Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

To capture the range of human thoughts and emotion that are, as I learn over and over again, universal and timeless is what makes a great book. I loved Anne Shirley and loved how full of life and wonder and how high and low she got, how people could know how she was feeling since her vibrancy was forever shown on her face. She is a strong self-aware person and I am both really mad that i never thought to read this as a kid and very happy to have read it at all, perhaps even being able to appreciate it differently with where I'm at in my life. "There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting." Anne to her bff Diane. I still can't wrap my head around the reading level being for 10 year olds. It is a simple story but there are times where I had to re-read a passage to make sure I got it right. Or maybe I'm on-par with 10 year olds. either way, Lucy Maud Montgomery has created a character, a string of them, that are ornery, sweet, real and funny and sad. I love the chapter headings and the different "scrapes" Anne gets into. I love how the story somewhat reminds me of a Jeeves story, with the incidents being so silly sometimes. I am on to Anne of Avonlea and although I prefer the age of Anne in the first book I will be sure to enjoy her maturing too. and i almost cried with Matthew died. 'Well, well......" sigh.