Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables, #8)

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Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables #8)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 16,183 ratings · 533 reviews

Anne's children were almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one could resist her bright hazel eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressible Rilla when...more

Paperback, Special Collector's Edition, 304 pages

Published February 25th 1997 by Starfire (first published 1921)

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May 23, 2007 k8lane rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the final book of the Anne series, and deals with the lives of her children. While it's wonderful to see characters evolve into adulthood and have a next generation come to life, the real strength of this book is it's window into the homeland society of rural Maritime Canada during the first World War. It's one of few documentations (even if the characters are fictional) of what women were doing at home during the war, and this setting breathes new life into the end of the series. The se...more

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Aug 04, 2007 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: alltimefavourites

"'Is it Rilla my Rilla?'
Yeth."

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Jun 24, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, canadian-fiction, children-s-fiction

It was recently drawn to my attention by a fellow Goodreads reader that the editions of Rilla of Ingleside, for which we had become accustomed, are abridged versions of the original edition that L.M. Montgomery published. Somehow along the way, an abridged edition appeared through an Amercian publishing house and that abridged version became the standard (accidentally). As a result, I was curious to discover what jewels of Rilla of Ingleside I was missing. While, I feel self-satisfied in the kno...more

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Apr 29, 2009 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, novels, classics, children, young-adult, war, canada

The final book in the Anne of Green Gables series makes a solemn capstone to an amazing run. My Dad bought me these books when I was little on the condition that I read all of them, and I've just now fulfilled that promise.

Covering the duration of World War One, this book, along with Anne's House of Dreams, is definitely one of the saddest in the series. Yet these two books give the characters of Anne and her children, including the title character, her youngest daughter Rilla, a more rounded fe...more

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Sep 14, 2007 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kidlit

This is probably my favorite of the Anne books. I love watching Rilla mature into a young woman, and I think the romance betwen Rilla and Ken Ford is one of the best in kidlit.

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Dec 11, 2012 Darcy rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was with great relief and disappointment that I finally closed the last volume of the Anne series. I'm afraid I found this volume a colossal bore. Rilla, cute as she is, was not featured as prominently as the title would suggest; nor was her love story. Set during WWI, Rilla of Ingleside chronicles the entire duration of the war and how it effected those in Canada. By the time they made it to 1918 I was praying for the war to end so the dang book would end. The scenes hardly varied. It was a...more It was with great relief and disappointment that I finally closed the last volume of the Anne series. I'm afraid I found this volume a colossal bore. Rilla, cute as she is, was not featured as prominently as the title would suggest; nor was her love story. Set during WWI, Rilla of Ingleside chronicles the entire duration of the war and how it effected those in Canada. By the time they made it to 1918 I was praying for the war to end so the dang book would end. The scenes hardly varied. It was a continuous dull poetic procession of Rilla crying in Rainbow Valley, writing about the war in her journal or in letters to the boys on the front, Walter, the poet-phrophet turned soldier blathering on about his cowardice, and women sitting around sewing and discussing the war. I guess Montgomery must have thought Susan, the Blythe's 60-year-old housemaid, was quite a provocative character, because she kept up a steady flow of opinions on the war and their stupid cat that made me want to poke my eyes out.

I've noticed that Montgomery is better at character sketches than she is at prolonged character development, and like many of the books in this series, part of the problem is that it focused on random happenings with random neighbors that I cared little about.

A few thoughts on Anne. About halfway through the series I realized that Anne was receding into motherhood and becoming nothing but a stolid matronly figure amongst more spirited beings. Once she enters motherhood she isn't allowed to dream, to write, to be funny or fanciful. She becomes sentimental and adored as a mother, but almost completely unrecognizable as the Anne we know and love. I suppose this is the product of the Victorian age - proper women don't dream beyond the confines of their domestic sphere and once Anne is firmly planted in her homely sphere, well, adventures of any kind are out of the question.

Maybe what we love about Anne just doesn't translate into adulthood. A child who talks too much is cute and bright. An adult who won't shut up is annoying. A young girl's romantic longings are charming, but they don't exactly have a place in a married woman's life. And Gilbert, the hero of our romance, becomes about as exciting mushed peas.

I'm glad I finished the series, but I desperately wish this series had ended with a more satisfying book.

(less)

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Jun 28, 2007 Kat added it

Shelves: re-readfavorites

My faaaaavorite Ann book--it focuses on her youngest child, Rilla, and it's set during WWI (the series is set in Canada, who entered the war with England, so it was a much longer and painful ordeal for them than for the US). Rilla is a silly young 15 year old when the war begins--by the end she's an amazing and strong woman. This book is wonderful! I'm regularly tearing up on my lunchbreak reading this one.

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Sep 17, 2012 writer... rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: canadian-authors, canadian-reading-challenge-6-2012

An amazing story re-published with the many [4500] former publication cuts now replaced and included... edited by Benjamin Lefebvre, this special edition includes Montgomery’s complete, restored, and unabridged original text as well as a thoughtful introduction, detailed glossary, maps of Europe during the war, and war poems by L.M. Montgomery and her contemporary Virna Sheard.

In my latest story, “Rilla of Ingleside,” I have tried, as far as in me lies, to depict the fine and splendid way in whi...more

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May 19, 2008 Lesli rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my favorite up with the first and second books in the series. I couldn't really say it was better than those, but it is pretty much a completely different story, so it can't really be compared. I really enjoyed reading it. I thought it gave a really good reading experience of what it would have been like to be a woman during WWI. I thought it would be an excellent book to read for a kid, because it doesn't give gruesome nightmare details of war, but it does a good job to showing what li...more

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Jun 03, 2008 Leah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

YAWN....

Honestly, I have lost patience with this series. I think the straw that broke the camel's back was when Marilla's death is merely glanced over in one...count it, ONE...sentence. I want to hear about Avonlea. I miss the romance and the scenery and the people of Avonlea. This is no longer the Anne of Green Gables series, it is the "Anne's Kids and their Friends" series.

Perhaps it's because I neglected to read these stories when I was younger, sort of in the same way I really can't appreci...more

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Jan 15, 2009 Salma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lm-montgomery

Maybe I shouldn't star this at all, because as a kid, I never finished it. After Anne of the Island, the series really began to drag for me, as much as I love LM Montgomery.

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Jan 20, 2009 Allie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Rilla of Ingleside' is my favourite of the 'Anne' series, it's even better than the internationally-beloved 'Anne of Green Gables'. That's my opinion, anyway! It features Rilla [short for Marilla:], Anne and Gilbert's youngest daughter, and her trials throughout WWI, when two of her brothers and the young man she cares for go off to war. Poignantly written, never dismissing hardship, heartbreak, love, and the more common of adolescent strifes such as rivalries and embarassments, 'Rilla of Ingle...more

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Apr 23, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-teen-fiction, historical-fiction

What made the Anne series so enjoyable was that Anne was a very three-dimensional character. She had spunk, she was stubborn, she was whimsical, she knew how to love and she knew what loss was. Rilla is not a three-dimensional character, or at least not to the same extent that her mother was. It's been ages since I read these books, and maybe I'd enjoy this one more if I were to read it again as an adult, but by the time I get through Anne of Ingleside, I'm so entirely fed up with the series tha...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Shablandelina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite, books-read-in-2013

OMG this book was sooooo sad.I will forever be sobbing.
(view spoiler)...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 21, 2012 Sylvied rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the LM Montgomery books that I have literally read to pieces (actually, I think there were some binding issues with the print run sent to my local bookstore at the time I bought it).

I think it is quite possibly the best of the "Anne" books in that it has a depth lacking in some of the others, mostly, I'm sure due to the subject matter. In this book, all of Montgomery's strengths are on display: her fabulous characters, her social commentary and loving satire, her appreciation for...more

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Nov 10, 2011 K. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: girls-bookshelf, kids-tween-age, kids-young-adult

This was, by far, the best of the series after "Anne of Green Gables." Well, it might be, in form and substance, even better than that one, but nothing can quite trump Anne herself.

By this time, Anne is not even Anne anymore, she is always and only Mrs. Blythe with small significance. But though Montgomery hasn't created a character to replace Anne in any of the latter novels, she created some great ones, the housekeeper, Susan, probably being my very favorite.

During this reading I wondered if...more This was, by far, the best of the series after "Anne of Green Gables." Well, it might be, in form and substance, even better than that one, but nothing can quite trump Anne herself.

By this time, Anne is not even Anne anymore, she is always and only Mrs. Blythe with small significance. But though Montgomery hasn't created a character to replace Anne in any of the latter novels, she created some great ones, the housekeeper, Susan, probably being my very favorite.

