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Marilla Before Anne
A heart-rending work of historical fiction telling the story of Marilla Cuthbert, long before Anne came to Green Gables farm.
Marilla Cuthbert was fifty-two years old when the plucky red-headed Anne Shirley came to live with her and her brother, Matthew, at Green Gables farm on Prince Edward Island. A seemingly cold and dour spinster, her heart eventually softens to the loveable orphan girl. But for over a century readers have wondered, who was Marilla before Anne?
In Louise Michalos's remarkable debut novel, readers are introduced to a spirited eighteen-year-old Marilla Cuthbert—a girl not unlike Anne herself—who is desperately in love, and whose whole life is spread before her. But when a moment of defiance brings life-changing consequences, a new Marilla begins to take shape, one who would learn to bear tragedy like a birthright, and loss as an inevitability, and who would hold steadfast to the secrets that could shatter the lives of everyone around her.
Weaving its way from Marilla's early life in Avonlea to her coming-of-age in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and back, Marilla Before Anne is the story readers of Anne of Green Gables have longed for. Told with a refreshingly original East Coast voice, this exquisite, heartbreaking work of historical fiction takes readers on a journey back in time, to the Green Gables where Marilla Cuthbert lived, loved, and learned, long before Anne.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
September 30, 2023
I really did not enjoy either Budge Wilson's Before Green Gables (much too all encompassingly negative, too harshly depicted and turning Anne Shirley into some kind of precocious language geek by the age of only three or so) or Sarah McCoy's Marilla of Green Gables (since McCoy's Marilla Cuthbert for me just does not fit L.M. Montgomery's Marilla Cuthbert). But honestly, even though my star ratings for Before Green Gables and Marilla of Green Gables are two stars and one star respectively, both novels are indeed much superior to Louise Michalos' 2021 Marilla Before Anne, since Budge Wilson and Sarah McCoy at least tell stories that could be believable to a certain point (both historically and even somewhat with regard to Lucy Maud Montgomery) whereas that is absolutely and in my not so humble opinion NOT AT ALL the case with Marilla Before Anne.
And indeed, very soon into Marilla Before Anne, I was not only ready to quit reading and with massive feelings of frustrated anger, I was in actual fact pretty hugely tempted to throw Marilla Before Anne into the garbage (and even kind of felt like burning Marilla Before Anne, even though I would of course never burn books simply out of principle). Because for me, what Louise Michalos has penned in Marilla Before Anne, well, this is texturally, this is thematically and content wise so utterly ridiculous and silly, so lacking in every possible way that I do very strongly stand by both refusing to continue on with Marilla Before Anne, having intense feelings of wanting to destroy this novel, and that frankly, I equally feel no guilt or contrition whatsoever rating Marilla Before Anne with but one star shortly after starting. I mean, Louise Michalos in Marilla before Anne, she makes Marilla Cuthbert have a baby out of wedlock (and who then ends up being Anne's mother, Bertha, so that Anne Shirley in Marilla Before Anne is actually Marilla Cuthbert's granddaughter and Matthew Cuthbert's grandniece).
But sorry, this entire storyline and premise make absolutely no sense with regard to how L.M. Montgomery has depicted Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables, considering that Marilla with her strong sense of morality and family obligations, even if she had had a baby whilst unmarried and given said infant up for adoption (which I for one also cannot really at all believe as happening and in particular in small town PEI in the 19th century), well, if Anne Shirley were truly Marilla's granddaughter and Matthew's grandniece by blood, then knowing Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert from L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, upon the deaths of her parents, Anne would never have simply been farmed out to other families to work as an unloved and unpaid servant, nor would she have been placed in an orphanage (no, Anne in my opinion would have immediately been given a permanent home at Green Gables as soon as Walther and Bertha Shirley had died).
So yes, with Marilla Before Anne making hardly ANY sense (see above) and thus with Louise Michalos' text in my opinion also not being an actual and as such of course not a legitimate adaptation of Anne of Green Gables and in fact also feeling kind of insulting to Lucy Maud Montgomery herself (and to the entire Anne of Green Gables series), for me, Marilla Before Anne is basically and simply a hugely and annoying piece of written junk, not something to ever recommend and with me even almost wishing I could give Marilla Before Anne less than one star (since Michalos' ridiculous and problematic adaptation of Anne of Green Gables and her reimagining of Marilla Cuthbert as Anne Shirley's biological grandmother just makes me totally livid and shaking my head, and asking why, why, why over and over again).
And indeed, very soon into Marilla Before Anne, I was not only ready to quit reading and with massive feelings of frustrated anger, I was in actual fact pretty hugely tempted to throw Marilla Before Anne into the garbage (and even kind of felt like burning Marilla Before Anne, even though I would of course never burn books simply out of principle). Because for me, what Louise Michalos has penned in Marilla Before Anne, well, this is texturally, this is thematically and content wise so utterly ridiculous and silly, so lacking in every possible way that I do very strongly stand by both refusing to continue on with Marilla Before Anne, having intense feelings of wanting to destroy this novel, and that frankly, I equally feel no guilt or contrition whatsoever rating Marilla Before Anne with but one star shortly after starting. I mean, Louise Michalos in Marilla before Anne, she makes Marilla Cuthbert have a baby out of wedlock (and who then ends up being Anne's mother, Bertha, so that Anne Shirley in Marilla Before Anne is actually Marilla Cuthbert's granddaughter and Matthew Cuthbert's grandniece).
