Book 19 - Anne's House of Dreams

When I chose something to read, I am usually following one of two inclinations. The first is to try something new, to read about a different life or culture or concept. The second is to engage with the familiar - to reconnect with an old story or friend (and many of the characters in books I read as a teenager did indeed become my friends).

This particular read very much falls into the latter category. I came to the Anne of Green Gables series a little late (age 15 or so), and while I enjoyed the rapscallion adventures of young Anne, it was the books where she was a growing young woman in love that I truly enjoyed - Anne of the Island and of course Anne's House of Dreams.

A little background on the Anne of Green Gables series. Set around the start of the 20th century in Prince Edward Island, Canada, it is the story of a young orphan who well and truly surprises her new family and turns the small town of Avonlea on its head. There are around 7 books in the series, following Anne from childhood through to seeing her own children grow up.

Anne's House of Dreams opens with Anne and her childhood enemy-turned-sweetheart Gilbert arriving at a tiny cottage in Four Winds Harbour to start their married life. The childhood relationships of Avonlea recede with distance and new friendships are forged - with Captain Jim the lighthouse keeper, the unique man-hating Miss Cornelia and haughty Leslie. It is the unfolding history and hidden hurts of these characters that make this a magical read. Captain Jim may have had the most adventurous life, but his heart is with a sweetheart long ago lost at sea. Leslie's pride masks a deep bitterness at the harsh hand dealt to her - forced into a loveless marriage with a man who later suffered a severe brain injury. Anne responds to the people around her in a very Anne-ish way - with great empathy and a hint of creativity. Meanwhile she and Gilbert suffer their own pain, which helps to draw her closer to Leslie and the others around her.

While it has some pretty unbelievable plot twists, the charm of Anne's House of Dreams is in its characterisation. The interaction between the newlyweds and their friends and neighbours makes this a light but pleasant read.