Millions of people around the world love Anne of Green Gables. Thanks to L.M. Montgomery’s series and various film and TV adaptations, characters like Anne, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, Diana Barry, and Gilbert Blythe feel almost like part of our lives. I’m no stranger to this feeling. Although I haven’t read the entire series, I’ve watched Sullivan Entertainment’s TV series so many times that I practically know it by heart. Anne and her friends feel like my own family.
When I heard about a prequel focusing on Marilla’s early life, I was excited but also a bit nervous. With such a beloved story, you hope any new author can capture the original voice and stay true to the characters. I’m happy to say that Sarah McCoy’s Marilla of Green Gables accomplishes just that.
Marilla of Green Gables takes us back to a time before Anne arrived at Green Gables. We meet a thirteen-year-old Marilla, her twenty-one-year-old brother Matthew, and their parents. Avonlea is the same small, close-knit community we all know, filled with familiar family names. We also meet new characters like Marilla’s friend Rachel White, her Aunt Izzy, and a young John Barry.
The story follows Marilla through her teenage years as she deals with change, tragedy, and responsibility. The last part of the book jumps ahead twenty years to show the characters as adults. While Marilla is the main focus, we also get to know more about Matthew, the future Rachel Lynde, and the future father of Gilbert Blythe.
Sarah McCoy has done an excellent job of capturing L.M. Montgomery’s style and characters. Visiting Avonlea in an earlier time feels seamless. Although the residents are different, there’s still that familiar feeling of meeting old friends, the same pace of life, and personal routines.
McCoy answers questions we never thought to ask and expands on details briefly mentioned in the original series. For example, she delves into the origins of Marilla’s name and the amethyst broach’s personal significance. We learn about Matthew’s lack of courting experience, the start of Rachel and Marilla’s friendship, and Marilla’s relationship with John Blythe. There’s even a deeper explanation about Tories and Whigs, setting the stage for Anne’s future conversations with Matthew.
The characters are given new experiences that shape them into the people we know and love. We see them mature and become the familiar figures from the original series. It feels authentic and real.
I was struck by how much of Marilla’s story echoes Anne’s later experiences. She too finds a close friend, has a kitchen mishap, and has a complex relationship with a Blythe. Marilla deals with her temper and learns to hold her tongue. While their experiences are similar, they are also unique because of their different personalities. Marilla is naturally cautious and keeps her emotions in check, something that stems from growing up in a family that doesn’t openly communicate feelings, despite the love present.
My fears about prequels not written by the original author were unfounded. Marilla of Green Gables honors Montgomery’s series and is an engaging and enjoyable read in its own right. The story itself is captivating and stands on its own, even without the history attached to its characters. I even found myself interested in Canadian political issues that influence the residents of Avonlea.
I highly recommend Marilla of Green Gables to anyone interested in learning more about the Cuthberts and Avonlea. Even for those who aren’t familiar with Anne of Green Gables, the novel is a well-written story with strong characters and intriguing plot lines.
An adaptation of this book, whether as a film or series, would be fantastic. Fans worldwide would love to revisit Avonlea and Green Gables. An onscreen adaptation would likely be well-received.
Note: The book mentions death, but the descriptions are not graphic. There is nothing objectionable in the story, and it carries a thread of faith due to the Cuthbert’s Presbyterian beliefs.