But sorry, this entire storyline and premise make absolutely no sense with regard to how L.M. Montgomery has depicted Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables, considering that Marilla with her strong sense of morality and family obligations, even if she had had a baby whilst unmarried and given said infant up for adoption (which I for one also cannot really at all believe as happening and in particular in small town PEI in the 19th century), well, if Anne Shirley were truly Marilla's granddaughter and Matthew's grandniece by blood, then knowing Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert from L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, upon the deaths of her parents, Anne would never have simply been farmed out to other families to work as an unloved and unpaid servant, nor would she have been placed in an orphanage (no, Anne in my opinion would have immediately been given a permanent home at Green Gables as soon as Walther and Bertha Shirley had died).
So yes, with Marilla Before Anne making hardly ANY sense (see above) and thus with Louise Michalos' text in my opinion also not being an actual and as such of course not a legitimate adaptation of Anne of Green Gables and in fact also feeling kind of insulting to Lucy Maud Montgomery herself (and to the entire Anne of Green Gables series), for me, Marilla Before Anne is basically and simply a hugely and annoying piece of written junk, not something to ever recommend and with me even almost wishing I could give Marilla Before Anne less than one star (since Michalos' ridiculous and problematic adaptation of Anne of Green Gables and her reimagining of Marilla Cuthbert as Anne Shirley's biological grandmother just makes me totally livid and shaking my head, and asking why, why, why over and over again).
May 5, 2021
MARILLA BEFORE ANNE by Louise Michalos
I knew I wanted to read this book, from just the title. I am an avid fan of Anne of Green Gables. I have books, movies, and address book, and a cookbook. But I knew just a few pages into it, what the author was going to try to do and how wrong it was, to the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Marilla's middle name was put down here, as Anne. Marilla had a baby girl out of wedlock, that the family that adopted her, named her Bertha Anne. Bertha later marries Walter Shirley. It's too convenient for Anne's story. If Anne was indeed Marilla's granddaughter by blood, then Anne would never have been farmed out to other families to work as an unloved servant, nor would she have been placed into an orphanage.
Matthew and Marilla asked for a boy from the orphanage to help with some of the farm chores, to help Matthew. They didn't specifically request Anne.
Being true to the original novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this book doesn't make any sense at all. Not to mention the blasphemy used in this book. The Anne of Green Gables books never used any blasphemy. As it should be. Why is it that authors feel that using blasphemy is a good thing in a book? Highly disappointed. This book could have been so much more. It should have been titled BERTHA SHIRLEY BEFORE ANNE, and leave out everything about Green Gables and Marilla and Matthew.
If you have never read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this book is for you. If you have read the Anne books or watched the movies, this book will make no sense to you, there is no continuity to the original story.
Another Anne book called BEFORE GREEN GABLES by Budge Wilson has excellently told us of Anne's story before Green Gables.
I received a complimentary copy of #marillabeforeanne from #netgalley I was under no obligation to post a review.
I knew I wanted to read this book, from just the title. I am an avid fan of Anne of Green Gables. I have books, movies, and address book, and a cookbook. But I knew just a few pages into it, what the author was going to try to do and how wrong it was, to the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Marilla's middle name was put down here, as Anne. Marilla had a baby girl out of wedlock, that the family that adopted her, named her Bertha Anne. Bertha later marries Walter Shirley. It's too convenient for Anne's story. If Anne was indeed Marilla's granddaughter by blood, then Anne would never have been farmed out to other families to work as an unloved servant, nor would she have been placed into an orphanage.
Matthew and Marilla asked for a boy from the orphanage to help with some of the farm chores, to help Matthew. They didn't specifically request Anne.
Being true to the original novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this book doesn't make any sense at all. Not to mention the blasphemy used in this book. The Anne of Green Gables books never used any blasphemy. As it should be. Why is it that authors feel that using blasphemy is a good thing in a book? Highly disappointed. This book could have been so much more. It should have been titled BERTHA SHIRLEY BEFORE ANNE, and leave out everything about Green Gables and Marilla and Matthew.
If you have never read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this book is for you. If you have read the Anne books or watched the movies, this book will make no sense to you, there is no continuity to the original story.
Another Anne book called BEFORE GREEN GABLES by Budge Wilson has excellently told us of Anne's story before Green Gables.
I received a complimentary copy of #marillabeforeanne from #netgalley I was under no obligation to post a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2021
Oh my stars! I was so happy to revisit Green Gables and see what life was like before Anne got there. All the characters from the story were introduced and their backgrounds revealed, including of course the most prominent, Marilla, because without her there would be no Anne. Rachel and Thomas and William and Matthew were all introduced and my favorite-Gilbert Blythe!
