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Marilla of Green Gables
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A bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables . . . before Anne: A marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel, set in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, and the choices that will open her life to the possibility of heartbreak—and unimaginable greatness
Plucky and ambitious, Marilla ...more
Plucky and ambitious, Marilla ...more
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Linda Varick-cooper
Anne of Green Gables was published in 1908, but set in 1876, when Anne was 11 years old, and Matthew was 60.
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4.5 nostalgic stars for transporting me back to Green Gables and Avonlea! .5
Marilla of Green Gables is a beauty Anne of Green Gables fans will not want to miss!
Marilla Cuthbert’s life prior to Anne begins when she is thirteen years old. Her mother has passed away, and she is now responsible for all the “wife’s” duties on the farm, growing up overnight. Also helping her is her beloved brother, Matthew, and her father, Hugh.
Set in charming Prince Edward Island during the 19th century, Marilla ...more
Marilla of Green Gables is a beauty Anne of Green Gables fans will not want to miss!
Marilla Cuthbert’s life prior to Anne begins when she is thirteen years old. Her mother has passed away, and she is now responsible for all the “wife’s” duties on the farm, growing up overnight. Also helping her is her beloved brother, Matthew, and her father, Hugh.
Set in charming Prince Edward Island during the 19th century, Marilla ...more
With my sincere apologies to those readers who obviously have very much enjoyed Sarah McCoy's Marilla of Green Gables (and I do realise that I seem to be rather the minority at this point), but I have in many ways really and actively despised this novel. For even though Marilla of Green Gables appears to be well enough researched and I do appreciate that Sarah McCoy does not seem to use all too many anachronisms with regard to the physical manifestations of time and place (and the clothes that
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How glad I am that someone decided that Marilla Cuthbert had a story that we Anne fans needed to read.
Darling Marilla, it appears that another kindred spirit has been made in author Sarah McCoy and I am truly glad. It was nice to travel back to early 19th century Prince Edward Island and a newly built Green Gables that housed the Cuthbert clan. A 13 year old Marilla and 21 year old Mathew live with their parents, Hugh and Clara, hardworking Scottish Presbyterian people near the small village of ...more
Darling Marilla, it appears that another kindred spirit has been made in author Sarah McCoy and I am truly glad. It was nice to travel back to early 19th century Prince Edward Island and a newly built Green Gables that housed the Cuthbert clan. A 13 year old Marilla and 21 year old Mathew live with their parents, Hugh and Clara, hardworking Scottish Presbyterian people near the small village of ...more
Fans of the Anne of Green Gables series of books fondly remember Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, guardians of the spirited Anne Shirley. If you've ever wondered about life at Green Gables when the Cuthbert siblings were young, you'll want to check out Sarah McCoy's Marilla of Green Gables.
The story is told from Marilla's point of view, and stays true to the character we came to know and love in L.M. Montgomery's books. Through her eyes, we meet her parents and Aunt Izzy for the first time, as well ...more
The story is told from Marilla's point of view, and stays true to the character we came to know and love in L.M. Montgomery's books. Through her eyes, we meet her parents and Aunt Izzy for the first time, as well ...more
I am such an Anne of Green Gables fan and was thrilled to hear there was going to be a book about Marilla! This takes us back to Marilla and Matthew as teenagers, as Marilla is growing up, the same age Anne was when she came to live with them. Heartwarming and sad at times, we see all the familiar characters, the Blythes, Rachel, as well as the fond Avonlea familiars like raspberry cordial and currant wine. This had realistic portrayals of the time period and political history (and thank you,
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I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours as part of a review tour.
Growing up, I was a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. I read the book and used to watch the animated TV show on PBS. I wanted to live in Avonlea with Anne. So naturally I was excited to read this book.
I was not disappointed. The book felt in the spirit very much like Anne of Green Gables. I can tell that the author did her research (in her author’s note she goes over in detail how much research she did). It had the same ...more
Growing up, I was a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. I read the book and used to watch the animated TV show on PBS. I wanted to live in Avonlea with Anne. So naturally I was excited to read this book.
