As an admirer of L. M. Montgomery's brilliant Anne Shirley and the happiness reading the adventures and stories of the characters, I wasn't disappointed with this book. It was very insightful and interesting, especially as the photographs in the book compared real life places on Prince Edward Island to the fictionalised imaginings of Anne. As well as seeing the landscapes at the time of L. M. Montgomery actually lived in.
The added information and interesting little facts made the read even more compelling. It would be a great hardback book to skim through to look at the photos in accompaniment to reading the Anne series or whether to read in full to gain more of an insight in to the world of Lucy Maud.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! Ooooh, how I grew up loving all of LM Montgomery’s books, especially Anne of Green Gables. When this one popped up, I thought, why not? I mean, I once ordered materials from Prince Edward Island tourism just because it seemed like a magical place in her books. This book ended up being more than I planned. I thought it would be mostly about the island itself however, it contains a wonderful comparison between Anne and LM and their lives, which I didn’t realize were so similar. It also has beautiful pictures of the island and shows you how much LM loved the nature and the island itself. There were times it was loosing me a bit (I’m not a big flower lover, and many of the pictures seemed similar), but I still really enjoyed it, especially learning all the info about the author I never knew. Since I loved her books as a kid, I never researched her life. Now I have to go find my childhood collection and re-read all these beloved books!

I really enjoyed reading the comparisons between Anne and Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne of Green Gables takes on a whole new meaning for me after reading how close to home her life was to Montgomery's. Not only is the writing illuminating, but the illustrations are beautiful. I had to force myself not to turn the pages ahead to look at the images.

I was given the opportunity to read The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables: the Enchanting Island that Inspired LM Montgomery by Catherine Reid, by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely, nostalgic look at the places that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery and helped give her characters (particularly Anne Shirley) such endurance. For fans of Montgomery and Anne or those interested Montgomery's Canada.

I’m a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. I loved the stories and pictures that accompanied this book

For fans of the Anne of Green Gables series, this volume is a lovely armchair tour of Prince Edward Island and the places connected with Anne Shirley. Stories of Anne’s creator Maud Montgomery and how they parallel Anne’s story, excerpts from the novels as well as Montgomery’s journals, and tidbits about the author’s life comprise the enjoyable text. And if you’re not a fan? Viewing the artistic photos throughout this book may entice you to get reading!

One of the most beautiful books I have seen in a long time. Gorgeous photos of gardens and landscapes..Enjoy this book, it's fabulous! Thank you to NetGalley and Timber Press...WOW!!!

This book was a complete treasure! Anyone who has read and loved the Anne of Green Gables series (or is even just interested in the life and process of great writers) will absolutely love this book. You can literally watch Anne's character and story come to life throughout these pages. Filled with quotations from her novels & various writings, as well as a ton of interesting & pertinent biographical information, Lucy Maud Montgomery's world comes to life within the pages that are filled with lush and gorgeous photographs of Prince Edward Island, then and now. But it is not merely a biography...this book is a tribute to an author, a beloved character, and most prominently, a place. I have wanted to visit Prince Edward Island since I was a child, but now it has moved high on my bucket list of places. I cannot wait to purchase the hardcover book...and rediscover Maud's books all over again.

Much more than I imagined, this book takes you far beyond the 'Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables'. Almost immediately the author draws your attention to the connection between Anne & Maud herself. I would suppose that Diana Barry & Anne Shirley were not the original 'kindred spirits', but rather Anne & Maud are. There is much to learn about the similarities of the circumstances and upbringing that Maud endured. Despite not being totally orphaned and being raised by extended family, it's clear to see that she has written about her own experiences. Creating alternate characters to the harsh ones she's left to live with, are, what made the more idyllic life in her mind and evidently found amongst the pages of her novels.

Of course there are numerous photographs of Prince Edward Island today. Tourism being its number 2 industry, fueled by the popularity of L.M. Montgomery's famous series, beginning with 'Anne of Green Gables'. While it explains that commercialism has replaced much of the natural and original beauty of the Island, it seems that PEI still maintains enough charm to draw the crowds. Maud documented her life through her journals and scrapbooks and many of her own photographs are included in this book.

Most visitors flock to the Island during the warm summer months, and they rarely experience the broad variety of the seasons on PEI. There is a whole chapter devoted to the array of beauty each season brings, and I think it may be my favourite. It is no surprise that Anne herself declares "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers"!! Just stunning and beautiful.

The natural world around her, the woodlands, gardens, broad fields, quiet dirt road lanes and the beauty of the coastline leaves no doubts that this influence on her life was her core source of inspiration and peace. It shines through in her writing, and again, another indication that Anne's character is based so heavily on her own life.

