A review by chalkletters
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery

emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

If Anne of Windy Willows is a departure from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s usual style of Anne books, Anne’s House of Dreams is a glorious return to form. I am predisposed to feel favourably towards it, because not only does it feature a lighthouse but there’s also one on the cover (at least, the gorgeous cover featured above), but I genuinely think it might be the Anne book with the most literary merit. 

Most of the previous Anne books have at least two characters, usually Anne’s school or university friends, who aren’t immediately distinguishable from one another. In contrast, every character in Anne’s House of Dreams is beautifully distinct, and it’s delightful to watch Anne interact with older generations from a position of equal adulthood, rather than as a child or young adult looking upwards for support. While not all the characters are kindred spirits, enough are that Lucy Maud Montgomery introduced a new catchphrase for them in the race that knows Joseph. Leslie, Miss Cornelia and Captain Jim are all stand-outs on a par with Katherine Brooke, Phil Gordon or Miss Lavender. 

The subplots and structure of Anne’s House of Dreams are very nearly perfect: they all weave together, one affecting another so that the novel as a whole feels far more cohesive and less episodic than the earlier Anne books. As lovely as each of those episodes is, Anne’s House of Dreamsfeels like Lucy Maud Montgomery coming into her own as a mature writer.

The descriptions of Four Winds Harbour are just as lavish and beautiful as any description of Avonlea. Lucy Maud Montgomery knows how to select words which are not only descriptive but atmospheric, making the landscape fit the mood of her characters, no matter what it is. Reading Lucy Maud Montgomery’s descriptions simply never stops being a joy.
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