During this reading I wondered if I had ever read a book that describes what life could have been like for the people, the women, children and older men who were left at home by their sons, husbands, brothers, sweethearts, fathers who went away to fight during WWI. I have a very much less perfect understanding of that whole war & period than I do even of WWII and I was rather stunned to think how long a war it was for those who were in it from the beginning. Many of the Canadians joined up instantly after England declared war.

What a long, dreary and soul-harrowing experience. There aren't many people alive now, Americans at least, who have experienced war like that. I am sure that those whose send their loved ones off to Afghanistan etc. experience this, but it isn't a national and extremely personal experience for any of the rest of us, in fact, we are all too apt to forget it is even happening. What made this book really work, really touch, really move, was the fact that I could tell Montgomery was writing what she KNEW and FELT firsthand as she had experienced it.

When I sat and thought about the fictional characters I realized how many of their real counterparts, the women of the country who sent out husbands and sons would so soon have to then send their sons and grandsons and experience it all over again, but that time even more dreadfully.

Most touching was the faith, the optimism and the self-denial that went into the war effort, and then the gratitude for the experience...the feeling that freedom was worth the sacrifice. It's something most of us can't really even fathom personally today.

If I were to recommend the series, I would suggest pushing through the less interesting middle books and definitely NOT missing this one. After reading this one I found myself holding a greater respect for the author. Before I admired her ability to tell stories, her courage in actually doing it and the joy she has brought to so many millions...but I respect her now more fully for her sensitive and obviously personal portrayal of an almost forgotten era. It should not be forgotten. (less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Audrey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: alltimefavorite, reviewed

In 277 pages, L.M. Montgomery seals her 8-book "Anne of Green Gables" series with a beautiful story of growth and character. Set around World War 1, this book centers on Rilla (Anne's youngest daughter) and the Blythe family's life in Canada.

Rilla starts out a carefree, lighthearted, emotional, shallow 14-year-old, extremely focused on having as much fun as possible. However, World War 1 begins before Rilla's years of fun can. Through four years of trials and hardship, Rilla matures into a wonde...more In 277 pages, L.M. Montgomery seals her 8-book "Anne of Green Gables" series with a beautiful story of growth and character. Set around World War 1, this book centers on Rilla (Anne's youngest daughter) and the Blythe family's life in Canada.

Rilla starts out a carefree, lighthearted, emotional, shallow 14-year-old, extremely focused on having as much fun as possible. However, World War 1 begins before Rilla's years of fun can. Through four years of trials and hardship, Rilla matures into a wonderful, mature, responsible, caring woman. At the beginning of the book, you smile and are amused by the adorable Rilla - by the end of the book, you hold a great amount of respect for Rilla's strength and love for others. Rilla holds her tongue when faced with vengeful gossips, adopts and cares for a war baby (even as she dislikes children) (the part where she brings the baby home in a soup tureen is hilarious), encourages and loves her brothers as they go to fight (alongside the sweetest little dog, who made me cry), strengthens her parents and family, as well as organizing and running Red Cross efforts. I admired her perseverance.

Two quotes from the book I absolutely loved:

"I doubted God last Sunday," said Rilla, "but I don't doubt Him today. Evil cannot win. Spirit is on our side and it is bound to outlast flesh."

"And two years ago this morning I woke wondering what delightful gift the new day would give me. These are the two years I thought would be filled with fun."
"Would you exchange them - now - for two years filled with fun?"
"No," said Rilla slowly. "I wouldn't. It's strange - isn't it? - They have been two terrible years - and yet I have a queer feeling of thankfulness for them - as if they had brought me something very precious in all their pain. I wouldn't want to go back and be the girl I was two years ago, not even if I could. Not that I think I've made any wonderful progress - but I'm not quite the selfish, frivolous little doll I was then. I suppose I had a soul then, Miss Oliver - but I didn't know it. I know it now - and that is worth a great deal - worth all the suffering of the past few years." (emphasis in original)

The way that the family clung to each other and to God, even in the face of unbelievable pain, was beautiful. The family does not lose a sense of joy and fun either - yet it's a different kind of fun. Joy and faith continue to uphold the family. Discouragement occurs, but they strengthen each other, growing in the pain. Rilla's journey is believable, encouraging, and enjoyable.

