Dad's book club: Anne of Green Gables

Finally, after 27 years of life and a hundred times watching the movie, I read the book.

All in all, I loved it. It is sweet and sincere and fun. It is not an action-packed story, not even necessarily exciting. The story just ambles on at a lazy, comfortable pace... Much like a summer in Avonlea. Actually, it was so relaxing that I actually fell asleep reading it a time or two. But honestly, that only added to its charm.

This isn't the first time I've tried to read this book... I was unsuccessful in elementary school and high school: never made it past the first few chapters. But I'm old. I finally can appreciate the easy steadiness in the tempo. Not to mention, I can finally understand all the lavish descriptions Anne gives.

Lucy Montgomery is really quite an artist with words. I was considerably taken by this passage, describing a simple fire:

"Anne was curled up Turk-fashion on the hearthrug, gazing into that joyous glow where the sunshine of a hundred summers was being distilled from the maple cordwood."

I mean...WOW!!! Just go back and read that again...wow.

On the more sentimental side, Montgomery is spot on as well. Marilla's internal reverie on Anne brought me to tears...three times! Moms are just mushy that way, I guess.

The story doesn't grip you and pin you down like a Harry Potter or Twilight or Hunger Games does. Rather, it waits patiently for you to come, like an old friend who was always there for you,something which you took for granted... For 27 years.

Bottom line, I loved it...when I came to it in my own due time.