There was a lot of sadness in this story which would probably be a trigger for some people, but it really did a good job of building up the storylines that lead to the famous books. I especially liked that it helped to explain why Marilla was always so cold and unsupportive if you’re a fan of the books or the show, you’ll enjoy this. I’ll definitely be purchasing this to add to my collection.
Thanks to Nimbus Publishing and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.
There was a lot of sadness in this story which would probably be a trigger for some people, but it really did a good job of building up the storylines that lead to the famous books. I especially liked that it helped to explain why Marilla was always so cold and unsupportive if you’re a fan of the books or the show, you’ll enjoy this. I’ll definitely be purchasing this to add to my collection.
Thanks to Nimbus Publishing and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.
June 5, 2021
RATING: 1 STAR
2021; Nimbus Publishing
As you already know, if there is a fire at my place, I am stopping and grabbing my Anne of Green Gables (AoGG) book before I go. Just my first copy. I won't be too reckless. AoGG has been my constant companion so I have lots of biases. It is only recently, that I was able to read Before Green Gables and Marilla of Green Gables. I was so scared that they would ruin what I had in my imagination, I kept putting it off. I loved both books, not as much as the originals, but I could appreciate them. Marilla and Matthew just have this place in my heart that they feel like real people I once knew. Sarah McCoy who wrote about Marilla at Anne's age, captured that Avonlea "tone". I am not sure how to describe it, but I felt like I was in Avonlea.
Okay, I may be stalling a bit from doing this review as I don't want to be negative. I will start with how much I do like this cover, and it reminds me a bit of Jane Austen/Bronte covers. The biggest issue for me in this book was that I didn't find the characters endearing. How can my beloved Avonlea characters be so meh. I do get that Michalos was trying to give a realistic view of what might have happened before AoGG occurred, but it didn't work for me. As a child when I read AoGG there was always this silver lining and positivity with each book. That viewpoint still lives in me today as an adult. I saw Anne as role model for how I wanted to be as a person. I don't want to give spoilers, but the ending...that was just...disappointing. It not only veered away from what the following books would portrayed. With McCoy's novel, it literally is a prequel and follows Montgomery's intentions. If this book was a prequel, it would change the whole series. I mean I liked the idea of why Anne becomes Marilla and Matthew's in this novel, but now that changes the series. Maybe that was Michalos intention to completely rewrite the story, and give it a spin with some outlandish things. If so, she has done her job, but I still don't like it.
As I said I have SO many biases with AoGG, so you may wish to check out other reviews. There seem to be some high ratings, so it could just be me.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
2021; Nimbus Publishing
As you already know, if there is a fire at my place, I am stopping and grabbing my Anne of Green Gables (AoGG) book before I go. Just my first copy. I won't be too reckless. AoGG has been my constant companion so I have lots of biases. It is only recently, that I was able to read Before Green Gables and Marilla of Green Gables. I was so scared that they would ruin what I had in my imagination, I kept putting it off. I loved both books, not as much as the originals, but I could appreciate them. Marilla and Matthew just have this place in my heart that they feel like real people I once knew. Sarah McCoy who wrote about Marilla at Anne's age, captured that Avonlea "tone". I am not sure how to describe it, but I felt like I was in Avonlea.
Okay, I may be stalling a bit from doing this review as I don't want to be negative. I will start with how much I do like this cover, and it reminds me a bit of Jane Austen/Bronte covers. The biggest issue for me in this book was that I didn't find the characters endearing. How can my beloved Avonlea characters be so meh. I do get that Michalos was trying to give a realistic view of what might have happened before AoGG occurred, but it didn't work for me. As a child when I read AoGG there was always this silver lining and positivity with each book. That viewpoint still lives in me today as an adult. I saw Anne as role model for how I wanted to be as a person. I don't want to give spoilers, but the ending...that was just...disappointing. It not only veered away from what the following books would portrayed. With McCoy's novel, it literally is a prequel and follows Montgomery's intentions. If this book was a prequel, it would change the whole series. I mean I liked the idea of why Anne becomes Marilla and Matthew's in this novel, but now that changes the series. Maybe that was Michalos intention to completely rewrite the story, and give it a spin with some outlandish things. If so, she has done her job, but I still don't like it.
As I said I have SO many biases with AoGG, so you may wish to check out other reviews. There seem to be some high ratings, so it could just be me.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
January 5, 2022
I wanted too much from this book. I am an avid Anne of Green Gables fan and its supported spin offs. I love taking a deep dive into historical PEI. I believe that the author should not have selected the epic AoGG as her first book. The character development just isn't there. The amount of times someone passed out because of being "hysterically" is so angering. Everyone seems to have a balance issue in this book. It was unfortunate that the plot was so obvious, this was basically a harlequin romance with AoGG characters plugged in. The history of Marilla really wasn't told in this novel, it was the back story of Anne. This idea of Anne being Marilla's family does not make sense to LMM's Marilla. One of the endearing character development was watching Marilla and Mathew struggle to understand Anne and begin to open up and become a family. This would not have happened if they had already loved an illegitimate child and grandchild from afar. They would have welcomed her with open arms and loving open hearts.
