Customer Reviews

Rilla of Ingleside

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It is certainly hard to begin reading "Rilla of Ingleside," knowing it is the eighth and final book in the Anne of Green Gables series. When it was written in 1921 it was actually the sixth book that L.M. Montgomery wrote in the series. Years later she would add "Anne of Windy Poplars" as the "fourth" book and "Anne of Ingleside" as the sixth, pushing this one to eighth place. The title character is Rilla, born Bertha Marilla Blythe (named for Anne's mother and the old maid who adopted the red-headed orphan), the youngest of Anne and Gilbert's daughters. The novel is set about a decade after Montgomery's previous Anne novel, "Rainbow Valley," which was more about the four children of the new widowed minister John Meredith, who become good friends with the Blythe kids. Most of the novel is set during World War I, which is one of the most interesting aspects of the story for me.

As the novel begins Rilla is almost fifteen years old, with bright hazel eyes and a dazzling smile. Rilla is still looking forward to her first romance and for her the most important thing in the world is going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from Kenneth Ford. But the story takes a dramatic turn as the shadow of the World War reaches all the way to Ingleside. Her brothers, her friends and her beau go over the ocean to fight in France and Rilla brings home an orphaned newborn in a soup tureen and organizes the Junior Red Cross. Everything takes on new meaning when there is a war going on, waiting to hear from the battlefields of France and Susan wondering when America is finally going to get involved so the Allies can win and the boys can finally come home. American involvement in that war was pretty brief, so what I found fascinating is to see that war from the Canadian perspective, as it drags on year after year.

Young men get killed in a war and that tragedy touches the Blythe family. Then more bad news comes from France, bringing home the nightmare even more. Yet Montgomery creates the possibility of hope in the figure of a faithful dog, waiting at the train station for his master to return. Rilla is not the only one waiting for someone to come home: Una Meredith and Mary Vance are waiting as well. "Rilla of Ingleside" was published in 1921, which means that L. M. Montgomery provided a contemporaneous account of the war as seen from the home front. We learn of what is happening second-hand as we see the impact of the war on the mothers, sisters and girls who were left behind to worry about Paris being shelled by the Germans along with the fate of the Empire and their loved ones. This gives "Rilla" an emotional depth unmatched in Montgomery's work, and also sets up the tragic aspects of the story. While this might be a bit sobering for younger readers, by the time they get to this final novel I believe they will be well prepared. There are certainly comic aspects to the story, but this an emotional tale that provides a satisfying conclusion to the story of Anne Shirley and her family.

"We give more than them. They only give themselves. We give them." So said Rilla Blythe once, and pretty much sums up all the suffering that the womenfolk left behind at home to 'work and wait' for their men at the front undergo.

RoI is featured around pretty young Rilla Blythe, as flippant and fun-loving as fourteen-year-olds can be. The novel starts out innocently enough; Rilla and her siblings attend a lighthouse dance, and handsome Ken Ford is infatuated with Rilla. Nobody cares about what's happening outside Prince Edward Island..or indeed, even in the next town. But in the midst of the enjoyment, World War I is looming up, and very soon boys are in khaki and on their way to the bloody battlefields in France. Inner strength is tried and hearts are wrung during the four long years that follow as the women watch friends, husbands, lovers and brothers put their lives on stake for the 'ashes of their fathers and the temples of their gods'.

Sadly, Rilla of I. has been overlooked by many when considering all the wonderful war books written. Maybe because of the title, which sounds very chick-flickish. If it had been called 'All Quiet on the Canadian front', perhaps more notice would've been taken of it. RoI is a clear, realistically insightful, thought-provoking work on what the people on the homefront go through during a war. All the anxieties over a telegram, taking up jobs that only men handled before, saying goodbye to the men leaving...

LMM has beautifully portrayed how the initial excitement and complacency over the war simmed down to stoic endurance through the four years. Yet, in the midst of all this emotion, there is still the trademark LMM humour. Rilla reflecting that Fred Arnold's nose would be unbearable 'across the breakfast table'. Mr. Pryor being nicknamed 'Whiskers on a Moon' because of his fat face. Rilla bringing home an orphaned war baby in a soup tureen. There is never a dull moment in RoI.

The only nitpick I have with this novel is that there is so little of the Merediths and characters like Jem, Nan and Di Blythe whom I grew to love during 'Rainbow Valley'. But it is such a powerful, moving book that it merits every bit of the five-star rating. This is L.M. Montgomery at her best.

Rilla Of Ingleside, the 8th book of the Anne of Green Gables series is my ultimate favorite of them all. Though every book was enchanting, each carrying beautiful stories, I feel that Rilla of Ingleside overflows in greatness. I have read this book time and time again and each time I laugh and cry for the beautiful characters and their lives that are so deeply touched by the Great War. Rilla is a girl like many who due to greater circumstances must grow up in a world of fear and fighting, and so she becomes a woman obtaining great character, love and wisdom. The story is beautiful and portrays what many must have gone through during those trying times. Anne in this novel, is not the headstrong girl that she was before, but is a woman and a mother who shows greater courage than in any other book. With all her sons at the front she is still the strongest and most loved kindred spirit. The book shows not what life was like at the front but what life was for those who had to stay behind. This book shows the greater courage that it took to stay at home, to fear the daily news, to hope in tomarrow and to "keep faith."

To the one who wrote the review saying that she wanted to know what happened to Marilla and that she must have died a lonely death, you forget: Marilla had the twins (their names escape me, Davy was the boy) for company, and it isn't as if Anne abandoned her. She did visit Marilla quite a few times in the other books. It just so happened that Marilla died years before the time of this book.

