Anne’s House of Dreams

L.M. Montgomery opens Anne’s House of Dreams with the all preparations, both emotional and practical, for Anne’s marriage to Gilbert. He finds a small white house for them by the seaside, which is a little out of the way from his patients. It has all the elements of her house of dreams, but it was to be called that for yet another reason.

Can I tell you how many times I cried while reading this book? I lost count but I can tally the reasons why. First, the words describing the view of the sea at Four Winds Harbour were so hauntingly beautiful. Second, the tragic character of the spellbinding Leslie Moore as she was introduced was so compelling. Third, the beauty of Anne’s “dream” as her little one grew within her, and the neighbors who lovingly crocheted a layette for the baby.

Fourth, the heartbreak of Anne after the death of her newborn baby girl, who only lived an hour: I was thankful that I had been forewarned by brief mention in Anne of Ingleside, as I have been reading the books I missed in the series out of order; and that I knew she would have six beautiful babies in succession afterwards. Still, I was caught off-guard. I decided I could not put the book down until the book had come to a happy conclusion, which you can always expect from a story by L.M. Montgomery.

A friendship blossomed between Anne and Leslie, who ultimately found the love she so deserved. Jem was born. And Gilbert and Leslie left their House of Dreams to purchase the large house in the Glen that would later come to be known as Ingleside. How difficult it was to leave their little house! The home was to fall into good hands, however, and the book ended in the most uplifting way.

I can only regret that I did not read this book as a young girl. I would highly recommend it for girls and women of all ages and stocks of life.