WORTH READING Anne of Green Gables & Avonlea as Adults? Book 1 & 2 Reviews & Summary | Bonus Minisode 1

Today we start covering the Anne of Green Gables 8-book series by L.M. Montgomery. We’re diving into classic literature like we’ve never done before to give you the 411 on beloved “children’s” books that we KNOW are actually for everyone! 

Check out our latest Tuesday full length episode all about what the Bildungsroman is, why women and girl’s stories are so important for everyone to read, and how Montgomery expertly uses this book series to critique social and political issues of the early 1900’s, with an emphasis on women’s roles in society. We also provide a bit of context by discussing Montgomery’s life, and the political climate in Canada when this story takes place. 

In this episode we dive into books one and two: Anne of Green Gables, and Anne of Avonlea in which we experience adolescence through Anne Shirley’s eyes. Who were our favorite and least favorite characters and plot points? Do we think Anne helped pave the way for our favorite FMCs of today? And what literary devices does Montgomery use to critique women’s roles in society? 

Coming of age tales can be so much more than simple children’s books. We’re here to discover why! Listen on for our reviews of books one and two, our deep dive reactions, and fun facts about this timeless classic! 

Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)

Check out these author interviews? ⬇️

Penn Cole talks with us about Strong Female Characters, Feminist Themes, and her debut bestselling Spark of the Everflame Series! https://youtu.be/7ukNImyoObw?si=7C3Y9kOUMN4hfcKb

We interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4

Check the official Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of Split or Swallow! Now a Barnes & Noble & Amazon best seller titled: Kiss of the Basilisk!  https://youtu.be/fknhocSNIKM

Need more ACOTAR in your life? Cook your way through Velaris with the help of Chelsea Cole and her cookbook A Feast of Thorns & Roses. Check out our author interview here! https://youtu.be/fjzmqd-x3OA?si=kNJ4D9cxvUjhp-Ik

____

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms

@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast 

Besties and the Book Club on Fable!

https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358

Liz 

Instagram | TikTok

@TheRealLifeVeganWife 

Ashley

Instagram | TikTok

@AshleyEllix

Shop bookish apparel worn in this episode!

Ashley is Wearing: Green “Depths of Despair” Anne of Green Gables Tee from Amazon | * https://amzn.to/41eXnA2

Liz is Wearing:  Black “Depths of Despair”  Anne of Green Gables Tee from Amazon | * https://amzn.to/472WzSp

Any link with an * is an affiliate link through the

YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms
@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast

Besties and the Book Club on Fable!
https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358

Liz
Instagram | TikTok
@TheRealLifeVeganWife

Ashley
Instagram | TikTok
@AshleyEllix

Chapters

• 0:00 Spoiler Free Intro
• 5:05 Anne of Green Gables Book Reviews
• 7:50 Anne of Avonlea Book Reviews
• 9:30 Audiobook Reviews for Anne of Green Gables
• 10:20 5 Sentence Book Summary
• 16:30 Favorite and Least Favorite things in Anne of Green Gables books 1 & 2
• 53:00 Favorite Quotes
• 1:01:00 Final Thoughts
• 1:08:50 BONUS QUESTION
• 1:13:00 Anne of Green Gables Fun Fact

Transcript

0:00

My daughter has been quoting it over and over. Common themes with the low reviews. Didn't like Ann's character. So, that would do it because it's all Ann's eyes. What better eyes to look through than Ann?[Music] Welcome to the Besties in the Books podcast. I'm Ashley. And I'm Liz. And today is officially the kickoff episode of our newest mini episode series, Ann of Green Gables. Not appropriate for an Gables at all. Those are fireworks. They're okay. There's fireworks. Come on, Liz. Classic beloved coming of age. The buildings romant. Did you guys see that episode? It was awesome. You better. If not, we'll link it down description box. It is our kickoff episode to give you just a little backstory and history of everything. Yeah, exactly. Just so you know kind of a little bit about Ella Montgomery. Um Lucy Ma Montgomery who wrote all of these books. Um and yeah, today we're going to be talking about Ann of Green Gables and Ann of Adam Lee. Yeah. And hey, we got these cute shirts too cuz we're like totally in it. We're in the fandom. I should I can't I am in the depths of despair. Yeah. And mine says that with the Green Gable House. So cute. It's great. So, yes, it's officially summer over here, you guys. And here at Besties in the Books podcast, we figured, hey, we'll soon be transitioning into fall. So, what better time than truly now to enjoy these seasons than with these books? So, we have the most beautiful like worldbuilding imagery. You can imagine the scenery. You guys, if you've read it with us or you read it before and you're just like, you know, just here to hang out, you know. If you haven't read it and you're like, "Let's figure out what this is all about." Well, you should. Yeah. You're gonna want to read it. I'm telling you. So good. Nothing like seeing Green Gables and Prince Edward Island through the an the eyes of Anne Shirley. Through the eyes. Through the Ann's eyes. What better eyes to look through than Ann's. There are eight books in total of this Ann of Green Gable series. And like we kind of mentioned briefly in the kickoff episode, we went back and forth for a while about do we cover all eight? Do we just cover the popular three? And then we said, hey, what's our job here is to find out for people. So we're going to find out for you guys through these episodes. Is it worth continuing reading the whole series, you know, and should you do it or are you good at three? We'll find out. You'll find out. We'll find out together on this journey. On this journey. So we're going to be doing two books per episode. So, it's a little different than our other series just so we can make sure we fit all eight without taking up the entire year. So, we'll be doing two every Friday and then of course the fifth episode will be the wrap-up episode with the movies, books, rankings, everything like that. Mhm. So excited. So exciting. Um yeah, so we're going to be talking about all of our thoughts. We're doing the deep dive on Ann of Green Gables book one and Ann of Aan Lee book two by Ella Montgomery. So why are we doing this? If you're just hopping on now and you didn't um watch our introduction episode um where we talk about coming of age tales, we wanted to cover a series this summer that was all ages friendly first of all. Y so that if you wanted to share these with your kids, you absolutely could. We also wanted to do a deep dive into a classic story about a unique, smart, and outspoken girl that has inspired so many of us, but has also inspired many authors to write our favorite FMC's. Yes, it definitely kind of goes full circle. Um, you know, she's smart, outspoken, she's very, very outside the quote unquote norm of what a lot of girls are taught to be. And so we wanted to make sure to really discuss those characteristics and analyze these books through that lens and why it's important that books like Annie Gables be considered classic literature and held up just as importantly as all the other classics that we commonly know about and are like assigned in school and things like that too. Um but before we get into talking about these first two books, we just wanted to say thank you so much for being here. Ah, thank you guys so much for being here and taking time out of your day and whatever your current read is to come and join us and hear we have to say about these books. We appreciate you guys so much. Make sure to like, follow, and subscribe anywhere you like to listen to your favorite podcast, including YouTube. We're hanging out over there. You can also follow us on Instagram, Tik Tok. We are at Besties in the Books podcast everywhere. Everywhere except our virtual book club, which is used on the Fable app, where you can find us at Besties in the Book Club if you search that. We do monthly book club reads. We have these buddy reads over there and you can come jump on in and enjoy spoiler-free. And then the live wrap-ups for any of the book clubs that we do, just so you know, they're over on our YouTube channel. And we're having a lot of fun doing those lives. We made them kind of more game, a little bit more lighthearted and silly, still structured, but more um you know, we're live, so it's just off the cusp, unedited. And that's over on YouTube, so make sure you subscribe there so you get notified when we're doing some lives. All right. Well, okay. So, let's just kick it off with our spoiler-free star rating. Yes. Just our short, concise, oneish sentence. Star rating. Do you want to go first? You want me to go first today? I'll go first cuz I just want to remind everybody. So, Liz has read these three. I read the first three. She read the first three as a youth and loved it. Did you ever reread them as an adult? Is it is this your first reread? No, no, no. I don't Well, it might be my first reread of two and three, but I've definitely reread Ann of Green Gables, like just book one before. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So, that's her story. She's sticking to it. I have read nothing until I've read nothing and movies. Don't remember them. So, I have no context of this book going into it. Fully blind. Okay. So, here's my review of book one and book two. We're slump slumping it or we still doing two separate ones? You can do them separate. I would say for this portion we'll separate them. But either way they're both five stars. I mean so book one and of Green Gables book two and of Aan Lee both five stars for me. And we'll just say it right now. SP zero spice so far in anything. I'm I'm assuming it's going to stay that way. So you're safe in that zone if you're worried about that for children. I don't think anybody's worried about that. But just in case. Um especially because we like to talk about all the Imagine these are spicy. Oh my god, what a curveball. What if it's in chapter what if it's in book eight? We didn't know. I mean, you know, it's a coming of age and like growing up story. But anyways, so my review is as follows. Okay, book one, without being spoilery, so this is hard. I will say I had since I knew nothing going into this, I was so surprised how incredibly complex but yet easy to read and understand the world building was. Um the social obligations and discussions that are presented very easily to digest throughout the book um and the different themes. The books in general are much more complex than I was expecting, hands down. So, um, for that reason, I'm five stars. I'm having a great time. I'm loving this journey and I'm so grateful to be on another Hunger Games obsession path that we are falling down. So, just like Liz was like, "You got to read them." I'm like, "I don't know. It seems a little young for me." No, I was wrong and I'm wrong again and I'm so okay with saying that. So, there we go. That was not one sentence. But for books one and two clumping it together. I ended up clumping them. Yeah. Uh I mean it's easier when they're all five stars, right? It's hard when you can't spoil anything. So yeah, that's true. Yeah. Um okay, so for me, five stars for both, of course. Um and I think my review would just be I love how these books make me feel. Um like as Ashley said, like the writing is amazing. The world building is amazing. It's such like vivid imagery. Um, you know, we talked about it a little bit on our kickoff episode, um, where we were talking about the coming of age tale in general. You know, it made me as a kid want to literally visit this magical place, you know, called Prince Edward Island, which is just a real place in Canada. That's, you know, pretty cool. Um, so I just like the way that it makes me feel. I think that um seeing the world through Ann's eyes in all of its glory is just a very unique experience. Yeah. That I don't feel like I've really gotten from very many other books, if any. It's just a really unique perspective on turning the regular ordinary world into a magical place. And I think a lot of us could use that right now. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. So, hey. Yeah. Five stars and I'm sticking to it. Beautiful. Loved it as a kid, love it now. Yeah. Um, okay. So, should we just get into our spoiler section? Spoiler section. I don't know what Ann Green Gable sounds like yet, so stay tuned. That just means spoilers are coming. So, buckle up. Watch out. Don't listen if you don't want to be spoiled. But basically, would we recommend this book still even as adults to all ages? All ages we recommend it. So, if you're wondering if you should read it, give it a try. Just try a couple chapters. See, here. We'll do another We'll do another plug for this because everyone needs to know. If you're on the fence and you're like, I don't really got a lot of time. We get it. Life is busy. This is now just an ad for Audible. Go on Audible. I know. And um Rachel McAdams narrates book one and of Green Gables. And it is a lovely experience. Yeah, she does an incredible job. She does an incredible job. Unfortunately, she only did book one. Um, but we both listened to the audio for book one and it's free. Yeah. So, it's a good time had by all. Go check it out. Yeah. And if you don't like it after that, then I guess you don't like it. We were wrong for you and your your taste. But you should try it. Just give it a try and then save this to your playlist. Come back and listen after you've either read or listen with your ears. Read with your ears. I think you'll have a good time. Yeah, for sure. Yep. All right. So, should we just kick this off with our five sentence? Ashley gave me a little bit of leeway on this. She said five sentences or more just in case since we are covering two books per episode, which is different than what we've done in the past. However, I was able to accomplish this in five sentences for both books. So, it feels like a challenge to it is a challenge. I mean, if you did heat of the Everflame, then nothing could be Yeah, exactly. Nothing could be that way. I don't know if we were doing House of Flame and Shadow in five sentences back then. I don't think so. Cuz imagine that. I would just be like, "And I give up." Honestly, I'm done. Yeah. I give it um fade away into your bookshelf. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So, I'm ready if you're ready. Okay, let's go. Five sentences or more or less? Or exactly five. It's just exactly five. Um Ann of Green Gables and Ann of A Lee. Okay. Matthew and Merrila Cutbert are a brother and sister who own a farm called Green Gables on Prince Edward Island in Canada who send word to the nearby orphanage that they need to adopt a boy to help work on the farm. But due to a mixup, they end up with an Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan girl.[Music] one. That's actually perfect. No way. Stop it. That sounded so good. Your sentence was great. Literally for like the first time playing that thing. I rise to the occasion. What can I say? Yeah, that was great. The the warm-ups were not so good. The vibes were also very good. Like that was very um relaxed. I do feel relaxed. I'm snake charming you. Yeah, exactly. recorder. Okay. Uh, so yes, you guys, for those listening and not watching, I brought out the recorder, a childhood classic that everybody must learn and forget about in fourth grade. So, that will be our musical instrument of this series. For those that are new here who stumbled upon this Anna Green Gables episode, welcome to the jungle. Okay, we have this is a tradition. Okay, over here, five descendant summary. Liz does it. I reward her with a nice tune of some weird instrument. And you guys had submitted so many good ones. We have such a great list of musical instruments I' never even heard of. So stay tuned for the next miniseries. So great. All right, sentence two begins now. Ann is outspoken and bold with a wonderful imagination and a flare for the dramatic. So Merrila and Matthew take to her very quickly and decide to keep her. Anna is elated and immediately becomes best friends with Diana Barry, the next door neighbor girl. H.[Music][Applause] There you go. I love it. I'm not going to be consistent. I'll tell you that. No, that's great. I like Hunger Games. That was three three notes. Yeah. This just You have artistic license. You could go on for a while if you really want. Okay. at school, which she takes to and loves. Anne develops a years'sl long rivalry with Gilbert Bllythe after he makes fun of her red hair. And they develop a healthy academic rivalry, which ultimately leads to them both attending Queen's Academy, where Anne earns a scholarship that would allow her to go to a 4-year university. However, when she returns home, Matthew has a heart attack and dies, and she decides to stay home to help Merrila and forgoes college to teach at Avanley, a position Gilbert Gilbert gives up for her, ultimately forging their friendship. I don't know what tone to do this in. That was such a wide range of emotions. She's still going and scene. Yeah. Okay. That was so sad. I know. What have you done? So sad. I mean, I was prepared cuz I knew it was going to happen, but I did not prepare you. You and my daughter were like No. Yeah, Matthew. I know. I know. Okay. Anna enjoys teaching at Aan Lee School and spends her time with Diana Gilbert and other friends improving the town through their established village improvement society. When she isn't working or helping to raise the twins, Davey and Dora, who Merrila adopted from long-lost relatives that passed away, short and sweet. Four. In a twist of fate, Diana and Anne stumble upon a beautiful lodge in the middle of the woods where a lovely single woman named Miss Lavender lives who is happy but mourning the failure of her one true love from 20 years prior until Anne sets them back up with the help of his son who is her student. And just like a fairy tale, they get married. Shortly after this, Mrs. Lynn's husband dies so she moves in at Green Gables and Mirilla tells Anne she can go away to college with Gilbert, who she is starting to view just a tiny bit more than just a friend. in the fall. Love it. Five. It's such a vibe. Yeah. Five. Lost track. Sorry. Five. Five. There we go. Claps all around. Claps all around. I mean, really, it's like a treat for your eyes and ears. Yeah. That's what we're all thinking, huh? There you go. You guys like that? Let us know. Let us know. Let us know if you don't. Yeah, exactly. If you don't, that's fine, too. Okay, great job. So, yeah, great job. Gold stars all around. Definitely not in the trash can this time. No. Treasures for all. You guys, too. You, the listeners. Treasures for you. You deserve You deserve a treat after that. After enduring this. Okay, that has to be the hardest instrument I've done so far. And I did the violin. Not well, but I did. Surprising. You would think that the violin would have been harder. You know, that flute is that's hard. It's harder than it looks. the classical instruments. Just kidding. I have no idea what kind of instrument. I don't know what I don't know. Anyways, let's go. So, okay. So, what was your favorite part? So, we're clumping both books together. Just so you guys know, this is book one and book two. So, all of the questions that we're going to be going through and answering will combine both of them like one big big long book. Yeah. So, basically, we're following her life right now between adoption day through um leaving for college. basically. So, my favorite part was honestly just the way an like has a way of kind of softening people and helping change their perspectives in life cuz she's coming upon a lot of people who are older and set in their ways. And so, you know, she calls it kind of collecting kindred spirits. So, I loved that. And she kind of does it with all these grumpy people. And I remember the part, I don't remember which book it was, where she's like, there's no way they could be my kindred spirit and obviously they were. Yeah. You know, so like, oh, I think it was um Diane's aunt who was visiting and jumps on her in the bed. So, it's so that's what I loved about these books cuz you it's a very whimsical and fun and silly, but there's a lot of, you know, deep talks and just the way her outlook on on life is is my absolute favorite. Um, so, but the time that really stuck out to me is obviously when she changes Matthew and Merrila's mind. Yeah. Well, I think the key Mhm. and the kind of like consistency there, like what you're describing, she reminds these people of what it was like to be young. Yeah. And to be hopeful for the future and to have an imagination. And I think that, you know, lots of times as adults, we can kind of get really far away from that and start to forget. And I think she is just the perfect like personification of that. And so people like how that makes them feel. Yeah. that and even at a time too where some of those adults didn't even get to be a kid when they were a kid. Yeah. Because it's a lot of that it wasn't Puritans back then, but it was more like extreme religious upbringing. And one of them even says, you know, children are meant to be seen, heard, though, that kind of upbringing. And obviously that comes and goes throughout all of human history, but specifically of that time. So, for sure. Yeah. It's nice. And then my least favorite part was when Matthew died. Yeah, for sure. So, yeah, I know. I feel like that's kind of like a a goto. Like, if that's not your least favorite part, I don't know what it is. Cuz he was such a good It was such a good representation of that, you know. Yeah. Of what all those things that she did. So, we're going to be watching the movie uh for the first time. I've seen it a billion times, but we're going to be watching it for the first time with Ashley tonight. And the if you guys know, you know this is like the 1980s version. The man who plays Matthew is like seriously the best. He's spot on and so it's like even more heart-wrenching, I feel like, to watch it. Yeah. Yeah. But it's so good. Oh, yeah. So, what was your favorite and least favorite part? My Okay, so we'll start with least favorite. My least favorite part obviously was Matthew dying. Yeah. Also, though, I did include a a second one just because, like I said, everyone's going to pick Matthew dying because it's terrible. Um, the obsession that the girls had with the author Mrs. Morgan's Heroins. M so um I don't know if you remember that part but when the author Mrs. Morgan was supposed to come visit um they kept talking about Mrs. Morgan's heroins and basically like you know Mrs. Morgan's heroins are always you know tall and slender Mrs. Morgan's heroins are always super well spoken, you know, and it was basically like, you know, I think uh Montgomery used it intentionally um to show that not anyone can be that fictional perfect woman. Um but it was definitely something that was very important at the time because it was very much that like coming off of Victorian kind of society. Yeah. Um I mean even so you could argue even now today there's obviously a ton of um expectations for women to fit into for the quoteunquote ideal woman. Yeah. But yeah, so I didn't I didn't like it, but I liked it. I didn't like it because that's really damaging for young teenage girls to be thinking that way. Yeah. Cuz they're not looking at it as critically as we are. Yeah. Yeah. But it is important. I mean, there's a lot that Ann does have a struggle with with self-esteem and body image and hair color like and all these things that I think all of everybody, women and men, you know, go go through growing up. So, it is important, but it is it sucks that it is like as a society that we feel those pressures even Oh, does she she's 11 when it starts? She's 11. Yeah. And then I want to say has all these things that were put on her about her red hair and her freckles and everything which is obviously so different now and how much it shows you how much trends changed though, you know, cuz my 10-year-old daughter almost is reading this with us and she's just like, "Oh my gosh, red hair and freckles, that's so beautiful." You know, so it's so different how it's changed and and yeah. So yeah, interesting. So yeah, it's