Anne of Green Gables Read-Along: Wrap-Up

This is the final wrap-up post for the July Anne of Green Gables Read-Along!  Thank you so much to everyone who participated. It was so much fun to read with you and discuss the book. If you have a review or any final thoughts, please leave us all a link in the comments so we can check it out!

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I wrote a review of Anne of Green Gables previously, and Krysta has a whole L.M. Montgomery event planned for October. So instead of writing another review, I just want to list some of my general thoughts and impressions after reading the book this time.

1. Anne of Green Gables is just so good. I know I’ve said this before, but I am always amazed by how much I love this book. I’ve probably read it at least 15 times now, and it’s always enjoyable.  This is not one of those books that was great when I read it as a child but falls flat when I read it as an adult.  It is not a book I ever get tired of.  Every time Montgomery manages to draw me into the story.  It’s one of my favorite books, and I imagine it always will be.
2. Anne always inspires me.  Anne certainly has her failings, but she’s also incredibly kind and optimistic.  Every time I read the book, I make an informal commitment to live a little bit more like her: seeing good in everyone and joy in even the little things as life. (How delightful to be excited by something as simple as sleeping in a spare room bed!) I want to see all the potential in the world that Anne does.
3. Diana is still boring, and I’m sorry I think so.  I have never particularly liked Diana and have always been a bit baffled why Anne loves her so.  I think I finally have the solution though: Diana would be a lovely person to know in real life, but is completely dull as a book character. She has the singular problem of just being too nice.  As far as one can tell, Diana never gets into trouble or does anything untoward (besides that bed-jumping incident, where she was peer-pressured by Anne). Diana is always lady-like and polite.  She always obeys her mother and respects adults. She’s a wonderful person.  She just doesn’t have enough rebelliousness to do something bad or enough imagination to do something ridiculous just because she thinks it would be fun.  There’s just no story in a person like that.
4. Montgomery’s prose is beautiful. I always know that Montgomery is a wonderful writer in the back of my mind, but rereading her books always reminds me with full force.  She has everything down: gorgeous descriptions, individual voices for each character’s dialogue, the ability to write something either biting or beautiful.  I love YA books, but many modern authors are far more concerned with plot than prose. Montgomery does both with amazing skill. If I could write like anyone, I think I might choose her.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES READ-ALONG: DISCUSSION 4 (CHPT. 30-38)

Here is the fourth set of discussion questions for our Anne of Green Gables read-along.  If you would like to sign up, you are free to do so at any point throughout the read-along. The sign-up post also has the schedule for the event, including discussion questions and other activities.

Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and leave us a link in the comments, or just answer in the comments.  You can also answer the questions even if you are not officially reading with us.

The final recap and review will be posted next Sunday.  To tweet about the read-along, you can use the hashtag #readAnneShirley.

Fun Fact

From The Annotated Anne of Green Gables edited by Wendy E. Barry, Margart Anne Doody, and Mary E. Doody Jones.

With the Normal School qualification combined with high school completion, a girl could teach at age sixteen. A boy was supposed to be eighteen, although exceptions did occur. Because Gilbrt is two years older than Anne, they are able to become teachers at the same time…Men and women in Anne’s day were on a different pay scale for the same work.  Gilbert could therefore better afford to pay board than Anne…Women thus became attractive to employers as they would take less pay. (431)

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think of Anne’s competitive spirit studying for and then getting into Queen’s?  Were you expecting her to do so well academically?
2. How did you feel about Matthew’s death? Do you think this was foreshadowed?
3. Did you get the resolution between Anne and Gilbert that you were hoping for?
4. What do you think about the plan to sell Green Gables?
5. Overall, how did you like the book?
6. Do you have any plans to read the rest of the stories or more books by Montgomery after this?

