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Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning
It?s the early 1940s, and the war in Europe is winding down. Anne Shirley?now a successful, middle-aged writer?has returned to Prince Edward Island for an extended visit. On a whim, she?s agreed to write a play for her dear friend, Gene; a play that will be performed as part of the White Sand Hotel?s summer stock season.
But Anne is forced to admit that the play is nothing more than a distraction?a way to take her mind off troublesome recent events in her life. Her only son Dominic has yet to return from the war. The play, she reasons, will keep her busy?at least busy enough to not go out of her mind with worry.
But a long-hidden secret discovered under the floorboards at Green Gables provides a distraction of its own. As Anne struggles to complete the play she?s promised to Gene, she delves into long-buried memories, reliving the troubled years before she arrived as an orphan at the Cuthberts? farmhouse. Over the course of one remarkable summer, Anne Shirley discovers the truth about her parents, the origins of her quest for ?kindred spirits,? and the roots of her wonderful, magical imagination.
In celebration of the centennial of the publication of L.M. Montgomery?s original novel, and inspired by Montgomery?s own creation of Anne, three-time Emmy award-winner and filmmaker Kevin Sullivan gives Anne fans a rare a moving and complex glimpse into the circumstances that created one of the most beloved fictional characters of our time.
But Anne is forced to admit that the play is nothing more than a distraction?a way to take her mind off troublesome recent events in her life. Her only son Dominic has yet to return from the war. The play, she reasons, will keep her busy?at least busy enough to not go out of her mind with worry.
But a long-hidden secret discovered under the floorboards at Green Gables provides a distraction of its own. As Anne struggles to complete the play she?s promised to Gene, she delves into long-buried memories, reliving the troubled years before she arrived as an orphan at the Cuthberts? farmhouse. Over the course of one remarkable summer, Anne Shirley discovers the truth about her parents, the origins of her quest for ?kindred spirits,? and the roots of her wonderful, magical imagination.
In celebration of the centennial of the publication of L.M. Montgomery?s original novel, and inspired by Montgomery?s own creation of Anne, three-time Emmy award-winner and filmmaker Kevin Sullivan gives Anne fans a rare a moving and complex glimpse into the circumstances that created one of the most beloved fictional characters of our time.
287 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2008
12 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Sullivan
110 books60 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 20, 2012
This story is about Anne as she faces the older years of her life. Her kids are grown and gone, and she is writing again. She delves into her own life story, pre-Green Gables, to write a manuscript. It was fascinating to look at the back story of Anne. (Albeit through a different author's eyes) I also enjoyed seeing Anne as a grandmother and accomplished writer.
I struggled because Anne of Ingleside is one of my favorite books in the Anne series, and in that installment she has 5 going on 6 kids and all kinds of adventures she had never thought to anticipate before becoming a mother. This story tells of Anne having only three children, so I felt it negated the experiences and children of the first, original to Montgomery, tale.
I struggled because Anne of Ingleside is one of my favorite books in the Anne series, and in that installment she has 5 going on 6 kids and all kinds of adventures she had never thought to anticipate before becoming a mother. This story tells of Anne having only three children, so I felt it negated the experiences and children of the first, original to Montgomery, tale.
May 3, 2013
The liberties taken with the story! It's unforgivable. It's all wrong wrong wrong! Did he even read the series?
December 28, 2020
Not Canon. Before Green Gables and Marilla of Green Gables were better written and more consistent with the details of Anne’s life from LM Montgomery’s books.
February 29, 2020
Written well enough but I don’t know why Anne’s beginnings needed to be rewritten. And for that, I found it difficult to give this book anymore than 3 stars.
July 11, 2020
Thing that bothers me about this book is that they killed off Gilbert. Anne and Gilbert should be living together into their old age.
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June 22, 2010Starting in the early 1940s, Anne—now a successful, middle-aged writer—has returned to Prince Edward Island for an extended visit. A long-hidden secret is discovered under the floorboards at Green Gables, it provides a distraction. Anne digs into buried memories, reliving the troubled years before she arrived as an orphan at the Cuthberts’ farmhouse. Over the course of one remarkable summer, Anne discovers the truth about her parents, the reason for her desire for “kindred spirits,” The story of Anne continued is worth reading. A wonderful adventure.
June 6, 2012
Good book I like it
October 17, 2012
Two stars for effort.
September 1, 2013
Half way through I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the rest if the novel, but am so glad I decided finish it.... So worth the read even though its not what I had envisioned for a younger Anne!
June 6, 2015
Not the same perspective on life as LM Montgomery had at all. Terrible.
December 29, 2018
When reading this book you have to separate it completely from the original Anne series, and look at it as an additional story from the 80’s movies, directed by our author Kevin Sullivan. This story is intended to be the last instalment in his series of movies.
The movies in many ways, is nothing like the book. Events and characters that appear in the book, do not appear so in the movies.
This is more of a reworking than a reimagining.
I liked this book as an addition to the Anne of Green Gables 80’s movies. It was nice to see where Anne’s story line went with Kevin Sullivan’s story.
What I did not appreciate was having Anne being presented to us as a liar when she first came to Green Gables. Basically everything you thought you knew about Anne and her history before Green Gables is all but a lie! Her parents didn’t die when she was just a baby, her father was responsible for her mother’s death and labeled a murder, he then takes off and abandons Anne! She thinks him to be dead but he shows up in her life a lot, even much later!
In some ways I dislike the alternative storyline, and in other ways I really enjoyed it. I still get the fuzzy warm feeling when reading this book as I do with the other Anne books and the 80’s movie, and the writing style is quite similar to L.M Montgomery’s writing.
It’s a decent read if you keep in mind that this adds to the 80’s movies and is quite a divergence from the original books.
A solid 3, almost verging onto a 4.
The movies in many ways, is nothing like the book. Events and characters that appear in the book, do not appear so in the movies.
This is more of a reworking than a reimagining.
I liked this book as an addition to the Anne of Green Gables 80’s movies. It was nice to see where Anne’s story line went with Kevin Sullivan’s story.
What I did not appreciate was having Anne being presented to us as a liar when she first came to Green Gables. Basically everything you thought you knew about Anne and her history before Green Gables is all but a lie! Her parents didn’t die when she was just a baby, her father was responsible for her mother’s death and labeled a murder, he then takes off and abandons Anne! She thinks him to be dead but he shows up in her life a lot, even much later!
In some ways I dislike the alternative storyline, and in other ways I really enjoyed it. I still get the fuzzy warm feeling when reading this book as I do with the other Anne books and the 80’s movie, and the writing style is quite similar to L.M Montgomery’s writing.
It’s a decent read if you keep in mind that this adds to the 80’s movies and is quite a divergence from the original books.
A solid 3, almost verging onto a 4.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews