I grew up watching the Megan Follows movie version of this, but oddly enough I had never read the actual book! I read all the other Anne books except the first two. I skipped those thinking they would be repetitive since I had already seen the movies (so silly of me!). Anyway, I am glad that I finally got a chance to read the original story. I really loved it! It was fun to get a better insight into the characters and to soak up all the things that the movie omitted or changed. I greatly enjoy L.M. Montgomery's writing here--the touches of humor (some parts were VERY funny!), descriptions of nature, and her ability to understand and express the facets of people and emotions. She just captures it all beautifully. There are so many little insights that really resonated with me.

I also found the book Anne to be different than the movie one. In fact, I find her more likeable in the original source than on screen. I really do love the movie, but sometimes in that she comes off as more haughty. In the book she just seemed earnest and endearing.

I also feel like the book lays a better foundation for understanding Marilla's personality. Mainly this is because we are privy to her thoughts here in a way that the movie couldn't convey. (I also thought it was interesting how several of Anne’s “mistakes” are actually Marilla’s—the raspberry cordial and liniment episodes were both just Anne following Marilla’s directions!)

I'm not extremely fond of the Gilbert of the movie, but I LOVE him as portrayed in the books. I am looking forward to reading the next book!

This book is really quite timeless. (Well, despite a few passing maybe-racist remarks. Apparently the residents of Avonlea did not think well of foreigners. I also didn't like the part about that gruesome haunted wood. But, really, those things were so minor they're almost not worth mentioning. Over all, there was very little I didn't like.) The story still feels very fresh, even though it was written over a hundred years ago. I'm so glad that I finally read this and discovered that Anne and I are perhaps more "kindred spirits" than I previously thought.