I love the last six books in the Anne series without doubt. But Anne pretty much fades into the background more with each volume, and the secondary characters take center stage and are more lovable than Anne herself (Rebecca Dew, Elizabeth, Captain Jim, Miss Cornelia, Susan Baker, Anne's kids, etc).

So it's a bittersweet experience to read books 3-8, though I love them to pieces. There are no more of Anne's 'discourses', less of her fancies and vivaciousness. The impression given is that she never loses 'the way to fairyland' and stays young at heart, but I need more evidence of that. I think that just because Anne is grown up doesn't mean she can't still go on spiels of fancy and imagination. They would have a more...what's the word...mature sound,but still delightful. I bet it would've been hard for LMM to keep Anne in the spotlight as she grew older.

I don't like Anne as much or feel that I know her when she's grown up, but the cast of other characters is satisfying; I just wish there was more Anne! Then the glorious Anne of Green Gables series would be even more glorious.

Oh, and concerning Anne of the Island itself, I would like more about Anne's actual schoolwork, and more dialogue with Gilbert, who is mostly a shadow-figure of 'the ideal man'.

That part in Davy's letter about Mr. Harrison's poor dog-ugh, it really makes me cringe. Speaking of, I miss Mr. Harrison throughout the rest of the series. He isn't even mentioned.