I was not disappointed. The book felt in the spirit very much like Anne of Green Gables. I can tell that the author did her research (in her author’s note she goes over in detail how much research she did). It had the same ...more
This is the prequel to the Anne of Green Gables series...and ooh how I wanted to devour it in one sitting.. but.. life interrupted!
I wondered if I should have re-read Anna Green Gable‘s before I started this book. After all it had been a very very very long time since I had read the Anne series. However as this was a library book with a waiting list I did not have the luxury of time to re-read the Anne of Green Gable‘s stories, many parts of which by the way we’re still fairly fresh in my memory ...more
I wondered if I should have re-read Anna Green Gable‘s before I started this book. After all it had been a very very very long time since I had read the Anne series. However as this was a library book with a waiting list I did not have the luxury of time to re-read the Anne of Green Gable‘s stories, many parts of which by the way we’re still fairly fresh in my memory ...more
If you love the Anne of Green Gables series you will probably love this although it’s not our lovable Anne Shirley it little young prickly Marilla Cuthbert and it’s the story of how she came to be who she is although this wasn’t written by L.M. Montgomery it definitely fits well into the world I really enjoyed this story , And if it’s your thing you might enjoy it to.
I received this via Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.
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Confession: I haven't read Anne of Green Gables yet (Hoping to this summer/fall). I entered the giveaway because: it sounded interesting.. and Sarah McCoy had written it. Her novel Mapmaker's Children was my first of hers and I fell in love with her writing.
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I can only speak to my enjoyment of this particular book.. while I can't say if Marilla is true to character, I can say I fell in ...more
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Confession: I haven't read Anne of Green Gables yet (Hoping to this summer/fall). I entered the giveaway because: it sounded interesting.. and Sarah McCoy had written it. Her novel Mapmaker's Children was my first of hers and I fell in love with her writing.
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I can only speak to my enjoyment of this particular book.. while I can't say if Marilla is true to character, I can say I fell in ...more
Oct 11, 2018
Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fresh-fiction,
read-2018
I've seen tv-versions of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, but I have never actually read the books. However, that didn't stop me from wanting to read this book about Marilla Cuthbert, before Anne came into her and Matthew's lives .
Marilla Cuthbert is only thirteen-years-old when her whole life is turned upside down. Her beloved mother dies in childbirth and she's suddenly the one responsible for all of the tasks of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, and overseeing Green Gables. Of course, she has her brother ...more
Marilla Cuthbert is only thirteen-years-old when her whole life is turned upside down. Her beloved mother dies in childbirth and she's suddenly the one responsible for all of the tasks of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, and overseeing Green Gables. Of course, she has her brother ...more
Anne Shirley is a book lover's household name. Marilla Cuthbert is Anne's adoptive maternal figure and one I can't imagine without. This is the story about Marilla as a thirteen year old growing up in Green Gables decades before we meet Anne. We learn more about Marilla's parents and her relationship with kind hearted Matthew. We also get a perspective into the early relationship between Marilla and John Blythe (my personal favorite) and her friendship with Rachel Lind.
Sarah McCoy had pretty big ...more
Sarah McCoy had pretty big ...more
As a lifelong fan who inherited my love of Anne from my mother and her mother, I wanted to like this book, but the author took it in a direction that was just too far-fetched for me. I don’t believe that the Marilla who went through the experiences in this novel would be the same Marilla who needed Anne to change her life and open her heart. (And I don’t think “shy and silent” Matthew would ever have talked so much.)
But I did love that Matthew and Marilla’s father and mother shared the names of ...more
But I did love that Matthew and Marilla’s father and mother shared the names of ...more
Fans of Anne of Green Gables should run, not walk, to seize this beautifully written story. I was lucky enough to have an early read and I adored it. The plucky heroine in 19th century Prince Edward Island caught between life in her small town and wanting to make a difference in the larger world is truly a woman for all ages.
