{"id":36377,"date":"2019-07-13T22:24:30","date_gmt":"2019-07-14T02:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36377"},"modified":"2019-07-13T22:24:30","modified_gmt":"2019-07-14T02:24:30","slug":"review-of-marilla-of-green-gables-by-sarah-mccoy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36377","title":{"rendered":"Review of Marilla of Green Gables, by Sarah McCoy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Marilla of Green Gables<\/em><\/p>\n

by Sarah McCoy<\/p>\n

William Morrow (HarperCollins), 2018. 300 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written July 4, 2019, from my own copy, a birthday present from my sister Becky<\/p>\n

This book came out toward the end of 2018, when I was in the thick of reading for the Newbery, and couldn\u2019t possibly get to it. After the winner was chosen, I\u2019d forgotten about it, so I was completely delighted when my sister sent it to me for my birthday. The gift was all the more perfect because I\u2019m planning to go with two girlfriends to visit Prince Edward Island in the Fall, and I\u2019ve been rereading all my L. M. Montgomery books in preparation. One of those girlfriends was at my house on my birthday when I opened the gift. So the timing was perfect to read this prequel to Anne of Green Gables<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sarah McCoy takes us into the heart of Marilla. We see her as a young teen living with her parents and her older brother Matthew. The author gave Marilla\u2019s parents the same names as L. M. Montgomery\u2019s parents, Clara and Hugh, in a nice act of tribute.<\/p>\n

Clara is expecting a baby, and her twin, Marilla\u2019s Aunt Izzy comes to stay and to help. When both mother and baby are lost, Marilla must carry on, taking care of Matthew and Hugh.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s delightful getting a glimpse into Avonlea in the years before Anne. Marilla\u2019s friendship with Rachel started when they were young, and we hear many more names that will be in the village in later years. Yes, we knew that John Blythe had been Marilla\u2019s beau, and we get the story of their quarrel.<\/p>\n

A part of the story that surprised me was when Green Gables becomes a safe haven for runaway slaves, under the protection of Izzy. I hadn\u2019t realized that slave catchers could even come into Canada looking for them. There is also some political unrest in Canada at that time, which I\u2019d known nothing about.<\/p>\n

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It\u2019s a gentle story, a story of a reserved young woman growing up in a small village in Canada in the 1800s. She\u2019s living a quiet life, and love seems to pass her by. At the end of the book, they think that Matthew could use some help on the farm\u2026.<\/p>\n

This was perfect preparation for a visit to Prince Edward Island, and I heartily recommend it for all other Anne fans out there. The style isn\u2019t the same as L. M. Montgomery\u2019s, but it made me feel I understood Marilla better than when I had only seen her through the eyes of a precocious orphan.<\/p>\n

sarahmccoy.com<\/a>
\nharpercollins.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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