Anne of Green Gables: Three volumes in one

by L.M. Montgomery

Anne (with an â eâ of course) starts out as a mistake. The elderly Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert had planned on adopting a boy to help Matthew with the chores on their Prince Edward Island farm. What are they to do with the red-haired, high-spirited girl who arrives instead?

Anne Shirley, with her boundless imagination and heart, slowly brings joy into the narrow lives of those around her, and into the lives of readers who have delighted in her adventures since Lucy Maud Montgomery began writing about her in 1905.

Anneâ s courage, her enthusiasm, and her ability to love, have made her one of literatureâ s most beloved characters in Canada and around the world.

This beautifully illustrated volume, with a foreword by Kate Butler MacDonald, one of L. M. Montgomeryâ s grandchildren, is a treasure for those who find in Anne a familiar friend as well as for those who are discovering this â kindred spiritâ for the first time.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Canada, Romance

634 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author, best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.

Montgomery was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is fun to read the famous Lucy Maud Montgomery series with three international friends: Kerri, Shirin, and Leeanne! When I was 12, my Godmother and cousins moved from Manitoba to Prince Edward Island. Their gift of two 3-book boxsets have brightened shelves everywhere I have lived. Savoured long enough, I opened them last year and joined Anne’s world of fans. My niece wants these books. Having finished these three, boxset one is ready for her! I am using the ISBN of my boxset to review “Anne Of The Island”.

I prefer advanced volumes, with characters confidently established. Although I liked numerous aspects better in the two sequels, only “Anne Of Green Gables” has yielded five stars so far. The chief reason is the atrocity of bird, dog, and even a cat killing attempt! Even animal-lovers of 1915 would object to not asking neighbours about Rusty, or seeing him to a new home. Thankfully, he was adopted by their university house chaperone.

A weak spot we four agreed upon, is long chapters introducing a new village of folks we dislike. It is stupid in any era, if 40 year-olds do not stand up for their love, to fickle parents. These pages should have gone to Diana and Paul, whom we saw little. I enjoyed Anne & Gilbert at university, acquainting other people instead of catering to a romantic cliché. P.E.I. finally came across as an island, when they sailed to Nova Scotia!

The extraordinary part, hungrily awaited by the four of us, is when Anne beheld her parents’ home! This poignant scene all by itself restored my elation to four stars! I confirmed that the glum looking stage actress on my cover, Gracie Finley, is unlike Anne inside the pages. I am excited about stories the next trilogy will tell!

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am of course not going to be presenting detailed reviews of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island here (as you can easily read my more than detailed enough musings on the Goodreads book pages for the respective novels) except to say that this here three novel set, that the Anne of Green Gables Box Set has a very huge and appreciatively nostalgic place in my heart, as it was not only my first exposure as a teenager to the Anne of Green Gables series but that it also totally and absolutely jumpstarted my lifelong love affair of L.M. Montgomery as a writer (because after finishing with the Anne of Green Gables Box Set, after reading novels one to three of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley novels, I of course happily continued with the Anne of Green Gables series until I had completed it).

A great introduction to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne novels is this Anne of Green Gables Box Set, featuring in Anne of Green Gables how Anne Shirley arrives at Green Gables and slowly but successfully carves a place for herself, while Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island respectively describe Anne’s sojourn as a teacher and then her college career (and with Anne of the Island not only culminating with Anne Shirley obtaining her cherished B.A. but also with Gilbert Blythe and she finally becoming permanently hitched and engaged to be married). Highly recommended, and yes, I do believe that the Anne of Green Gables Box Set is both a perfect gift and also one that will likely, that should (and like it did when I received it for my birthday in 1978) fuel a potential reader’s love for L.M. Montgomery’s Anne novels and her (or his) desire and need to continue and then finish with the remainder of the Anne of Green Gables series.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm gobbling up a few Audible originals before my free trial ends (I refuse to give Amazon money!) and this adaptation was delightful. Great Canadian casting choices, especially Catherine O'Hara who is absolutely perfect as Marilla. This is more of a radio play than an audiobook, as material has been cut / moved around, but there is still a nice narrator aka Sandra Oh. Does anyone else have any Audible originals / only from Audible to recommend?

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is a reread for me for a reading challenge and I really enjoyed revisiting the stories I loved so much as a kid. Most of it was familiar since I read it so many times as a kid, but reading as an adult gave me a new perspective on things—on just how young Anne really was when she arrived and when she began to teach, and as a kid it seemed like it took Marilla forever to melt, but honestly as an adult I felt like she was secretly a soft touch!

Content—Anne’s strong imagination may need a bit of gentle guidance for young children with a similar strong imagination.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hands-down, totally over the top OBSESSED with Anne (with an E) of Green Gables for a large majority of my childhood. She took that crucial spot for me after Laura Ingalls and before Madonna and Punky Brewster. You could call it my post-Victorian era, I suppose.

First, I'll admit it. I saw the made for TV movie first. We recorded it on video. I watched it over and over and over. I had all the lines memorized. I cried when I found out the adoptive dad died in real life. I made my dad pledge to PBS so I could own my own copy of the book. It was a beautiful edition, with gold-leaf pages and a picture of Anne on the cover that inspired many many pencil drawings by moi. Let me tell you, I read the shit out of that book. It took me a while, because I wanted to savor it. I think it took me so long, that by the time I had made my way to Anne of the Island, I had lost interest, and started reading Christopher Pike or something.

Anne was a hero to me, because she was tough, and she was on her own. She fantasized about her own death (I can't tell you how many times I wished I had a canoe to lie down in and a fistful of flowers), and lived in her own intellectual world. She wasn't all that hot by the standards of the day (plus she carried that fugly carpet bag), she was independent (some would say "strange"), but she still snagged that catch, Gilbert, or whatever his name was. She was a bit mixed up, super fiesty, and she was human. Anne rules!

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!

[Heather Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

a holiday re- read

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

have just begun my kindle read of Anne for my first choice in the great Canadian Book Challenge #6 ! reading Canada Day July 1st 2012 to Canada Day 2013, a minimum goal of 13 books [i did complete 2011-2012 as of June 30/2012!] ~ i'm now onto my 2nd year of participation...

i love the self motivation of this Challenge & my increased interest in sleuthing out unique Canadian authors to add to the familiar.
I'm beginning this year early on with one i added to my kindle. I'm definitely enjoying the re-reading of a fave I haven't read in quite some time. Nothing like Anne to bring laughter and LM Montgomery for atmospheric descriptions of beauty!

ELderly unmarried siblings, Matthew, and sister, Marilla, have sent word to a neighbouring villager, Mrs SPencer, to bring them a boy to help as a farmhand when she visits a Nova Scotian orphanage in the spring. The message gets twisted enroute, delivering them the unexpected 11 year old Anne!

The joys and tribulations of Anne's addition to their tranquil Prince Edward Island lives are delicious to experience. A girl of dreams and dialogue beyond her years, unlimited ideas and imagination to share with anyone lacking, Anne is quickly endeared to the reader by Lucy Maud's characterizations and descriptions. The humour of Anne's escapades are effectively and dramatically juxtaposed against the societal expectations of the Victorian era and island culture.

Easy to immerse oneself into the life of Anne as we cheer her on in pursuit of kindred spirits! An especially satisfying read expressing much appreciation of beauty, a turn of the century girl's journey from childhood to young womanhood, and a realistic cast of characters populating this introductory story of Anne...

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone seems to know and love the Anne series, but few seem to go deeper than surface level, which has always surprised me. These books are important, not just to Canadian literature, but to the feminism canon -- they are classics in every way. There are darker elements between the lines, and Anne is still a role-model for women and girls in strict conservative societies (traditional Japan, for example) who want to find their own independent voice without going completely crazy with rebellion. Anne enters a closed community and thrives at finding her own odd personal niche, yet without offending the values and mores of her elders. There are even hints of atheist spirituality!

Montgomery's work is constantly under-estimated, and the way the books are marketed doesn't help (the flowery script, the swoony illustrations). There are many layers at work in her stories, and some pioneering feminist concepts tucked in between the deep appreciation of nature, the commentary on the stuffy contemporary society of her day, and the delightful, well-drawn characters.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read the first book within the Boxed Set, "Anne of Green Gables". I had loved the tv mini-series once I saw it on video and felt I just had to read the books.

Anne of Green Gables is an awesome book that made me smile quite a few times. It even made me cry. I didn't think that I would feel strong emotions since I had seen the movies but I really did. The author of this book does a wonderful job pulling you into Anne's world. Just like many of the people that don't quite know how to react when encountering Anne, she charmed me completely very quickly.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so nostalgic about this book. I just love the story, and I'd forgotten how much the author writes with as much verbosity as her heroine uses in her speech. I grow up with Anne all over again every time I read it, and it had been several years. I rewatched the movie also, and although the order is completely different I love the feel of it. One of my all-time favorites.

