Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables #4)

Synopsis

Anne Shirley has left Redmond College behind to begin a new job and a new chapter of her life way from Green Gables. Now she faces a a new challenge: the Pringles. They're known as the royal family of Summerside- and they quickly let Anne know she is not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into the cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she has great allies in the widows Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty- and in their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. As Anne learns Summerside's strangest secrets, winning the support of the prickly Pringles becomes only the first of her delicious triumphs.

Loved

• Anne. I just love Anne so much. I still relate to her so much as she grows older and experiences life so fully. It's so fun to see her win over everyone in Summerside and be a light to everyone she knows. There's not a single person she can't charm (apart from Josie Pye), and I loved watching her eventually win over even the most formidable characters in Summerside.

• Katherine. My favorite person to watch resist Anne's charm and zeal for life is Katherine Brooke. She is the ultimate prickly, guarded, and sarcastic foe, but that only makes Anne even more determined to be her friend. I loved seeing how Anne's goodness, pluck and undeterred perseverance end up exposing the kindred spirit in Katherine underneath her prickly jabs. The first Christmas Katherine spends at Green Gables is one of my favorite parts of the whole series because she finally understands what it's like to have a home, and for the first time in her life she feels loved, accepted, and full of hope.

• Elizabeth Gracin. Poor little Elizabeth. She has such a sad upbringing, and is such a melancholy little girl. I loved watching Anne bring much-needed sunlight and love to this little girl's world. I also love Elizabeth's storybook ending, which is one of the sweetest part of this book and series.

• Letters to Gilbert. Anne is engaged to Gilbert through these three years, and much of the story is narrated through her letters to Gilbert. I loved this format because we don't get Anne telling the story very often in the rest of the series. I enjoyed hearing Anne tell it in her own words and add commentary for Gilbert as she relates all her adventures.

• Anne's goodness. Every chapter shows us a new character who confides in Anne, trusts her with their deepest confidences, and then see their lives become sunnier with Anne's warmth, sense of humor, and goodness. Anne does meddle a little with the affairs of others, but always ends up making their lives lovelier. From Anne convincing Ms. Gibson to let her daughter leave her house for the first time in 15 years, to dragging Dovie Westcott to her own wedding, to pretending Cyrus Taylor was deaf to punish his sulkiness- Anne's cleverness and spunk founded on the best of intentions lead her to change the lives of many in Summerside for the better.

Didn't Love

• I do wish we got more of Gilbert in this story. Anne tells much of the story in letters to Gilbert, but we get hardly any interactions with them apart from Anne's letters to him. I also wish we got more about her holidays in Green Gables and what Marilla, Rachel, the twins, and Diana were doing.

Content

• Language: 
• No swearing in this story.

• Sexual content: 
• Anne writes to Gilbert about him kissing her on the nape of her neck and laughs that others may think it "indecent." 
• A few affairs are referenced lightly.

• Violence:
• One character describes her family history which includes some drop-dead deaths, some murders, and some suicides.
• Anne reads a journal that talks about one character practicing cannibalism.

 

Overall Thoughts

Anne of Windy Poplars never used to be my favorite because Anne is away from Green Gables and Gilbert is hardly in the story. But reading it as an adult, I loved watching Anne become a mentor and confidante to so many different people in Summerside. It's so fun to watch her win over these quirky, stubborn people with her warmth, pluck and witty cleverness. These characters are so odd in their own ways, but become so lovable as Anne chooses to love them for their quirks and bring out the kindred spirit in them. I loved this book so much better as an adult and having lived away from home, so I didn't feel as sad that she wasn't at Green Gables- realizing that's how life works, and we can find so much joy and goodness as we grow up and continue to meet different people throughout our lives.