A real joy to read, this would make a beautiful gift to any 'Anne with a e' fan you know.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

The Anne of Green Gables series was my daughter's favorite growing up. She read them several times, and I read them because she so loved them. The Landscape of Anne of Green Gables brought back so many details from the series to me that I thought I had forgotten.

Not only are the pictures breathtakingly beautiful, but the book provides an incredibly interesting insight into the life of L. M. Montgomery. I did not realize the parallels between her own life and her character, Anne Shirley. The Landscape of Anne of Green Gables would make a lovely coffee table book. It also would be totally cool if it could be marketed as part of a boxed set of Anne of Green Gables.

Great read for all lovers of Anne of Green Gables. Learned a great deal about the author and her inspiration for a childhood classic.

"The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables" is a wonderful reading experience. One part nature photography, one part biography, and one part literary examination-this book is beautifully written and accompanied by often breathtaking images of PEI. I thought it was a perfect accompaniment for anyone that has spent time imagining the hills, flowers, and lanes Anne Shirley (L. Maud Montgomery) describes as she flabergasts Marilla and Mathew with her exuberance and imagination. Catherine Reid expertly integrates current photographs, archival photographs taken by Montgomery, quotes from Montgomery's novels, and quotes from Montgomery's own journals to create a book that brings to life the world of L. Maud Montgomery. It was wonderful to read how, even though she claimed to not use herself (or any real person) as inspiration for her novels, Lucy Maud Montgomery actually brought her own love and desire to be with and in nature into her stories. I was also surprised to see that even though time has allowed for progress to alter parts of Prince Edward Island, there are so many places that have been preserved and reserved because of the influence of L. M. Montgomery.
I would recommend this to those that enjoy nature photography and L. M. Montgomery fans.

In exchange for my honest review, I received an Egalley -ARC from NetGalley and Timber Press for which I am thankful.

A perfect mix of gorgeous photographs, pleasing visual layout, and interesting information about the author of Anne of Green Gables and her similarities to the character. Can't wait to get my copy!

As a child, I often imagined myself as the ginger-haired heroine of the "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea" series. I grew up in the country and could easily picture the pastoral scenes and smell the home cooking that danced through the pages of Anne's life. As an avid reader, I would have loved to have a book like the one Catherine Reid has compiled, rich in period photos, landscapes of Prince Edward Island, and historical stories and information as it related to Anne's life. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoy's sharing life with Anne Shirley and her misadventures.

”As in the novels that preceded it, the strong draw of Anne’s story is due as much to the orphan’s charisma as to the setting where it takes place – in her case, the wooded paths, the orchards in bloom, the fields stretching out to the sea. But the lasting gift of Anne of Green Gables is how the landscape also fuels Anne’s prodigious imagination; it’s where she goes when she needs sustenance; it’s the example that she’ll hold onto for what is beautiful, what is possible.”

Born in the town of Clifton, which is now known as New London, in November of 1874, on Prince Edward Island, Maud Montgomery was not even two years old when her mother died of tuberculosis. Soon after, her father left Prince Edward Island, with a group of families migrating to western Canada. He left young Maud behind with her maternal grandparents.

”I was impulsive, warm-hearted, emotional; grandmother was cold and reserved, narrow in her affections and sensibilities.”
-- The Select Journals of L.M. Montgomery, VOL 1

After some time, she went to live with her father and his new wife - a woman who was extremely jealous of her loving relationship with her father, and had no interest in spending time with her stepdaughter. Soon her stepmother had a child, and Maud became the one responsible for cleaning the home, caring for the baby, and more. She was also attending school, and dreaming of Prince Edward Island.

I’ve never been to Prince Edward Island, but after reading this and looking over the pictures and photographs in this book off and on, I want to go there. Some original old photographs, and some newer, beautiful ones of the land there, the flowers and turn the page and there’s an old photograph of a horse and buggy on a dirt lane, photographs of places she included in her books, ‘The Lake of Shining Waters’ and ‘Lover’s Lane.’

The photographs are beautiful, my favourites were Montgomery’s photographs that she shot herself (c. 1917), and many more current ones, showing the beauty of the island, and then there are the ones with landscapes of the beautiful flowers or trees or lanes with quotes from her much beloved books.

”When I am asked if Anne herself is a ‘real person,’ I always answer ‘no’ with an odd reluctance and an uncomfortable feeling of not telling the truth. For she is and always has been, from the moment I first thought of her, so real to me that I feel I am doing violence to something when I deny her an existence anywhere save Dreamland … She is so real that, although I’ve never met her, I feel quite sure I shall do so some day – perhaps in a stroll through Lover’s Lane in the twilight – or in the moonlit Birch Path – I shall lift my eyes and find her, child or maiden, by my side. And I shall not be in the least surprised because I have always known that she was
somewhere.”

While this will undoubtedly delight fans of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, it isn’t necessary to have read her books to appreciate these lovely photographs, or her story. It might also serve as an inspiration to read her books, but for those who have felt they shared a bond with Anne.


Pub Date: 18 Apr 2018

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Timber Press

Timber Press in April is publishing The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid and I must insist we all gift this book to our favorite Anne Shirley bibliophile as it is simply perfection!

When I read landscapes in the title I wrongly assumed this would be in the style of a coffee table book with only beautiful photographs of Prince Edward Island. While that is true, the photography is stunning, it's the history and descriptions of the island, Maud and her rich family backstory that sets this book apart. It should be required reading when finishing the series for the first time.

I had the pleasure of cycling the island for 12 days with my family a few years back and seeing the island from the viewpoint of old railroad tracks, following bike paths along beaches and crossing through forests. It was such a unique way to stumble upon the Lake of Shining Waters or Haunted Woods and the intimate images in this book brought me right back to these memories.

I am going to have to purchase this book for my father-in-law as he planned out our cycling routes with the intention of seeing as much of the island as possible. These photos will bring him right back to those sun (and two rain) filled days. The descriptions and history behind these photos I hope will enrich his understanding of own my love/fandom for Lucy Maud Montgomery and remind him of an incredible adventure we all undertook. For your own gifting pleasure I would suggest finding the perfect picnic basket to fill with The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables, a bottle of raspberry cordial or tea and some scones for the Anne of Green Gables fan in your life.

https://decidedlyread.wordpress.com/2018/01/08/the-landscapes-of-anne-of-green-gables/

The reason I have given this book five stars is that even in the ebook format this was a beautiful book! The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables delves into the physical landscape of Prince Edward Island including modern and historic pictures. The pictures are stunning, the landscape is beautiful. I would not have expected to enjoy the ebook version as much as I did but it still conveyed what I expect to be a lovely print book as well. Taking the reader deeper into Anne’s world it produces a stunning effect of being in a real world place that has the feel of a fantasy land. Silly as it may sound, as I read it I found myself wanting to buy it for myself as a child. Great for those days when you want to travel in time and space and let your mind wander.

Please, if you are reading this review, get a copy of this book on your kindle or in hard copy form. With its stunning photography and beautiful tie in text to the classic book "Anne of Green Gables, "Landscapes" is a gem of a find for this reader. I wish I could share it with my Dad who actually took me to Prince Edward Island so I could experience this place in person. As someone who dearly loves this series and the characters within it, I was very pleased "The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables". It is a truly worthy companion to Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved stories.

With the rise in popularity of everyone's favourite literary feminist Anne of Green Gables, mostly due to the fabulous Netflix production, this book is a welcomed addition. Part biography, literary criticism, and a show case of Reids own nature writing, I was completely absorbed by this book and its exquisite photographs of Prince Edward Island which is now on my bucket list of places to see. I will happily hand sell this to the adult fans of Montgomery as much as I love introducing new readers to my beloved friend Anne with an E.

A Treasure That Will Make You Fall in Love All Over Again

Words fail me to describe how much I loved reading Catherine Reid’s newest book, The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables. I felt like I was opening a treasure each time I read from this book and gazed at the beautiful pictures of the breathtakingly beautiful Prince Edward Island.

I first read Anne of Green Gables as a young adult and loved Lucy Maud Montgomery’s writing so much so that I read all her books. What a gifted writer! Her poetic lyrical writing captured character’s thoughts and emotions and enabled readers to imagine the beautiful landscapes of God’s creation.

Who could not fall in love with Price Edward Island when reading Anne of Green Gables or seeing the wonderful TV mini-series by Sullivan Entertainment? With each page you turn in this book you will be entranced by the beauty of this island.

Catherine Reed does a wonderful job in telling about Maud Montgomery’s wonderful, yet hard life. She achieved success, but was not immune to tragedy. Catherine intertwines thoughts and experiences from Maud’s life and shows how they were reflected in the lives of characters she wrote about. The landscapes that inspired and moved Maud, where an integral part of her books and her life. Included in the book are numerous quotes from Maud’s writing, not only her personal journals, but also her beloved fiction books.

I forewarn you, after reading The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables, you may want to reread all of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books. This book is a treasure; I wanted to savor each page. It will help you to see the beauty in nature in a new and fresh way. You may even be inspired to visit Prince Edward Island and behold it for yourself.

If you know someone, young or old, who loves Anne of Green Gables, or is enchanted by gardens and nature, you may want to get them a copy of The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid. I would like to thank NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read this book. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

Even though I got to read this book for free, I liked it so much that I may go ahead and purchase it. It’s a keeper that I would like to go back to again and again.