Briana’s Answers

1. I think this is one of those tricky areas in books where part of me wants the character to get everything. Of course I want Anne to be first on the pass list. Of course I want her to win all the awards. But part of me also thinks this might be a little too convenient or cliche. Does every character have to be the “most” special? I think Montgomery did some nice tempering here. Anne is very good, but she’s not necessarily a genius, and she does have some serious competition.
2. I was about ten when I first read the book, but I think I was rather taken by surprise, even with the vague hints about Matthew’s heart and the banks.  If I’d thought more about it, I probably wouldn’t have expected a beloved major character to die off in the first book of a series. However, being ten, I didn’t know anything about the publication history of the novel. Montgomery thought it would be a stand-alone and said herself she wouldn’t have killed him that early if she’d known there would be more books.
3. I always want a little more Gilbert than there is. 😉 However, I think the resolution really fits Montgomery’s style, and I love that we get to see what a kind person Gilbert is, even to people who aren’t necessarily kind to him.
4. After Matthew died, I think I could have believed Montgomery would do anything in this novel. Say good-bye to Green Gables, everyone!  Obviously I think the idea is heart-breaking, but it’s completely understandable decision on Marilla’s end.
5. It’s still one of my favorite books. I’m stunned each time I reread it by just how it is, and how it continue to live up to my expectations.
6. I’ve read the rest of the series previously, so I’m not going to embark on it right now. I have been reading some of Montgomery’s other books this summer, like Kilmeny of the Orchard and Emily of New Moon.

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along: Discussion 3 (Chpt. 21-29)

Here is the third set of discussion questions for our Anne of Green Gables read-along.  If you would like to sign up, you are free to do so at any point throughout the read-along. The sign-up post also has the schedule for the event, including discussion questions and other activities.

Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and leave us a link in the comments, or just answer in the comments.  You can also answer the questions even if you are not officially reading with us.

The questions for chapters 30-38 will be posted next Sunday.  To tweet about the read-along, you can use the hashtag #readAnneShirley.

Discussion Questions

1. Anne gets into a number of scrapes in these few chapters: flavoring the cake wrong, falling off the ridgepole, nearly drowning, dying her hair green.  Which was the most fun to read about? And which do you think would be the worst to experience?
2. We also get more of Matthew in this chapter! What do you think of his insistence on puffed sleeves for Anne? Were they worth the torture he endured?
3. Chapter 28 brings back Gilbert Blythe in full force.  Was Anne wrong to continue to carry her grudge?  What would you do in the situation?  Do you think, if you had initially refused forgiveness like Anne at the landing, that you would be able to go back and tell Gilbert you were wrong?
4. Anne and her friends form an official story club together. Have you ever participated in something like this? How did it go?
5. Finally, Anne gets her experienced in spare room bed at Miss Barry’s in town.  What do you think of Miss Barry? Would you be friends with her?

Briana’s Answers

1. I think the scene where Anne nearly drowns is wonderfully dramatic, especially as we get visions of the other girls screaming their heads off and running about wildly unable to find an adult, completely convinced Anne is dead and sure it’s all their fault.  It is a shame they seem to temper their playing after that (To be fair, who wouldn’t be wary after that?), but it’s such great fun to read about.  I also think it’s hilarious when Anne dies her hair. Mostly because it didn’t happen to me.
2. Matthew’s insistence on puffed sleeves is one of the sweetest things in the book.  I love everything about it, from how he has to take a while to deliberately ponder what it is Anne is missing that the other girls have, to how much he struggles when trying to talk to the shop ladies.  Poor Marilla with all that brown sugar!  This is also great, though, because I think Montgomery is very sensitive to how much children can be teased and bullied about their clothes not fitting in. Adults very often write off clothes as frivolous things that don’t really matter, but being a child who always is forced by parents/guardians to wear something the other children think is ridiculous can be pure torture.
3. Of course we all want Anne to make up with Gilbert!  It seems that she really wants to, as well, since she makes a point of obsessively thinking about him so she can pretend she doesn’t care about him at all.  Being friends would have been great for them. However, if like Anne I had said no to Gilbert at the river, I think I would have stuck out my grudge after that, too. Pride can be horrible.
4. I never officially exchanged stories with other people! There’s something really awkward about writing, in that very often other people don’t actually want to read your work–and you get a sense of this quickly.  Honestly, I often hate reading close friends’ writing, too, simply because much of it is amateur (fine because everyone needs practice!), and many people don’t really want constructive criticism, just praise.  I find it best to avoid being put on the spot to read much of these things. However, I think a childhood (before high school!) story club would be great because I think most children would just be having fun and not too critical or even sensitive to whether the other people’s stories were “good.”
5. Frankly, I don’t like Miss Barry.  She’s surprisingly less strict than one would expect, but she still seems like she’d be a bit difficult to be around. I’d feel I’d have to be on my toes.