I am not sure if the author has ever really hung out with a 10 year old. The meeting of Bertha when she was 10 was hard to believe, especially as a farming family back at the turn of the century. Children learned quickly and were expected to help around the house. Bertha is very immature and lacking the defined role of her parents as farmers.
I could go on and on about this book and its inconsistencies. The main heart break is that the underlying theme of AoGG was disregarded. To me, it shows how green this author is. I wish she would have gained some experience and feedback before writing about a beloved story line. She could have selected a less integral character from AoGG and wrote their backstory.
I am disappointed in my journey back to PEI.
I am not sure if the author has ever really hung out with a 10 year old. The meeting of Bertha when she was 10 was hard to believe, especially as a farming family back at the turn of the century. Children learned quickly and were expected to help around the house. Bertha is very immature and lacking the defined role of her parents as farmers.
I could go on and on about this book and its inconsistencies. The main heart break is that the underlying theme of AoGG was disregarded. To me, it shows how green this author is. I wish she would have gained some experience and feedback before writing about a beloved story line. She could have selected a less integral character from AoGG and wrote their backstory.
I am disappointed in my journey back to PEI.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2021
Mark Twain said, “When ill luck begins, it does not come in sprinkles, but in showers.” This quote repeatedly popped into my head as I read ‘Marilla Before Anne’ by Louise Michalos. Going into this story we knew life couldn’t have been easy for Marilla Cuthbert for her to become such a cold and bitter spinster before Anne showed up at her door. You can only bounce back in life so many times before you stay down. This was a well written and heartbreaking prequel. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoyed the Anne of Green Gables books, television shows, movies, or theatre productions.
September 8, 2021
The story itself was an easy read and overall well written, that is where the positive ends for me. If the author had named it the "Tragic life of Marilla" I would have given it four stars. The idea that this was the Marilla of Green Gables that Maud imagined is very unbelievable. I would be so happy if someone from PEI would write a book that would make sense as a prequel. All this travelling back and forth from PEI to Halifax in the 1840's made no sense. All the tragedy got to be too much for me. The ending was so unbelievable as well. All one has to do is read the first few chapters of Maud's book about Anne coming to Green Gables. Did the author need permission to use the names from the original Anne of Green Gables story? I guess not.
June 15, 2021
I love Anne of Green Gables. I love PEI. I didn’t love Marilla Before Anne. I didn’t care for the author’s interpretation of LM Montgomery’s beloved characters. I know trend now is to retell classic stories or even have prequels but I don’t think this novel enhances that trend. It was clever how the author connected the characters, but the ending completely belies the very beginning of Anne of Green Gables. How Marilla acted in the first part of the novel is out of character for the character Montgomery created. Thanks to Nimbus Publishing and NetGalley for the early read.
January 16, 2022
I love Anne Shirley. I have always been curious about Marilla and Matthew, but this story did not write something true for me.
It started strong, and was something that I could accept, even up to finding the lost love again.
But the rest of the journey was too unbelievable for the mid 19th century. And the changeable nature of Marillas depressions were not consistent with the stoic matron of LMM'S Avonlea.
It started strong, and was something that I could accept, even up to finding the lost love again.
But the rest of the journey was too unbelievable for the mid 19th century. And the changeable nature of Marillas depressions were not consistent with the stoic matron of LMM'S Avonlea.
January 12, 2025
Excellent story! An enjoyable read that kept me interested. I was not sure what to expect and the book did not disappoint. The story took me to places I was not expecting. While it still has the same good feeling of a Lucy Maud Montgomery book, there is a feeling of it being up to date and current with the issues Marilla faces. Just a really good, curl-up, cozy read. Makes me want to re-read all the LMM books again.
May 31, 2021
Louise Michalos beautifully captures rural 19th-century Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, in her debut novel, which takes readers back to a young Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert from the original Anne of Green Gables stories. As befits the time, life was hard for the siblings on the Cuthbert family farm—and for protagonist Marilla in particular, who suffered one heartbreak after another yet somehow found the emotional reserve to carry on. Kudos to Michalos for bringing these beloved characters to life in their youth and seeing them through to middle age, where a surprise of monumental proportions awaits readers.
January 24, 2022
This was my first DNF in years. I just couldn't. It read very much like a book from a first time author, which I understand is the case. The story's pacing was off. Most importantly, the characters did not ring true to...character! I just couldn't fathom any of this for Marilla. Also, I find it trite when people write as if there are plenty of rebels running around during this time period. If that were the case society would have advanced far faster than it actually did. Which is another reason why I couldn't get behind the story. I only read half and had to stop.
