![Illustration of a white girl with red hair in a white shirt and brown skirt looking off pensively to the right, while a white boy with dark hair looks on in the background](https://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Cover-Anne-of-the-Island-Lucy-Maud-Montgomery.jpg)
About the Book
-
Author:
- L.M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
- Genre:
- Classics
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: I Don’t Care
BFF Charm: Of the Platinum Variety
Talky Talk: My Old Friend
Bonus Factor: College, Patty’s Place, True Love
Relationship Status: The College Roommate I Wish I Had
Cover Story: I Don’t Care
So if I didn’t know and love this book, I wouldn’t pick it up based on the cover, but with this cover, specifically, I love the symbolism it captures. Anne, always looking off into the distance, to some fantasy, and Gilbert standing in the background, just waiting for her attention to turn…
BFF Charm: Of the Platinum Variety
![BFF platinum charm](https://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BFF-Platinum.jpg)
Anne, at this point, is a dearest of friends. I feel only kindred and bosom thoughts toward her the WHOLE TIME, even when I think she’s being completely wrong-headed about something (coughGilbertcough).
And I would also like to give my charm to Phil as well! I would promise to see through her frivolity, just as Anne did, and love the whole package of the girl.
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
Oh, Anne! Anne! I do understand your ideals and determination, and even your rebelliousness! (In fact, every time anybody ever told me that some boy and I were MEANT to be together, I ran for the hills. Showed them.) But, I would like to sit you down, Anne-girl, and TRY to get you to analyze just why you get jealous of every girl who bestows their attentions on Gilbert, because, really? We ALL know how you feel about him long before you realize it yourself.
And Gilbert Blythe, (queue the le sighs) Anne you BROKE HIS HEART. It just goes to show you how much I love you that I couldn’t even be angry with you for that. I just limped along, a little heart-broken myself, until your epiphany.
Talky Talk: My Old Friend
Montgomery’s prose swirls around me with warmth and comfort. I love just watching the time pass as Anne attends Redmond, and enjoyed her letters from home (particularly from Davy. Why is that, Anne? I want to know.).
Sometimes, throughout these books, things get a trifle tedious for me. But not this one. In Anne of the Island, I eat up every moment with a spoon.
Bonus Factor: College
![Elle Woods in a Harvard classroom](https://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BF-College.jpeg)
In my head, college is a magical place where you are surrounded by your best girl friends, and you spend equal amounts of time studying and swooning and enjoying raucous frivolity. And you get to live on your own! And make decisions! And it’s free! (I did say this was in my head.)
Bonus Factor: Patty’s Place
![Stone cottage surrounded by grass and trees](https://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/BF-Cottages.png)
My favorite kind of house is a stone house, y’all. So if we get rich and famous one day, you will all be invited to an FYA slumber party at my stone cottage! The girls at Patty’s Place truly had the most picture perfect experience imaginable. I sometimes wonder if this book is why no actual roommate situation I ever experienced could live up to my idea of it… Plus, I have yet to get my very own Gog and Magog– Magog looks to the left, don’t you know…
Bonus Factor: True Love
![Anne Shirley, wearing a hat, sitting on a fence and giving Gilbert Blythe a WTF look](https://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/anne-shirley-gilbert-blythe.jpeg)
Even though every time I read this book, I hope Anne will come around BEFORE Gilbert almost dies of consumption, the moment she realizes what it is that she’s been feeling all along is totes worth it.
Relationship Status: The College Roommate I Wish I Had
If I could insert myself into ANY book, I think it would be this one. I’d kick out one of the other girls (would anyone REALLY miss Priscilla or Stella?) for a chance of my own at Patty’s Place, and I’d study SO HARD, you guys. Also, I wouldn’t try to steal Gilbert for myself, but would instead console him as a friend. Okay, that’s totally a lie.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Anne of the Island is available now.