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES READ-ALONG: DISCUSSION 2 (CHPT. 11-20)

Here is the second set of discussion questions for our Anne of Green Gables read-along.  If you would like to sign up, you are free to do so at any point throughout the read-along. The sign-up post also has the schedule for the event, including discussion questions and other activities.

Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and leave us a link in the comments, or just answer in the comments.  You can also answer the questions even if you are not officially reading with us.

The questions for chapters 21-29 will be posted next Sunday.  To tweet about the read-along, you can use the hashtag #readAnneShirley.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think of Anne’s confession to Marilla about losing her amethyst broach?
2. We’re fully introduced to Gilbert Blythe in these chapters.  What do you think of him so far?  Would you have liked being teased or was Anne’s reaction understandable?
3. How do you think Gilbert and Anne’s relationship will go from here? (If you’ve read the book before, do remember what you thought the first time you read it?)
4. What do you think of Mrs. Barry’s reaction to Diana coming home drunk?  Who was at fault in the situation?
5. Anne lets her imagination run away with her in the Haunted Wood! What do you think about imagining spooky things into your everyday life. Is this a bad decision?
6. What has been your favorite scene in the book so far?

Briana’s Answers

1.  In retrospect, the confession is pretty hilarious, and I feel bad for Anne that she felt if she confessed she wouldn’t be punished. Marilla does it sound that way, so Anne was a little bit tricked, though I think common sense and interaction with adults should have warned Anne that apologizing wouldn’t be enough.  I feel bad that Marilla wouldn’t believe the true story either, though she does try to make it up to Anne.
2. As an introverted child, I think I would have simply been mortified to have been teased in school, regardless of the fact Gilbert does it to everyone. He does seem like a generally likable and sociable fellow anyway, though. I think I’d like to know him.
3. I’ve read the book before! I can’t remember my initial prediction for their future interactions, but I think it’s wise to take Anne at her word when she says she doesn’t want to speak to anyone. I think I would have caved and been friends with Gilbert eventually though.
4. I understand Mrs. Barry’s horror, but Marilla’s explanation should have cleared it up. I wouldn’t necessarily expect children to recognize alcohol if they’d never had it before. I am kind of surprised Diana liked it so much, though.
5. I hate scary things. I would never intentionally imagine ghosts into my life. I do think it’s a bit harsh for adults to say Anne was “wrong” for doing so, however.
6. Hard to say! I do link Anne whacking Gilbert over the head with her slate, though, and look forward to that every reread. It was kind of unwarranted, yet also really satisfying to watch. :p

Which L.M. Montgomery Man Should Be Yours?

Instructions

To take the quiz, choose the best answer to each question. Write down the letter of the answer you pick for each question, or simply keep a running tally of how many of each letter you pick. After the last question, count the letters and see which you chose most often. Check the answers to see which L.M. Montgomery hero you are destined for. Be sure to share your result with us in the comments!

Disclaimer: This quiz is just for fun, and Pages Unbound makes no claim to know much about your personality at all.

Questions

1. What is your favorite color?

a.) blue
b.) purple
c.) green
d.) silver

2. What is (or would be) your favorite spot to dream?

a.) the woods
b.) in an orchard
c.) by a brook
d.) in  a garden

3. How impulsive are you?

a.) I’m trying to be more spontaneous and get more out of life.
b.) Not very. I think before I act.
c.) Very. The best part of a good thought is making it a reality.
d.) I speak my mind, but I try to be careful in my actions.

4. Which gift would you most like to receive?

a.) a new pair of shoes
b.) a new book to read
c.) a bouquet of flowers
d.) a beautiful painting

5. How much imagination should your man have?

a.) I want him to be creative.
b.) I would love him to show me new things.
c.) I want him to join me on my flights of fancy.
d.)  Enough he can make his own art.

6. How competitive are you?

a.) Slightly, with certain people.
b.) Not very.
c.) Quite. It’s good to have ambitions.
d.) Only with myself.

