In Anne of Green Gables, we meet Anne Shirley, the central character of the series. Anne is an orphan in Nova Scotia and is sent to a pair of unmarried siblings in the fictional town of Avonlea. The siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, meant to adopt a boy to assist on their family farm, but they eventually accept Anne when they meet her and experience her imagination and fancifulness. Anne begins to assist Matthew at Green Gables, and her adventure begins!

Throughout the audiobook, Anne’s cheerfulness and imagination endear her to the community of Avonlea, and she becomes close friends with her neighbor, Diana Barry. She also becomes enemies with her classmate Gilbert Blythe after he teases her about her red hair.Due to her upbringing, Anne does not have social graces, and is often a spitfire when people tease her or comment on her actions. She does try to grow in conduct as she grows older, but part of the fun of the book is seeing her small mistakes, such as giving Diana red wine instead of a nonalcoholic drink at teatime.

The audiobook follows various episodes in Anne’s life in Avonlea, from her adventures with friends to her education. Anne takes her education seriously, and is inspired by her teacher, Miss Stacy, to study and apply for entrance to Queen’s Academy to pursue her teaching license. Anne’s studies pay off and she receives a scholarship to attend college for a degree in English.However, around the time that she receives the scholarship, tragedy strikes when Matthew, her adopted father, dies of a heart attack after the family’s money is lost in a bank failure. Anne forgoes her scholarship to stay home with Marilla and teach at a local school instead of attending college. In an act of friendship, Gilbert Blythe, her once enemy, gives her his job at the nearest school so she can stay close to home.The novel ends with Anne being optimistic about what the future holds for her.

Cathi Colas

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