Anne series - Lucy Maud Montgomery

Biography : Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in 1874 in Prince Edward Island, Canada and died in 1942 in Totonto, Ontario. She was a candian writer. Most of her novels and short stories take place in P.E.I. She was teacher for a few years and started to write her stories. In 1911, she married a presbyterian pastor and then had 3 children. Settled in Leaksdale, she wrote 11 novels there. Today the place has become a museum : Lucy Maud Montgomery Leaksdale Manse Museum. She had known an international success with her Anne series, which adapted for TV several times. L.M. Montgomery Institute coordinates all the researches and conferences about her work. Her body reposes in Cavendish. She still has a considerable success in Japan, where Anne is a compulsory book in foreign literature courses.

Bibliography :

Novels

* Anne series : Anne of Green Gables (1908); Anne of Avonlea (1909); Anne of the Island (1915); Anne's house of dreams (1917); Anne of Windy poplars / Anne of Windy Willows (1936); Anne of Ingleside (1939); Rainbow Valley (1919); Rilla of Ingleside (1921)

* Emily series : Emily of New Moon (1923); Emily climbs (1925); Emily's quest (1927)

* The Story Girl (1911); The Golden Road (1913)

* Pat of Siver Bush (1932); Mistress Pat (1935)

* Miscellanous : Kilmeny of the Orchard (1910); The Blue Castle (1926); Magic for Marigold (1929); A Tangled Web (1931); Jane of Lantern Hill (1937)

Short Stories : Chronicles of Avonlea (1912); Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920); The Road to Yesterday (1974); The Doctor's Sweetheart (1979); Akin to Anne : Tales of other orphans (1988); Along the Shore : Tales by the Sea (1989); Among the Shadows : Tales from the darker side (1990); After many days : Tales of time passed (1991); Against the odds : Tales of achievement (1993); At the Altar : Matrimonial tales (1994); Accross the Miles : Tales of correspondance (1995); Christmas with Anne and other holiday stories (1995)

Poetry : The Watchman and other poems (1916); The Poetry of Lucy Maud Montgomery (1887)

Non Fiction : Courageaous Women (1934)

Autobiography : The Alpine Path : The Story of my career (1917); The selected journals of L.M. Montgomery (1889-1942)

Anne Series

****

Genre : Children's Books

English publisher : Puffin Books; ics : 3,99£ (each, except Anne of Ingleside : 4,49£)

American publisher : You can find this series in several editions for small prices : Dover or Starfire : from 3 to 5,50$

Anne of Green Gables

Synopsis : In Avonlea, in Prince Edward Island, Sister and brother, Marilla and Matthew, decide to adopt a boy to help on the farm. But when Matthew comes back with a red-haired 11-year-old girl, Marilla wants to return her, but does not, fortunately for everyone. Anne will find a true home, with love and friendship and true friends too. Despite her red hair and her being an orphan, she makes everyone love her. But she has a way to get into scrapes all the time and possess a very vivid imagination...

Anne of Avonlea

Synopsis : Anne attends to Queen's High and is in concurrence with her old foe, Gilbert Blythe, for the leadership. Even she's older now, she's still the same as the 11-year-old girl who was touchy and used to day-dream. After graduated from Queen's, she obtains a scholarship to attend Redmond College, but providence decides otherwise. Anne decides to stay at Green Gables after Matthew's death to prevent Marilla from selling the house and to help her with the twins Marilla adopted from a cousin who just died. Anne teaches in Avonlea school and make peace with her old foe Gilbert Blythe.

Anne of the Island

Synopsis : After two years, Anne can attend Redmond College and she settled herself with her girl friends in Patty's Place. Gilbert goes to Redmond too, and their friendship is stronger than ever, and everyone expects their engagement. But Anne doesn't consider Gilbert in this way end refuses him. Then she meets Roy Gardner, a student who fulfill her very idea of Prince Charming, and she thinks she's in love with him. But when the day of his proposal comes, she's not so sure about spending the rest of her life with him and refuses him. When she comes back to Avonlea after three years, she discovers that Gilbert is dying and she realises that she waas in love with him all along, but surely it's too late...

Anne of Windy Willows

Synopsis : Anne and Gilbert are finally engaged, but they have to wait for a few years because because Gilbert is studying to be a doctor. Anne becomes Principal of Summerside High School, where she must face the Pringle Family who rule Summerside and who make life miserable for Anne. But soon, Anne wins the respect of all the Pringle Family, and discovers among them some kindred spirits. And Anne hasn't lost her habit of matchmaking either...

Anne House's of Dreams

Synopsis : Anne and Gilbert have to leave Avonlea because Gilbert obtained a post in the Glen, where they settled in their little house of dreams, and make new friends : Miss Cornelia Bryant who hates men and methodists; Captain Jim who runs the light of the Glen and is a former sailor with lots of stories to tell; Leslie Moore who lives with her mentally deficient husband. But tragedy strikes in their little house of dreams, Anne loses her first child at birth, and it will takes all Gilbert and their friends and family's love and strength to help her through this tragedy. But soon Anne will find that she can go on living, and help her friends to be happy too...

Anne of Ingleside

Synopsis : Anne and Gilbert move out from their little house of dreams to Ingleside, which will be soon full of children. But Gilbert will often be on his way to a dying patient or a baby to be born, while Anne will help her children with all their doubts and fears, but also theyr joy. The little house of dreams and happiness is just bigger. But after 15 years of marriage, Anne doubts Gilbert's love and become a little jealous when Christine Stuart reappears for a dinner, their dinner of Anniversary...

What I think : I discovered Anne Shirley with the TV series, which a french channel (M6) used to broadcast every year. And when I was in England I discovered the series by L.M. Montgomery and I just loved it (that's why i read it a second time). Nothing reaaly happens along these six volumes, but we kind of get to love Anne and her friends. And we want know what's waiting for her after the bend in the road. This series overflows with endearing or detestable characters, and gossips. It can make you cry as well as laugh, it brings real emotions. I remember I just cried my eyes out whan Matthew died of a heart attack, or when Gilbert was near his death. I also remember laughing like a madman when Anne dyed her hair green or when her children got into desperate state because of their imagination.

While looking for information about L.M. Montgomery, I found out that there were a certain number of other books continuing the series, or related to it, but for now, I just want to make a little pause from Anne and I'll come back to her later. I just needed to get out of her universe for some time and discover other things.