7. What smell do you most enjoy?

a.) pine
b.) apple
c.) raspberry
d.) cookies

8. What do you like to do in your free time?

a.) read
b.) play music
c.) explore the outdoors
d.) write

9. How do you feel about cleaning?

a.) Cleaning things only makes sense if they’re already dirty.
b.) I’m very diligent about cleaning.
c.) Cleaning is a necessary evil.
d.) I’m indifferent.

10. What virtue would you most like your man to have?

a.) Sense of humor
b.) Courage
c.) Perseverance
d.) Kindess

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along: Discussion 1 (Chpt. 1-10)

Introduction

Here are the first set of discussion questions for our Anne of Green Gables read-along.  If you would like to sign up, you are free to do so at any point throughout the read-along. The sign-up post also has the schedule for the event, including discussion questions and other activities.

Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and leave us a link in the comments, or just answer in the comments.

The questions for chapters 11-20 will be posted next Sunday.  To tweet about the read-along, you can use the hashtag #readAnneShirley.

The Questions

1. How are you liking the book so far?  What has been your favorite part in these first ten chapters?
2. What do you think of Anne’s knack for naming things?  What is your favorite name in the book so far?
3. Whose parenting style do you think makes more sense, Marilla’s or Matthew’s?
4. In Chapter 9, was Mrs. Lynde or Anne in the wrong?
5. If you met Anne, what would you think of her? Would you be kindred spirits?

Briana’s Answers

1. Every time I start reading this book, it’s magical. The prose is so beautiful, and Montgomery really helps readers get into the minds of all the characters.  I’m impresed by how fresh the story seems, even though I must have read it fifteen times.  So it’s hard for me to pick a favorite scene, but I do really love the part where Anne and Matthew drive home to Green Gables.
2. I wish I had such a penchant for lovely names!  One of my favorite is actually the Dryad’s Bubble, but that’s later.  In these chapters, I really like the White Way of Delight. I can really envision that, and all the trees in their bridal beauty.
3. Maybe this is a cop-out answer, but the combination of both seems just right. Anne really does need some actual bringing up, which Marilla provides, but she’s also someone who responds so well to kindness from people like Matthew.
4. If Anne hadn’t gone over the top and called Mrs. Lynde fat and clumsy and without imagination, I might be almost entirely on her side. Mrs. Lynde definitely had no business calling Anne ugly, especially to her face, so I can’t blame Anne for blowing up and calling her a ‘rude, impolite, unfeeling,” woman, regardless of how unladylike such a tantrum might be. However, since she goes on to insult Mrs. Lynde’s appearance in turn, I think they both messed up, and I appreciate that Marilla was willing to tell Mrs. Lynde she was wrong, even if she also made Anne apologize.
5. Part of me thinks I would be somewhat overwhelmed by Anne, but she also seems like the type of person who can make basically anyone like her..  I would love her imagination and spunk, and she really is very kind at heart.  I would love to be her “bosom friend.”

The Anne of Green Gables Book Tag

To get the Anne of Green Gables read-along started, I created an Anne of Green Gables Book Tag!  I’m not officially tagging anyone, but feel free to participate if you want. You don’t have to be participating in the read-along either.

The Reader Is Surprised

Name a book that kept you guessing or had a surprising ending (not too many spoilers, please!)

I was surprised by literally every book in the first Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. I also was kept on my toes by The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

The Delights of Anticipation

Name a book you are looking forward to being released.

I am very much looking forward to seeing how the A Court of Thorns and Roses series ends, but I’ll be waiting awhile for that!  I also am waiting for Wizardmatch by Lauren Magaziner, also being released in 2017.

A Good Imagination Gone Wrong

Name a book that has a great premise but you still didn’t love.

I come across a lot of books I think are good in theory but don’t live up to their premises in actual execution.  Most recently, that was The Glittering Court. Sure, the whole “pretty dress” book thing isn’t new, but I thought Mead actually could put an interesting spin on it, and I was sort of into the pseudo-American colonies world. However, in reality, I liked basically nothing about the book.

A New Departure in Flavorings

Name a book in you enjoyed in a genre you normally don’t read.