She will keep faith, and fight for the ideals which many died for: truth, honor, faith, and freedom.(less)

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Mar 19, 2011 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, history, j, ya

This review is specifically for the new 2010 Penguin Canada edition 978-0-670-06519-6 with an intro and glossary and the inclusion of the text that has been missing in editions published since the mid-seventies. Benjamin LeFebvre and Andrea McKenzie have added some great background about WWI in Canada, the place of this particular book in WWI literature, and notes about many of the literary references. And that's great. But even better is reading the missing text. I was expecting that what was e...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Lindsay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood-favorites

This is the book that finally severed my relationship with Kevin Sullivan. When Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story premiered in the early 2000s, I was shocked to discover that Anne and Gilbert were suddenly time warped to WWI.

That's wrong. On so many levels.

WWI wasn't Anne's war, it was Rilla's, and Ken's, and Walter's, and that damn dog who turns me into a gushy mess every freaking time I read the last chapter. Rilla -- the youngest child of Anne and Gilbert -- is fifteen (see what I m...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

I cried. I never read this book when I was younger. I never realized that the last two books of the Anne series took a darker turn. I thought this book was lovely and was a better read, as an adult, that some of the earlier books.

This book is about war, life, and death. I thought there were some wonderful perspectives on the agony of being on the home front not knowing when much of what you can do is wait and try to help life go on.

Something I would note for people considering reading/rereading...more

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May 02, 2010 Susann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was so nice to have Rilla waiting for me, as I went through my 'Anne' series re-read. I would love to take a class on WWI and have 'Rilla' as one of my texts. Because Montgomery wrote this shortly after the War ended, all the details seem so fresh and ripe for discussion: the battles, the politics, the Canadian perspective, the role of women, the emerging technologies, and - my favorite - the jingoism. It's fascinating to read Montgomery's casual mentions of bricks being thrown through window...more

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Mar 15, 2010 Avrila rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's been years since I read this series (although I read them several times and have tossed them about in my mind since then) so please bear with me if I'm a bit vague in places. I'm going to compare this book to the rest of the series, so in a way this is also going to turn out to be a review of the whole series.

In my opinion, this book holds up the best for modern readers. With two exceptions (Rilla would be in high school for most of the time of the book, and the young people's romances woul...more It's been years since I read this series (although I read them several times and have tossed them about in my mind since then) so please bear with me if I'm a bit vague in places. I'm going to compare this book to the rest of the series, so in a way this is also going to turn out to be a review of the whole series.

In my opinion, this book holds up the best for modern readers. With two exceptions (Rilla would be in high school for most of the time of the book, and the young people's romances wouldn't be taken as seriously at their ages), it wouldn't be too out of place today (I guess there would also be less knitting). This book has something that the others are (understandably in #1's case) missing: a pervasive sense of needing to get things done, in this particular case to help with the war effort.

For comparison purposes, it seemed that 2 through 4 in particular, and 5 somewhat, while they said they were about Anne, could have been referred to more accurately as being about Anne's social life (I excuse 5 slightly because, in accordance with the social norms of the time, after marrying, Anne didn't have a job outside the home for the book to ignore). While there's nothing wrong with a social life, we barely saw teacher-Anne teach or think about teaching, never saw college-student-Anne cram for midterms or write an honors thesis, never saw principal-Anne deal with tough students beyond a vague mention of other teachers sending them to her to be disciplined, and barely saw young-wife-Anne set up housekeeping (it doesn't bother me that she had a maid, because it was normal for the time--people back then had maids like we have blenders--but to carry out the comparison, Anne would have had more to do than pick out the blender! Susan couldn't do EVERYTHING any more than Anne could!).

Rilla's book, on the other hand, shows its title character transitioning, more abruptly because of the war, into a complete, productive adult life; Rilla's coming-of-age story arc is more nuanced in one book than Anne's as recorded in books 2 through 5 combined, and service to others as a means of personal growth is MUCH more believable than a series of parties. In fairness to Anne herself (yes, I realize I'm saying this about a fictional character), she had a successful if short career and modest recognition in a creative field, which is more than many people today; what I'm trying to say is, I wish we could have seen that happen. If LMM had Rilla's story in her, why didn't she also have Anne's struggle to run a one-room schoolhouse, or to walk the line in college between excellence and getting everything done, or to step into a principalship over two other teachers with (in at least one case) more experience?

