When aging brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan boy to help with chores around their farm, Green Gables on Prince Edward Island, neither is prepared for the feisty and imaginative redheaded girl who is mistakenly brought to them instead. Nor are they prepared for the way in which she will change their lives. Through a series of hilarious misadventures, Anne’s uncompromising spirit makes her a striking presence in the close-knit village, bringing new friendships, first crushes, and, for her foster parents, a love and openness unimaginable before her arrival.

For the audiobook: With all of the pluck and charm of its eponymous young hero, Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Spotlight, Midnight in Paris) delivers a spectacular reading of Montgomery’s beloved bildungsroman. In moments both funny and bittersweet, McAdams’ voice is imbued with the spark that has made Anne a much-loved symbol of individualism and cheer for over a century. In this story of “kindred spirits,” McAdams’ touching and heartfelt narration proves she is just that — bonded on a deep level to this shimmering classic.

I never grew up reading Anne of Green Gables. It just was not a story that interested me when I was younger. However, once I joined the online book community, I started hearing so much hype surrounding Anne and this series, especially during the spring and summer months. I was first introduced to Anne through a beautiful graphic novel adaptation, and after loving that version so much, I immediately knew I had to pick up the original story.

I decided to listen to the Audible Exclusive narrated by Rachel McAdams, and I absolutely loved her performance. She brought so much warmth, personality, and emotion to the characters. She especially captured Anne’s dramatic and imaginative spirit perfectly. I highly recommend this audiobook version because it made the story feel even more alive and immersive.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I fell in love with this book. It has easily been one of the highlights of my spring reading season. I was deep in a cottagecore reading mood when I picked this up, and it completely satisfied my craving for something cozy, whimsical, and comforting. I adored all the nature descriptions of the farm and Prince Edward Island. The setting felt so vivid and magical that it made me want to visit someday and experience the place that inspired this story for myself.

This is definitely a slower, slice-of-life story, and I can understand why some readers who prefer fast-paced plots might find it boring. But for me, I could not stop listening. I found it so refreshing, engaging, and heartfelt. There was something incredibly comforting about simply spending time in Anne’s world and watching everyday life unfold.

I completely fell in love with the characters, especially Anne herself. She is such a creative, imaginative, hopeful, and whimsical little girl. Even though she experienced such a difficult childhood, she still tried to see beauty and goodness in the world around her. I found her incredibly inspiring. She was also SO dramatic, but in the most entertaining and lovable way possible. She constantly had me grinning and laughing while I listened.

I loved watching her friendship with Diana blossom, and I especially loved seeing Anne slowly become part of Matthew and Marilla’s family. At first, it did feel a little unusual to me that her adoptive parents were an aging brother and sister instead of a married couple, because they honestly acted like an old married couple half the time. But once I settled into their dynamic, I absolutely adored it. Matthew instantly melted my heart with how deeply he loved Anne and saw her as his daughter. Marilla was much stricter and harder to warm up to at first, but watching Anne gradually soften her heart was one of the sweetest parts of the entire story. Their little family dynamic became one of my favorite things about the book.

I really enjoyed watching Anne grow and mature throughout the story, though I will admit I preferred the first half of the book when she was younger. There was something especially magical and charming about childhood Anne that I loved most.

I know this is not technically considered Christian fiction, but I appreciated the small faith elements woven throughout the story. They added to the wholesome atmosphere and reinforced many of the themes about kindness, compassion, gratitude, family, and community.

I loved this story so much that after finishing both the graphic novel and the original book, I immediately went down an Anne rabbit hole. I watched the 2016 two-part miniseries on Amazon Prime, and then started the Netflix adaptation of Anne with an E. I also want to listen to another Audible Exclusive dramatized audiobook featuring Catherine O’Hara, Victor Garber, Sandra Oh, and Michela Luci because I am just not ready to leave Anne’s world yet.

Overall, this is such a beautiful story to read during spring or summer, and I know I will return to it again and again over the years. I definitely want to continue with the rest of the series to see where Anne’s life takes her as she grows older. I am so glad I finally gave this classic a chance because it has become a new all-time favorite. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially the audiobook version!