Book Review: Anne an Adaptation (sort of)

Original review written 10/13/23

Title: Anne An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (sort of)

Author: Kathleen Gros

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What's it about?

Anne Shirley has been raised in foster homes and is thrilled to learn that she will be placed with a brother and sister who are looking to take in a child long term.

Excited to see her new home in Avonlea Apartments, Anne happily greets Matthew on the big day, but when they arrive home, Anne learns that they didn't want a teenager, they had a child much younger. As you may imagine, Anne is devastated by the news and finds herself having a hard time trusting and believing that she'll get to really make a home for herself even after Marillia learns that there's no where else for Anne to go and Anne will have to stay with them as they look for a new placement. But, in true Anne Shirley fashion, Anne manages to fall into a happy friendship with Diana, integrate herself into school, charm in extracurriculars and steal Matthew and Marillia's hearts!

Favorites:

Favorite Character: There's just not another answer besides Anne. (Don't forget the "e" at the end). While this version of Anne is tamed down from the version I fell in love with, she's still imaginative, creative, sweet, caring and sometimes says things she probably shouldn't.

Least Favorite Character: I can honestly say, I don't think I really have one. This isn't really a story with a villain, rather a coming of age story of a teen trying to figure it all out and allow herself to feel loved. There aren't really any characters that are truly cruel to her.

Favorite Part: There were so many scenes in this book that made me smile. I don't think I can pick just one. But, I guess my favorite aspect of this book is that it's far more diverse then the Anne of Green Gables I grew up with, and I loved it!

Least Favorite Part: There wasn't more of it. I just felt like there was so much more Anne story then we got to see in this universe of Anne's and I wanted to see more of it.

Other Thoughts:

I first met Anne when I was in 6th grade and I fell in love. She was so much I wanted to be mixed with so much that I was already and didn't exactly love in me, but she made it all look so good! When I finally got my VHS tapes of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea (yes. I am that old and I've loved her story for that long), I ended up watching them so much over the years that I wore the tape down and had to replace them. At that time, DVDs were the thing so I I upgraded a little.

All of this is to say Anne and her stories are very special to me and I generally don't take kindly to people changing them up. With that said, I will say that I'm really glad that the cover and the title of this graphic novel makes it very clear that this isn't going to be the same exact story I associate with Anne, so I knew not to expect that when I dove in. I was right, not to expect that. In this version, we're in modern day where cell phones exists, Mathew picks Anne up in a car instead of a horse and buggy and the school has more then one classroom, and I didn't hate it. Not even close!

I loved that the school and the apartment building Anne and Diana live in l are diverse in color, that the school has more then just cis students and that some of them aren't even straight! I felt like it was a much needed updating, while also making it obvious to me how white Avonlea is and the people Anne encounters as well as how there is no LGBTQIA+ representation. Now, I know, in the times that L.M Montgomery wrote and taking into consideration that she was married to a Paster is not at all surprising, but it makes my heart happy to see that change.

Now, on the flip side, I'd be remiss to ignore that I did feel as if some of Anne's big, dreamy, clumsy personality were muted or not there at all. I missed Gilbert calling her Carrots. I missed Marillia's rough edges (not that she was soft, but she wasn't as rough, either). I missed the farm and the mouse in the pudding. But I get it. Some of that doesn't match up with teens for today, and it can't be the same exact story, right?

I did love seeing so many familiar names in similar or the same positions (Ms. Stacey!!!), but I would have liked to explore more aspects of Anne's life. I liked that school wasn't easy for her, but I would have liked to see Anne excel and make her way to the top of her class, and then see Matthew and Marilia's parental pride with it.

But, even though there were things I missed for sure, I thoroughly enjoyed this rendition. I kind of loved it!

Ratings:

I give this book a

8

out of

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But that's just what I thought. Did you like it more then the original? Did you hate it? Did you miss those pieces that were not there? Let us know in the comments!