[Daan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it with my entire heart.
One of my favourite quotes: 'she's smart and pretty and loving, too, which is better than all the rest. She's been a blessing to us, and there never was a luckier mistake than what Mrs. Spencer made, if it was luck. I don't believe it was any such thing. It was providence, because the Almighty saw we needed her , I reckon.'

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Anne of Green Gables. My daughter's middle name is Anne with an "e" of course!

[Roby_Hood_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confesso che ero molto restia a leggere questo romanzo…
Molto probabilmente le cause a questa resistenza risalgono al cartone animato che ne è stato tratto. Quando negli anni Ottanta lo trasmisero alla televisione non lo guardai…ricordo di averne visto un qualche frammento e di aver sentenziato dentro di me la sua condanna, sicuramente perché ero già “troppo grande” per questo tipo di cartoni animati, in cui la protagonista era una bambina di 11 anni e poi perché la mia infanzia era stata accompagnata dal “dolce Remi” (Heidi no, non mi piaceva per niente) e dall’ “Ape Magà” che nessuno a quanto pare ha mai guardato soggiogati dall’ape Maja (un orrore per me!), anime giapponesi molto tristi e dolorose, che mi facevano versare fiumi di lacrime. Insomma, pensavo che anche “Anna dai capelli rossi”, raccontasse l’ennesima storia strappa lacrime di un’orfanella che viene adottata da una donna malvagia e che la sua vita fosse costellata da una serie di disgrazie e mai l’avrei letto se non costretta dalla challenge a cui sto partecipando.
E invece…quale sorpresa!
Ho scoperto la storia di un’orfanella, sì, ma dal carattere gioioso, ottimista, che di ogni marachella che combina, di ogni difetto del carattere che le viene attribuito e di ogni ostacolo che incontra nel suo cammino di vita ne vede il lato positivo e ne fa un punto di forza! Non me lo sarei davvero mai immaginato.
Questa ragazzina ha una tale vitalità e mette tanto impegno ed energia in tutto quello che fa, che risulta davvero un balsamo per l’anima, non solo per gli altri personaggi della storia, ma anche per chi ne legge le sue avventure.
Peccato non aver letto il libro quando avevo l’età della protagonista, sicuramente mi sarei immedesimata e ne avrei tratto tanta forza; a 11 anni si hanno tanti sogni romantici proprio come Anna e immagino non mi sarebbe dispiaciuto prenderne qualcuno in più da lei. E poi l’amica del cuore, la scuola, i compagni di classe, gli insegnanti, i primi palpiti d’amore…insomma per una giovanissima lettrice c’è di che gioire a leggere questo romanzo e il mio pensiero è andato subito alle tante ragazzine di oggi, che tutto questo non lo sanno vivere nella giusta dimensione perché non scelgono più i libri come loro guide ed esempi di vita, ma solo questi maledetti social!
Come Anna, anch’io sono cresciuta in campagna, in mezzo alla natura e ho goduto appieno delle splendide descrizioni del paesaggio canadese (altra piacevole scoperta per me, mai avrei pensato fosse ambientato in questa nazione!), in cui Anna si immerge sognando ad occhi aperti, dimenticando spesso quello che deve fare o distraendosi da ciò che sta facendo combinando immancabilmente un guaio, ma il suo buon umore e il suo vedere sempre il bicchiere mezzo pieno non può che far sorridere e far passare in secondo piano la marachella.
Anna poi è stata molto fortunata ad essere stata adottata dai fratelli Cuthbert, Andrew e Marilla, perché le hanno voluto bene fin dal primo momento, l’hanno fatta crescere nell’affetto che lei non aveva mai conosciuto e le hanno dato un’istruzione facendola diventare insegnante, il che dimostra da parte loro apertura mentale rispetto alla concezione dell’epoca della donna confinata in casa come moglie e madre.
Devo dire però che ad un certo punto della lettura ho cominciato a provare una certa noia, dovuta alla ripetitiva monotonia delle avventure di Anna e delle descrizioni e non smettevo di guardare quante pagine mi mancavano per finirlo, però questo è direi l’unico difetto che gli posso attribuire.
Infine, ho scoperto anche che questo romanzo, che si può trovare sia intitolato come “Anna dai capelli rossi”, ma anche come “Anna dei Tetti Verdi” (il nome della proprietà dei Cuthbert è infatti Green Gables), pubblicato nel 1908 è il primo di ben 8 romanzi, tutti incentrati sulla saga di Anna, fino all’ultimo, pubblicato nel 1921 che racconta dell’ultima delle sue figlie, Rilla (Marilla), durante la prima guerra mondiale ed è uno dei pochi romanzi canadesi che narrano del conflitto scritto da un’autrice del periodo, perciò non escludo, in un prossimo futuro, di proseguire nella lettura di questa saga.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a girl of 10???? My granny gave me this book for my birthday or maybe it was Christmas. I still have the book though I read my daughter's book (which she has never read by the way). Though she loves watching the DVDs I bought for her a number of years ago, because she loves the stories as much as me. I am looking forward to rereading the story as an adult. I decided to read this book again as an adult because I came across Lucy Maud Montgomery's autobiograph in a book sale and though her life was somewhat sad especially with her marriage, I wanted to reread Anne of Green Gables.
I've finished the book. I came to a new understanding of Anne as a result. I must say I totally loved the story more as an adult than when I read the book the first time around. When I was a girl, I found the book too descriptive and too "old fashion". Well, now as an adult and reading it, I appreciated it a whole lot more. I still didn't like the detailed descriptions for the most part, but I skipped over those parts after I would read the first couple of sentences that was all I needed to get the imagine in my head, but Anne (with an E) is such a wonderful character, full of imagination and ahead of her time.
I never read any other books by L.M. Montgomery, but now I would like to find as many as I can find and read them.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and reviewed each of the three books collected here separately, so this is basically just for my own records. The rating is an average of the three individual ratings - Green Gables and Island both earned four stars from me, while Avonlea only earned three.