like and I think that that's kind of like a common theme in these books as I'm kind of like moving forward is just kind of what those like female archetypes are. Mhm. So, we'll talk a little bit more about that in the future. My favorite part, oh my god, I loved it so much I like read it to my husband out loud. A um the conversation that she and Gilbert have at the end of Ann of Aan Lee about Miss Lavender and Mr. Irving finally getting together. A um so I'm just It's not quote time yet, but I'm going to It's story time. Flag on the field. Flag on the field. Okay, so this is a quote. Those are the kind of things that get us recommended to the wrong people actually the wrong channels. Um, so, uh, you know, basically Miss Lavender and Mr. Irving finally get together after being broken up for what, 20 years. Um, you know, they're kind of like starcross lovers kind of a thing. Um, and you know, Ann is thinking like,"Oh, this is just so romantic that they're finally back together after all this time has gone by." Okay. And this is how Gilbert responds."Yes, it's beautiful," said Gilbert, looking steadily down into Anne's uplifted face. But wouldn't it have been more beautiful still, Anne, if there had been no separation or misunderstanding? If they have come hand in hand all the way through life, with no memories behind them, those which belong to each other? For a moment, Anne's heart fluttered queerly, and for the first time her eyes faltered under Gilbert's gaze, and a rosy flesh stained the palenness of her face. It was if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted, giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings and realities. Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay night riding down. Perhaps it crept to one side like an old friend through quiet ways. Perhaps it revealed itself in seeming pros until some sudden shaft of illumination flung a thart its pages betray betrayed the rhythm and the music. Perhaps, perhaps, love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship as a goldenhearted rose slipping from its green sheath. Then the veil dropped again. But the Anne who walked up the dark lane was not quite the same Anne who had driven gay down it the evening before. The page of girlhood had been turned as by an unseen finger and the page of womanhood was before her with all its charm and mystery, its pain and gladness. Yeah. It's just like those are the moments that I love in these books because it's a perfect I mean we're talking about coming of age novels. In that moment she's realizing she's different. Yeah. in some way like she can't conceptualize it. It's not like she's sitting there thinking like I'm more mature. Yeah, exactly. But it's like she's not just seeing Gilbert in a different light, but she's understanding that maybe like love isn't exactly like the fairy tale thing that she's read about in all of her books. Yeah. And the reality of it might be different. Yeah. And it was just so I love it. I love Gilbert. I mean, he was like OG book boyfriend. You guys know. Yeah. So good. So, what about your favorite character? I mean, I'm going to say it because it's my first read, so whatever. And Shirley is my favorite forever and always. Good night. Good night. I mean, it's hard for her to not be your favorite. Yeah. Um, I put as a backup just because Ann is always the favorite. I put as a backup Mirilla because I love Merilla. I do. And I love how well she's written as this very, you know, it's like what you were talking about, you know, she was raised in this very like kind of puritanical culture and Ann is bringing out that more, you know, I don't know, childlike, easygoing, not really easygoing, but you know what I mean, side of her. Yeah. As much as can be. As much as can be. Yeah. And so she still is who she is, but it's like, you know, the little times she like makes her laugh at something silly or that. Yeah. Things like that. It's just so fun to read about. Yeah, for sure. So, what about someone your least favorite character? Someone you didn't love. I didn't like Diana's mother. So, that's her best friend's mother. You know, she was quick obviously quick to judge. I don't remember her like she obviously she eventually forgave her for accidentally getting getting Diana drunk. All these moments were so funny. like, you know, it, you know, she had to break down that stereotype that Diana's mother had. So, she was just, she's representative of a lot of like stingy and quick to judge, judgmental people that I've met in my life. She's a little classist perhaps. Yeah. She'd be my least favorite person because she while she forgave her, she still kind of stayed who she was, you know, in my opinion. So, yeah. But, you know, at least she got to hang out with Diana again. But I did also love the literary device used, you know, to cause that drama in their lives of like the goodbye. I have to say goodbye to my friend, the love of my life, you know. I loved it. It was so cute. And they have their little signal across the way or whatever. I love that, too. It's so cute. The friendship was beautiful. Yeah. I love I mean, yeah, Diana and Ann, it's the best. Yeah. Uh, my least favorite character was Davey. Sorry, Davey, but you're so annoying. Oh, he's so annoying. I'm sorry. You know, he's a kid, but he is an annoying kid. He's very He's a lot. I love And like Ann's a lot, but in a fun like light-hearted, beautiful way. Different. He's just like wants to be a pyro. Like, is that what it's called? He wants to burn the house down. He freaking pushes sister down a well. Like he's kind of a little evil. I don't know. I don't think he's a little Damian. Yeah, exactly. I don't think he's evil. He's just not nice. Like he has to be guided. He has to have rules cuz it's just not natural to him. Yeah. Poor guy. I mean, he's probably been through a lot, but a little scary, too. Yeah. Uhhuh. So, he annoyed me. I was like, I could have done without Davey. I can see how him as a character. See, this is why it would be useful for boys to read it too because it's not literally just females and their experience, which is also important, but like other boys who have problems with anger issues and like it's just another source, you know, of saying like, hey, you know, you it's not good to be mean, you know? Yeah. More representation of like, yes, it you have these urges, they're natural, but you can't do them. And like, oh, okay. I don't, you know, so yeah, totally examples. I mean, and he also, it's interesting because I feel like he does I can't think of anything specific that he said, but he definitely does spout off a lot of gender stereotypes. Yeah. Yeah. Like I can't really think of anything, like I said specifically off the top of my head right now, but I know that he does. Yeah. Well, he doesn't like it's kind of he's he's paring stuff that heard, but then he's like, "But I but I love Ann and Merilla the best, you know, and then I want them to tell me stories and talk to me and everything cuz he gets that guidance." And there she's kind of showing Ann is like showing how and helping him have a full range of emotions so simplistically without like anger is not your only emotion. Yeah, that's the lesson. And also you're not bad, but those are bad thoughts. Like those are bad things. We're not going to act on them and you're not bad, you know? So having a wide range of emotions, I feel like that is like key and would be so useful for boys to grow up knowing that there's not just neutral and mad. Yeah. I mean, and even girls, too, you know, cuz we've obviously there's people that have anger issues of all genders, but it's more seen obviously in males. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Okay. So, what would you have found most relatable as a young girl versus an adult woman now? So, relatable slashhelpful, but I think that Ann's perspective and the way she goes through acceptance of death and God and everything and what she's told to believe and how she kind of navigates that world would have helped me a lot if I read it as a child and dealt with a lot of anxiety surrounding those things. Um, and even mistakes, you know, how there's quotes in there of like how tomorrow's I made a mistake today, but tomorrow is a whole new day. And sometimes we need that as kids. I think so much weight is put on kids to always do the right thing, right? Even as adults. And sometimes you got to tell yourself like, okay, that's done, but you know what? There's always the next five minutes. Like, I can try again moving forward. And so I think I really this is definitely a book that I really really wish that I read instead of some of the other really um religious texts that I read instead because yeah check out our books that traumatized us traumatized us left behind the book of revelations um and other random you know type of books like that. I actually would have helped my anxiety a lot more regarding these things to see another young girl process those things in the early 1900s just to find out that other people were having the same feelings and thoughts that I was having, you know, that would have helped me a lot. So, representation perhaps representation. So, yeah, another reason why I think it's great for all ages. Um, and a thing I wasn't expecting to read about in this book. And then as an adult, I just like relate to Merrila so much because as someone with children myself and girls who are very dramatic and we love them for it, but the drama and like even just like something they get in trouble for that's like so stupid and like as a parent, you have to tell them, you know, help them good and what's not good and try not to laugh when they do something like when something is so dramatic. And so the way Merrila will, you know, handle Ann and then go in the other room and laugh or like go in the pantry, that is me. Like cuz you have, it's so hard not to laugh sometimes cuz it's like I can't believe these sentences are coming out of my mouth. Like no, you cannot, you know, lick your sister's Barbie doll like or whatever. That's so random, but you know what I mean? Like it's so crazy. So those moments um like that. And then also just as a reminder kind of like you said not to take life so seriously and like see appreciate the little things and the big things like appreciate everything like life is so special and an continues to see that throughout the these two books at least so far. You know she better not get all jaded but we'll see. So so far like I just love it's a very refreshing take and