I may bump this star rating up after I've let it simmer for awhile. What a DELIGHTFUL book - both an homage to Anne of Green Gables and also a story that can stand completely on its own. I am always apprehensive when there are spin-offs to books (or movies, or any media); it's just so unlikely that it will live up to the beloved original. And of course, this book cannot replace Anne of Green Gables in my mind and my heart. BUT, this book did perfect justice to the characters that I know and
...more
In Marilla of Green Gables, readers are transported to Avonlea in this warm and wonderful book, filled with love and heartache and sacrifice. Marilla’s spirit shines through, a young woman shaped by regret and happenstance. I felt so close to Marilla, as if I’d been given a window to her soul. She is a heroine to remember and to behold...devoted and determined to do what’s right, not just for herself, but for all of those she loved. I was entranced at this peek into the world of Green Gables
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Oct 31, 2018
Kate ☀️ Olson
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
advanced-reader-copies,
adult-reads
Thanks to TLC Book Tours and William Morrow for this free review copy!
I was so nervous going into this book, but it 100% amazed me at how perfectly McCoy took us back to Avonlea and fit us back into that fictional world. I consider this an absolute must-read for fans of the Anne of Green Gables series. An unofficial prequel, if you will.
I was so nervous going into this book, but it 100% amazed me at how perfectly McCoy took us back to Avonlea and fit us back into that fictional world. I consider this an absolute must-read for fans of the Anne of Green Gables series. An unofficial prequel, if you will.
Premise/plot: Ever wondered what Marilla Cuthbert's was like as a young girl? Sarah McCoy shares her version--her imagining--in her newest book.
The book is divided into three sections: "Marilla of Green Gables" is set in 1837, "Marilla of Avonlea" is set in 1838-1839; "Marilla's House of Dreams" is set in 1860.
When the novel opens Marilla is thirteen and Matthew, her older brother, is twenty-one.
My thoughts: I do have PLENTY of thoughts about Marilla of Green Gables. In some ways it meets ...more
The book is divided into three sections: "Marilla of Green Gables" is set in 1837, "Marilla of Avonlea" is set in 1838-1839; "Marilla's House of Dreams" is set in 1860.
When the novel opens Marilla is thirteen and Matthew, her older brother, is twenty-one.
My thoughts: I do have PLENTY of thoughts about Marilla of Green Gables. In some ways it meets ...more
Oh, Green Gables, how I love thee! I first encountered Anne (with an "E" thank you very much!) when I was 10 or 11. It instantly became a favorite book series so much so that I chose Prince Edward Island as the topic of a seventh-grade geography research paper. Anne Shirley endeared herself to me. I longed to be a red head full of spunk as loyal and noble as she. I gave little thought to the character Marilla. In part, I believe this is because I was a kid so I found characters my age of much
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Sarah McCoy tells us in the author's note that she felt there was a mystery within chapter 37 of Anne of Green Gables, where Marilla mentions she used to be good friends with John Blythe, some people calling him her beau, and Anne asks what happened. Marilla of Green Gables is McCoy's answer to that question.
The story of Marilla Cuthbert captured my heart! It follows her life from her teens until the time she and her brother decide to adopt a child to help on their farm. We know the end of their ...more
The story of Marilla Cuthbert captured my heart! It follows her life from her teens until the time she and her brother decide to adopt a child to help on their farm. We know the end of their ...more
I'll admit, I was extremely hesitant to read Marilla of Green Gables. I loved the Anne of Green Gables series so much as a kid and sequels, prequels, retellings of beloved classics always seem to fall short for me. This was not the case with Sarah McCoy's book. It was beautifully written with a charming, engaging story. It was so nice to "revisit" old friends Marilla, Matthew, Rachel Lynde, John Blythe and all the other familiar names and faces. I would highly recommend this for lovers of Anne
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Such an enjoyable, lovely book! The author did an exquisite job sticking to the spirit of the original.
This book and Budge Wilson’s Before Green Gables have made me wonder why I’ve never read Montgomery’s original series. Yes, confession time: I’ve never read any of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books! After enjoying these two prequels, and Heather V. Frederick’s Much Ado About Anne (Mother-Daughter Book Club series), Anne of Green Gables is next on my reading list. I think I’ll probably kick myself for not reading it earlier in life!