Looking back over the trilogy, these are the Anne books I really remember from my childhood, when I read them quite a lot. I know there are more books in the series, and I read them too at some stage (at least most of them) but they never quite stuck in my mind the same way. These first three are generally charming - extremely goodnatured, and with an enjoyable cast of supporting characters. Really that supporting cast is quite large, and it's to Montgomery's credit that they don't blur together. The whole thing really does feel like the portrait of a genuine community, rather than a thinly painted backdrop tacked up behind the protagonist, and that's something I've always appreciated.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never wanted to read this because this girl I knew a few years ago was absolutely obsessed with finding her "Gilbert Blythe", which made me want to vomit, and so I assumed that this book was cheesy. And it is in a way- but a good way. I like that most everything goes right in Anne's life after she moves to Avonlea but it is mostly due to hard work and a good attitude. I couldn't help but romanticize Prince Edward Island after this book and wish I had Anne's happy disposition.

[Sarah Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took awhile, but I am trying to contain my excitement that all three kids enjoyed Anne enough to continue the series! It took them a bit to warm up to Anne’s “exclamations” and the often flowery descriptions from Montgomery. Every time I checked in on their enthusiasm for continuing they consented to liking it. The classics win again!

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story for dreamers, for the lost, for the growing, and for every canadian girl that wants more from and for her wide country.
A rival for my favourite historical writer from the last 200 years with Austen.

[Sheila Samuelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 2008

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book in the entire world. my heart is bursting!!!!

[☁️ • bbecki • ☁️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kindred spirit could have never ever not fallen in love with this masterpiece 💐

[Ninaminacat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incomplete edition of a 5 star omnibus

Initially I was so glad I had chosen an omnibus edition when I decided to reread "Anne of Avonlea", since referenced to some of Anne's earlier scrapes made me realise that the version of "Anne of Green Gables which I read last year was abridged. Now I would be able to read the full story. (I had previously thought they had perhaps been concocted for the television series and were not actually LM Montgomery's invention, when I didn't find them in the book.) However, imagine my frustration when "Anne of the Island" came to an abrupt and rather inconclusive halt! I found it so difficult to believe that this was really the end that I downloaded another (KU) edition of this third novel in the sequence to double check and discovered that my suspicions were correct - there really was a chunk of the book missing. This infuriating defect makes it impossible for me to recommend this edition, though I think it probably does contain the complete unabridged text of "Anne of Avonlea" - but please don't let this deter you from reading about Anne and her adventures.

Here are my thoughts on the 5 star content of the second and third books in the "Anne" series (as opposed to this particular edition).