July 19, 2022
Anytime an author takes on a story based in such a beloved canon, they have massive shoes to fill. Such is the case of Marilla Before Anne, the story of Marilla Cuthbert from the age of 17 to the day that Anne comes to live at Green Gables. I will say that I read this in one sitting and so yes, it is imminently readable with an engaging voice and characters we all know and love.
However it fell short for me. It was hard to reconcile the Marilla we all knew with a young girl giggling and sneaking out of the house, and the dialogue at times felt too modern and not characteristic of either the characters or the times. In addition, the repetitive action of Marilla swooning/fainting/falling to her knees was overdone. The Marilla we all know and love had way too much starch in her spine for such a thing. I guess I expected the stalwart woman with the soft heart beneath, rather than a character so overtly emotional and prone to crying.
If this were a story told with original characters, it might have suited me better.
However it fell short for me. It was hard to reconcile the Marilla we all knew with a young girl giggling and sneaking out of the house, and the dialogue at times felt too modern and not characteristic of either the characters or the times. In addition, the repetitive action of Marilla swooning/fainting/falling to her knees was overdone. The Marilla we all know and love had way too much starch in her spine for such a thing. I guess I expected the stalwart woman with the soft heart beneath, rather than a character so overtly emotional and prone to crying.
If this were a story told with original characters, it might have suited me better.
December 28, 2023
I didn’t really like this book. I’m really picky about “fan fictions” of my favorite books and this didn’t add up to the series. First of all I don’t believe that Marilla’s mom was a jerk. It was weird to me that Anne was Marilla’s granddaughter…. also I don’t think she would hate John Blythe because they were REAL lovers at one point. and also at the end we KNOW that Marilla and Matthew were adopting a boy so how could they have adopted Anne?! also Rachel Lynne is secretly nice and she was too much of a villain. William is annoying too
ok sorry for that rant this is my personal opinion
ok sorry for that rant this is my personal opinion
July 28, 2021
Well, of course I was intrigued at the idea of a prequel for Anne of Green Gables!
Sadly, this wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. Mind, my Marilla is the one portrayed by Colleen Dewhurst in the beloved miniseries. It was rather difficult to see a connection between the two.
We first meet Marilla as a flighty young woman sneaking out of her strict parents’ home for a night of dancing with the beau that her parents strongly disapprove of. A dock worker at the port, he is only in town for a short while. He is determined to marry her, but her parents have someone else in mind.
Long story short, he has to leave town; she discovers she’s pregnant. After a tragic accident, Marilla believes him to be dead and goes to another town to bear her baby, whom she gives up for adoption.
A series of rather unbelievable coincidences happen after this. By the end, when Anne is introduced, it’s really too much to believe.
A lot of things happen in between, of course, and we see many beloved characters. But the overall premise of the book just doesn’t do it for me.
Possible Objectionable Material:
Unmarried sex, drinking, disobedience. And if you’re like me, it just doesn’t feel like Marilla.
Who Might Like This Book:
People who love the source material, love stories, young women who fight expectations.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest reaction.
Also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/20...
Sadly, this wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. Mind, my Marilla is the one portrayed by Colleen Dewhurst in the beloved miniseries. It was rather difficult to see a connection between the two.
We first meet Marilla as a flighty young woman sneaking out of her strict parents’ home for a night of dancing with the beau that her parents strongly disapprove of. A dock worker at the port, he is only in town for a short while. He is determined to marry her, but her parents have someone else in mind.
Long story short, he has to leave town; she discovers she’s pregnant. After a tragic accident, Marilla believes him to be dead and goes to another town to bear her baby, whom she gives up for adoption.
A series of rather unbelievable coincidences happen after this. By the end, when Anne is introduced, it’s really too much to believe.
A lot of things happen in between, of course, and we see many beloved characters. But the overall premise of the book just doesn’t do it for me.
Possible Objectionable Material:
Unmarried sex, drinking, disobedience. And if you’re like me, it just doesn’t feel like Marilla.
Who Might Like This Book:
People who love the source material, love stories, young women who fight expectations.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest reaction.
Also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/20...
September 26, 2022
I did not care for this reimagining of Marilla. I had trouble with the historical accuracy of the time which included the ease of travel for Marilla between Avonlea and Halifax and the ability for her Aunt Martha to own her house. It may have been possible with a bequeathment but was most unlikely for women to live alone in that time period. I was also disappointed that Marilla was so hardened as I felt that LLM portrayed her with a tough outer shell and a very soft heart. I did like the ending and thought that it was a good way of tying the two stories together.
May 19, 2021
I don’t know how I can write a review that could truly express how much I loved this book. It is a beautiful rendition of the untold story of one of my most beloved characters from my childhood books. I can’t thank Nimbus Publishing and NetGalley enough for allowing me to read this ARC.
I have always been an avid reader and growing up in a small village with no extra income the majority of books I read were borrowed from the library at our small school. That meant rereading a book if I liked it. I have read the entire series of Anne of Green Gables several times and they always made me laugh out loud, cry and feel like anything was possible. Marilla Before Anne has left me with the exact same feelings.
I was so moved by this book and knowing Marilla and Matthew, I felt like I was reuniting with old friends. The author did an amazing job of creating a believable and truly heartbreaking yet heartwarming back story for Marilla. Everything that happened in this book was totally in line with the character that we came to love in the Anne series. It gave me a story that does not alter the Anne books in any way and in fact is a perfect accompaniment to the series. The author did justice to each of the characters and I like that Gilbert was even mentioned, in passing.
I was nervous to read this book as I didn’t think anyone besides Lucy Maude Montgomery could rightly do justice to these characters but I believe that Louise Michalos has done a wonderful job of creating her version of Marilla’s life. For a day, as I read this nonstop, I was reunited with some of the characters that filled my mind for hours on end as a child.
I have always been an avid reader and growing up in a small village with no extra income the majority of books I read were borrowed from the library at our small school. That meant rereading a book if I liked it. I have read the entire series of Anne of Green Gables several times and they always made me laugh out loud, cry and feel like anything was possible. Marilla Before Anne has left me with the exact same feelings.
I was so moved by this book and knowing Marilla and Matthew, I felt like I was reuniting with old friends. The author did an amazing job of creating a believable and truly heartbreaking yet heartwarming back story for Marilla. Everything that happened in this book was totally in line with the character that we came to love in the Anne series. It gave me a story that does not alter the Anne books in any way and in fact is a perfect accompaniment to the series. The author did justice to each of the characters and I like that Gilbert was even mentioned, in passing.
I was nervous to read this book as I didn’t think anyone besides Lucy Maude Montgomery could rightly do justice to these characters but I believe that Louise Michalos has done a wonderful job of creating her version of Marilla’s life. For a day, as I read this nonstop, I was reunited with some of the characters that filled my mind for hours on end as a child.
February 1, 2022
This is such an interesting reimagining of Marilla's story. Obviously, we know very little of her from Montgomery's work, but this particular story does more than just imagine her life before Anne. It imagines a slightly different story world. I can't say more with "spoiling" things.
Once I realized that it was not just a prequel but a retelling, I was better able to sink into the story. Michalos' writing is lovely and her portrayal of Marilla and Matthew stays close enough to the original to give that comfort feel while imagining it differently enough to make it more her own story.
I enjoyed it, but I do sort of wish I'd known it wasn't going to be completely faithful to the original going in, just so I could have had different expectations and wouldn't have taken so much time trying to orient myself.
Once I realized that it was not just a prequel but a retelling, I was better able to sink into the story. Michalos' writing is lovely and her portrayal of Marilla and Matthew stays close enough to the original to give that comfort feel while imagining it differently enough to make it more her own story.
I enjoyed it, but I do sort of wish I'd known it wasn't going to be completely faithful to the original going in, just so I could have had different expectations and wouldn't have taken so much time trying to orient myself.
September 27, 2021
Poor dear Marilla Cuthbert. Those who behave in a certain way often have a story or unresolved trauma in their life and all of us have a story . This story of Marilla broke my heart. Like most , I’ve loved Anne Shirley , truly loved her and all things Avonlea since elementary school when my dear bosom buddy and I first read Anne of Green Gables. During our childhood we devoured all of the Anne books. So it’s no surprise that I inhaled this story , this heart-rending , distressing and admirably detailed story of Marilla.
Jump into it with an open mind.
Jump into it with an open mind.
August 22, 2022
Bit of a heartbreaker, I have to confess. The whole premise of the storyline is a bit suspect, if you ask me, but this first novel is well written and spending time with such beloved characters is always a joy!
April 21, 2025
beautiful and heart-wrenching.
I think I cried almost every chapter, I already love Marilla and Matthew before, but now they mean even more to me.
I think I cried almost every chapter, I already love Marilla and Matthew before, but now they mean even more to me.
June 5, 2021
So... I'm struggling with this one. Heartbreaking? Yes. Well Written? Yes. Did I know where it was going before it even got there? *sigh* Unfortunately, yes.
In my opinion, the "full circle" story, though meant to be complimentary to LMM's original work, to me, gives it a light slap in the face. Here's why:
So, a well-told story and it did a good job bringing in aspects of women's lives that don't get discussed much for stories of the time. Unfortunately, I felt this story did the original a disservice rather than giving it a boost.
EDIT: Spelling
In my opinion, the "full circle" story, though meant to be complimentary to LMM's original work, to me, gives it a light slap in the face. Here's why:
So, a well-told story and it did a good job bringing in aspects of women's lives that don't get discussed much for stories of the time. Unfortunately, I felt this story did the original a disservice rather than giving it a boost.
EDIT: Spelling
November 22, 2022
As an avid fan of the Anne of Green Gables series, I was sooo excited to read this novel. Unfortunately, the characters’ personalities, relationships and actions were wholly unbelievable when compared to the originals.
The writing was somewhat juvenile and an overwhelming number of events are seemingly haphazardly thrown together in an effort to create as many crossovers as possible with the original series. Almost DNF.
