middle age woman who was spearheading the drive and out of her mouth (and let me stop to tell you she sounded an awful lot like Julia Child, British accent and all, so imagine that voice when you read the next line), came this, “Well, wasn’t that a lovely scene, Gilbert and Anne, embracing on the bridge.” And (again as 15 year olds are wont to do, especially ones who’ve stayed up until after 1am watching Anne and consuming far too much garlic cheesy bread and Dr. Pepper), we collapsed into hysterical laughter. It’s a wonder the rest of the family didn’t wake up. And to this day, we still repeat that line. "Oh, KVIE 6 television drive lady, have you any idea of the impact you’ve had on our lives?”

No because have you often read something as heartwarming as the Anne of Green Gables collection ?

So I wanted to read this for a while since I saw Anne with an E (the Netflix adaptation) and loved it. I never read a series of books in English before so I was excited to start with this one, which probably added to the thrill of the experience huhu. And I was not disappointed at all.

Part 1 is about Anne being adopted in odd circumstances by the Cuthbert siblings, Matthew and Marilla. Although laking upbringing and being the most intense child ever, she discovers the world with a whimsical eye providing great worries but also sheer joy to her guardians. She's growing up in a healthy environment and making long lasting friendships at school. Honestly, my review deserves a whole part about her kindred spirit, beloved Diana but it'll be more general so I'll just lay that out here : this is one of the best representation of friendship I've ever read. Anne cares about many things, but she cared the most about Diana, which she felt platonically infatuated with. This is a friendship that never limited itself to what would be good and bad and all fantasies were a realm where meeting their significant other is a wonderful experience. I sometimes think to myself that I was to meet my Diana too.

Part 2 is about Anne teaching a bit in Avonlea, her childhood town, and discovering the joys of nurturing others. Anne will ALWAYS be by now expected to take care of infants. She likes them but like ??? And honestly, "teen motherhood" trope, besides giving me a crazy ick, is really just stealing Anne's youth away in my opinion... Thanks god part.3 is an escape... Anyways, this is probably my biggest issues with the franchise if I might say : this trope is everywhere in too many books !!! And coming back to these twins orphans, I do not like the dynamic at all. I understand the message trying to say that kids are the sweetest when they get to misbehave a bit because that's part of the child's life and it's making the kid existence much deeper, hence their personality is enjoyable. Yet, I found it very unfair that the angelic twin got always less appreciation than the misbehaving one. I get that they tried to make a take here, but honestly, isn't it heartbraking to see Davy the tantrum king receiving way more love than wise and kind Dora. I understand the "unexpected delight" kinda thing the writer went for, but I just feel like poor Dora is really being under-appreciated. Why am I taking this so personally ??? Anywas, we get some of the best characters of the series in that book. S/o to sweet Paul Irving, legendary Miss Lavendar and Charlotta the Fourth my forever icon. But I was HEARTBROKEN when Ruby Gillis died. Poor angel...

Part 3 is about Anne's entry to Redmond college. Honestly, that's the JUICIEST part of the volumes. It serves the funniest friendship, romance with hot callers, drama (thank you Queen Philippa Gordon), big houses and school rivalry. Yet, it was pleasantly written in the same gentle, whimsical tone that made Anne's adventures so glorious and enlightening. Yet, Anne's nerves were I think really tried because girly got three proposals. The first one was traumatizing as it was the shittiest proposal ever by the shittiest man in town. Then the second one was honestly very fairy-tailish I loved it, but I understand that Anne's heart laid elsewhere. But oh boy the emotions when Gilbert proposed, I was just rooting for my child tearing up reading that damn book. I need to s/o Priscilla and Stella, homegirls of Redmond, but also QUEEN PHILIPPA GORDON ?? She had the most entertaining stories with all her foolish beaux. And her final choice was a very turning the tables one I really liked it, it was adorable ! I don't have anything to deep to say about that book but somehow that what makes it good : I have no complaints, and Anne is being Anne, but in a fun and stimulating environment. Also, out of all the amazingly described places in all the volumes, I think her boarding house to Redmond is my ultimate favorite with Gog and Magog chilling around. I am OBSESSED. Probably in my favorites of the series.

Part 4 is about Anne's career as a principal in a High School. So basically, she got engaged with Gilbert Blythe and is now waiting for him to finish his medic training. Basically, girl has nothing to do besides girlbossing. Honestly, this one was fun to read, but I wish the "mean" characters would've opened their heart not as easily. But I liked the story of little Elizabeth SHE MADE ME SOB !! The whole tale around Elizabeth's "Tomorrow" is the dreamiest thing. And I just don't remember much of this book tbh, it wasn't that exciting...

Part 5 is about Anne's newlywed life. The first chapter is just plain shit mind you. BESIDES, the rest of it is fair ! Anne Blythe is striving. Now her life is all about being a wife - and then a mother - which is, to her, a slay. Yet, it gives more time to our girly to be as nosy as ever (which I love). I liked the whole dynamic about Anne and Leslie's relationship. It's also the volume when my queens Cornelia and Susan appear omg, they are so sassy and upset with men I love it. Best characters. And besides some old sailor story I couldn't be bothered reading, we had a very touching yet subtle hint of one of Anne's lifelong heartbreak, the birth and death of little Joyce. Now this chapter was very hard to read. No one understands Anne. You can feel the horror creeping out of her body the more she has to face the reality : her baby didn't survive. Thanks God baby Jem did.

Part 6 is not about Anne anymore at this point. Idk if Lucy was in a raging baby fever from part 6 to part 8 but that's what it looks like... After moving to Ingleside, we're following adventurous Jem, poetic Walter (he's really a copy of Paul Irving), sweetheart Di and creative Nan throughout their children adventures. There are two other babies but honestly, they aren't developed a personality in that part yet. Anyways, it's just fun little stories of the children growing up. I was kind off upset with the lack of plot : it was just perfect children being a bit silly, in a perfect house and living a perfect life, minus an annoying aunt. That's pretty much it...