On first starting "Anne of Avonlea" I felt that the slightly older more sedate Anne might not have the charm of her younger self, but I was soon swept up in the story, just as I was when I originally read it. I loved her interactions with her pupils and her ability to learn from her mistakes. The newcomers to Green Gables, young twins Dora and Davy, certainly gave the house a new lease of life and I enjoyed observing Anne's and Marilla's differing attitudes to bringing up children. By the end and of the book, Anne has completed another significant chapter in her life and shall look forward to joining her on her next big adventure in the near future.

"Anne of the Island" had me gripped from the start. She continued to be a credible character, struggling with homesickness and loneliness, as new college students do, gradually finding her feet and making new friends. And, of course, Gilbert Blythe is one of her fellow students... All in all, I was thoroughly enjoying myself, when the book ended abruptly.

I have not yet read "Anne of Green Gables" from this edition but can confirm that it appears longer than the version I read last year, which is a hopeful sign. I shall update this review when / if appropriate. I thought that in the meantime it might help anyone wanting to read any of the three novels contained to know that the third one is incomplete.

[Eluani Grunevald · Rating 4 out of 5]

O terceiro livro da série, vemos Anne amadurecendo, já é uma mulher e tem seus dilemas de sempre, porém de outras forma, mais de acordo com sua idade atual, como: pretendentes, dinheiro, moradia, independência etc.
Neste livro vemos muitos, mas muitos mesmo, casamentos e pedidos de casamento, salvo engano, a Anne nega 4 desses pedidos e aceita um, e na história ainda tem mais três ou quatro casamentos de outras pessoas... Realmente, o livro mais romântico até agora ksksks
Davy e Dora são deixados um pouco de lado a partir da metade do livro, assim como toda Green Gables pois o cenário principal do enredo se torna Redmond, por mais que eu tenha bastante afeição por Green Gables, gostei dessa mudança, da novos ares para a história e é bem legal ver Anne se aventurar por novos lugares e conhecer novos personagens.
A saga de Anne não tem um foco ou um enredo "principal" digamos assim, não é como Harry Potter (fazendo uma mera comparação) em que o intuito de todos os livros é matar o Voldemort e ao mesmo tempo tem problemas pequenos para tornar a história fluida e divertida, Anne tem só os problemas pequenos e parece que os livros todos são na verdade uma grande história coadjuvante da história principal, ainda assim, a autora faz um trabalho muito bom e é perceptível a evolução de todos os personagens e da própria escrita ao longo dos livros.
Gostei bem mais de Anne da ilha do que dos anteriores. No geral bom, apesar das problemáticas da época.

[Olivia Spenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So these are the first 3 books of an 8 book series. I really like these books so far I'm on the 5th one. I watched the Anne with an E adaptation on Netflix before I read the series but after watching the series I really wanted to watch the books. So a lot of things happen in the show than in the book. But I think that they happen to teach you lessons about life. But the book series has been really good so far. I am on the 5th book right now I just started it. So the series is about a girl named Anne and she has had a very bad life before she gets adopted then she finds a family and goes on adventures and finds her best friend. She finds friends, gets into trouble, and she basically just learns about life. I really like it, if you like romance and sort of more easy-going books I think that you will like this book. It is based around the early 1900s.

The dates below are the time I finished the 3 books.

[Junica Rosete · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading this made me fall in love with life again. the way anne view the world gave me so much euphoria and her optimism radiates so well it changed my view in life quite literally. i was in a slump for a while now and finally finishing the book made me cheery and it seems that my will to live increased drastically over a few days. a few issues with commas really gave me an ick but nothing much greatly hindered the delivery and the content.


one of my favorite reads!!! i shall buy anne of avonlea next.

[Zeng Daria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read and I can now confirm this is my second fave book of all time. Maaaan did I cry during that chapter after Anne won the Avery scholarship. This book had broken my heart into pieces and glued it back up again in the style of Japanese kintsugi. Anne is such a dose of sunshine, a best friend you'd want to have - her loyalty, respect, and ideals are so admirable.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally read these three books (or, rather, listened to the three audio books), as I'm planning a trip to Prince Edward Island soon. I enjoyed them. I liked the strong, creative main female character. The author made PEI seem like a wonderful place to live.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne of Green Gables, or perhaps more aptly “Anne, the early years” focusing on and introducing the character Anne her early years, life, education and characters. Setting the scene for her life ahead. Rather fun, jolly and jovial.