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After reading the entire Anne of Green Gables series this year for the very first time, I felt a need to stay immersed in Anne's world a bit longer, and decided to read this prequel book, written by contemporary author Sarah McCoy and published in 2018. I'm often skeptical when modern authors decide to continue or riff off of a beloved older book or series (I'm thinking about the debacle that was Scarlett, the "sequel" to Gone With the Wind, among others).
Can a modern author pull off the tone ...more
Can a modern author pull off the tone ...more
Love love loved this! Obviously a rather sad story since we already know how Marilla's romance ends, but it was intriguing to read in detail. One thing I especially loved is how when John Blythe married I felt bad for Marilla, but still didn't hate Mrs. Blythe. The bits about the Underground Railroad were exciting! Sarah McCoy is a talented writer and she did a wonderful job with this book! Negative one star because of a very descriptive kiss.
I was thrilled to have won this Goodreads giveaway. I read Anne of Green Gables as an adult and it became one of my favorite children's classic along with Little House on the Prairie and A Secret Garden. First of all, Sarah McCoy has really paid homage to the original story in plot and style. I felt like Marilla of Green Gables could have been written by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I loved this novel about young Marilla and Matthew, unmarried brother and sisters who live in an idyllic farm called
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Hideous. Absolutely hideous. I don't know how or why I made myself finish it. Marilla and Rachel best buds, laughing and skipping and holding hands on the way to sewing circle? Or buying fancy hats to give to the orphans? Matthew courting and giving advice and speeches and being political? It's all so forced and contrived and it's like the author had to make sure she got all the names and faces right and covered enough bases to tie her version with the originals. It's was just all so horrible.
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Could NOT put this down! A must read for fans of Anne of Green Gables!
4.5/5
I have so many feelings!
With fictional couples and stories, Anne of Green Gables is IT for me. There is no story I love more, especially when we start talking about the romance of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. When I saw that Marilla Cuthbert was getting a chance to tell her story, I was equal parts excited and nervous, but I definitely wanted to read it. Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy explores the “what if” between Marilla Cuthbert (Anne’s eventual guardian) and John Blythe ...more
I have so many feelings!
With fictional couples and stories, Anne of Green Gables is IT for me. There is no story I love more, especially when we start talking about the romance of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. When I saw that Marilla Cuthbert was getting a chance to tell her story, I was equal parts excited and nervous, but I definitely wanted to read it. Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy explores the “what if” between Marilla Cuthbert (Anne’s eventual guardian) and John Blythe ...more
I approached reading this book with quite a bit of trepidation. Anne of Green Gables is a beloved classic. So writing a piece that is extra-narrative is quite a brave undertaking. Fortunately, Sarah McCoy did a wonderful job! She brought Marilla to life in a new way and helped me to see Marilla in a whole new light. From page one I was hooked. I was with Marilla through the ups and downs of her early years. This book is a perfect prelude to the Anne stories. And her research and commitment to
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If this book doesn't make you immediately want to dive into Anne to "continue the story", I don't know what's wrong with your reader heart. I loved this fan fiction story of Marilla's childhood and the "older" generation of Avonlea and Prince Edward Island. I feel like McCoy stayed true to the tone of Anne while giving us something totally new to sink our teeth into. Loved every minute.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marilla's choice, would she have changed it? | 1 | 17 | Feb 06, 2019 10:27AM | |
| prequel to Anne of Green Gables | 1 | 8 | Feb 05, 2019 06:14PM |
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SARAH McCOY is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of the novels MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES, THE MAPMAKER'S CHILDREN, THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER, THE TIME IT SNOWED IN PUERTO RICO, and "The Branch of Hazel," a novella in GRAND CENTRAL.
The Baker's Daughter was praised as "a beautiful heart-breaking gem of a novel" by Tatiana de Rosnay and "a thoughtful reading experience ...more
The Baker's Daughter was praised as "a beautiful heart-breaking gem of a novel" by Tatiana de Rosnay and "a thoughtful reading experience ...more
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“Tears were misunderstood, she thought, and used inappropriately most often. They were designed as a private response of being. Because sometimes life filled you to the brim and spilled over. Tears were the body's way of cleansing the overflow of emotions, from sorrow to joy and so many others that couldn't be described.”
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