'Anne of Green Gables' by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Or 'The One with the Smashed Slate'

Warning: These re-reads may contain a few spoilers, but I consider old classics are fair game. 

It's one of the best mistakes ever made. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are a brother and sister who decide to adopt a boy from an orphanage to help work on their property, since they're getting older. But there's an office mix-up, and an imaginative red-haired girl arrives instead. When the shock wears off, the Cuthberts go with their gut instinct to keep her, since they believe they'll do her some good. But time and again, they discover the benefit is mutual, when Anne's originality and love works its way like yeast through their hearts and lives. 

It's a bulls-eye of a debut novel, and perfect example of episodic plot structure carried to perfection. Generations of young people have found themselves straight in Anne's head space. But if you're old, don't ever assume it's too late to start this series. You might well be like Miss Josephine Barry, who says, 'She amuses me, and at my time of life, an amusing person is a rarity.' 

What I appreciated even more than before. 

1) Anne's relationship with Marilla is my highlight, since they're opposite in their default styles of thinking and reacting, yet somehow contrive to form a close, mutually loving relationship. Marilla is certain that Anne needs lots of plain common sense to ground her in the practicalities of everyday life, or else the ups and downs will take a heavy toll on her. Only later does it dawn on her that Anne's intense creative energy and keen appreciation for beauty is a huge compensation for the occasional low ebbs that go along with it. And Anne's personality has actually enriched Marilla's own life, along with Matthew's, in ways they'd never have expected.  

2) I love Matthew! Not only is he bursting with love, but he's a great model for introverts and shy folk everywhere. Those who know him well don't try to push him out of his shell, or encourage him to become more sociable and outgoing. They accept that he has his own style which won't ever change, and leave him to enjoy his life in his preferred manner. So perhaps it's Matthew's family and friends who need to be congratulated as great role models, along with the guy himself.  

3) As modern readers, it's interesting to trace changes over time. For example, Mrs Rachel Lynde's fascination with people watching is now regarded in some circles as a genuine hobby, rather than just being nosy. And Anne's first prayer beneath the Green Gables roof is surely now considered by many a fine, creative example of legitimate, devout prayer. It may be poles apart from the strict, 19th century Orthodox Presbyterian outlook shown by Marilla but no less reverent. Marilla was horrified almost speechless, but I doubt her 21st century counterpart would be. 

4) I back Anne and Gilbert all the way! What a lot of complexity can be contained into a non-relationship! As a kid, I thought Anne should grow up and swallow her wounded pride! I used to be the target of bullies, and reasoned that many boys in my class treated me far worse, and far more consistently, than poor Gilbert and that one incident, for which he instantly apologised. 

I feel differently as an older person, and understand Anne's slate smashing reaction without condoning it. She'd simply had enough. Gilbert wasn't to know the extent of her history on the receiving end of cruel put-downs. Of course his obnoxious behaviour was just a ploy for attention, but for her it was the tipping point. In turn, she wasn't to know that young males sometimes turn clownish and juvenile when they aim to impress girls. (That's one many people haven't fathomed.) She just thought, 'This is the last time anyone's going to deal me this guff in my new life!' Dare I say she may have even startled Gilbert into being his manly best from then on. He comes across as a bit of a jerk in our first glimpse of him, including the stunt with Ruby Gillis' plait. Their subsequent academic rivalry is great fun to read. Anne's insistence that Gilbert means nothing to her clearly means just the opposite, and we look forward to the day she admits it, especially to herself.

5) One of my favourite lessons she learned is a very practical one. Anne, you should never offer guests anything to eat or drink without sampling it yourself! This is vital, just to be on the safe side. Of course in the case of the raspberry cordial, she might have got drunk along with Diana, which wouldn't have helped her cause. But then again, she might have realised it wasn't the usual flavour of Marilla's raspberry cordial, and stopped them drinking it. In the case of the liniment cake, we all know you shouldn't cook for others if you have a bad cold. But this time around, it stands out that Marilla was partly to blame, for not having things put where Anne expected. On that train of thought, I won't even get started on the case of the missing brooch.  

6) If the concluding chapters don't turn on your waterworks, your self-control must be like steel. I imagine some of the first people good old Matthew met in heaven would have been Bertha and Walter Shirley, to thank him for helping turn their little daughter's life around.  

What I wasn't a big fan of this time round. 

1) There's really nothing! This could well be one of the world's best books. But just for the sake of throwing something out there for debate, do you think it was fortunate for Anne that she was a chirpy and bewitching little girl? We're left in no doubt her particular charisma worked in her favour. If she'd been sullen or prickly, as many girls in her position probably would have been, there's no way the Cuthberts would have opted to keep her. Of course they would have been under no obligation to, but this is just my observation that other equally needy kids often miss the help they desperately need because the protective walls they raise are repellent to adults. It's a heartbreaking but true fact of life. 

2) For anyone whose name is Ann without an E, reading this might be a somewhat upsetting experience. But for the rest of us, it's all good. 

3) The prize for book's biggest villain goes to Diana's mother, Mrs Barry. What an inflexible piece of work. But it was good to see her step up and swallow humble pie later on. 

4) The last two points are tongue-in-cheek of course, because there's really nothing bad to say about this book.     

Great Quotes to take on board. 

Anne: It's so easy to be wicked without knowing it, isn't it?

Anne: It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up firmly.

Marilla: I don't believe in imagining things different from what they really are. When the Lord puts us in certain circumstances, He doesn't mean for us to imagine them away.

Marilla: I'm not feeling discouraged. When I make up my mind to do a thing, it stays made up.

Anne: Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world. 

Anne: I never knew before that religion was such a cheerful thing. I always thought it was kind of melancholy, but Mrs Allen's isn't. I can just feel she's glad to be a Christian, and would be one even if she could get to heaven without it. 

Anne: It is ever so much easier to be good if your clothes are fashionable. I know I'll be able to study better because of my flounce. I shall have such a comfortable feeling deep down in my mind about that flounce. 

Anne: It is always wrong to do anything you can't tell the minister's wife.   

Anne: Really Marilla, one can't stay sad very long in such an interesting world, can one?

Anne: Dear old world, you are very lovely, and I'm glad to be alive in you. 

Stay tuned, because next up will be Anne of Avonlea.