Part 7 is not even about Anne's family. We're following the Meredith children and orphan Mary Vance throughout their difficult upbringing. Honestly, this was a breath of fresh air compared to the four white bred children we've had in the last segment. Jem-alike Jerry, sulky and charismatic queen Faith, shy and melancholic Una along with bug-obsessed Carl (that's all about his personality, they should've just been three children tbh). Basically, poor Presbytarian Minister Meredith is a heartbroken widower and a clumsy and daydreaming father. That's how the book says it but in my words, and Cornelia's ones, he is flat out neglecting his children and letting them being hated on and never defends them when everyone, adults mostly tbh, really spend time shit-talking the Meredith children. I was soooo fed up with is behavior fr. Besides, I hate how the book is like "they just need a mother ÓwÒ". Excuse me ? They just need a responsible father which would stop malnourishing them OUT OF CLUMSINESS, more importantly ????? Anyways, fun characters are the girls in that book. The West siblings really were an interesting pair of women with an interesting backstory. Also Rosemary deserved a better husband but anyways... Faith was just delightful because she had a knack in being amazingly flawed. She swears, she's proud, she's harshly outspoken and won't hesitate to throw a fit if she thinks the person deserves it. Throughout the book, she never lose her sparkle and that makes her the true star of the book. Una was precious asf. She really carried the burden of self-awareness and I think she really helped the plot. None of the kids are aware they are acting foolish, but she is kinda feeling it and is ashamed and it shows how bad these kids were let down in abuse, behind all whimsical stories they might have had. She really deserves better, + part 8 really sank the nail for her... :(( And how to omit Mary Vance ? What a fun character ! I admit she grew up Marysplaining everyone which was really annoying, but I still adore her tbh. She gave kind of a taste of what Anne lived in her young days herself, being an orphan that suffered, keeping up households as maids. I like how her personality is bold and she believes in herself. And I'm happy she got a new life alongside miss Cornelia our funny angel. Also, if Mary Vance had any design, she's literally be the prettiest character of the whole book ngl.

Part 8 is about Rilla's teenagehood. Part 8 is about terrible, stifling and dreadful World War One. This book really isn't magic but is a way to cope for the writer, and this in a very obvious way. Bertha Marilla Blythe - "Rilla" - is the latest sibling of Anne's children. She is the dunce of the family, is vain, doesn't have any other ambition that flirting around and being the prettiest of the Ingleside girlies. Yet, her life will change drastically when the terrible war declares during a joyful and warm night hinted with romance with her beau Kenneth Ford. The war will turn the tables for Rilla which will go thru a lot of shit and will change forever. Now you'd never guess what would happen to the plot in order to change a teenage girl behavior ? DING-DONG, NEW ORPHAN UNLOCKED. Rilla decides to take care of a war-baby until his father gone to Europe comes back, the mother having died during child brith. She also devoted herself to an uncertain kiss goodbye of Kenneth Ford and became careless about fashion and isn't petty anymore. Now you'd be worried that basically Rilla became extremely boring. I was worried. But Rilla, although challenged by many situations, never really changed personality wise, she just matured out of teenage-hood behaviors. For example, she never liked babies, and still doesn't give a shit about babies by the end of the book, although she took a liking to the one she raised (which is very understandable). What I'm saying here is that caregiving didn't become her main personality trait, which I greatly appreciated. More than that, she was raising a toddler AND ran the association for young Red-Cross girlies of the town. And once the war is over, Marilla is mature, but she is also very whimsical again. I love that she didn't entirely change, for she was a breath of fresh air. Susan too had a quite good turn in that book. Susan, the nosy yet heartwarming Blythe's housemaid, becomes extremely clever about geography, history and politics, and decides at the end of the book to have a honeymoon... by herself ! And she attacked a vile ass man. She is so cool I wish she was an auntie of mine tbf. Now, I kinda think I should talk about the sad part tho... War included difficult parting, especially for Walter which was dead afraid of war when his brothers and friends were all so excited to go and fulfill their duty. Every children until Rilla were off to the war or to the Red Cross by the end of the book. The occurring death was hard to swallow. Walter was such a sweetheart and deserved everything. Yet, he died, leaving behind him the Poem of the Piper. The Piper, an invention of him, that followed him from childhood to his last breath, even came to him the night before his last battle. Alike Elizabeth that saw and sang "Tomorrow", Walter just knew about the Piper, which made it a painful yet beautiful, heart wrenching tale. Jem came back home with difficulty, but came back. As the reader, I was even more in a chokehold than the Blythe family and anxious about Jem's situation. Yet Dog Monday felt it the best : he came back. I cried out of relief TT. This last part was a difficult book to read. It was emotionally challenging and really gave a cold, lonely turn to the series which so far has been all whimsical and adorable.

My top 10 :
#1 : Anne of the Island, part 3
#2 : Anne of Green Gables, part 1
#3 : Rilla of Ingleside, part 8
#4 : Rainbow Valley, part 7
#5 : Anne of Avonlea, part 2
#6 : Anne of Windy Poplars, part 4
#7 : Anne of Ingleside, part 6
#8 : Anne's House of Dream, part 5

Little note on how I LOVED Anne's friendships throughout the books. The joyous story writing club of Ruby, Jane and ofc Diana. Then, the fun-seeking and coming of age Redmond girls Pris, Stella and Philippa. Susan, Cornelia and Leslie becoming wonderful friends to Anne. And the the friendship between the different siblings grwing up in Ingleside. I really want to read more books that treats friendship that specially.