it's a good reminder as adults as well. Yeah. Yeah. What about what about you? Um I think that like so as a kid I was like a very very like I've always been a reader, always been a book collector. Uh fairy tales were always my thing. Um and I definitely I have several memories encountering like different adults kind of telling me to like be less like for lack of a better way of putting it like less weird. Yeah. And um I feel like I just really appreciated reading this because I really saw myself reflected a lot. Um like I remember when I had you know imaginary friends when I was a kid and so does an you know I think that's pretty normal but I remember being told on several occasions that I needed to like stop it because it was weird. Yeah. By like adults in my life. It's like a large percent of percentage of kids that have that. Yeah. It's like also what is like the harm? Now that I'm an adult, I'm kind of like, let kids be like whimsical and imaginative and like stuck in their imagination as long as they can because the world is so harsh. And so, um, I feel like that really helped me as a kid to kind of process it a little bit because even though Ann was fictional, it was like, okay, there is someone out there that's like like me. Yeah. Um, and yeah, so I feel like I really appreciated that for sure. Um, as an adult, I'm kind of curious to read past book three because I'm curious to see like as an adult and then once an is an adult. Yeah. If I start relating to her more, you know what I mean? Um, but I would say like as an adult just reading these books again. Um, I would say that it's a good reminder, as you were saying before, to not just appreciate, not just appreciate what we have and, you know, the world around us and like the little things, but like to what's the word I'm looking for? Like romanticize them. Yeah. Yeah. I think that that's what it is because it's like, you know, you can look out, you know, it's like we're filming in my book room right now. It's like you can look out the window of my house and we're surrounded by trees and we're basically like kind of semi in a forest and it's like my family calls it the fairy forest that we live in. Just to romanticize it for you. They're like, "Oh, you're going to Liz's fairy forest. That's amazing." So, it's like, yeah, it's one thing to look out the window and acknowledge as an adult with an adult brain, right, that that oh, that's pretty out there. Yeah. It's a completely different thing to Yeah. to sit there and call it the fairy forest to, you know, paint these intricate pictures of what could be. You know what I mean? Because I feel like as a kid, I was always kind of like, okay, well, this is quote unquote reality, but like, do we really know what reality is? And the older I get, the more I'm like, we kind of don't, though. Yeah. So, like, what's the harm in romanticizing everyday things? Because at the bare minimum, what? It just makes us feel a little bit better. Yeah. Um, and so I feel like as an adult, it's a good reminder to do that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Totally agreed. So, coming off of that, like, how did these books just make you feel? I mean, it made me have a really strong urge to physically go there. Same. Same. Yeah. Through the incredible world building that she did. Incredible, but effortless. Amazing. Beautifully done. Yeah. Yeah. just it made me feel really nostalgic. Um yeah, like I feel like just because I remember watching these, I remember reading them, I remember like how much they affected me like as a kid. Yeah. Like that full of imagination and wonder kind of vibe. Like that's definitely like the feelings I got. For sure. Um it just made me feel happy too, you know? Just happy. Yeah. Just a good book. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Um, and you know, as far as like I just put a note in here like literary devices that kind of helped us with that. You know, the imagery is insane. Like we've already talked about that. Like and you know, Ella Montgomery did grow up on Prince Edward Island. This is all kind of firsthand accounts for sure. Yeah. Um, so that's amazing that she's able to just take the natural world of where she lives and like turn it into this incredible place that we can all vividly see. Yeah. Um, I think also just like the fact that it's all just told through Ann's perspective is lovely. I feel like it achieves the intended goal really well. Yeah, definitely. How did LM Montgomery use Ann and her growth to address important societal issues at the time? So, uh, you know, the discussion of gender roles and pushing back against those gender roles and a bit of the the old ways, especially the through the perspective of the older generation that she encounters. Um, marriage at a young age is heavily discussed and expected and she's very much pushing back against that right now. Well, because it's it's not just expected. It's like I think back then too it was a lot to do with survival. They're they're predominantly an agricultural community, you know, so they're working on farms. This is before, you know, quote unquote housewiffery really was a thing. Everyone was working and you needed to work on a farm, you needed to have kids to help you perpetuate that. Um, and so yeah, we're talking I mean you'd be married off in your teen years easily. Yeah. And like we talked about, people die young, you know. You don't have much. You don't have forever, you know, or whatn not that anybody does. But modern technology, medicine isn't what even it is today. Obviously, people's life expectancy has gone up a lot since just a hundred years ago, a little more than 100 years ago. So, there's a faster a need to grow up faster, which I think Ann is pushing back against as well, you know, is like, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, guys. you know, I mean, and she's already been parentified. Yeah. For sure. Just erasing the twin. Yeah. And having to do that. And it's beautiful that she did have that parentification happen to her in a way, but she's able to still be a child. Well, yeah. And I mean, even before that, when she was like literally like a young orphan, she would go basically from house to house, from foster parent to foster parent, and be helping to raise their kids, too. like as a eight, nine, 10, 11 year old. Yeah. So, yeah, I think maybe that's why she's like, I'm finally I want to be my own self. I want to be free of that, you know? Yeah. Mhm. So, I put I think that all the different women are meant to symbolize different female archetypes. Yeah. And this to me was like fascinating because yeah, there are definitely male characters, but they're minor characters. Yeah. Even, you know, um why am I blinking out on his name? Her stepdad. Matthew. Matthew. Yeah. Even Matthew. I mean, he's not he's not long for this world. You know what I mean? There's eight books and he dies in book one. And so, um, they're important, but they're not as important as the women characters. And the reason being, I think, because we're supposed to really, yeah, they're supposed to all symbolize something, right? So, I just put a list here. So, I put Merilla is supposed to symbolize the stoic, god-fearing woman. Mrs. Lind is the busy body gossip. Mrs. Lavender is the spinster who is saved by the night and shining armor. Yeah. Um, you have Diana, who's supposed to represent the quote unquote typical girl. Mhm. Um, and then Anne, so she's the untypical or unusual girl who does not meet societal standards or expectations, but lives authentically. Mhm. U, so I think that Anne bucks societal convention on purpose while still being for all intents and purposes a good girl. Yeah. Like I think that that's also important to know is that, you know, she's rebellious, but only so much. Yeah. And I think that that probably has something to do with the fact that this is written in 1908. Yeah. Um, so it is a product of its time, but I do think that it's ahead of its time as well because of the fact that there are all these different, if, for lack of a better way of putting it, ways to be a woman. Right. Um, and I think that, you know, Ella Montgomery is not necessarily saying that any of them are good or bad, but she's presenting us with options. Yeah. And I think that that's interesting. Um, especially with Mrs. Lavender or Miss Lavender, I found her to be a really interesting character. Um, there was a couple quotes. You know, time always stands still in an enchanted place, said Anne. Seriously, it is only when the prince comes that things begin to happen. I don't think that she put that in there on accident. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and you know, while it works out for Miss Lavender and she ends up getting, you know, remarried at the end of or I guess married at the end of book two and supposedly they live happily ever after. We don't really know what happens at this point. Um, I think that she really did represent another way for women to live that was probably extremely unusual at the time. Yeah. Yeah. She was like the equivalent of like a 1908 cat lady, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I loved her character. It was the best. Yeah. Um, so any other feminist issues that you wanted to bring up or do you feel like that kind of covers books one and two? That's good for now. I think we're going to get into a lot more as we go. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I mean, I think it's just her living authentically, not necessarily being confined to any of those one particular stereotypes, but just like Anna is just existing. She's existing as herself and she doesn't have to be like outlandish in the way of doing it. She does she doesn't take no for an answer in a non crass way I guess you know which also we see a lot of representation of people that are characterized as being like an aggressive like you know type of female that's kind of mean about it I guess you know but she's like you know they come up with the society you know to help better the place and there's push back from the older people like good luck you know try to fix this place that she like, "Well, we're going to, you know, it's all good. We're going to do it." You know, they'll see. She doesn't really take no for an answer in a different way that we don't get a lot of representation for. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. How is Ann's character and, you know, perhaps any other characters and or relationships unique? Like, do you think that it was typical for girls and women to be portrayed this way in popular literature at this time? No, kind of like what we just touched on. You know, I don't think it's typically done in a positive light to be the type of personality, the vivacious dramatic personality that she has. I didn't read a lot of books set in that time period to be painted positively. Um, so and it feels like an actually comes into this island and it she causes it to flourish because of her vivacious love of life. Um, and it is especially seen with the assembly of the Aalene. Is that what it is? Aene Aan Lee. Aan Lee improvement society. Yeah. We talked about her personality a little bit before and how, you know, she's just living authentically and that just so happens to like reverberate those like ripples of like positive change outward without her intentionally Yeah. doing it. Yeah. And I think that that's kind of one of the lessons, right, is that it's like coming from that like Victorian era, like what it means to be like a quote unquote good woman. Yeah. Is really it's shrinking a lot of that down and placing it in boxes. Mhm. you know, whether out of necessity, safety, tradition, you know, and I'm sure there are some people like Diana, for example, who want those things genuinely. Um, but not everyone does. And I think that there's just a potential for so much more of like a rich world when we do allow people to like live their true authentic selves. Yeah, totally. you know, and so I think that's kind of what an because most of the time, you know, even if people think they're not going to like an or they initially don't like her, they typically grow to like her a lot. Yeah. And I think that that's what it is. It's just it finding a genuine person. Yeah. Is difficult. Yeah. It's very inspiring as I mean I I was going to say a young person but anybody to be your true authentic self and change can happen just by being you if you're being your true authentic self because people do appreciate that authenticity because I think everyone's so exhausted especially in this world um of the Aanly book the island of just being having those walls up and being in their boxes and She comes in like a wrecking ball, but not really, but like, you know, just being herself and them going like, "Hey, wait, you know, yeah, why is that? Why do we think this way? Like, why do we do things this way?" Yeah, she's challenging the status quo in a good way. Not in a aggressive like negative way, just in a very organic way. Yeah, we're in especially now in the society that we live in, we live in a very I mean catatonic state, is that the right word? Like a very polarizing system. I mean, I think it's always human nature. It's been that way, but everybody's very impassion and emboldened in a very angry and aggressive way. So, it's kind of refreshing to see this personality come in and almost be it's it's taken easier, I think, because she's so genuine and she's she's just as emboldened and impassioned and, you know, intense about stuff, but it's the it's the opposite. It's not judgmental. I think maybe that's what it is. Like, she doesn't she's not judgmental of anybody. I don't vibe. Yeah. I don't get this is what you guys are doing wrong. It's not a fingerpointing even though people are doing it to her. Yeah. Well, and I think it's just like it's real hard to argue with someone who's trying to see the best in everyone. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's like if someone were to troll your comments, but but with only extremely positive, wonderful things to say about everyone, right? It's kind of like hard to keep that going. Yeah. I think that's what it is. Like people are so quick to be keyboard warriors and try to change everybody's mind through, you know, aggressive words. And sometimes it's more through our actions of being yeah genuine and showing people other and kindness. Yeah. So I think that's what kind of sets an apart. And that's the thing. It's like you know she she enacts the change that she wants to see without having to put other people down, scold them, tell them they're wrong, try to convince them otherwise like in an aggressive or negative way. She just sees the world for what it can be and lives her life accordingly. Yeah. Mhm. I love that about her. Yeah. Just to tie it back in to, you know, the theme of this series. So, how is the literary device of buildings Roman uh used to teach us lessons about life, growth, and moral and psychological development through Ann's eyes? I love how we get to see her like idealic childlike mind and how it evolves, but she also doesn't lose that. Mhm. You know, at least up until this point, we don't What age do we go to? Like 16, 17, something like that. So, we see this growth in her, but she always stays true to who she is and but she also grows and becomes even more more an as she matures and through her relationships with others. Yeah. I feel like this book was like full of lessons. Yeah. Like literally that's what these books are is it's just it's it's almost like explicitly the lessons are told. So like I I have a whole bunch of different quotes like we should regret our mistakes and learn from them but never carry them forward into the future with us. So that's what you're talking about. Another thing Yeah. that we could all hear. Yeah. So it's like they're explicitly stated and then an is living them out and we're seeing it through her eyes, you know. Um and there was a lot of those. We have friends, we should look only for the best in them and give them the best that is in us. Don't you think? Then friendship would be the most beautiful thing in the world. Um, I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures following one another softly like pearls slipping off of a string. This one I really liked. Of course, I knew there are no fairies, but that needn't prevent my thinking there is. Yep. Boom. So, I think that's the thing. It's like, you know, it it's not really leaving it up to interpretation that these lessons are being taught. Like she's it's very specifically like a series of um you know, what does she call them? Scrapes. A series of scrapes. So, she's always getting into something. Yeah. You know, minor whatevers to learn from. And then we get to have these like beautiful little lessons going through Yeah. both books so far. Yeah. which I absolutely love because they're nice little reminders to our adult brains. Yeah. To our adult brains and our child brains and like everybody that's reading it because I think as adults we can see it's a reminder is like oh when I was a kid, okay, little things like her baking and accidentally putting the wrong syrup in, which we find out is usually the adults fault, right? say she accidentally relabeled something cuz it broke, you know, or the there was a rat in the pudding, you know, she forgot to tell her cuz she got busy like, you know, and it's like, so those things that were so big to us as a child or a teenager or whatever, and as we're reading as an adult, we realize how silly it is can also be used for some things that we might think is so big and dramatic as an adult, but it's like it's fine. Life goes on. Like everything is fine. Tomorrow's a new day. And as a kid reading that, it's relatable and it's like, oh, they made mistakes, too. And like everything's okay. And some of these are very motivational quotes as a little self-help reminder as you go throughout your day. Yeah. No, totally. It's true. Yeah. Does Ann or do any other characters for that matter exhibit characteristics similar to those we value in the popular books that we read today? Oh, yeah. For sure. that push back on gender norms, societal norms, all of it, you know, that we love to read about in every genre. Yeah. As you were describing and and the way that she's changing the world around her without really even trying, just by like living authentically and refusing to be placed into a box really reminded me of Katniss. Katniss. Yeah. Yeah, actually DM too from the Kindred's Curse saga. Yeah, everybody wants her to be stabby. You know, she's not stabby. Yeah. And I think that, you know, we'll see where that goes cuz we are waiting for book four. Um, but with like Hunger Games specifically, I think that was one of the things that we really appreciated about Katniss is she wasn't trying to be anyone's hero. She was living her ethics and morals out in real time and all of these things were unfolding around her because of that authentic Yeah. way that she was living her life and I think it's the same thing with Ann. It's very similar. Yeah, totally. Um but yeah, I definitely think that we see that a lot in different um FMC's. Uh particularly Yeah. I feel like lots of times in fantasy. So I think that also makes this unique is that it's not fantasy. Yeah. Um so that's great. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like it's a real life person. Mhm. Tangible. Yeah. That little girls can look up to, see themselves in. It's a little bit um less, you know, like Yeah. just fantastical than someone who's, you know, completely like living in this completely different life that might not be as relable. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So, are you excited to keep going on this journey? Yeah. Eating it up. Loving it. Keep going. Same. I wish I had more time to just read them all at once. I know. Just sit down and just like have a whole like weekend where all you do is just like quietly sit and just read them all day long. Yeah. And then watch the movies. Yeah, for sure. I'm very excited to I'm excited to get to the point where I'm reading ones I haven't read before, just to see where it goes. Yeah. Yeah. And I too am hoping that she does not become dated and too much of an adult, although that might be relatable, too. So, yeah. Yeah. Um, do you have any notable or cringey quotes you'd like to share? Okay. So, let's start with book one. You want to go back and forth? Do you have them organized? I don't have them organized by book. I do, but that's okay if you don't. Let's just go back and forth in case we have duplicates. So, I'm so glad I live in a world where there are October.# relatable. Yeah. Love it. I know. Can't wait. Can't wait. Mrs. Lynn says she thoroughly approves of the match and thinks it's likely Miss Lavender will give up her queer notions and be like other people now that she's going to be married. But I hope she won't give her queer notions up teacher because I like them and I don't want her to be like other people. There are too many other people around as it is. Yeah, I love that. Oh, man. Uh, let's see. Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in this world. Little kindred spirit collector. At 17, dreams do satisfy because you think the realities are waiting for you further on. When I was 17, an I didn't think 45 would find me a white-haired little old maid with nothing but dreams to fill my life. Yeah, I had that one, too. I'm like a 45year-old white-haired little old maid. I'm like, I would only wish that my hair would naturally be white by the time I'm 45. I'm like, I'd have to wouldn't have to die anymore. like such could like a mix of child perspective and then also of the times because she's probably only got like 10 to 20 more years at that time, you know, that's a that's I think Matthew passing at like 65ish was a long life for them, you know, and now it's tragic still, you know. So yeah, it was the old the spinster talk and stuff is so wild to me. Yeah. Not I mean it isn't like I grew up still in that societ like not society but you know where we grew up in the middle of nowhere. It's kind of that older mentality still where you know my mom at 22 was like oh my gosh you're never going to get married. You're going to be a spinster. It's just like calm down mom. I'm 22. You know. Well also let's just think about it for a second. Okay. Miss Lavender. She's arguably one of my favorite characters so far. Okay. Um, Miss Lavender lives in a beautiful cottage. She's living the dream in the middle of the woods. She, you know, we don't really know how she has money, but she definitely does because her house is lovely and she can go shopping and do things. She has, you know, one girl who helps her as her like little helper, housekeeper, we'll say, who loves being there with her. Um, and you know, what does she do all day? She sets up imaginary tea parties and hangs out in the garden and like does her thing. Okay. Just imagine her having a bunch of little pugs around like so cute. Like that she dresses up, you know, like one of those. I love it. So cute. But it's like as girls and probably as boys too, but I can't speak to that because I was not raised as a boy. But like as girls, we're definitely not raised with the option with that being an option. No, it's you're the crazy cat lady. Yep. It's stigmatized. it's negatively made fun of and critiqued, right? Where it's like it really should be, in my opinion, a I don't know a plethora of options. Yeah. Marriage. That's one option. Another option is maybe you want to live in a cottage in the woods by yourself and have fake tea parties every day, you know, in your garden. That should be an equally viable Mhm. and interesting and fulfilling option. Yeah. But it's not ever presented at all. And when it is, it's a negative stereotype. Yeah. Um because, you know, we're very much raised even now, I think, um to aspire to marriage. Yeah. Um which if that's what makes you happy is great, but maybe if being a solo lady living in the woods is what you want, that's also great. So, yeah, I think that's an important lesson with that, too. Definitely. Mhm. Yep. Was it my turn or your turn? No, it's mine. I mean, I I dittoited, but same thing. We got enough quotes to go all day. Oh, yeah. All day. Read the book. Right. Um, so this is me and Liz and um other people obviously, too. True friends are always together in spirit. We're actually together in person right now. Okay, my next one. Isn't it fortunate we don't have to put our souls into what our hands may be doing? Oh, I loved that one, too. Yeah. Yeah. Like sometimes you could just do something because it needs to be done and you don't have to put your heart and soul into it. Could just be a task. I've been trying to do that mindset a lot more lately. Same, you know. Same. It's good. See, lessons lessons all around. You get a lesson. You got a lesson. You got a lesson. Um, okay. And this is what we've basically paraphrased most of the time. Um, tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet, you know, because you will you will make mistakes and that's okay. Again, another lesson, a learned lesson for everybody. Beautiful. Okay. Uh, she and Diana had long ago decided what kind of a man they admired, and their taste seemed exactly similar. He must be very tall and distinguished looking with melancholy, inscrable eyes and a melting, sympathetic voice. I was like, I love that song. I love it. Well, I just I love I love that they're very like or at least Ann is like she doesn't really want to get married, but she's like totally like they're fantasizing and having those silly girl conversation. No, I don't want to say silly girl conversations, but silly, you know, like those conversations we all have. Yeah. Like lighthearted. This is their version of Teen Bot magazine. Okay. Yeah, exactly. Or Smasher Pass. Yeah, exactly. Okay, so let's see. Okay, this had my 10-year-old daughter and I pausing it and laughing out loud and rewinding it a couple times. She's so lucky. If it would have been such a romantic experience to have nearly drowned, like dead. My daughter has been quoting it over and over because it's just so funny and it just wraps up her how who she was at that age when they're on the boat and she's just like all jealous because it's just so she just romanticizes everything and I just love it. Meanwhile, the girl is like, "No, it's terrible having a fit." You'll love you'll love that scene in the movie. I'm so excited. Um, if Gilbert had been asked to describe his ideal woman, the description would have answered point for point to Anne, even to those seven tiny freckles whose obnoxious presence still continued to vex her soul. Yeah. I just love that. It's like, okay, this is the ultimate he falls first. Yes. And it's so sweet. Yeah. I love it. So sweet. Okay. I love I laughed out loud when this I now I will always remember. I was like literally cleaning up my back patio and I was listening to this. Um, you're you're never safe from being surprised. Liz did it to me today. I was like writing out my notes and she made a a weird sound with the reels or something like that. Like that's so funny. Okay, my last one. Steven Irving came forward to meet Anne with a smile. He was a tall, handsome man of middle age with iron gray hair, deep set dark blue eyes, and a strong sad face splendidly modeled about chin and brow. Just the face for a hero of romance, Anne thought with a thrill of intense satisfaction. It was so disappointing to meet someone who ought to be a hero and find him bald or stooped or otherwise lacking in manly beauty and would have thought it dreadful if the object of Miss Lavender's romance had not looked the part. A yeah, I was like, that's so cute. I love it cuz it's so again, it's like literally that's her version of our smasher passes right there. She's like, well, he's probably like 45, but yeah, good for you, girl. Get it, Lavender. Yeah, I was like, don't give up that life for like some mold. Bald and stooped. It made me crack up. Obviously, I think that you guys probably already know the answer to this, but I think we're both in agreement with this is a positive contribution to the canon. Yeah. Yeah. Everyone read it. If you have a little boy, have him read it. How about that? Please make your husband read it. How about that? We should make our husbands. Yeah. Well, I think he's going to watch it now cuz my daughter's been talking about it so much. So, finally on the drive up here, the 9h hour drive, he's like, "What is this book even about? What's the movie going to be about?" So, we started saying it. He's like, "Okay, enough. I'll watch the rest." So, we'll see if he ends up sitting and watching it tonight. I've definitely uh watched it at least the first movie with my husband at least once and he's like, "Dear Lord, do not make me do it again." Um, it's in his defense, it is not his type of movie at all. Yeah. Um, my husband because his dad, you know, made movies growing up, he was a cinematographer. He's very open to like all types of movies and shows. So, I think that, you know, he's more likely to enjoy it. I think hopefully we'll see. We'll see tonight. We'll report back. Yep. If everybody's doing it, he will. So, yeah, he's very FOMO. And then I did want to briefly just mention some critiques from um just like the internet. Yeah, I was kind of curious. I think I told Ashley yesterday. Okay, so just to put into perspective on Goodreads, okay, it has 1 million uh 75,548 ratings as of yesterday. Jeez. I feel like the only other books that I've seen with a million plus ratings have been like SJM books. Yeah. Like even some of the classics that we've read haven't had that many. No, not nearly that many. Yeah. Unless like Good Reads is a weird refreshing thing, but why wouldn't this have it? Yeah. You know, so lots of reviews. Um, it gets a 4.32 average, so that's good. Yep. Um, you know, I didn't pull specific reviews to read them word for word, but I picked out the consistent negative commentary in the low reviews. Okay. Um, I think I told Ashley like, "Who would rate Anna Green Gables one star, you monster? Who would do that?" Um, but you know, the common themes with the low reviews, two star, one star. Didn't like Ant's character. Yeah. Okay. So that would do it because it's all about character. That would do it. Yeah. Um, so, you know, I think that, you know, for anyone who really dislikes Ann's character, I'm not going to say you shouldn't dislike her because obviously different books are for different people, but I would maybe perhaps like think about critically like why she grates you so. Yeah. What is it like you saying like about that positive energy, about the use of imagination? Mhm. Yeah. Like what is it about really reflect on yourself? Honestly, we could all do that with any personalities totally. Like why do I have a problem with this person if it wasn't like you know they stabbed my mom, you know, something like that. Like if they're not explicitly a villain. Sometimes you obviously don't just you just don't click with certain personalities. So, and we're all allowed to like what we like. But sometimes we should reflect inwardly on why does this person grade me so. Mhm. Well, and I think a lot of the criticism was that she was she talked too much. Mhm. Which is interesting. Which is interesting. It was a lot of criticism. Um, it's literally self narrated. She talks too much. What do you want? A blank book. Well, it's she talks too much. She's, you know, too dramatic. She's It's a lot of things that it, you know, take from this what you