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. Technically, the genre is “classic” and I actually read a lot of those. However, I don’t necessarily read a lot of American classics, and I’m not usually a fan of books with adultery and other such unsavory immoral behavior. 😉 (Note my extreme dislike of Ethan Frome.)  However, Sister Carrie is interesting, and even though Carrie undoubtedly makes some questionable life decisions, I thought I could actually understand why she was making them.

An Epoch in the Reader’s Life

Name a book you feel has been really influential in your life.

Definitely The Lord of the Rings. My interest in medieval literature is attributable in large part to Tolkien. My undergrad thesis was on a medieval romance, and much of my work in grad school is on medieval literature, as well.

The Reaper Whose Name Is Death

Name a book with a tragic death (again, not too many spoilers, please!)

I get hit by the ending of Charlotte’s Web every time, even though I know it’s coming.  Also, Dobby, Sirius, and Hedwig in Harry Potter!

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along: Starting Line

Introduction

Today is the official start of the Anne of Green Gables Read-Along here at Pages Unbound. You can sign-up at any point through the read-along, so go here if you’d like to do that.  You can also tweet about the read-along using our hashtag, #readAnneShirley.

The discussions questions for Chapters 1-10 will be posted next Sunday. Today, however, I have some preliminary questions for our participants.  Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and leave us a link in the comments, or you can just answer the questions in the comments here.

The Questions

1. Is this your first time reading Anne of Green Gables, or is this a reread for you?
2. Why have you decided to join the read-along (why do you want to read or rearead Anne)?
3. Have you read any other books by L.M. Montgomery?  What did you think?
4. Have you seen any movie/TV/play adaptations of Anne? Did you enjoy them?
5. Have you ever been to Prince Edward Island? Do you want to visit?

Briana’s Answers

1. I’ve read Anne of Green Gables more times than I’ve even counted.  It’s one of my favorite books, and I went through a face around fifth grade where I would read it and just start reading it again when I was done. Don’t judge.
2. I love rereading Anne once in awhile, and I wanted to share the experience with others, so here I am!
3. I’ve read most of Montgomery’s books I can get my hands on.  Some of the short story collections are hard to obtain.  There are reviews on the blog of some of her other books, for those interested, but I’d recommend basically all of her novels. 😀
4. I love the Megan Follows movie!  The second two movies diverge pretty weirdly from the book series, so I’m a little more skeptical of them, but they still have great actors.
5. No, but it’s one of my life goals to visit! It sounds so beautiful!

Happy reading, everyone!

Anne of Green Gables Read-Along Sign-Ups

The Details

This summer, Pages Unbound will be hosting a read-along of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.  We’ll officially be reading the book over the course of a month, with discussion questions posted on Sundays (see schedule below), but feel free to read at your own pace.  You can also join the read-along at any time, or participate in the discussion questions if you’ve read Anne before but aren’t officially re-reading it now.

Anne is out of copyright, so in addition to buying your own copy or borrowing one from the library, you should be able to find free e-book versions for your e-reader, as well as versions online from places like Project Gutenberg.

Schedule

• Sunday, June 26: Start reading!
• Friday, July 1: Anne of Green Gables Book Tag
• Sunday, July 3: Questions on chapters 1-10
• Friday, July 8: Personality Quiz
• Sunday, July 10: Questions on chapters 11-20
• Friday, July 15: Activity Post (to be announced)
• Saturday, July 16: Twitter Chat (5 pm EST)
• Sunday, July 17: Questions on chapters 21-29
• Sunday, July 24: Questions on chapters -30-38
• Sunday, July 31: Wrap Up and Review Link-Up

Twitter

The Twitter hashtag for the read-along will be #readAnneShirley. Use it post to your progress and reactions and to connect with other readers!

There will be a Twitter chat on July 16 at 5 pm. Anyone is welcome to participate! Questions will be posted by @pagesunbound.

Sign-Up

If you are interested in participating, please sign up by clicking the green graphic below. (It might take a moment to load.) The link should open in a new window.  Remember, you can sign up at any point during the read-along, as well, and feel free to invite your friends!

Further Reading

If you can’t wait to start reading, you can distract yourself by taking our L. M. Montgomery personality quiz here.

You can also check out some of Montgomery’s other books with our L. M. Montgomery reading list.