L.M. Montgomery's classic tale Anne of Green Gables gets a romantic modern adaptation: After an idyllic girlhood in Avonlea, Long Island, Anne has packed up her trunk, said goodbye to her foster parents, Marilla and Matthew, and moved to the isle of Manhattan for grad school.
The chapters switch from 'then' (high school) to 'now' (grad school) and so forth. These eras of Anne’s life are layered with heavy-duty longing and need felt by both Anne and Gilbert. The reader can easily discern a distinct atmosphere of hot and cold in the past and present. Fortunately, Ms. Starler injects some lurking potential for trouble. Overall, Anne of Manhattan is a charming book that promises an escape from our 2021 issues.
The inevitable snag that derails them doesn't last long, and readers are rewarded with a satisfying HEA ... gives just the right tone to Anne's snippiness and exasperation at Gil's shenanigans, and to the rest of their dialogue and the supporting characters. ... Fans of Anne of Green Gables will enjoy this retelling, though listeners don't have to be familiar with the original novel to love this charmingly funny, slightly sizzling contemporary romance.
Adaptations of beloved children’s books are difficult to pull off, but Starler’s debut—a romantic, modern-day riff on Anne of Green Gables—brings impressive heart and sensuality to a classic ... Starler manages to capture the original’s wholesomeness while adding a contemporary sexy edge. Unfortunately, the focus on the slow-burning relationship comes at the expense of other important characters—including menacing Dr. Lintford and Anne’s best friend, Diana Barry, whose plotlines are glossed over. Still, this is a sweet update to a classic story with an Anne Shirley fans will recognize and a Gilbert Blythe as dreamy as ever.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay[/caption]
