For the first five books of the “Anne” series, our favorite redhead is the star of the show. We see her escapades, we meet her friends, we fall in love with Gilbert right along with her. In the two volumes I’m reviewing today, the focus shifts dramatically from Anne to her children, and if you’re not prepared for that shift, these books could prove to be disappointing.
In “Anne of Ingleside,” the Blythes have purchased a large home in Glen St. Mary and are the parents of five, expecting their sixth. The insufferable Aunt Mary Maria has come for a visit to take care of the brood while Anne is in confinement, and it’s almost more than the children can take. Full of shenanigans anyway, they act up in ways that would try the patience of a saint while trying to get attention, but they come out of every adventure knowing that they are loved and so all is right with the world.
But not all is right in Anne and Gilbert’s world. Remember Christine Stuart, Gilbert’s old girlfriend? She’s back, now a widow, and Gilbert finds her more fascinating than Anne. Determined to save her marriage, Anne rallies, only to find that Gilbert’s love for her is stronger than ever. But don’t expect to see a lot of evidence of that in this book; Anne and Gilbert are now background characters to books that star their children.
“Rainbow Valley” is a sweet story. There’s a hollow in the ground out behind Ingleside, and the children have dubbed it Rainbow Valley. With imaginations as fertile as their mother’s ever was, they spent hours there, inventing stories and plays, naming the trees, and relishing an innocent childhood. Then a new family moves into a nearby mansion, with four motherless children and an absent-minded father. Soon the Blythe children have taken them in, and the crowd in Rainbow Valley expands. This book makes me long for the days when it was safe to let your children go out to play by themselves.
If you’re expecting Anne Shirley to play a major role in these two books, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for stories of children thriving in worlds of their own creating, you’ll be enchanted.
Related Blogs:
Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars