Author: Logan Steiner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morris Paperbacks
Release Date: 2023
Pages: 362
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: A stunning and unexpected portrait of Lucy Maud Montgomery, creator of one of literature’s most prized heroines, whose personal demons were at odds with her most enduring legacy—the irrepressible Anne of Green Gables.
“Dear old world,” she murmured, “you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.” —L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, 1908.
As a young woman, Maud had dreams bigger than the whole of Prince Edward Island. Her exuberant spirit had always drawn frowns from her grandmother and their neighbors, but she knew she was meant to create, to capture and share the way she saw the world. And the young girl in Maud’s mind became more and more persistent: Here is my story, she said. Here is how my name should be spelled—Anne with an “e.”
But the day Maud writes the first lines of Anne of Green Gables, she gets a visit from the handsome new minister in town, and soon faces a decision: forge her own path as a spinster authoress, or live as a rural minister’s wife, an existence she once called "a synonym for respectable slavery." The choice she makes alters the course of her life.
With a husband whose religious mania threatens their health and happiness at every turn, the secret darkness that Maud herself holds inside threatens to break through the persona she shows to the world, driving an ever-widening wedge between her public face and private self, and putting her on a path towards a heartbreaking end.
Beautiful and moving, After Anne reveals Maud’s hidden personal challenges while celebrating what was timeless about her life and art—the importance of tenacity and the peaceful refuge found in imagination.
My Review: Anne of Green Gables is one of the most beloved novels of all time. After Anne retells the story of L.M. Montgomery’s life. Maud is at first a very creative person who is full of dreams. However, her life takes a dark and sad turn as she goes through marriage and motherhood. As Maud goes through many difficulties in life, her only refuge is her imagination.
I am a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. However, I did not know much about L.M. Montgomery. After reading this book, I came away very sad. Maud is a very sympathetic figure. She goes through many tragedies. I often wondered what would have happened to her if she chose differently. I also found it interesting to see how Maud dealt with mental illness. Therefore, Maud was a very fascinating character. I just wished her life would have been better for her.
Overall, this novel is about love, family, and hardships. I thought that all the characters seemed very complex and realistic. I did think that the novel was very slow moving. I did not like how the story jumped back and forth with various time jumps. It felt a bit jarring and did not flow very well. I thought that After Anne is very beautifully written with vivid imagery and was meticulously researched. I was shocked at how Maud died. After Anne is definitely not a novel for those who are faint of heart. It is dark and thought-provoking! I recommend this for fans of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, The Dream Lover, and The Other Alcott! After Anne is a beautiful tribute to a celebrated author!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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