Marilla of Green Gables
by Sarah McCoy (Goodreads Author)

3.5 out of 5 stars

Marilla is growing up on the Avonlea farm before the gables were ever built or painted green. Her family are excited for a new baby to arrive soon, and Marilla’s aunt arrives to help out. But Marilla is unsure about these new additions to the family. Will it change their peaceful lives to have their aunt taking over the kitchen? Marilla is also determined to keep homeschooling and studying so that she can pass the examinations to finish school. She is needed at home to help her mother, so she can’t attend school, but a neighbor boy, John Blythe, agrees to tutor her after school and help her pass her exams. There is a flirtation with John Blythe, but all that changes when disaster strikes the Cuthbert family.

There are a lot of things going on in this book. Sometimes the plot feels sort of disjointed and pulled in different directions. I enjoyed each individual story line, but it lacked a unifying theme.

Marilla travels to the mainland to bring charity to an orphanage. She learns about runaway slaves who hide at the orphanage, and wants to assist in some way, but isn’t really sure what she can do to help. The Ladies’ Aid Society begins making mittens and hats for the orphans, and Marilla meets Rachel who becomes her best friend.

Then there is the half-romance with John Blythe. I didn’t like that Marilla was so quick to lose her head over this flirtation. Otherwise she is a sensible, no-nonsense kind of person, but she is very quick to run off into the woods with John to kiss. It just didn’t fit with her character. I would have liked it better if they had flirted some and become friends, but had not kissed or had anything serious in their relationship. I always got the impression that Marilla’s relationship with John Blythe had been a “will-they-won’t-they” thing with nothing more substantial. But in this book, they are seriously in love, kissing, dating at public events, and John is an accepted suitor at the Cuthbert house. Then it all fell apart when they quarreled, because they were both too proud to apologize. I don’t know. It’s fine, but I guess I had just imagined it differently in my head.

The half-romance that Matthew has with a local girl made a lot more sense. It fit with his quiet character, and it made sense the way that it ended with him as a confirmed bachelor for life.

The storyline with Marilla’s mother and aunt was heart-breaking and sweet. It was really emotional to see the strong connections between these women, and I loved the scenes with Marilla and her aunt.

The writing style is nothing like LM Montgomery, but it doesn’t read like fan fiction either. The writing is strong and engaging.

Overall, a good story, and I enjoyed reading it!