The writing was somewhat juvenile and an overwhelming number of events are seemingly haphazardly thrown together in an effort to create as many crossovers as possible with the original series. Almost DNF.
June 1, 2021
I love the concept, the characters (of course), and thought it was well written. However, it was just a bit too twee for my taste. I thought Marilla was a bit too different at the end of the book than she was at the beginning of Anne. It's fun to reimagine but I thought it strayed a little too far for me.
September 5, 2021
Too many unbelievable twists - reads like a soap opera. DNF
November 22, 2024
I was looking forward to reading this novel, as I love the Anne of Green Gables series, but unfortunately I was quite disappointed when I started reading it. It's so much different from L.M. Montgomery's novels - her novels are much more positive and cheerful. In this book, it seems like the author thought of every possible thing that could have gone wrong in Marilla's life and included it in this book.
Reading this story was often heartbreaking. I literally had to put it down at some point as it was just too much. The sheer amount of pain that Marilla was experiencing was just difficult to read about. It seemed like there was a tragedy after tragedy and Marilla just kept collapsing and crying or screaming in despair. It got a bit ridiculous after a while. I understand that the the author was implying that Marilla had to experience some difficult things to make her the way she was (stern and bitter) in "Anne of Green Gables", but the things she endured in this novel are just too far fetched. Among other things, her father dies on the exact day that William was supposed to come and talk to him about marrying Marilla. Also, Marilla finds out William is still alive right after she signs the adoption papers for her daughter, but then he actually dies after she leaves him for an entire year even though she supposedly loves him so much...
Also, I believe some of the ideas presented in this book are too modern for the time the book is set in. Even the way Marilla and William behaved at the dance at the start of the book, I kind of doubt many couples did that in the 1840s...
Lastly, I don't understand why the author made Marilla treat John Blythe the way she did since I think Marilla hinted in one of the books in the Anne of Green Gables series that there was something between her and John.
To finish up, this novel was well written, but I found it to be a cycle of suffering, and I didn't find it pleasant to read.
Reading this story was often heartbreaking. I literally had to put it down at some point as it was just too much. The sheer amount of pain that Marilla was experiencing was just difficult to read about. It seemed like there was a tragedy after tragedy and Marilla just kept collapsing and crying or screaming in despair. It got a bit ridiculous after a while. I understand that the the author was implying that Marilla had to experience some difficult things to make her the way she was (stern and bitter) in "Anne of Green Gables", but the things she endured in this novel are just too far fetched. Among other things, her father dies on the exact day that William was supposed to come and talk to him about marrying Marilla. Also, Marilla finds out William is still alive right after she signs the adoption papers for her daughter, but then he actually dies after she leaves him for an entire year even though she supposedly loves him so much...
Also, I believe some of the ideas presented in this book are too modern for the time the book is set in. Even the way Marilla and William behaved at the dance at the start of the book, I kind of doubt many couples did that in the 1840s...
Lastly, I don't understand why the author made Marilla treat John Blythe the way she did since I think Marilla hinted in one of the books in the Anne of Green Gables series that there was something between her and John.
To finish up, this novel was well written, but I found it to be a cycle of suffering, and I didn't find it pleasant to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2021
Meet Marilla Cuthbert at 17 years old. A lovely girl with the prettiest blue eyes and dreams of a wonderful life ahead. While her painfully shy brother Mathew works hard on the farm at Green Gable’s, Marilla’s world is spinning out of control. She is head over heels in love with William Baker, an apprentice shipbuilder visiting Prince Edward Island for a short while. The two have been secretly meeting, waiting for Marilla to turn 18 so they can marry and be together always. Marilla’s bitter mother Nora has other plans. She will not chance her only daughter’s future on an orphan apprentice when the well-to-do local merchant John Blythe is waiting for her hand and offering a life Nora deeply envies. Chaos is already brewing when Marilla’s strongest ally, her beloved father, unexpectedly and tragically passes away. Nora’s sabotaging schemes escalate, forcing Marilla to flee to her Aunt’s home in Halifax and make heartbreaking choices no young woman should face. For the next 35 years Marilla stumbles through one stroke of misfortune after another suffering cruel small town gossip, agonizing loss and despair. In true Avonlea storytelling fashion, faith finds its’ way back into their hearts. An ingenious look at the earlier days of Green Gables, this touching story takes devotees of Anne Shirley on an amazing and unexpected adventure. Adaptations, fan fiction, I am not sure what to call this type of reimagined story utilizing beloved characters from over 100 years ago, but I loved every minute of it.
December 17, 2025
Marilla Before Anne
Louise Michalos
This is the second book to imagine Marilla’s life as a young woman. She and Rachel (Lynde) are bosom buddies and Marilla creeps out of her room at Green Gables to attend a dance and meet her latest flame. Prefiguring Anne’s relationship with his son Gilbert Marilla has had a childhood romance with the father John but here is infatuated with William Baker, a seaman from Halifax.
Her mother Nora is portraited as mean spirited, bitter. Matthew’s weak heart it seems was inherited from his Father (Hugh), who dies early on in this tome. And Matthew inherits the farm at 26.
Spoilers follow
A night of passion leads to the inevitable. The wedding invitations in hand word of a shipyard explosion arrives. William’s body taken to the morgue with the rest but life remained. Letters sent to Avonlea hidden by a bitter parent. Marilla gives up her child in HFX with her Aunt Martha. And where is John in all this?
To my knowledge there has never been a ferry between HFX and PEI, it would be totally impractical.
Arranged marriages are the norm in many societies and on average they lead to fewer divorces. However this book is a story of a parent interfering in the life of her child leading to a life of bitterness, regret, and sorrow. Another such tale involves Orry Main and Madeline Fabray in North and South.
And the author can’t resist creating a revisionist version of who Anne Shirley was.
Louise Michalos
This is the second book to imagine Marilla’s life as a young woman. She and Rachel (Lynde) are bosom buddies and Marilla creeps out of her room at Green Gables to attend a dance and meet her latest flame. Prefiguring Anne’s relationship with his son Gilbert Marilla has had a childhood romance with the father John but here is infatuated with William Baker, a seaman from Halifax.
Her mother Nora is portraited as mean spirited, bitter. Matthew’s weak heart it seems was inherited from his Father (Hugh), who dies early on in this tome. And Matthew inherits the farm at 26.
Spoilers follow
A night of passion leads to the inevitable. The wedding invitations in hand word of a shipyard explosion arrives. William’s body taken to the morgue with the rest but life remained. Letters sent to Avonlea hidden by a bitter parent. Marilla gives up her child in HFX with her Aunt Martha. And where is John in all this?
To my knowledge there has never been a ferry between HFX and PEI, it would be totally impractical.
Arranged marriages are the norm in many societies and on average they lead to fewer divorces. However this book is a story of a parent interfering in the life of her child leading to a life of bitterness, regret, and sorrow. Another such tale involves Orry Main and Madeline Fabray in North and South.
And the author can’t resist creating a revisionist version of who Anne Shirley was.
May 11, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author for the pleasure of her ideas.
#NetGalley #NimbusPublishing #MarillaBeforeAnne #LouiseMichalos #AnneShirley #AnneofGreenGables
This book contains everything you want to know about the residents of Avonlea before Anne Shirley graces it with her presence. We learn all about Marilla and Matthew and Rachel and Thomas Lynde. We even learn more about Gilbert Blythe.
This book was a breath of fresh air. I love Anne’s books and movies as so many do. It was nice to see what happened to these characters and how they shaped them into the people they were when Anne came into their lives.
There were a few choices made here that were hard to swallow. I won’t mention what it was as to avoid spoilers, but a connection between Marilla and Anne was made that didn’t entirely make sense, even though it seems to wrap everything up nicely with a bow. I can see why the author made these choices but I don’t think they had the desired effect, at least not for me. Even still, I appreciated this return to Avonlea and its characters.
If you are a fan of Anne Shirley, then you will appreciate this novel whether or not you like all of the aspects of it. I highly recommend this book.
#NetGalley #NimbusPublishing #MarillaBeforeAnne #LouiseMichalos #AnneShirley #AnneofGreenGables
This book contains everything you want to know about the residents of Avonlea before Anne Shirley graces it with her presence. We learn all about Marilla and Matthew and Rachel and Thomas Lynde. We even learn more about Gilbert Blythe.
This book was a breath of fresh air. I love Anne’s books and movies as so many do. It was nice to see what happened to these characters and how they shaped them into the people they were when Anne came into their lives.
There were a few choices made here that were hard to swallow. I won’t mention what it was as to avoid spoilers, but a connection between Marilla and Anne was made that didn’t entirely make sense, even though it seems to wrap everything up nicely with a bow. I can see why the author made these choices but I don’t think they had the desired effect, at least not for me. Even still, I appreciated this return to Avonlea and its characters.
If you are a fan of Anne Shirley, then you will appreciate this novel whether or not you like all of the aspects of it. I highly recommend this book.
August 1, 2024
I laughed, I cried, I couldn’t put it down, but I didn’t want it to end. Avonlea before Anne Shirley? Have you heard of such a thing? Marilla’s first love, first heartbreak, only pregnancy, her aunt’s lesbian lover, what more could you ask for? Through faith and adversity Marilla deals with so much loss and heartbreak and this novel will change the way you view her forever. I had a feeling who her daughter would become when she named her Bertha, but the fact that it was confirmed, even if not by Montgomery herself, that Anne was her granddaughter brought me to tears. It makes the fact that she was adopted into the Cuthburt family all the more emotional. This is a gut-wrenching prequel to the Anne series that will have you so glad that Anne not only has a family, but has been reunited with her birth family. It will make you read the Anne of Green Gables series in a whole different light and honestly if you haven’t read the Anne series, read this first and have a little more sympathy for some of Marilla’s harsh words with Anne when she first arrives at Green Gables.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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