To use a teaching metaphor, I feel like the author had a B- or C+, with a strong start propping up the average that kept slipping almost until the last minute, improved somewhat with the end in sight, then aced the final. Where was this all semester (or series)??? It's great in and of itself, but now the rest of it makes me feel cheated.(less)

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Dec 02, 2009 Christina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

I've always skipped this volume of the Anne books, but when I was home in Seattle in September I didn't bring any books with me as a way to motivate myself to keep working on work stuff. But it turns out I needed some fun reading, too. I found this book in one of my old boxes and decided to give Rilla a shot. Unfortunately, I didn't like her much. :( I didn't identify with her as a character so I wasn't that interested in her adventures, and I thought some of the plot developments with her sibli...more

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Nov 04, 2009 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am just finishing reading this great book. It is a sequel to Anne of Green Gables, and I love it. It is very insightful and it is one of my all-time favorites.

I have been reading the Anne of Green Gables series since my mom reccomended the first book to me. The other books are as well-written, but there seems to be something more in this book. Something that there cannot be peace always.

This book was written by L.M. Montgomery, who lived from 1874-1942. Her book takes place in 1914-1918, durin...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, childrens-lit

Tragic things happen in the Anne books. I've been moved to tears several times over the course of the series. But overall, these are happy, funny books. They celebrate life and love and the absurdity of human beings. So even though I knew that this book dealt with the Great War, I was unprepared. I was unprepared to feel like weeping from chapter two on. I was unprepared to cry so much that I knew I could not read this book on my lunch breaks at work. I was unprepared to feel so much love for An...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Alana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-youth, foreign-culture, historical-fiction, in-a-series, romance

This last book of the Anne series has a very different tone from all of the others. There are bits of foreshadowing in Rainbow Valley, but this is the only book to deal with the dark subject matter of The Great War. But being the darkest of the novels does not make it the worst; in fact, it has a depth of emotion and intensity to it that most of the other books lack. You feel with the Blythe family and others of the Glen as their young men go off to war, and feel it keenly when some don't make i...more

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Dec 25, 2011 Michele rated it 5 of 5 stars

I knew what to expect going into this book, from inadvertently reading summaries. Even if I hadn't, the Pied Piper foreshadowing in Rainbow Valley, gave this last book's big development away. Even so, it was very moving. I read it during a flight and cried like a lunatic the whole plane route.

Being mostly familiar with U. S. History, it was interesting to see the war from a Canadian perspective. Susan's view on Woodrow Wilson and his love of "notes" was hilarious. It makes me wish that Montgomer...more I knew what to expect going into this book, from inadvertently reading summaries. Even if I hadn't, the Pied Piper foreshadowing in Rainbow Valley, gave this last book's big development away. Even so, it was very moving. I read it during a flight and cried like a lunatic the whole plane route.

Being mostly familiar with U. S. History, it was interesting to see the war from a Canadian perspective. Susan's view on Woodrow Wilson and his love of "notes" was hilarious. It makes me wish that Montgomery could have written one during World War II as well. I'd like to know what Susan would say of FDR and to see how PEI would have reacted to events leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

It was interesting that women only got the right to vote during the war and only women with husbands and sons could vote at that! Despite the sexism at the time, I find Montgomery's women to be quite equal and independent thinkers, even young Rilla, the only one of the Blythe children who, seemingly, lacks ambition.

It's also notable that the family did not judge "sissy" Walter, even if some of his school mates did. His sensitivity was a derivative of Anne's, but many societies would not appreciate or tolerate it. Given the bullying that leads to suicide and murder so often in American schools these days, the Ingleside perception of Walter seems quite topical.

What Walter said in his last letter, about it being harder for him to return than to die in battle, was another prescient moment on his part. He knew that the memories of what he had seen -- done, would be overwhelming for him. It hinted at the post-traumatic stress syndrome that is acknowledged (but still not fully appreciated) today.

What would certainly never fly in today's world is Bruce's drowning of the cat, to ensure Jem's safe return home. Everyone thought his gesture was "wonderful, wonderful". Rilla pointed out that he'd have to learn you could never bargain with God, but not one character ever criticized what he did to the poor cat! Of course, cats have been abused in stories for decades, but usually by naughty boys, not "good" ones. I found that episode both shocking and droll.

