Anne of the Island

Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery is the third book in the Anne of Green Gables series, written by Lucy Maud Montgomery about Anne Shirley. Anne Of the Island is the third book of the eight-book sequels written by L. M. Montgomery, about Anne Shirley and her friends. In the book, Anne leaves Green Gables for the first time to go to Redmond College to get a bachelor's degree in art at the age of 18.

Plot summary

Anne Shirley is looking forward to new adventures as she packs her stuff, bids farewell to childhood, and prepares to enroll at Redmond College. Anne nestles her memories of rural Avonlea aside and experiences life on her own terms, full of surprises... such as a marriage proposal from the worst guy she's ever met, the sale of her first tale, and a tragedy that teaches her a harsh lesson. Anne tucks away her memories of idyllic Avonlea and discovers the life waiting for her in the bustling metropolis of Kingsport, with her old friend Prissy Grant waiting for her and her frivolous new friend Philippa Gordon by her side.

In addition, Anne submits a short piece to numerous periodicals, but it is rejected, and she swears she will never write again. Worse news arrives when she returns to Avonlea and discovers that Ruby, her childhood friend, is dying of consumption. While Ruby is sick, Anne stays with her and is persuaded to keep writing by Ruby's guidance. Anne leaves Green Gables and her work as a teacher in Avonlea to pursue her original dream (which she gave up in Anne of Green Gables) of taking further education at Redmond College in Kingsport, Nova Scotia. Gilbert Blythe and Charlie Sloane enroll as well, as does Anne's friend from Queen's Academy, Priscilla Grant. During her first week of school, Anne befriends Philippa Gordon, a beautiful girl whose frivolous ways charm her. Philippa (Phil for short) also happens to be from Anne's birthplace in Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia.

The girls spend their first year in boardinghouses and decide to set up house thereafter in a lovely cottage called Patty's Place, near campus. Meanwhile, Anne's childhood friend Ruby Gillis dies of consumption (tuberculosis) very soon after finding her own true love. The girls enter their second year at Redmond happily ensconced at Patty's Place, along with Queen's classmate Stella Maynard and her "Aunt Jimsie" (their chaperone), while life continues in Avonlea. Diana Barry marries Fred Wright and Davy and Dora continue to keep Marilla busy.

Midway through their college years, Gilbert Blythe, who has always loved Anne, proposes to her but Anne rejects him; although she and Gilbert are very close, she holds sentimental fantasies about true love (all featuring a tall, dark, handsome, inscrutable hero) and does not recognize her true feelings for Gilbert. Gilbert leaves, his heart broken, and the two drift apart.