Yes, you read the title right - this will include a lot of spoilers, both good and bad, so if you are currently reading the series or are going to, please don't read this. If you weren't planning on doing any of those, then read on.
The first book, Anne of Green Gables, is very much a classic. A lot of people have read it and fallen in love in love with Marilla, Matthew, Diana, Gilbert, and everyone else who makes this original story so great. It breaks our hearts when Matthew dies, for it was very sudden and a lot like a slap in the face. Everybody's favorite part, though, is Anne smashing her slate over Gilbert's head.
Anne of Avonlea is the book that everybody says, 'Wait, there's a sequel?' to. It really isn't as good as the first book. But when Marilla decides to take in Dora and Davy, that is a plus to the story. We also love the new characters, such as Ms. Lavendar, Charlotta the 4th, Paul Irving, and even Hester Gray. The ending makes you wonder if Anne will change her ideals, or not.
Anne of the Island is the book that basically no one knows about, except for die-hard fans. This is the story of her college years at Redmond, and her living in Patty's Place with Stella, Priscilla, Phil, and Aunt Jamesina. Life is good until Gilbert tells her that he loves her and wants her to promise herself to him. This breaks their friendship, but Anne quickly finds Roy Gardener, her ideal man. But when he asks her to marry him, she can't find it in her to say yes. Then, when Gilbert gets deathly sick, Anne realizes she loves him. He recovers, and they finally get engaged.
But Gilbert wants to be a doctor and has to go through a medical course. Anne of Windy Poplars is about the time that she spent in, well, Windy Poplars, teaching for 3 long years. This story isn't crucial to the series, but I recommend reading it and savoring the times before Anne is married.
Anne's House of Dreams is the last book where she is the direct main character. This is a good book about her married life before she has kids and they steal the show. The main part is the romance of Leslie Moore. She married a man who left to go to Cuba but died, and a neighbor named Captain Jim went down and got his identical cousin, who had traveled with him but had lost his memory. Leslie then slaved to a man who wasn't even her husband! They had an operation on him and figured all of this out, meanwhile, the handsome and single Owen Ford was visiting. They eventually married and had Kenneth (and Persis) Ford, who will come up later.
Anne of Ingleside may feel like you were dropped into the everyday life of Anne with 5 children, soon to be 6, and I think that's exactly the way L. M. Montgomery wanted you to feel. I kind of didn't want to read it, but it is worth it. The best part is at the end when Anne thankfully realizes Gilbert still loves her over an old enemy of hers, Christine.
Rainbow Valley is really not about the Ingleside children (Jem, Walter, Nan, Di, Shirley, and Rilla) but the manse children (Jerry, Faith, Carl, and Una) and their distracted minister father (Mr. Meredith). I wasn't exactly thrilled over this fact, but it was a decent story.
Rilla of Ingleside isn't exactly the slap-in-the-face starting Anne of Ingleside had, but the 6-year-old Rilla is suddenly 15. There are plenty of childhood friendships turned to romance, such as Jem and Faith, Jerry and Nan, Walter and Una, and Rilla and Kenneth Ford, Leslie's son. World War 1 ends their happy life, as Jem and Jerry enlist and fight overseas. Ken isn't far behind, but all three of them make it. Walter struggles with his mental insecurities and threatening letters from those who think he is slacking, he enlists out of pressure but sends a letter before a battle where he knows he isn't going to make it, and Walter will never know how much Una loved him.
Thanks for reading!!!
