Anne of the Island

Back when I first read this series, this was my favorite of the books. I was twelve, and Anne seemed so grown up. She was off at college, studying hard and figuring out what she wanted out of life. The description of Patty's Place, particularly Anne's initial conversation with Patty, has remained etched in my mind. Though I've since learned that living with your best girlfriends is not necessarily a recipe for utopia.

On revisiting this book, I didn't find it quite as perfect as I remember it being. Nor quite as good as the first two. It's a bit rushed, skipping over most of the college doings in favor of catching us up on how everyone back in Avonlea is growing. And while the first two books were also basically just a series of vignettes, this one suffered by accelerating through time. Entire semesters passed in mere paragraphs, and it caused some of the relationships to get the short shrift.

Then again, I'm not sure I could have stood to read any more about Anne and Roy. Even knowing that she'd eventually end up with Gilbert didn't making reading about her relationship with Roy any easier. Or maybe it was knowing that it would end that made it so uncomfortable. Or maybe it was just how it ended - as suddenly as it began. Another victim of the fast pace of the book.

That's a lot of complaining for a book that I fundamentally enjoyed. And it's interesting that the one I loved so much the first time around could easily become my least favorite on re-read. Maybe it's just the two decades I've lived since then. I did think this was a good book. And now that Anne and Gilbert are finally together, all is right with the world. I'm excited to see the rest of their lives play out. And to dally some more in this nostalgic wonderland where everything turns out okay in the end.