L.M. Montgomery
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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Series -> Classics -> Anne of Green Gables
Subjects -> Children's Books -> General AAS
Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1
Average rating: 5.0 of 5
Anne's three years at Windy Willows, Summerside 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.
"Anne of Windy Willows" is the English title of "Anne of Windy Poplars," because apparently the concept of a Canadian tree was too much for their English brethren (remember, these are the same people who changed Harry Potter's philosopher's stone into a sorcerer's stone). This is definitely the most atypical book in the Anne of Green Gables Series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Although it is sold as the fourth book in the series it was actually one of the last one written, originally being published in 1936. Anne Shirley, B.A., has taken a job away from Green Gables and as Principal of Summerside High School for three years while she waits for Gilbert Blythe to finish medical school so they can get married. So Gilbert is only present when Anne writes to him as Redmond College in Kingsport (although Montgomery tactfully omits the romantic part of her letters). However, despite these oddities, "Anne of Windy Willows" has sort of become the second most significant novel in the series since it provides the foundation for both sequels to the "Anne of Green Gables" movies, both the 1940's "Anne of Windy Poplars" (with Anne Shirley playing Anne Shirley) and the 1987 "Anne of Avonlea." The latter purports to cover the second through fourth volumes in the Green Gables series, but clearly it is this one that readers will most recognize when they watch.Anne's adventures as a teacher in a town where the haughty Pringle family aligns against her is but one of the three major plotlines in the novel. There are also Anne's experiences at Windy Poplars on Spook's Lane, where the figure of Rebecca Drew figures largely in Anne's correspondence, along with Aunt Chatty and Aunt Kate. Then there is the mystery of little Elizabeth Grayson, who has been looking forward to Tomorrow as long as she can remember. You see, her mother died when she was born and her heartbroken father has gone off in search of Yesterday. Of course, Anne Shirley is no more likely to put up with something so wrong any more than she would Jen Pringle's fake illness or Katharine Brooke's sourness. There are also visits home each summer to visit Marilla and Mrs. Rachel back at Green Gables. Consequently, "Anne of Windy Willows" is not just an afterthought from Montgomery, who manages to make it fit into the grand scheme of Anne Shirley's life. But let's face the truth here: Anne Shirley as a mother is not the "real" Anne, so going back and reading about her continued misadventures before she married Gilbert is just fine
Editorial Review:
This is the fourth book about the red-haired Anne Shirley from Green Gables. Now a young woman and her romance with Gilbert Blythe beginning to flourish, Anne Shirley becomes Principal of Summerside High School. But Summerside is virtually ruled by the Pringle family, who don't want Anne at the school. It takes all of Anne's courage and tact, and the comfort she draws from the eccentric household at Windy Willows, to overcome local prejudice and confront the dreaded Pringles.
