L. M. MontgomeryAnne of Green Gables, Complete 8-Book Box Set

LM Montgomery is such a gifted writer. I am so happy to revisit these pages that I read so long ago as a child. Classic, brilliant story telling to be treasured for ages.

One of the best books I’ve ever read (and I’ve read a lot). Touching, funny, satisfying…it’s a classic for a reason!

I honestly thought that before I read this book that Anne of Green Gables was about a girl who lives on a farm with her aunt and has all sorts of normal, sappy adventures. I thought it was going to be a dull, happy-happy sort of book. What I got was almost the exact opposite of what I expected. Even though the plot of the story was sometimes childish, I kept wanting to read the book to find out if the Cuthberts (specifically Marilla) would ever accept Anne. I liked how throughout the story Anne actually grew up, unlike other books I've read.Sometimes the story got a little dull and repetetive and I had to say to myself "The chapter'll be done in a few pages, just get it over with". It was almost like a pattern. One chapter would be happy, the other Anne would have gotten herself into trouble again. I enjoyed some of the scenes where Anne would get herself into trouble, and sometimes found myself cheering on Anne as she whacked a boy for calling her 'carrots'. Also, the way Lucy Montgomery developed Anne's personality was enjoyable. I liked how Anne would actually stand up for herself when someone did something to her, and how she thought like an individual and was different. All in all, it was a cute, if childish, book. I would recommend this to anyone under the age of 13.Anne of Avonlea is the sequel to Anne of Green Gables. Anne has grown up and is 17 years old, but is still every bit the imaginative girl she was in the last book.Anne of Green Gables was a little childish for me, but Anne of Avonlea was more... not grown up, just different. In Anne of Green Gables, the schemes that Anne and her friends make up are over fantastical, like children will make up. The man they imagine they'll marry has to be 'dark, mysterious, tall'. In Anne of Avonlea, Diana's boyfriend/future husband doesn't match really at all what she wanted before. It adds a touch of reality. At first when I read on the back of the book that Marilla was going to adopt twins, I felt kind of resentful. I was like "They won't be as good as Anne.". But, when Davy and Dora joined the family at Green Gables, I fell in love with them. Prim and proper Dora, but rebellious and mischievous Davy. I laughed when I heard Davy put a toad in Marilla's bed.The characters are well developed, changing from children to teens to adults. I appreciated the fact that Montgomery put in 'bad days' where one of the characters would have a horrible day and come home and complain. It (again) made the book more real. I had no trouble reading this at all, because there was never a boring page.In Anne of the Island, Anne Shirley leaves Green Gables and heads for Redmond College. On her second day there she meets a new friend, Phillippa Grant, Phil for short.Anne of the Island was better in some ways than the other books. It shows Anne's confusion on love and growing up. It also made me think more, specifically in the chapter of Ruby Gillis's death. It made me think about heaven and the afterlife.The thing that irritated me and pulled me out of the story was that it was so corny. Anne hears Gilbert is sick and suddenly realizes that she did love him after all. 2 people she hardly knows propose to her. It reminded me that this was a fiction novel and filled with clichéd things. I also think that Anne depended too much on her imagination, and that it was slightly ironic that when her exact, ideal man came around that she turned him down.The book was pretty good in the sense that it wasn't as silly, but when it comes to reality, it pretty much fails.

Nothing like having the smell of new books. Smallish print, still the same beautiful novels.

I first read this series when I was about 20 years old. I am now re-reading this series at age 54. The books are just as delightful and captivating now as they were when I was younger. They are timeless! I get lost in the stories. Amusing... tragic... beautiful... fun... heart-warming... gut-wrenching - all the good stuff of life is alive in these books!

Really good series, however book 4 is uninteresting. The rest are very engaging.

Adorable! Such a sweet read for any age. Refreshing and entertaining.

I had read Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea as a young girl. Now, as an adult, I have been rereading some of my all-time favorite stories. I have to say that this collection is at the top of my list. The quality of the writing is not found in many modern books. Lucy Maud Montgomery created characters that we care about, in adventures that touch us, heart and soul. The orphan, Anne Shirley, sees life in such a positive way, with so much 'scope for imagination'. Through the ups and downs, the humor and the heartaches, we fall in love with the characters in this series. Even though some of the books were written one hundred years ago, the dreams and insecurities that Anne has are just as relevant today. This collection is an excellent way to enjoy the complete set at a good value. These stories are not JUST for young girls. I would recommend The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set to anyone who loves good storytelling, anyone who knows what it's like to be a 'kindered spirit'. After reading the books, I would also recommend the Emmy Award-winning Anne of Green Gables that was shown on PBS. It stars Megan Follows as Anne and Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla. This is the best adaptation of the books that I have seen. There are a few others out there but, in this, Megan Follows captures the "book Anne" perfectly. The collection, presented by Sullivan Entertainment, is available on DVD and includes Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Green Gables-The Sequel, and Anne of Green Gables-The Continuing Story. I don't usually recommend the video/movie version of a book, and this shouldn't be a substitute for the wonderful reading, but Megan Follows did such a good job as Anne that I had to mention it.