13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Than A Book - The Continuing Adventures of a Friend, June 5, 2001
I love Anne! She was, at times, my greatest friend in the world. I am now in my mid 20's, but I still cherish the memories of the moments Anne and I spent together when I was a child, and regularly revisit her. If someone asked me which Anne book I liked least, I couldn't answer. I loved each and every one more than the next.
Anne of the Island is no less wonderful than the books preceeding it or following it. Like all the books, it has a blend of humour and poignancy; joy and sorrow. The key drawcards of the Anne books are the characters. They are lovable, good, kind, wholesome folk who make you care about them and want to know what happens next. Incredibly vivid characters, it was no exaggeration to say that Anne was my childhood best friend - she was as real to me as any person I knew.
The cast includes all kinds of interesting guests including the wonderful Miss Patty and Maria with their china dogs, Miss Ada and her cushions, Mrs Skinner and her romance ("Jog along, black mare")... the list goes on. Best of all, our old friends are back - Anne, Gilbert, Pricilla, Diana, Davy and Dora, Marilla and Mrs Lynde, Charlie Sloane, and all those we knew and loved in earlier books. There are also some fabulous new additions to the circle of friends - Stella, Aunt Jimsie and the irrepressible Philippa Gordon.
Anne of the Island takes us away from Avonlea to Kingsport, where Anne is attending Redmond College. This new setting doesn't mean that we miss out on Green Gables altogether, as Anne does return home for vactions, but it does give one a sense of moving on. Never again will Anne be a child living under Marilla's roof - she is an adult, and in this book she is beginning to break away from Green Gables in preparation for the next chapter in her life. Many of the events in this book shape Anne for the rest of her life, and it is an important book for those wishing to read the whole series.
If you aren't familiar with Anne, please go back and read Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea before embarking on Anne of the Island - you'll know the characters so much better if you do. If you've read them and are wondering if this book lives up to the earlier ones - it does. L.M. Montgomery kept Anne consistant throughout the entire series, and there are few authors who have done so successfully. While Anne does grow and mature throughout, she is always the Anne we knew and loved.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely wonderful!!, December 27, 2000
By A Customer
I love alll of the Anne of Green Gables series. They are so vividly written you find yourself wishing that you were born as Anne a hundered years ago on PE Island. I would have happily endured all her hardships for all the wonderful moments in her life, and the fact she married Gilbert Blythe! It's so well written that you actually feel that you know Gilbert and I actually found my self falling in love with him! I've read the series 2 times. The first time I couldn't stop thinking about Anne. I read Anne, I tried to live like Anne and I dreamt Anne. Anyway, although I love all 8 books almost equally Anne of the Island is just a little better. And although it's romantic it's definitely not just a romance. Anne of the island includes wit and humour that makes it an all-round perfect book. If you're an Anne fan you havvvvvve to read this. I could not describe how wonderful it is in 1000 words. Anne of the Island is truly a book you CANNOT put down. After reading this I recommend you read all the rest of the Anne of Green Gables series (there are 5 more book,) although you'll probably be rushing to buy them anyway.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a crowd pleaser, February 2, 2000
By A Customer
I had just begun to read the first Anne book in the beginning of January, and now, as the month has already come to a close, I've just finished my third. If nothing else, the book will sure keep you entertained. Even though I knew how the end of Anne of the Island would turn out, I still waited in suspense 'til the very last page. It's an excellent read, and I'm going to try to force myself not to go onto the fourth book because I really need to start reading other materials. It's written beautifully, and I found myself trying to speak as flowery as Anne but could never pull it off. It's really a blessing to find a book that you truly can't put down. The story was wholesome and simple, but it was indeed a classic to me. Take my advice, bibliophiles, read Anne--and give yourself some "scope for imagination."
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