This is an amazing book. The way Montgomery writes just thrills me and takes me into the book. Every time I read it I lose myself for hours at a time. When *(spoiler)*, well I won't say who, but someone very special dies, I feel almost as if I have lost someone quite close to me.It's such a sad, happy, sweet, sorrowful story, a lot about change and growing up. Which aren't my favorite subjects, but I absolutely love this book. And for you guys who are sitting there saying, "YUCK," I'm sorry, but this book isn't for you. :-) It isn't really even a sappy book at all. It's just... I don't know. Incredibly written. And a great story.

By the way, I am not a kid, I am eighteen, but I didn't want to give out my e-mail address. :-)

By far, I feel that this is my favorite of the Anne of Green Gables series. I truly loved this book. Rilla Blythe is, at the beginning of the story, a vain and naive young girl, but by the end of the book she seemed to blossom into a sensitive, unselfish young woman. She is strong despite the cruelty of the war and the loss of her beloved brother, Walter. When Walter died, L.M. Montgomery painted the feelings of the characters so vividly that I shed a few tears along with his family and friends and with the one young woman who loved him, but was too shy to let him know...and lost him "somewhere in France." I had learned to grow fond of Walter, and I was very sad to see him go. All in all, this book is a very heartwarming, loving, classic book that I found very enjoyable. In the preceeding 7 "Anne" books, the scenery and way of life on P.E.I seemed calm and perfect.....but in Rilla of Ingleside, L.M. Montgomery lets us know that perfection can be spoiled and our lives could be waken up with a jolt, although at times not a very pleasant one. For anyone who is a fan of L.M. Montgomery and of Anne Shirley, her family and friends, I would recommend reading this book. It is a treasure.

This is definitely my favorite in the series, BUT it is also VERY DIFFERENT from the other books, which I also recommend. This book is a fascinating account of one young lady's experience in Canada during World War I. I learned more about the war from this book than I have from all the history books I've read, combined. It really brings a human touch to history. It's sad and funny and very true to life.

I love L.M. Montgomery's books, and I think my favorite is Rilla of Ingleside. I read it when I was in fourth grade, and even after three years, it's still great. Rilla Blythe, the protagonist, is someone I can really relate to, since she's a teenager. This book is a story basically about this family, the Blythe family, that's torn apart because of the World War One. It's really a great story, both cheerful and heartbreaking at the same time. I'm sure I've cried a lot when I read it for the first time. Also, it's not only a story about Rilla. Montgomery crafts a superb tale around all the characters in this book: she writes about all their feelings, doings, etc. This book rocks.

Rilla of Ingleside is one of the best books I've ever read. It is my second favourite book in the Anne series (no matter how good any of the other Anne books may be, they can't top Anne of Green Gables). Anne may only be a secondary character in this book, but her daughter, Rilla, is still a very unique and lovable character with her own set of exciting adventures. This book is set at the time of WWI and Rilla's brothers, friends and sweetheart all go to war. Everyone at Ingleside as well as others in Glen St.Mary go through hard times in this four year period, espcially young Rilla. But this war and its sorrows as well as joys make a woman out of Rilla. This book is about growing up, life's challenges, faith, courage and so much more. There is even some humour in it like all of the other Anne books. Its one of those books that will leave you with goose bumps when you're finished reading it. Besides, if you're an Anne fan you will want to read this book to find out how everything turns out with her and her family.

Rilla of Ingleside is without contest the best book I've ever read. LM Montgomery's talents include being able to describe emotions so vividly that the reader *feels* it. In this case, she shows us how Rilla, a frivolous, vain girl, transforms, through many hardships, into a patient, kind, humourous young woman. Also woven in are little details about the war that you will never find in a history textbook - mostly how the people back home felt about it.
Although she isn't one of the main characters, Faith Meredith is one of my favourites. She is brave enough to go off as a nurse, and stays strong even when her finacee is captured by the Germans. I'd love to actually BE Faith.
Another of the best characters are Susan and her cousin Sophia. Susan is so optimistic and Sophia is so pessimistic that their clashes are just plain funny.
Gertrude Oliver is the most intriguing. Her dreams tell the future and she has lots of superstitions.
The most lovable of the characters is Jims. He is a really sweet little baby and his role in Kenneth Ford's farewell call is cute.
From all points of view, Rilla of Ingleside is an engaging novel, a must-read for LM Montgomery fans, historical romance freaks, and WWI nuts alike. Also for those who enjoy a good story.

Rilla of Inglesade is the last and 8th book of Ann series (the first one was Anne of the Green Gables), it's about one of the daugthers of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe.
First, I tought that this book will not like me, because the main character is not Anne. But then, I really love it, but a little bit less than the ones that the main star is Anne.
Rilla-my-Rilla, it's how one of his brother and his teacher called her. When she was a little girl, she was a little bit frivolous. But then, in the middle of a war, she became an excellent woman; kind, beautifull, etc...
Unfortunatlly, in the war she sufferer a lot, because her brothers were in the middle of it...and one of them died. I cryed a lot when that happended. Like when one man (I don't want to told you his name, in case that you don't read the book), died in one of Anne's collection.
You HAVE TO read this book...but first, I recommend you to read Anne's book, so you could know all the story. That is better, no?
I know that if you read this collection you will love it!!!. I read all the books more than three times each one. So imagine how excellent they have to be.
After read them, please tell me what do you think about them!

Andrea (o_o)