Anne of Windy Willows
Rating
3 stars – lacks the magic of the previous three Anne books
Description
Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life away from Green Gables. Now she faces a new challenge: the Pringles. They’re known as the royal family of Summerside – and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty – and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside’s strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her triumphs.
The Book Review
I really hate to say this but I was disappointed by this book – Anne of Windy Willows is the fourth in Montgomery’s Anne series – and it just didn’t grasp my heart strings like the previous three.
Don’t get me wrong, Montgomery still writes with charm and wit but I was looking forward to the developing relationship between Anne and Gilbert, and finding out more about Marilla, Mrs Lynde and the twins.
This book is largely written as a series of letters from Anne to Gilbert as she shares with him the trials and tribulations of the people she meets in Summerside. When Anne is central to the happenings the book is certainly enjoyable – but more often than not she shares the tales of cursed widows and ill-fated lovers.
Montgomery covers a further three years of Anne’s life in this novel – but I feel she could have compacted it into a third of the pages. For all the endearments that Anne wrote to Gilbert he only appeared in person once in the whole novel and then didn’t say a word!
I think that as a stand-alone ‘chronicles’ this book should be appreciated – but for a reader who yearns for tales of Anne and her loved ones it left me wanting.
Let’s hope that Anne’s House of Dreams takes me back down the well-trodden path I was looking for with Windy Willows.
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8 Responses to “Book Review | Anne of Windy Willows by L.M. Montgomery”
Yeah, this book was probably my least favorite out of the whole series. It just wasn’t that interesting. I think my favorite is probably either Anne of the Island or Rilla of Ingleside.
I haven’t read the Anne books recently, but I am remember skimming a lot of this one when I did. There were just too many people I didn’t care about, and not enough of the familiar faces I loved.
Nicoles last blog post..Foe, J.M. Coetzee
I’m sorry to hear that this one was disappointing. It still sounds worth reading, though. And hopefully the next one will bring back the old magic.
Nymeths last blog post..Strangers by Taichi Yamada
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to be disappointed with this one – but thanks to Twiga it sounds like there is more of the Anne we know and love around the bend in the road. Anne of the Island is next on my list
Hey There, I just put up a new Challenge on my website, You are invited and so are all your readers!
Thanks,
Cindy
Read around the (Romance) Genre Challenge!
Cindy Ws last blog post..Read Around the Genres Challenge
hey.. i some how felt that i liked the first book the most and the following books progressively lesser. But i did enjoy reading the series as a whole!:)
Ramyas last blog post..Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
@Cindy W -
Thanks for letting me know Cindy – I’ll be sure to check it out.
@Ramya – I was having the same feeling – though I’m really enjoying Anne’s House of Dreams and think Montgomery has returned to form in this one.