will. Everyone is different. But there might be a little bit of internalized misogyny going on here. Yeah. So, maybe think that through a little bit. And it might not be that. Maybe you just don't like it. That's fine, too. Maybe it's a overwhelming personality because I can see that too. But yeah, that's why it's it's all personal and self-reflective. But I think a a large majority might be that. Not saying it's you. If it's not you, it's not right. If it's not if you that's not why it's not going to bother you if that's not Yeah. If that's if it strikes a chord, it might be for a reason. How about that? Yeah. Um cuz I've been there, you know. Hey, we've all been there. So, Yep. So, I think that that was interesting. Um boring. Some people just thought it was boring. Yeah. It's a lot of big words and if you don't like world building Yeah, it could be boring for sure. It's not an action-packed situation. That's not the point of it. It's very like classic literature. Yeah. So, I could see how that might be boring to you um if it's not your thing. That makes sense. Um sometimes just if it's a signed reading, that actually causes an issue. Yeah. Although I would have been so happy reading, but alas, um, the racism and sexism of the time. Um, okay. So, I get that, but also I feel like you can't depict a time period accurately if you take all of those things out, right? Yeah. And even an isn't saying they're okay. Yeah. Exactly. A lot of the racism and sexism that comes up is because of Ann's questioning and push back, you know, or it's the older generation saying things like you brought up like they were calling Yankees to Americans and things like that or even different people of color, they were saying racist words because that unfortunately is the time and we cannot go in there as a society and scrub out and erase those sections. Yeah. Yeah, cuz then we're doomed to repeat it. So, and it's important for us to know and I mean kids are smart. You know, my daughter knows that this is written in a different time. And it's important to know that like we live in a very diverse community and she it's important for her to know that not everybody lives that way. Like there are people and unfortunately still this day that live in a very like in a closed box and they don't have any diversity and unfortunately they still have that mindset and it's good for her to know that there's different push back she's going to have to face you know and yeah we can't we can't go in there and erase everything that's happened that's that's book burning. Yeah exactly banning is the same thing. Completely agree as retracting all this information that it's it's happened. It sucks that it's happened, but we can learn from it and it's not. And she's not saying it's okay. Yeah. So, exactly. It's not condoning it. It's just part of how life was. I mean, I was surprised. I'm like, this is child labor. Like them adopting and to begin with, they wanted a little boy to come work for free on the farm and they give him room and board, but they didn't want him to be their son, but they're adopting a son. Like, this this was uh child trafficking. Yeah. Basically, this was like, put it any There's no other way to put it than what we would if somebody told you that right now. If I said, I'm adopting a boy to help around the house. You're like, child trafficking. Like, no, that's not okay. But back then it was just the norm, you know, and orphanages even like all those things were just because parents died so young, you know, and they had to kind of motivate people like why should I have another mouth to feed, you know, and it sucks and it is what it is. Obviously good came out of it. Um, but we can't just erase the things that make us uncomfortable. Mhm. Yeah, I completely agree. Yeah. Yeah. Um, but those were the three main ones. So, you know, hey, I feel like while they all make sense as critiques, like, yeah, maybe just, you know, think about that a little bit, go into it with a little bit of context. Yeah. All right. So, I have a bonus question. Do you? Okay. Okay. We've read two books. Ann and Gilbert are not together. Not that it matters, but you know, I'm just a girl. I can't help it. Will Anne and Gilbert finally get together? cuz it's blooming against her will. So sweet. Are you asking me? I just ask and generally don't tell me. I was like, uh, I know. So, spoiler, I've read book three, but that's as far as I've gotten. And yeah. Oh, Gilbert. Oh, obviously it's getting there. I don't know how long it will take, and I'm okay with her taking her sweet time, honestly. So, it's very sweet. Yeah. I love that they met when they were basically 11. Yeah. And it's just kind of I like that they I mean Okay, so fun little story here. Okay, so what what we did with the first book is I read it out loud about halfway through and then our schedule got crazy. So that's when we switched to the Rachel McAdams audio for the first book and we I listened to that with my daughters in the car. So my youngest daughter is only four. She doesn't know what's going on with it, but she sees that we're having a good time. And so Cameron and I had this joke about Gilbert because right she is in competition with him. Yeah. But he doesn't know it. And right when he was introduced, we're like, "Oh, something's going to be there." And so she always stops herself. She goes, "Gilt that boy." Yeah. You know, like it's so sweet. So when she she would stop herself from saying Gilbert all the time and me and Cameron go, "Ah, Gilbert." And then we were driving to the dog beach one day and listening to it and she mentions Gilbert and my little daughter goes, "Ah, Gilbert. Don't say Gilbert." Like, it was so sweet. It was so cute. So, I'm excited for her to keep reading all these books. I had to pass her up, but it's been such a cute time. It's been so sweet. I just love that he is letting her live her life without interfering. Yeah. but is doing things behind the scenes that are really sweet. Like, you know, giving up the job at Aan Lee so that she could stay and take care of Merilla and keep that job. It's that it's such a healthy pining. Yeah. Yeah. That we don't see a lot of representation too. We see a lot of the kind of pining that wants to just collect the woman like, you know, just toxic behavior. Toxic. with him, you know, it's a great representation of a positive male, you know, role model, not role model, but what is it? You know, love interest that's just like he can he does pine for her. He does want her, but not against her will and like not to be forceful about it and be respectful and just and love her and, you know, maybe love her so much that he wants what's best for her whether it's him or not. Yeah. We see a lot of that on a pedestal, you know, and so I think it's it's such a sweet, beautiful thing. Yeah, I agree. We love Gil. We're Gilbert. Also, I mean, cuz you can have it like like you said, the representation of all the different relationships even as females is beautiful because you have people choosing to be childless and not get married like Mirilla, you know, and you have the people that are a little bit older and then they get the unrequented love. Is that the word? Yeah. And then you have Ann's relationship of maybe one day but not worried about it cuz then you also have Diana who wants to be married, you know, wants the that lifestyle. So great representation, especially ahead. Yeah. Very ahead of its time. Mhm. Yeah. Early 1900s. Are you kidding me? My grandma was married at like 16. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. She was born in the 1920s. So it's crazy. Yep. Come a long way. But even back then it was there. just how to sus it out. Well, it's like an examination of, as we said before, like all the different ways that women can exist and navigate the world, even though the expectations are essentially to be like Diana. Yeah. Um, so I love that, you know, it's like our protagonist is not necessarily she has the opportunity to do that, but she's choosing not to. And I love that, you know, supposedly the person who, you know, may end up being her love interest in the future is also okay with her doing things like being educated, going to college, not trying living her own life out. Yeah, exactly. So, let's just wrap this up with a fun fact, okay, about Ann of Green Gables franchise. So, readers have given Montgomery grief over the death of Matthew Cutbert. Montgomery confessed that she regretted writing it and would give Matthew more years if she rewrote it. A I thought that was really interesting. Interesting. I wonder why. I wish like we could ask her like then why did you decide to kill him off so soon? I mean it's might be one of those, you know, she wrote the book and then didn't know she was going to keep writing books after that. But I I think that was the case actually now that you're saying that. Yeah. And I thought about it a lot, you know, cuz there's eight books. It's like where are we going with this? How long? cuz there was there was like six years in the first book of Ann's life cuz we fast forwarded a lot and obviously a lot more coming of age could have happened in it. So it might have been like a oh now I have a book deal or whatever was going on back then now I'm asked to make more books so oops you know sorry Matthew but also wanted that growth and maturity and getting past that death you know for Ann. Not past it you're never past it but how she processed it. Yeah. I feel like for some reason, I don't know, I'll have to look this up and then confirm in a future episode, but I think she only intentionly intended to write books one and two. Yeah. And then I think there was just such a demand. I don't know necessarily that was coming from the publisher um but just from her fans everywhere all over the world at this point um demanding more and so that I think is why she continued the series. Mhm. Yeah. So, we'll see how it goes. Is it worth it reading past book three? Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, I think that that pretty much wraps up our technically our se second episode in our uh coming of age series. Um but we'll be back next Friday with the next two books, which I'm super excited about. Yep. And of course, every Tuesday with our normal weekly episodes. So, make sure to like, follow, and subscribe everywhere you like your favorite podcast, including YouTube. We're also on Instagram and Tik Tok at besties in the books podcast everywhere. But you guys, we'll see you next Tuesday and Friday. Okay, bye bye.[Music]