I read this classic (the complete version, that is) when I was twelve years old. And it has always been a favorite of mine, tying for first place with Pride and Prejudice, which I could read and watch a thousand times over. And as October dawns dragging in my favourite season along with it, I am reminded of Anne who first sprinkled water over my love for winter.

But at any rate, every October 1st, I pick up one of the seven Anne books, with Windy Poplars being my usual number one and Rainbow Valley an occasional read. And as I picked up book number 2, Anne of Avonlea this year, I couldn’t help but wonder why I am so attached to this series that I read as a child, whereas there are a lot of classics I have managed to outgrow (Pollyanna, Rebecca of Sunnybrooke Farm, etc.).

Anne is the eccentric protagonist of small town Avonlea, where everyone knows everyone. I recently started watching Gilmore Girls. And much of the reason why I love Anne is why I love Gilmore Girls. The world is an anomaly. The characters are vibrant and loveable, each has his or her own personality, rather than simply being just ships passing in the distant, they all factor into the story and the many episodes he protagonists feature in. Each bringing in a new flavour. There’s the strict Josephine Barry, who is a soft-hearted old woman with a hard exterior, a myriad of teachers who teach Anne and a number of students who Anne teaches, each coming with their own stories. My all time favorite is Rebecca Dew who is just so eccentric, that I adore every aspect of her, including her name. There are weddings and love stories, funerals and scrapes, from childhood all till Anne is a mother herself.

Avonlea and its people are like a historic Stars Hollow, and that’s one of the main appeals. In fact upon further research I’ve found a compare and contrast between the characters of the two worlds (personally I don’t agree with it, but it’s interesting to see that other people follow the same thought process.) Read it here!

Anne is the protagonist you can’t help but love. She’s got that dream like quality that endears her to you as a child. And yet the amount of scrapes she gets into is comical. Growing up as a clumsy child I found kinship in that. I was the child who slipped over nothing but air and who took action without thinking of the consequences. And to see that reflected in the perfect character of book you’re reading, creates a sort of bond between the two of you. As Anne would say it, made us kindred spirits. As a child reading, that remains the original appeal.

As a budding writer, I found myself attached to these books because of the way Maud writes. Everything is so descriptive. I can build up the meandering road of the White Way of Delight of the violet hues that surround Lovers Lane. Natural scenery reads more like poetry, and reading it at 17 now, allows me to appreciate the vocabulary, but at 12 it’s a cornucopia of beautiful, lyrical writing. Color pops off the page, trees come to life, the hills roll around you in 3D.

As I grew I realized that Gilbert Blythe was a dream. He’s perfect and Anne and him were perfect today. It struck a chord in me to see, as Mrs Lynde put it, a woman choosing the nerdy, handsome boy who worships the ground she walks on. I found their relationship so relatable. It started off with Anne, being completely enraged by Gilbert calling her Carrots and from there a hate to friends to lover romance blossomed. The pacing was exquisite, where in the first book, the reader can see Gilbert falling helplessly in love with Anne, reading up to the soft infatuations as best friend in the second and finally the sweet acceptance with which they fall in love. The romance was subtle enough that it didn’t take over the plot, all of Anne’s solo scenes and friendships shine out, but now as an older reader who is a fan of romance, the Anne-Gilbert relationship is the biggest draws for me.

The series has everything. It’s an amalgamation of feel-good moments, romance, strong female protagonists, friendships and lots and lots of eccentricities. Making it perfect for readers of every age. It’s evergreen. Because as you read, you grow with Anne. You find a place for yourself in the world with her. You find friendships and romance and you do it all alongside a steadfast friend with fiery hair and an upturned nose. Anne ends up being more a friend than a character…