When Walter and Faith rode pigs down the street, Gilbert jokingly objected on behalf of the swine, but he said not a word in defense of Bruce's drowned cat! Montgomery certainly knows how to personify animals when she wants, but in this instance she wasn't concerned with feline feelings.

I loved the ending, but found myself wondering just why Ken Ford had taken two weeks to contact Rilla after arriving home. I concentrated on his face scar and told myself maybe he was healing from injuries and did not want to communicate with her until he could stand face to face in good health, but I'm not sure. I know his concentration was on the war, but his diffidence was frustrating. The poor girl didn't even know where she stood for 4 years.

The lines that stood up and had me tearing long after the book was closed were Anne telling Susan to set the table for everyone, even the dear lad whose chair must always be vacant. Susan answered that it was not likely she'd forget to set his plate and I cry even now just typing about it.(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Sherral rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-kids-have-to-read-this-someday

I had first read this book in my "tweens" and although I liked it, it didn't leave much of an impression on me. This time through, I realized that this book is a classic and that it will forever be a favorite of mine!

Perfect to read while studying WW1, Rilla of Ingelside is full of historical references. It also discusses big ideas like duty, patriotism, bravery, loyalty, faith, etc. L.M. Montgomery is an amazing writer, able to weave history and morals into a book that was still funny, sad, and...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: canada, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is the perhaps strongest book of the Green Gables series, in terms of both the author’s style of writing and storytelling. Montgomery shows readers Rilla Blythe, youngest of the Ingleside fry, grow from a fifteen-year-old interested only in having fun and enjoying what she believes to be the best years of a girl’s life, to a nineteen-year-old woman who’s supported the soldiers the Great War from the home front. Rilla’s character development over the course of the war (and the course of the...more This is the perhaps strongest book of the Green Gables series, in terms of both the author’s style of writing and storytelling. Montgomery shows readers Rilla Blythe, youngest of the Ingleside fry, grow from a fifteen-year-old interested only in having fun and enjoying what she believes to be the best years of a girl’s life, to a nineteen-year-old woman who’s supported the soldiers the Great War from the home front. Rilla’s character development over the course of the war (and the course of the book) was exceptionally well-written. Montgomery utilized diary entries to provide further insight on Rilla’s transformation. Unlike her previous books in the series, Rilla of Ingleside is set in a specified period of time, and by incorporating world events, the story is strengthened by these added complexities.

Much as I was sad to hear Walter had died, I appreciate Montgomery having enough confidence in her story to have one of the boys, especially one of Anne’s children, killed in battle. (To have had everyone return alive wouldn’t have been quite plausible.) In a way, this brings the book back to full circle--Matthew’s death in Green Gables was a tragedy in Anne’s life. Yet Anne’s childhood had none of the fears and anxiety’s everyone feels during the war.

One scene I thoroughly loved was Susan’s refusal of Mr. Pryor’s marriage proposal. Thinking neither of them had anything to lose, and he could gain a reliable housekeeper, pacifist Josiah “Whiskers-on-the-Moon” Pryor asks optimistic patriot Susan Baker to marry him. Rather than a civil “no,” Susan chases Pryor out of the house with a boiling-hot iron pot. It’s not only the manner in which she refuses him that’s outstanding, but the fact that Susan would rather, even prefer, to be an old maid than married to someone at all, when generally-speaking, characters would often be married by the end of books. Susan even decides to go on her own honeymoon, which I find admirable that it’s something she does for herself. I commend L. M. Montgomery for breaking this tradition and showing that a woman can be happy without marriage.(less)

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About L.M. Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author, best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.

The author of the famous Canadian novel Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, was born at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, Nov. 30, 1874. She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge Ontario, in 1911 after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911...more

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Books by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)

The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables #1-8)

Anne of Avonlea (Anne of Green Gables, #2)

Anne of the Island (Anne of Green Gables, #3)

Anne's House of Dreams (Anne of Green Gables, #5)

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Trivia About Rilla of Ingleside

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Quotes from Rilla of Ingleside

“The body grows slowly and steadily but the soul grows by leaps and bounds. It may come to its full stature in an hour.” — 137 people liked it

“There was something in her movements that made you think she never walked but always danced.” — 87 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/433533.Rilla_of_Ingleside?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1285712722l/433533.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/433533.Rilla_of_Ingleside?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery[/url]

Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables #8)

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